ChaloHoppo to a Wet & Wild Meghalaya

Time you get to explore a Wet and Wild Meghalaya!

If you grew up in these villages of Meghalaya, you would never need an amusement park in your life. From serene spots in the jungle to exciting river activities and picturesque lakes, they have it all. Go find a pair of swimming trunks!

A hanging bridge on the trek to Nongriat village in Cherrapunjee

With abundant activities like river canyoning, kayaking, zip lining and lots of swimming, this trip is meant for those with an adventurous

spirit. A trek that takes you right to the heart of the living root bridges where you live amidst nature’s wonder and then move to challenge the waterfalls of a Khasi village as you trek along its course while jumping, sliding and scrambling. There will be more relaxed times like when you

kayak over still waters and enjoy nature walks and camp around a bonfire.

A glimpse of what the river canyoning looks like!

The brief Itinerary

6 nights and 7 days

Day 1 Welcome to an authentic Meghalayan village

Mawphanlur can be described as the most multi-dimensional place for leisure seekers. It just engulfs you in all its simplicity. The minimalism of the place with three simple cottages, one kitchen area and dining set up is a perfect example of letting nature do what it does best, mesmerise people. They have also thrown in a few kayaks and pedal boats in one of the many ponds where family, friends and even enemies can relax and chill over still waters. If you aren’t someone who enjoys water then just take a walk around the village guided by the faint sound of cattle bells. If you are into photography or have been waiting to try your hand at poetry and enjoy diving into nostalgia, you might want to stay back forever. Mawphanlur is one of those frames that you see hanging by people’s walls and you get to enter that frame.The trip needs you to land in Guwahati at 7: 30 am or earlier.

Day 2 Lunching on Asia's second largest river island

If visiting a river beach only discovered as late as 1996 by a bunch of meandering school boys, sounds fun to you, then you are in for a real treat. This river island, ostensibly the second largest in Asia has much more to offer besides the aura of it being an island with barely 11 huts. It has three amazing waterfalls! We will be hiking to one of them.We drive to this island after breakfast and head for a hike to Kshaid Weinia (waterfall). After lunch, we drive to a village(Mawlyngbna) where once dinosaurs walked. For today, you only need to know this much.Hike duration: 45 minutes one way for slow walkersHike difficulty: Easy (it's a walk across meadows)Total drive time from Mawphanlur to Nongkhnum island will be 1 hourTotal drive time from Nongkhnum to Mawlyngbna will be 4 hours.

Day 3 A day full of adventure- river canyoning

If you grew up in Mawlyngbna, you would never need an adventure park in your life and we say this because of the river canyoning activity that the river in Mawlyngbna offers!Beyond canyoning, the village is filled with serene spots in the jungle and some interesting fossils.Mawlyngbna is our favourite summer/ monsoon retreat. River canyoning your way to the ‘Um kha koi reservoir will be the highlight of the day. Jumping off rocks, crawling, scrambling, sliding over others, basically trekking over the river’s route is what river is canyoning is all about.Once the canyoning is over, get your kayak and relax over the still waters, then go ziplining, and if you have energy left then dive into the waters of the Um kha koi.Overnight stay at Mawlyngbna Camp/ Cottages

Day 4 A trek to remember -walking over living root bridges

We need to wake up early. After breakfast drive to Tyrna village, the start of the famous Double Decker living root bridges trek.

In this trek you need to climb down a staircase, similar to walking from the top floor of a 100 storey building. Your knees will start to give in and you may find your thighs shaking and you will be drenched in your sweat but you will recover every drop of that sweat when you reach your destination. After you reach the end of the stairs and finally see the Double Decker living root bridge, take a dip and freshen up.

P.S. We will be only carrying a small backpack for the 2 days that we will be staying down in the village below. Specific instruction regarding the same will be given once you sign up for the trip.

Overnight at a homestay in Nongriat village.

Day 5 A day spent in a tropical paradise

Today you will trek to see the Rainbow falls. If you need to hit the gym right away because you think you can’t handle this. Do that. You don’t want to miss this. Waking up early (6 am) will ensure that you get to spend quality time near the Double Decker living root bridges before day trekkers start pouring in while getting a natural fish pedicure at the pool in front of the bridges. Ideally by 8 am, you should start the trek back to Rainbow Falls. This trek is more akin to a trek on a rugged stony trail.

This takes an hour from the homestay (which is near the Double Decker living root bridges). Come back in time for a swim in the pool in front of the Double Decker bridge before heading back to the homestay. A packed lunch will be had near Rainbow Falls.

Overnight at a homestay in Nongriat village.

Day 6 The last trek and a musical evening in Cherrapunjee

Today we need to head back up to the top where our vehicle awaits to what would be now considered a luxury. Beds in a hand picked resort! yes! The ascend can take up to 2.5 hours.Upon reaching your resort give yourself the well-deserved rest and sleep. Time to put on your rock concert clothes in the evening as our dear friends and talented musicians* belt out some classic rock! Overnight in a handpicked resort in Cherrapunjee(Sohra).

Day 7 Bidding Northeast India adieu

Drive to Guwahati post lunch and bid goodbye to the Northeast, but only until your next visit. For those who wish to visit Shillong and other places around can extend their stay by a day and we will assist them in arranging for the same.You can book a flight anytime after 5 pm today for the return.

