Arrive at Guwahati airport or railway station and begin the scenic drive to Shillong — the capital of Meghalaya and one of the most characterful hill towns in Northeast India. The drive takes around three hours through the Assam-Meghalaya foothills, with the landscape shifting noticeably as you climb into the Khasi Hills. Check into the hotel and take the evening easy — there are five good days ahead.
Day 02 :
Shillong & Jowai
Start the day at Laitlum Canyons — a dramatic grassland canyon in the Khasi Hills with sheer drops and wide open views that most travellers on the standard Meghalaya circuit never make time for. Drive to Jowai for the highlight of the day — Krang Suri Falls, a stunning turquoise waterfall set deep in the forest with a natural pool at the base that is one of the most visually striking spots in all of Meghalaya. Return to Shillong for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 03 :
Mawlynnong & Dawki
Drive to Mawlynnong — Asia's cleanest village — a community-maintained settlement in the East Khasi Hills that has held its award since 2003 and lives up to it completely. Trek to the Living Root Bridge at Riwai, a neighbouring village — a bridge grown entirely from the aerial roots of a rubber fig tree over hundreds of years, unlike anything you will see anywhere else. Continue to Dawki on the Indo-Bangladesh border for a boat ride on the Umngot River, where the water is clear enough to see straight through to the riverbed below.
Day 4 :
Cherrapunjee
Drive from Shillong to Cherrapunjee — one of the wettest places on earth and home to some of the most dramatic natural scenery in Northeast India. Visit the towering Nohkalikai Falls, explore the atmospheric Mawsmai Caves, and walk through the Eco Park before stopping at Elephant Falls on the return drive. End the day at Police Bazar in Shillong for evening shopping — local handicrafts, traditional Khasi textiles, and a lively market atmosphere.
Day 05 :
Shillong to Guwahati
Have breakfast and begin the transfer back to Guwahati airport or railway station — heading home from five days in the hills with Meghalaya's waterfalls, root bridges, canyon views, and the company of a good women-only group still very much in mind.
Overview & Route
Meghalaya Women-Only Group Tour 4 Nights 5 Days — January 2027 Departure from Guwahati
The Meghalaya Women-Only Group Tour 4 Nights 5 Days is a January 2027 group departure designed exclusively for women — covering the finest natural and cultural landmarks of Meghalaya across five days from Guwahati, with Shillong as the base for a series of day excursions to destinations that range from the famous to the genuinely offbeat.
Meghalaya in January is one of the best times to travel the state. The monsoon ended months ago, the skies are clear and blue, the waterfalls are full and accessible, and the forests around Cherrapunjee and Jowai are crisp and green in the cool winter light. The crowds that build during summer and festival season are absent, and the entire state feels quieter and more personal in January.
Why This Meghalaya Women-Only Group Tour Is Worth Joining
Northeast India is one of the most visited emerging travel destinations in India, and Meghalaya is the state that most travellers discover first. The Living Root Bridges, the glass-clear Umngot River at Dawki, the towering Nohkalikai Falls, and the standing stones of Jowai together form a travel experience that simply cannot be replicated anywhere else in the country.
This women-only group departure adds a layer to that experience — the comfort of travelling with a curated group of women, a dedicated lady trip lead throughout, and the social dynamic of shared discoveries that makes group travel in Northeast India particularly rewarding.
Who Is This January Meghalaya Women’s Group Tour For
Solo women travellers joining as individual bookings and small groups of friends booking together are both equally welcome. The January 15 departure works well as a short break at the start of the year — five days out of a routine, in the hills of Northeast India, with good company.
One lady trip lead accompanies the group throughout — a curated, supported experience from pickup to drop.
All the Destinations on the Meghalaya Women-Only Group Tour 4 Nights 5 Days
Shillong — Base Camp and Gateway to Meghalaya
Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya and one of the liveliest and most walkable hill towns in Northeast India. Known informally as the Rock Capital of India for its vibrant live music scene, the city has a character shaped by Khasi culture, colonial-era architecture, a cosmopolitan food scene, and a coolness of climate and culture that makes it immediately appealing.
The drive from Guwahati takes about three hours through the Assam foothills and the Meghalaya borderlands — a comfortable introduction to the state before the more active sightseeing days begin.
Laitlum Canyon — The View That Most Meghalaya Tours Skip
Laitlum Canyon is one of those places that photographs perfectly and surprises completely when you arrive. The name means End of Hills in Khasi, and the canyon lives up to it — a dramatic open grassland with sheer drops on multiple sides and views that stretch across the Khasi Hills into the plains below.
It sits just outside Shillong and is a natural first stop on the Day 2 drive toward Jowai. Most standard Meghalaya packages do not include it, which is one of the reasons this Meghalaya Women-Only Group Tour 4 Nights 5 Days covers more ground than the average five-day itinerary.
Krang Suri Falls — Meghalaya’s Most Beautiful Waterfall
Krang Suri Falls near Jowai is consistently cited by travellers who have been to both as the most visually stunning waterfall in Meghalaya — and Meghalaya has many outstanding waterfalls. The turquoise colour of the water is natural, the pool at the base is clear and calm, and the forested gorge around it makes the setting as beautiful as the waterfall itself.
January is an excellent time to visit — the falls are flowing well from the stored monsoon water and the surrounding forest is green and accessible.
