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Sohra (Cherrapunji)
Town in Meghalaya, India

Sohra (Cherrapunji)

Cherrapunji, also known as Sohra, is a sub-divisional town in the East Khasi Hills district in the Indian state of Meghalaya.

Plan a trip to Sohra (Cherrapunji)→From Dhaka

It was the traditional capital of ka hima Sohra.

Get in

Getting to Sohra (Cherrapunji)

Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, is the nearest airport to Cherrapunji, and is accessible from Guwahati. As of March 2023, shared Sumos are available from the upper floor of the 1 parking structure at the bottom of the hill in Barabazar in Shillong, for ₹150 per seat. Smaller cars, where you'll be slightly less squished, are ₹200 per seat if shared.

See

Worth seeing

Living Root Bridges. The Living Root Bridges created by people of Khasi tribe is one of the most amazing examples of bio engineering. Created over years by carefully guiding the roots of Ficus benghalensis these bridges can last up to 500 years. The most famous Living Root Bridges are in the village of Nongriat and Mawlynnong. Mawlynnong Village - Asia's cleanest village.

  1. 01
    Mawsmai Cave

    An exciting and beautiful for adventure seekers.

Do

Things to do

River Canyoning Trekking, Multiple treks exist in and around Cherrapunji. One of the most popular ones is to the "Double Decker Living Root" bridge in Nongriat village starting from Tyrna. Stairs are constructed from the beginning of the trek to Nongriat village, and the trek takes about 2 hours each way.

Eat

Where to eat

There are a handful of restaurants in near the commercial centers of both the Upper and Lower areas, and at hotel resorts farther afield. You can also try the local Khasi "tea stalls" (small indoor eateries where you choose what you want on your rice; generally non-veg).

  1. 01
    Avron Restaurant

    Sohra-Shella Rd (Opposite Metrological Office),.

How locals move

Getting around Sohra (Cherrapunji) the local way

Almost everyone arrives from Shillong in a shared Sumo that leaves from the upper floor of the multi-storey parking structure in Bara Bazar (Iewduh) and goes when it is full. Sohra is not one town but a string of villages: Upper Sohra around Sohra Market and Lower Sohra around Saitsohpen, about 4 km apart, each with its own Sumo stand and local taxis, and those local taxis are how you reach the waterfalls, the caves and the Tyrna trailhead for the double-decker root bridge. The wet season runs roughly April to October and the Shillong roads are landslide-prone: in June 2026 the Shillong–Dawki highway was cut at Laitlyngkot and traffic was pushed onto the Sohra road.

  1. 01
    Shillong – Sohra shared Sumoshare taxi

    Bara Bazar (Iewduh), Shillong to Sohra Market in Upper Cherrapunji, about 54–60 km

    Where
    In Shillong, the stand is the multi-storey parking structure at the bottom of the hill in Bara Bazar, near Mawlonghat. It is not obvious from the street: go up to the upper floor and look for the board marked Sohra. Coming back, shared Sumos and taxis leave from Sohra Market in Upper Cherrapunji, and sometimes from Saitsohpen village in Lower Cherrapunji, across the street and just uphill from the intersection with the shops.
    When
    No timetable. Vehicles leave when the seats are full, through the morning and early afternoon; the wait can be long outside peak hours and thins out late in the day
    Fare (2023)
    ₹150 per seat in a shared Sumo and ₹200 per seat in a smaller car, seen March 2023. Backpacker reports from 2019–2020 had it at ₹70 per seat, so treat the older figure as out of date
    Takes
    1h 30m – 2h
    Season
    Year-round. April to October is the monsoon and the road can be slow or blocked after a slide
    Booking
    None. Turn up, take a seat, pay the driver

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2023-03) · taleof2backpackers.com (2020-10) · lostwithpurpose.com (2021-07) · confidence high