Tenny performs!

The Band Profile

Tonight you will be joined by the amazing talent of Tenny Gregory and Banpynshai Thabah. Tenny and Boi as we call them came into our lives on 31st December 2016, when we were welcoming the new year in Cherrapunji. A night of relentless jamming with these boys made us realise the dedication these folks have towards music. All they know is Music. Tenny and Boi aren't well to do, in fact Tenny is a mason laying bricks and works in a construction site of sorts, but if you speak to him, you will find him no less intriguing than a learned philosopher. Boi is quite and the only language he speaks is music. Some of our guests have already met them, interacted with them and lauded their skills. They don't like to be paid for music, but if people willingly give tips, then they use it to invest in small things like mics, guitars etc. In 2017, it was the first time ever they ever stepped out of Cherrapunji, and first time on a train when we took them along to be our camp band at the Ziro festival of music.

Please note a few things:

1. They are not comfortable taking requests and no they can't sing hindi songs.

2. The music they cover mostly are from the 1970s to 1980s .

3. They smoke and drink while they play..

Trip Inclusions● Stay in comfortable, clean and hygienic accommodation(twin/triple

sharing)● Transport to and from Guwahati airport in Swift Dzire/Innova/ Force

Traveller● Breakfast and dinner on all days● Lunch in Nongriat● One ChaloHoppo guy as a tour leader● Parking and toll charges● Driver allowance, food and accommodation● River canyoning, kayaking in Mawlyngbna

Trip Exclusions● Airfare charges● All food & beverages costs apart from the ones mentioned above● Any camera fees● Hotel & driver tips (since the locals earn low wages, your tips will show your appreciation)● Entry ticket fees to Museums, Parks, etc.● Any personal expenditure (Toiletries, medicines, etc.)● Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary/ stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather, ill health,

roadblocks and/or any factors beyond control.● Anything not specifically mentioned under the head "Inclusions".

Review of Wet & Wild Meghalaya

Review of Wild & Wild Meghalya

Review of Wet & Wild Meghalaya

FAQ’sQ. Which airport do we have to come to and fly out from?A: The tour begins from Gopinath Bordoloi International airport in Guwahati.

Q. What time should we land and what time should we book the return flights?A: Ideally you should land by 7 :30 am or earlier and fly out anytime after 5 pm.

Q. Do I need a Visa, inner line permit or any other kind of identity proof to enter northeast India?A: Entry to the states of Meghalaya does not require a permit.

Q.I am a solo traveller, can I come on this trip?A: A most definite yes, as long as you are okay travelling in a mixed group of other solo travellers or small group of friends.

Q.I can’t swim and the itinerary includes treks to natural swimming pools, will it be safe and will it be worth for someone who can’t swim?A: Not all travellers who sign up for a tour with ChaloHoppo are swimmers so the experience doesn’t get hampered due to lack of that skill. It is certainly an advantage for those can swim but life jackets can be rented along with a guide to ensure safety of the travellers.

FAQ’sQ. What type of bag should I carry?A: Ideally a 60 litre backpack with a rain cover should be convenient, but if you don’t have one then even a strolley or any other bag is fine. It is compulsory to carry a separate smaller bag(15 litres to 20 litres) for your trek down to Nongriat village that can fit essential toiletries and change of clothes for 1 night only to reduce the weight on your shoulders and make the trek easier.

Q. I am a vegetarian, I hear that people only consume meat there. How will I manage?A: Though vegetarians may not have the luxury of tasting all the local foods as these are mostly meat-based. You have nothing to worry you will get all kinds of basic sabji, dal, rice, roti, papad, salad etc. Your cravings for butter paneer or mushroom Manchurian may not be fully satisfied but you will do just fine. You must ensure that you are trying out all the available seasonal fruits and local wild leaves.

Read this blog to know about the food hacks that vegetarian travellers can try in Meghalaya.

Q. Can I book extra nights of hotel accommodation before or after my tour?

A: Extra nights can be booked based on availability. You can also visit our Custom trip section to plan a different trip.

FAQ’sQ. Is it safe to travel to Northeast India? I have been warned about Naxalites, ULFA and other terrorist groups.

A: The sources of such warnings should be checked and speaking from the perspective of locals living in the region we can say that though some parts of Northeast India do have cases of groups clashing against government forces from time to time, it doesn’t affect a tourist as long as the route is chosen wisely and hours of commute are decided smartly, much like travelling in any other part of the world.

If you have seen warnings in the advisory pages of governments, then we would like to remind you that governments (of different countries)will always take precaution and not be in sync with the real situation. Northeast India is absolutely safe with warm and welcoming locals. You should have no issues even going to the most interior places. As with any other tribal dominated region, respect the local culture and don't hurt their sentiments, and you will have a great time in a beautiful place.

Because so less is known about the region in general, it may be a wise idea to get in touch with some travel experts before you plan your trip.

Cost of the experience per person

Rs 25,450/-

For further details email experiences@chalohoppo.com

AND EXPECT A PROMPT RESPONSE.

www.chalohoppo.comwww.instagram.com/chalohoppowww.facebook.com/chalohoppo