Mawlynnong — Asia’s Cleanest Village and the Living Root Bridge
Mawlynnong in the East Khasi Hills won the Cleanest Village in Asia award in 2003 and has maintained that standard through a collective community effort that is visible in every corner of the village — bamboo dustbins on every path, maintained gardens, clean lanes, and a complete absence of litter that is striking enough to feel almost surreal.
The Living Root Bridge at Riwai — a 30-minute trek from Mawlynnong through forest — is a single-span bridge grown entirely from the aerial roots of a rubber fig tree over hundreds of years. It is one of the most photographed natural structures in Northeast India and genuinely unlike anything else in the country. For more on the Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya and their conservation, visit the Meghalaya Tourism official website.
Dawki and the Umngot River
Dawki sits on the Umngot River at the India-Bangladesh border and is one of the most visually extraordinary stops on any Meghalaya itinerary. The river runs so clear that the boats on its surface appear to float in mid-air — a transparency that is entirely natural and entirely real when you see it from the riverbank or from the boat itself.
The boat ride on the Umngot River is payable directly on the day, arranged at the river.
Cherrapunjee — Waterfalls, Caves, and the Wettest Place on Earth
Cherrapunjee, also called Sohra, holds records for some of the highest annual rainfall ever recorded anywhere on earth. In January — the dry season — the waterfalls are still substantial, the cave systems are fully accessible, and the viewpoints are clear and crowd-free.
Nohkalikai Falls at around 340 metres is the most dramatic sight in Cherrapunjee — a sheer plunge waterfall over a cliff into a green pool far below. It is named after a woman called Likai and carries a story that locals will tell you at the viewpoint. The Mawsmai Cave is a short but atmospheric limestone passage with narrow formations and dripping stalactites. The Eco Park gives a wider landscape view of the Cherrapunjee plateau.
Elephant Falls on the return drive is a three-tiered waterfall in a forest setting — easy to access and a good photography stop before heading back to Shillong.
Police Bazar in the evening is Shillong’s most active shopping and food street — a good place to pick up Meghalaya handloom, bamboo crafts, and local snacks before the final morning.
Practical Notes on the Meghalaya Women-Only Group Tour
The package includes 4 nights in deluxe hotels on triple or quad sharing basis, daily breakfast and dinner, all sightseeing in a private AC vehicle, driver allowances, fuel, toll, and parking, free travel insurance, a dedicated lady trip lead, and a toiletries and dental kit.
Entry fees, camera fees, the boat ride at Dawki, and all activities are payable directly on the day and are not included in the base price. Lunch is not included and is arranged locally on the road.
Why Book This January Meghalaya Women’s Trip
Five days, four distinct day circuits, Meghalaya’s finest natural landmarks, and a women-only group that makes every part of the journey safer and more social. The Meghalaya Women-Only Group Tour 4 Nights 5 Days departing 15 January 2027 is a genuinely complete Northeast India trip for women who want to start the new year somewhere extraordinary. Spots are limited — early booking is advised.
Boat ride on the Umngot River at Dawki — one of the clearest rivers in the world
Trek to the iconic Living Root Bridge at Riwai, grown from tree roots over centuries
Visit Mawlynnong — Asia's cleanest village in the East Khasi Hills
Stand at Laitlum Canyon for sweeping panoramic views across the Khasi Hills
Swim or photograph the turquoise Krang Suri Falls in the Jowai forest
Visit Nohkalikai Falls — one of the tallest plunge waterfalls in India
Explore the Mawsmai Caves and the Cherrapunjee Eco Park
Evening shopping at Police Bazar in Shillong
Women-only group with a dedicated lady trip lead throughout
Inclusions / Exclusions
Package Includes
4 nights in deluxe hotels on triple or quad sharing basis
Daily breakfast and dinner
Private pick-up and drop-off from Guwahati and all local sightseeing transfers
Driver allowances, fuel charges, toll tax, and parking
Free travel insurance
One dedicated lady trip lead throughout the trip
Toiletries and dental kit
Package Excludes
Air or train fare to and from Kolkata
Tips for drivers and hotel staff
Laundry
All entry fees and camera fees at any attraction
Boat ride at Dawki (payable directly on the day)
River rafting, paragliding, ropeway, bonfire, BBQ, and any other activities payable on the day
Personal expenses of any kind
Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Frequently Asked Questions
Both. Solo women travellers are welcome to join as individual bookings and will be part of the group departure. You do not need to come with a group — the trip is designed to be social and comfortable for women travelling on their own as much as for groups of friends booking together.
The trek is around 30 minutes each way on a forest trail with steps — a moderate descent and an uphill return. It is manageable for most fitness levels with comfortable walking shoes. It is not a strenuous trek but wearing shoes with good grip is important as the steps can be damp.
Yes. January is one of the best months for Meghalaya. The monsoon's stored water keeps the waterfalls full and flowing well into winter. The skies are clear, the crowds are thin, and the forest is green without the heavy rain of the monsoon season. Nohkalikai Falls and Krang Suri Falls are both excellent in January.
The boat ride on the Umngot River at Dawki is not included in the base package price. It is payable directly to the local boat operators at the river on the day. Your trip lead will help coordinate the arrangements on arrival at Dawki.
January in Shillong and the surrounding hills is cool — temperatures range from around 4°C to 15°C. Pack light woolens, a warm jacket, comfortable walking shoes for the Living Root Bridge trek and Krang Suri Falls walk, and a waterproof layer for any mist near the waterfalls. Sunscreen and a reusable water bottle are also useful for the longer driving days.
