After breakfast proceed to the Nohkalikai Waterfall. It tumbles down a large bed of rocks, frothing and leaping furiously down to a pool, leaving a haze of mist. This is likely to be the center point of your travel to Cherrapunji, but there is more to explore, so remember to tear yourself in time. We spent over an hour at the edge, jaws dropped to the floor till someone reminded us that there was more to cover on this day.

Next, we wended down to the Arwah-Lumshynna caves in Cherrapunji. Inside the caves, the stalagmites and stalactites drooped from the roof of the caves. The guide mentioned that we were in the presence of fossils that had survived for thirty million years. Watches egging us to hurry up, we were back in the car and off to Shnongpdeng addressed at the edge of Umngot River. We wended our way along the Bangladesh border and flopped on the soft sand with the sound of the river as a constant backdrop.

It was Christmas Eve a campfire celebration was on the cards. An evening of music and barbecue under a sky full of billion stars was the perfect way to celebrate.Overnight stay hotel.

After brekfast You will proceed for local sightseeing visit crystal clear Umngot River. The river is so clean that one can see the riverbed with naked eyes and it seems that the slim local boats are floating mid-air on the surface – a the photograph that has repeatedly cemented the destination’s allure on the Internet in the last few years.

Bright red kayaks bobbed in the water in front of our camp, so there was only one thing to do – jump in it and paddle along the river. Chin to the neck, peeping over the edge of the kayak, I could see the base of the river clearly. With the light refracting perfectly, it looked as if the watery stretch was bright turquoise. Furious camera shutters were capturing the scene. Understandably, it was impossible for anyone to resist taking photographs of this unique river.

Riverside fun over, we headed to the famous Living Roots Bridge of Meghalaya en-route Bangladesh border at Dawki. Almost two hours of driving and a few hundred steps down, the living root bridge of Rwai emerged. This intricate network of roots is built over decades by the village elders and is said to have a life span of over 500 years. After marveling the genius work of the locals, we started walking towards the Maw Ryngkew Sharia or the ‘balancing rock’ located just before Mawlynnong village. It embodies a strange natural phenomenon of a boulder precariously balancing on another rock. It was a short drive to Mawlynnong from here. The village’s reputation precedes it. After all, it is Asia’s cleanest village. It was a treat to walk into the trash-less and well-manicured streets of this tiny village that is now world-famous for cleanliness. It truly is God’s Own Garden. overnight stay hotel.

After breakfast you will go towards Police Bazaar in the center of Shillong. As expected, the city looked like a bride on Christmas Day. Bright lights hung from every window and wall, and decked up trees stood at short intervals, under the weight of decorations. The local people had taken to the streets for food, music and the lit-up buildings. Impromptu Christmas carols were being sung and there was an air of celebration around. We settled into a brightly lit café to end the long day. It was a memorable Christmas spent mostly on wheels and the evening in the company of music and a typical Shillong vibe. Overnight stay hotel.

After breakfast check out from the hotel this is the last day of our trip. With no concrete agenda, we drove along the lush countryside from Shillong. The eventual stop was Guwahati, but we veered off the highway into unassuming villages. Tea and pineapple plantations covered entire hillsides, playing host to a number of birds. We took a short impromptu break to enjoy the fresh-from-the-farm fruits and vegetables being sold in a roadside market. Ample for the eyes and the soul, we ended the trip in Guwahati in the evening. And return to home wit sweet memories.