Meghalaya

With immense beauty and a way to connect to the mountains, North-East in India has a unique natural diversity. With about 70% of the area covered with forest cover, Meghalaya was also known as “The Abode of clouds” is one of the most popular Tourist destinations of North–East. The forest is known for their mammals, birds, nd plants. Every nature lover’s paradise, Meghalaya is a beautiful place to go for a backpacking trip. The state of Meghalaya is one of the seven sisters in the North-Eastern part of the country India. The mountainous state has stretches of plateaus and a geographically very rich area. It is also known for “Sacred Groves” which are small or large areas of forests or natural vegetation that are usually dedicated to local folk deities or tree spirits or some religious symbolism over many generations, often since ancient times. With a lot of mountain peaks, waterfalls and rivers, caves and lakes, the state of Meghalaya is compared to Scotland for its fog, highlands, and scenery.

What makes the state of Meghalaya a nature lover’s paradise?

It offers many adventure tourist opportunities in the form of mountaineering, rock climbing, and trekking, hiking, spelunking and water sports. The highest point in Meghalaya is Shillong peak which has an elevation of 1,961m above the water mark. Meghalaya is the wettest place on earth with average rainfall as high as 12,000mm in some of the areas. The forest hosts 660 species of birds and numerous species including Peacock-pheasant and Hoolock gibbon. The state is a home to a large variety of fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants and a large variety of orchids (nearly 325) found here.

The state of Meghalaya has beautiful town, cities, and villages that add to the beauty of the place altogether. There are a number of places to visit in Meghalaya. The 11-12 days backpacking trip is an adventure of its own kind. The various places of Cheerapunji, Mawlynnong and Shillong and places around them give the complete description of the immense scenic and natural beauty of the state of Meghalaya. These destinations are best to explore by backpacking across Meghalaya.

BACKPACKING TRIP DETAILS

• Max Altitude: 1,961 m
• Trip Duration: 10-11 Days
• Location: India
• Places to stay: Shillong, Cheerapunji, and Mawlynnong
• Visit Time: May till June and mid-September till November. 
• International airport: Guwahati, India

Essential Equipment for Meghalaya Trip

• Footwear: Normal walking boots, Sports shoes, and floaters. Few pairs of socks.
• Luggage: Backpack (60 liters), Daypack (20-30 ltr), Duffel bag.
• Clothes: Waterproof breathable jacket & pants, insulated pants (Synthetic), t-shirts, cotton pants, shorts.
  * clothing as per the season
• Gear for Hand & Head: Liner glove, Bandanna, Sun hat, Face mask etc.
• Accessories: Sunglasses/Goggles, anti-glare glasses, water bottle, hydra pack, Headlamp with spare bulb and extra batteries.
• Trekking Gears: Emergency tool kit.
• Protection and First-Aid: Sunscreen, toiletry kit, water purification tablets, Zip-lock bags, ear plugs, first-aid and all essential medicines.