The most common planning mistake in Meghalaya is sleeping in the wrong town and spending the trip in a car. Here is which town to sleep in on each night of a 3 to 7 day trip, what a room costs in each place, and honest answers to the choices people get stuck on: Dawki or Jowai, Mawlynnong or Shnongpdeng, Laitlum or back to Shillong.
Quick answer
Sleep in Shillong on your first and last nights, and in Cherrapunji (Sohra) for one or two nights in between: that covers almost every sight without long drives after dark. Add a night at Shnongpdeng or Dawki only if you want the river early in the morning, and a night in Nongriat only if you are doing the Double Decker root bridge trek slowly. Rooms with breakfast cost roughly ₹2,550 a night for a homestay and ₹4,500 for a 3★ hotel in Shillong, and about the same in Cherrapunji. Book Cherrapunji first: it has the fewest rooms.
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On this page(11)ShowHide
- 1.Quick answer
- 2.Key facts at a glance
- 3.Which town should I sleep in on each night?
- 4.What does a room cost in each town?
- 5.Should I stay in Shillong or in Cherrapunji?
- 6.Dawki, Shnongpdeng, Mawlynnong or Jowai for the night?
- 7.Should I stay near Laitlum, or go back to Shillong?
- 8.How many people can share a room?
- 9.When should I book the rooms?
- 10.If you want someone else to handle the rooms
- 11.Frequently asked questions
At a glance
Key facts at a glance
| 3 days / 2 nights | Shillong 2 (or Shillong 1 + Sohra 1) |
|---|---|
| 4 days / 3 nights | Shillong 1 · Sohra 1 · Shillong 1 |
| 5 days / 4 nights | Shillong 1 · Sohra 2 · Shillong 1 |
| 6 days / 5 nights | Shillong 1 · Sohra 2 · Shnongpdeng or Mawlynnong 1 · Shillong 1 |
| Homestay, per night | about ₹2,550 with breakfast |
| 3★ hotel, per night | about ₹4,500 with breakfast |
| Fewest rooms | Cherrapunji (Sohra), then Shnongpdeng |
| Dark by | About 4:30 PM in winter, so short drives matter |
Which town should I sleep in on each night?
Guwahati to Shillong is 3 to 4 hours, Shillong to Cherrapunji about 2, and Shillong to Dawki about 3. The plans below keep every drive after sightseeing short, because it is dark by about 4:30 PM in winter and hill roads are slow at night.
| Trip | Night 1 | Night 2 | Night 3 | Night 4 | Night 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | Shillong | Shillong or Sohra | |||
| 4 days | Shillong | Sohra | Shillong | ||
| 5 days | Shillong | Sohra | Sohra | Shillong | |
| 6 days | Shillong | Sohra | Sohra | Shnongpdeng or Mawlynnong | Shillong |
| 7 days | Shillong | Sohra | Sohra or Nongriat | Shnongpdeng or Mawlynnong | Shillong (and night 6) |
What does a room cost in each town?
These are typical prices per room per night with breakfast, for two adults, on normal dates. They are the rates we currently book at; booking sites move up and down with the date, and Christmas to New Year and festival weeks cost more everywhere.
| Town | Homestay | 3★ hotel | 4★ hotel or resort | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shillong | ₹2,550 | ₹4,500 | ₹10,800 | Widest choice; stay near Police Bazar or Laitumkhrah to walk to dinner |
| Cherrapunji (Sohra) | ₹2,550 | ₹4,500 | ₹9,800 | Few rooms; book first. Views are the reason to stay |
| Dawki / Shnongpdeng | ₹2,550 | ₹3,950 | ₹6,300 | Mostly riverside camps, tents and simple homestays |
| Mawlynnong | ₹2,550 | ₹3,500 | ₹5,600 | Village homestays only; quiet after the day-trippers leave |
| Nongriat | ₹1,700 | ₹2,100 | ₹2,800 | Basic homestays reached only on foot, for trekkers |
| Jowai | ₹2,100 | ₹3,500 | ₹5,600 | Small town hotels; useful before Krang Suri |
| Guwahati | ₹2,550 | ₹4,200 | ₹8,400 | Only needed for a late arrival or an early flight |
Should I stay in Shillong or in Cherrapunji?
Both, if you have four days or more. Shillong has the restaurants, the cafés and the widest choice of rooms, and it is the natural first and last night because of the drive from Guwahati. Cherrapunji puts you at the waterfalls and viewpoints at 7 in the morning, before the cloud rolls in and before the day-trip cars arrive from Shillong.
With only three days, staying both nights in Shillong is simpler. With five, two nights in Cherrapunji is the better trip.
Dawki, Shnongpdeng, Mawlynnong or Jowai for the night?
Most people see Dawki and Mawlynnong as a day trip from Shillong and that works well. Stay over only for a reason. Shnongpdeng, a few kilometres from Dawki, is the place for the river: camping, kayaking and the clear water at 7 AM before the boats start. Mawlynnong is for a slow evening in a village once the visitors have gone. Dawki town itself is a border market with little to stay for.
Jowai makes sense only if the next morning is Krang Suri Falls or the Jaintia Hills; otherwise it adds a hotel change for nothing.
Should I stay near Laitlum, or go back to Shillong?
Go back to Shillong. Laitlum is 45 to 60 minutes from the city, so it is an easy half-day, and there is very little accommodation near the canyon. For a sunrise, leave Shillong early instead.
How many people can share a room?
A standard room is for two adults. Many hotels add one extra bed or mattress for a child or a third adult at a charge, but four adults in one room is rarely allowed. A family of four usually needs two rooms or a family room, which only some hotels and homestays have, so ask before you book. Homestays are often more flexible than hotels.
When should I book the rooms?
For October to January, as soon as your dates are fixed, starting with Cherrapunji. Last-minute rooms in peak season exist but are the ones nobody else wanted. In other months a week or two ahead is normally enough.
If you want someone else to handle the rooms
Booking rooms yourself works fine if you follow the night-by-night table above. If you would rather have one team place the hotels in the right towns and take responsibility for them along with the car, that is what a package with hotels is: for example, 5 days for 2 people with 3★ hotels is ₹26,800 per person with Tour Meghalaya.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Where should I stay in Meghalaya for 5 days?
One night in Shillong, two in Cherrapunji (Sohra) and a last night in Shillong. Dawki and Mawlynnong are a day trip from Shillong on day 4. This keeps every drive after sightseeing short.
Is it better to stay in Dawki or go back to Shillong?
Go back to Shillong unless you want the river at sunrise or plan to camp and kayak. If you do, stay at Shnongpdeng rather than in Dawki town.
How much does a hotel cost per night in Meghalaya?
On normal dates a homestay is roughly ₹2,550 a night and a 3★ hotel about ₹4,500 in Shillong or Cherrapunji, for two adults with breakfast. 4★ hotels and resorts start around ₹9,800. Christmas to New Year and festival weeks cost more.
Can four people stay in one room?
Rarely in hotels. Most allow two adults plus one extra bed. A family of four usually books two rooms or a family room; homestays are more flexible.
Do I need to stay overnight in Nongriat for the Double Decker root bridge?
No. Fit walkers do it as a day trek from Cherrapunji. Stay a night in Nongriat if you want to take the steps slowly or continue to Rainbow Falls the next morning; the homestays are basic.
Should I stay in Guwahati on the first night?
Only if you land late in the evening. Otherwise drive straight to Shillong: Guwahati adds nothing to a Meghalaya trip and costs you half a day.
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