How to reach Shillong — the Guwahati road, Umroi airport and the rail gap
How to reach Shillong, Meghalaya: the road from Guwahati past Umiam Lake, the small Umroi airport, why there is no railway, and distances from Delhi.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-14
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.
Shillong is a town of lakes, falls and churches, on a plateau cool enough that the British chose it as a capital.
In the town
Ward's Lake is a horseshoe lake of 1894 with a garden, a wooden bridge and boating, and the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians is an Art Deco church on a sand foundation. Wikipedia also lists the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures and its museum, an ethnographic museum at Mawshbuit called the Ever Living Museum, and the state museum.
On the upland road
Shillong Peak, 1,966 m, is the highest point in Meghalaya, and Elephant Falls is a tiered waterfall below it. Wikipedia names Spread Eagle Falls, Bishop and Beadon Falls and Sweet Falls among the town's other falls, and says the Shillong Golf Course dates from 1898, with the present 18 holes opened in 1924.
Further out
Umiam Lake is the reservoir on the road to Guwahati, and the Mawphlang sacred grove is a Khasi forest kept for the forest spirit. Cherrapunji, with Nohkalikai Falls and the living root bridges, is a separate day; see the Cherrapunji guide.
Next reads
Copy the one-day plan, the two days or the Umiam and Mawphlang day, and read when to visit Shillong and how to reach Shillong.
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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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.
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Questions people ask
What are the best things to do in Shillong?
Walk round Ward's Lake, see the Art Deco cathedral, and drive out to Elephant Falls and Shillong Peak. Umiam Lake is on the Guwahati road, and the Mawphlang sacred grove is a Khasi forest about 37 minutes out. Wikipedia also lists the Don Bosco and Ever Living Museum, Spread Eagle Falls and the Shillong Golf Course.
Why is Shillong called the Scotland of the East?
According to Wikipedia the British thought the town's rolling hills looked like Scotland, hence the nickname Scotland of the East. The British chose it as the headquarters of the new Assam administration in 1874, partly because it was cooler than the plains. Its golf course, introduced in 1898, is one of the oldest in India.
Is Shillong good for a family trip?
Yes, in the dry months. Ward's Lake has a garden and boating, the cathedral and the museums are short visits, and Umiam Lake offers water sports by Wikipedia's account. Roads out to the falls and the lake are steep, and the town is hilly, so allow time and pack layers.