Known For : Umiam Lake Elephant Falls Shillong Peak
A beautiful city encircled by pine trees, Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya. It derives its name from Lei Shyllong, an idol worshipped at the Shillong Peak. Standing as tall as 1496 meters, Shillong provides a relief from the heat across the country. This hill station in Meghalaya is known for its picturesque sights and traditions. The soothing climate makes Shillong suitable to visit in all seasons. The light drizzles and the cooling gentle wind adds to the joy of visiting this hill station. This place is also known as the ‘Scotland of the East’. One can find descendants of the Khyrim, Mylliem, Maharam, Mallaisohmat, Bhowal and Langrim tribes.
Best Time: September to May
Known For : Double Decker Living Root Bridge Nohkalikai Waterfalls Mawsmai Cave
Among the wettest place on the Earth, Cherrapunjee with its clean and pristine surroundings is an excellent place to sit back and unwind.
Best Time: October to February
Known For : Mawlyngbna Mawjymbuin Cave Nohalikalai Falls
Acknowledged as one of the wettest place in the world, the mesmerizing village of Mawsynram is a nature lover's delight and the perfect destination to behold the beauty of the rains. Mawsynram trounces Cherrapunjee by a slight margin in being the wettest place in India.
Best Time: June - August; November - February
Known For : Tryshi Falls Nartiang Monoliths Krang Suri Falls
Located in the Jaintia Hills district, Jowai is famous for its scenic setting and breathtaking views with the perfect mix of heritage and culture.
Best Time: October to Mid May
The Garo Hills form the west part of the state and are known for the famous Garo tribes whose belief in nature and folklore are as enchanting as the verdant hills they live in. This hill station in Meghalaya are famous for being home to some great waterfalls too. Located in the West Garo hills, Tura provides a spellbinding as well as serene environment being quite an unexplored hill station in Meghalaya.
The Tura Peak is 872m above sea level. This hill station in Meghalaya has a reserve forest at this mountain peak along with a tourist bungalow, a cinchona plantation and an observatory.
Basically a view point developed by the government. It lies at the beginning of the Sohra tourism circuit.
Forming the southern, eastern and northern part of the state Jaintia Hills are a sacred, pristine patch of hillocks and forest whose beauty and freshness is unparalleled. The part of the erstwhile Jaintia Kingdom the Jaintia Hills are dotted with famous monoliths of stones, unscarred forests and some beautiful lakes such as Umhang Lake.
Named after the Khasi tribe of Meghalaya, the Khasi hills are part of the larger Patkai hill range, a series of hills found across the Indo-Myanmar border in the northeast region of India. With deep lush valleys and conical peaks, these hills are famous for housing the Sohra or Cherrapunjee scarp, one of the regions with highest annual rainfall in the world, and the prevalent use of living root bridges seen in this region. The dense forests mingling with tributaries that eventually drain out into the holy Brahmaputra, combined with the rich biodiversity of the region has earned this hill station Meghalaya the title of 'Scotland of the east'.
Which of these hill stations in Meghalaya will you pick to escape the summer heat?