  2. 02
    MTDC conducted bus, Shillong – Sohratour package

    Shillong to Sohra and the Cherrapunji viewpoints, returning the same day

    Where
    Run by the Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation and sold through the state tourism site and the Meghalaya Tourism office at Police Bazar in Shillong. Book a day ahead; the bus fills in season.
    When
    Departs 08:00
    Fare (2026)
    ₹750 adult, ₹650 senior citizen
    Takes
    A full day
    Season
    Year-round, subject to road closures
    Booking
    Online at meghalayatourism.in, or by phone on +91 8257923906 / +91 8974579752 / +91 8257961043

    Sources: meghalayatourism.in (2026) · confidence high

  3. 03
    Shillong – Sohra busminibus

    Shillong to Cherrapunji by road bus

    Where
    Buses leave from the bus stand near Police Bazar in Shillong, not from the Bara Bazar Sumo stand. This is the cheap local option rather than the tourist one; state buses in Meghalaya are non-AC and slower than the Sumos.
    When
    Reported as regular, but no published timetable was found
    Fare
    Not confirmed
    Takes
    Longer than the Sumo, roughly 2h 30m
    Season
    Year-round
    Booking
    At the stand

    Sources: taleof2backpackers.com (2020-10) · en.wikivoyage.org (2024) · confidence low

  4. 04
    Local taxis inside Sohrashare taxi

    Sohra Market (Khliehshnong, Upper Sohra) to Saitsohpen and Lad Thanad (Lower Sohra), Mawsmai, Nohkalikai, the Seven Sisters viewpoint, Laitkynsew and the Eco Park

    Where
    Two hubs, about 4 km apart, each with a Sumo stand and local taxis: Sohra Market in Upper Sohra, where the cars park in front of the Sohra Shopping Centre and the KL Paswett store, and the Lad Thanad corner of Saitsohpen in Lower Sohra. Most sights sit on the rim of the plateau, too far to walk. Agree the price before you get in, and agree the waiting time if you want the driver to bring you back.
    When
    On demand through the day; scarce after dark
    Fare (2026)
    Reserving a car from Sohra Market out to Laitkynsew was ₹400 on the resort's own pre-pandemic list. Operators quote about ₹3,000 for a full day of Sohra sightseeing in a reserved car
    Takes
    10–40 minutes to most viewpoints
    Season
    Year-round
    Booking
    None, arrange at the stand

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2024) · cherrapunjee.com (2023) · travenjo.com (2026) · confidence medium

  5. 05
    Sohra – Tyrna, for the double-decker root bridgeshare taxi

    Sohra Market to Tyrna village, the trailhead for Nongriat, about 14–20 km

    Where
    Ask at the Sohra Market taxi and Sumo stand for Tyrna. Shared cars run in the morning and dry up as the day goes on, so go early. Nothing waits at Tyrna in the evening: if you are walking back up the same day, fix a return time with your driver before you set off, or arrange a pickup through your homestay.
    When
    Morning shared runs, then reserve only. Transport thins out through the afternoon
    Fare (2026)
    ₹40 per seat shared was reported in 2019 and ₹50 per head in 2020. Reserving the whole car was ₹300–400 in 2020 and about ₹400 one way in 2026
    Takes
    20–40 minutes
    Season
    Year-round; the road is rough and slower in heavy rain
    Booking
    None, arrange at the Sohra stand or through your guesthouse

    Sources: monkeyrockworld.com (2019) · taleof2backpackers.com (2020-03) · thirdeyetraveller.com (2026-01) · confidence medium

