Things to do in Shillong — lakes, falls, the cathedral and a sacred forest
Things to do in Shillong: Ward's Lake, Elephant Falls, Shillong Peak, the Art Deco cathedral, Umiam Lake, the Mawphlang sacred grove and the museums.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-14
Best time to visit Shillong — month by month, from the rain figures
The best time to visit Shillong, month by month from the IMD normals: a cool dry winter, a rainy spring and monsoon, and when the falls and views are best.
Shillong is cool all year, and the question is how much rain you will meet. The figures below are the India Meteorological Department normals for 1991–2020, as Wikipedia prints them.
Month by month
- January and February. Cool and dry: January averages a high of 15.2 °C and a low of 5.7 °C, February 17.5 °C and 7.5 °C, with 12.6 mm and 15.4 mm of rain.
- March and April. Warmer, with highs of 21.4 °C and 23.4 °C and rain rising from 42.7 mm to 131.4 mm.
- May. A high of 23.7 °C and a low of 15.6 °C, with 244.5 mm of rain.
- June to September. The monsoon: 423.7 mm, 402.0 mm, 328.4 mm and 270.1 mm, with highs of 23.7 to 24.4 °C. Wikipedia says summers are cool and very rainy.
- October. Highs of 21.9 °C, lows of 14.2 °C, and 197.2 mm of rain, as the monsoon's tail ends.
- November and December. The best weather: highs of 19.3 °C and 16.4 °C, lows of 10.4 °C and 7.2 °C, and only 24.7 mm and 7.2 mm of rain.
What it means for a trip
The dry months, from late October to March, give the clearest views from Shillong Peak and the firmest paths at the Mawphlang sacred grove. Elephant Falls is fullest in the rains. The table's record extremes are 30.2 °C and 3.3 degrees below freezing.
Next reads
Read things to do in Shillong and how to reach Shillong, and copy the one-day plan or the two days.
Places around Shillong
The Shillong guide →
Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians, Shillong — the Art Deco cathedral
Ward's Lake, Shillong — the horseshoe lake and garden in the town centre
Elephant Falls, Shillong — the tiered waterfall in the ferns
Shillong Peak — the highest point in Meghalaya
Mawphlang Sacred Grove — the Khasi forest kept for the forest spirit
Umiam Lake — the reservoir on the Guwahati road
Nohkalikai Falls, Cherrapunji — India's tallest plunge waterfall
Nohsngithiang Falls, Cherrapunji — the Seven Sisters waterfall
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Questions people ask
What is the best time to visit Shillong?
From late autumn to early spring, cool and dry. The IMD normals give 24.7 mm of rain in November, 7.2 mm in December and 12.6 mm in January, against 423.7 mm in June. Wikipedia says the monsoon arrives in June and rain continues almost to the end of October, so summers are cool and very rainy.
How cold does Shillong get?
Cool rather than cold. The normals give a January high of 15.2 °C and a low of 5.7 °C; December is 16.4 °C and 7.2 °C. The table's record low is 3.3 degrees below freezing. Wikipedia says winter temperatures can fall to about 4 degrees, so carry a warm layer.
When are Elephant Falls at their fullest?
In and just after the rains. Wikipedia says the second fall looks inconsequential in winter and the drier months, and the normals show 244.5 mm in May and 423.7 mm in June. The views from Shillong Peak are poorer then, so the choice is between a fuller fall and a clearer sky.