How do you get to Mawlynnong by road, and how much is the cab?
Mawlynnong is about 75 km from Shillong, around 2.5 to 3 hours by car on the Shillong-Dawki road via Pynursla, and roughly 195 km from Guwahati airport. A chauffeur-driven sedan from Shillong costs Rs 3,960 Pay Now to Reserve one way at our minimum fare, and a day trip taking in Dawki costs Rs 9,000 Pay Now to Reserve, or Rs 14,250 Pay Now to Reserve in an Innova, before 5% GST.
There are villages that are pretty, and then there is Mawlynnong, where prettiness looks like a daily discipline. Paths are swept every morning, bamboo baskets for litter stand outside every house, flower beds spill over the fences and plastic is frowned upon. The Khasi community here has looked after its surroundings so carefully that a travel magazine called it the cleanest village in Asia two decades ago, and the label has stuck. Yet what makes a visit memorable is less the tidiness than the setting: a green ridge on the southern edge of the Khasi Hills, where the land falls away abruptly to the flat floodplains of Bangladesh.
The drive from Shillong is part of the pleasure: pine forests, betel-nut groves, waterfalls in season and a long ridge road with the plains opening out below. It is also slow, winding and, in the monsoon, wet and misty. RutzIndia.com arranges chauffeur-driven cars for Mawlynnong from Shillong and Guwahati, usually combined with Dawki's crystal-clear river and the root bridges, with drivers who know the East Khasi Hills. Here is how to plan it, and when you are ready you can book online.
What you will see in and around Mawlynnong
The village itself. A loop walk of an hour or so takes you past neat Khasi houses, community gardens, a small old church and plenty of places to sit with a cup of tea. Villagers are welcoming but this is their home; walk quietly, photograph people only with permission and use the bins. The Khasi are a matrilineal society, a fact you may notice in family names and in who runs the guesthouses.
The living root bridge at Riwai. A short drive or walk from the village, a path leads down through the forest to a bridge grown from the aerial roots of rubber fig trees, trained across a stream over many years. The walk down is a few hundred steps, manageable for most healthy visitors. Meghalaya's living root bridges are among the most remarkable pieces of indigenous engineering in India.
Sky View. A tall bamboo platform at the edge of the village lets you climb above the tree canopy for a view south over Bangladesh. On a clear winter morning the plains shimmer to the horizon.
The balancing rock. A large boulder perched on a small stone near the Riwai path, a local curiosity and a pleasant five-minute stop.
Dawki and the Umngot river (about 30 to 35 km). The Umngot is famous for water so clear that boats seem to float in the air in photographs, at its best from November to April. Boating is organised at Dawki and at Shnongpdeng upstream. Dawki is also the land crossing to Bangladesh. See our Dawki by road guide for details.
The state's official portal, Meghalaya Tourism, publishes information on destinations and any visitor registration rules, and the East Khasi Hills district website carries local notices.
The road: Guwahati to Shillong, then south to the border hills
Guwahati airport to Shillong (about 120 km, 3 to 3.5 hours). From Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi airport, the route crosses Guwahati's southern edge to Jorabat and climbs on the four-lane Guwahati-Shillong highway past the Umiam lake (Barapani), a lovely viewpoint and tea stop. Traffic in Guwahati city and at Jorabat can add 30 to 60 minutes at peak times.
Shillong to Mawlynnong (about 75 to 90 km depending on your hotel, 2.5 to 3 hours). The road heads south-east through Upper Shillong and Mawryngkneng to Pynursla, then leaves the Shillong-Dawki road for a narrower side road descending to Mawlynnong. The surface is generally sealed, but curves are constant and landslide repairs are common after the rains.
Direct from Guwahati (about 195 km, 5.5 to 6 hours). Possible in one long day, but most travellers stop a night in Shillong, which is more comfortable and lets you start the village early in the morning, before tour buses arrive.
By air. Shillong's own airport at Umroi, about 30 km north of the city, has limited flights; Guwahati is the main gateway. We follow your flight, greet you at arrivals with a name board and allow 30 minutes of free waiting after a domestic landing, after which the hourly rate applies.
A note on local rules: in Meghalaya, local taxi associations have at times objected to outside-registered tourist cars doing local sightseeing. Where that applies, our travel desk arranges the appropriate vehicle and tells you before you pay, so there are no surprises on the road.
When to go: dry-season clarity or monsoon drama
- October to November: the rains have eased, the hills are still green, and skies clear. Excellent for photography and walking.