  6. 06
    Tyrna – Nongriat stairs to the double-decker root bridgewalking trail

    Tyrna village down through Nongthymmai to Nongriat, continuing to Rainbow Falls

    Where
    The staircase starts at the edge of Tyrna village, where the road ends and there are a few tea stalls. It is a built stone and concrete stairway the whole way, around 3,000 to 3,500 steps, with two steel wire bridges across the river. You do not need a guide to follow it, but guides can be hired in Tyrna, and if you are carrying a heavy bag you can ask around the village for someone to carry it.
    When
    Walk when you like. Start by 07:00–08:00 if you are going down and back in a day; it is dark by about 16:00 in midwinter
    Fare (2026)
    A small entry fee at the bridge, reported as ₹20 per person plus ₹20 for a camera in 2020 and about ₹30 in total in 2026
    Takes
    About 2 hours down and 2h 30m – 4 hours back up. Nongriat to Rainbow Falls adds about 2 hours each way
    Season
    Walkable year-round. In the monsoon, roughly April to October, the steps are slippery, leeches are out and the river runs high; the dry season, November to February, is when the pools are blue and safe to swim
    Booking
    None. Homestays in Nongriat are basic and often have no reception, so phone ahead if you want to sleep down there

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2024) · thirdeyetraveller.com (2026-01) · taleof2backpackers.com (2020-03) · confidence high

  7. 07
    Reserved taxi from Shillong, with stops on the wayprivate hire

    Shillong to Sohra via Elephant Falls and the Mawkdok Dympep valley view, with Mawsmai Cave, the Eco Park and the Nohsngithiang (Seven Sisters) Falls on arrival

    Where
    Hire at the Police Bazar taxi stand in Shillong or through the Meghalaya Tourism office at Police Bazar. This is the option that buys you the stops: the shared Sumo drives straight through.
    When
    On demand
    Fare (2026)
    ₹1,500–1,800 for the car one way was the going rate in 2020. An online cab firm quotes ₹2,600 for a hatchback and about ₹2,700 for a sedan one way in 2026, and ₹4,600 for an Innova
    Takes
    2 hours direct, a full day with stops
    Season
    Year-round
    Booking
    At the stand the day before, or online with a cab company

    Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2024) · taleof2backpackers.com (2020-10) · cabbazar.com (2026) · confidence medium

  8. 08
    Monsoon detours on the Shillong roadsservice status

    Shillong – Sohra – Sohbar – Dawki, and Pynursla – Nongjri – Sohra

    Where
    Sohra is one of the wettest inhabited places on earth and the hill roads around it fail in the monsoon. On 21 June 2026 a landslide destroyed part of the Shillong–Dawki highway on the Laitlyngkot–Lyngkyrdem stretch; the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner closed the road beyond Laitlyngkot and traffic for Dawki was sent round via Shillong–Sohra–Sohbar–Dawki or Shillong–Jowai–Amlarem–Dawki. When that happens the Sohra road carries the Dawki traffic too and journeys get much longer. Before travelling in June to September, ask at the Sumo stand which way the cars are going that day.
    When
    Not a service. A recurring monsoon condition
    Fare (2026)
    Drivers charge more when they have to go the long way round
    Takes
    Detours add one to three hours
    Season
    Roughly April to October, worst in June and July
    Booking
    none

    Sources: borderlens.com (2026-06) · syllad.com (2026-06) · en.wikivoyage.org (2024) · confidence high

Not yet confirmed: No published timetable or fare could be found for an ordinary MTC or private bus between Shillong and Sohra. The state tourism site lists only the MTDC conducted tour. Ask at the bus stand near Police Bazar in Shillong, or at the Meghalaya Transport Corporation counter.; The last shared Sumo of the day from Sohra Market back to Shillong is not documented anywhere. Drivers at the stand will know; assume mid-afternoon in winter.; Porter rates for carrying bags down to Nongriat are not published. Sources confirm you can ask in Tyrna village but give no figure. Negotiate on the spot.; Whether shared cars run all the way from Sohra to Dawki or Mawlynnong without going back through Shillong is unclear. Reports say a direct shared vehicle is hard to find, and the Sohra–Sohbar–Dawki road is used mainly as a monsoon detour.; Hitching is mentioned in general Meghalaya guides but no reliable first-hand account of hitching around Sohra was found, so no claim is made here.; Current 2026 per-seat fares on the Bara Bazar Sumos are not published. The ₹150 and ₹200 figures are from March 2023 and are likely to have risen..

The field note on Sohra (Cherrapunji) reads this entry in full, one option at a time, with every source beside it.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Vikramjit Kakati (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.