- December to February: cool, dry and sunny days, chilly nights in Shillong (sometimes near freezing), and the clearest water at Dawki.
- March to April: warming days, fewer crowds, the river still clear. A good shoulder season.
- May to September: Meghalaya's famous monsoon, among the wettest in the world. Waterfalls roar and the forest is spectacular, but roads can be hit by landslides, root-bridge paths are slippery and Dawki boating is usually suspended in high water.
Christmas and New Year are busy in the Khasi Hills, with churches decorated and many families travelling; book cars and rooms early for late December.
Cars, services and fares for Mawlynnong
RutzIndia.com prices Meghalaya trips from the national rate card on our fares page. Short runs such as Shillong to Mawlynnong are billed at the minimum transfer fare; longer runs per kilometre; round trips on the outstation rules explained on our outstation cabs page.
- Guwahati airport pickups with transfer to Shillong or straight to the village.
- Day trips from Shillong combining Mawlynnong, the root bridge and Dawki. Round trips are billed on at least 250 km per calendar day.
- Multi-day Meghalaya tours covering Shillong, Mawlynnong, Dawki, Cherrapunji and back to Guwahati, with a driver night allowance of Rs 1,500 per night.
- Groups in a Tempo Traveller for families and college trips; see Tempo Traveller on rent. Large vehicles manage the main roads but find the village lanes tight, so expect a short walk from the parking.
| Vehicle | Shillong to Mawlynnong one way (minimum fare) | Day trip from Shillong with Dawki (250 km billed) | Guwahati airport to Mawlynnong one way (about 195 km) | 3-day tour from Guwahati (750 km billed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dzire or similar sedan | Rs 3,960 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 9,000 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 7,020 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 27,000 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Ertiga MUV | Rs 4,950 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 10,500 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 8,190 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 31,500 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Innova Crysta | Rs 6,930 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 14,250 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 11,110 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 42,750 Pay Now to Reserve |
| Tempo Traveller 12-17 seat | Rs 10,740 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 19,500 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 15,210 Pay Now to Reserve | Rs 58,500 Pay Now to Reserve |
GST at 5% applies on top of all figures. Village entry and parking fees, root-bridge and boating charges, tolls and any state permits are paid at actual cost. The Shillong day trip usually runs about 180 to 200 km, below the 250 km daily minimum, which is why it is billed at 250 km. You can pay by card or UPI through the booker.
About changes of plan: there is no fee if you cancel more than 72 hours before your pickup. From 72 hours the fee is 10% of the fare, from 48 hours 50%, and from 24 hours or on a no-show 100%. The detail is on our cancellation policy page. We send only cars within four model years.
A three-day Meghalaya plan with Mawlynnong
Day 1: Guwahati airport to Shillong (about 120 km). Land by midday, stop at Umiam lake for tea and photographs, and check into Shillong by late afternoon. Evening in Police Bazar.
Day 2: Mawlynnong, the root bridge and Dawki (about 200 km). Leave Shillong by 7 am to reach Mawlynnong before the crowds. Walk the village, go down to the Riwai root bridge, climb Sky View, then drive to Dawki for a boat on the Umngot in the early afternoon. Back in Shillong for dinner.
Day 3: Cherrapunji and the drive out (about 230 km). Morning drive to Sohra (Cherrapunji) for the Nohkalikai falls and the Mawsmai caves, then return via Shillong to Guwahati for an evening flight. Our Cherrapunji by road and Shillong by road guides cover both in detail. With more time, add a detour to Kaziranga for rhinos, or continue up the Brahmaputra to the river island of Majuli.
Practical tips for Mawlynnong
- Start early: by late morning, day-trip vehicles fill the village parking. Arriving by 10 am makes a big difference.
- Fees: the village collects small entry and parking charges, and the root bridge and Sky View have their own nominal fees. Carry small notes.
- Footwear: paths to the root bridge are stone steps, wet and mossy much of the year. Wear shoes with grip.
- Leave it cleaner: use the bamboo bins, carry your plastic out and do not pick flowers from gardens.
- Food: simple Khasi meals, rice with pork or chicken, and good vegetarian thalis are available in the village and at Dawki; carry snacks for the road.
- Rain gear: even in the dry season a shower is possible; from May to September, an umbrella and a rain jacket are essential.
- Border area: Dawki is a border town; carry photo ID and follow any instructions from security personnel.
International travellers flying into Guwahati may also find our car hire for NRIs and foreign visitors page useful, and for bespoke North East itineraries, our travel desk can build a longer route. Background on the region is also available on Incredible India.
