One day of the northern falls at Cherrapunji — Wah Kaba, Dainthlen and Wei Sawdong
A day for the waterfalls north of Cherrapunji, all within about 22 minutes of the town on our routing. Wah Kaba drops from a cliff beside the road; Dainthlen pours across wide ledges; Wei Sawdong, known for its clear blue-green water, needs a steep walk down and back up. For the famous falls south of town, copy the Nohkalikai and Seven Sisters day.
Photos: Shreekanth Ramasamy (CC0) · Wann Majaw (CC0) · Arindambasu2 (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
Fit visitors happy on a rough, steep path, on a dry day when the water is clear.
Day by day
Day 1Three falls on the Shillong road
3 stops · 24 min on the road
Three falls on the Shillong road
Start at the tall fall by the road, then the flat rocks of Dainthlen, and give the afternoon to the hard path down to Wei Sawdong.
- 08:30Wah Kaba FallsA fall of about 170 to 190 m into a gorge, seen from the road between Shillong and Cherrapunji, about 12 minutes from town.
- ↓ 20 min by road · 10 km09:45Dainthlen FallsAbout 20 minutes on: a river spilling over broad rock shelves into a gorge. Stay well back from the edge; the rock is slippery when wet.
- ↓ 4 min by road · 2 km11:00Wei Sawdong FallsAbout 4 minutes from Dainthlen. A fall in three tiers over a blue-green pool, reached by a challenging out-and-back path; we have no measured walking time, so allow most of the afternoon and wear shoes with grip.
Getting there
Cherrapunji is a drive from Shillong; see how to reach Cherrapunji, when to visit and things to do in Cherrapunji.
Where to stay
Stay in Cherrapunji or go back to Shillong. We have no verified lodging, prices or booking rules.
Know before you go
- Wikipedia calls the path to Wei Sawdong difficult and challenging; skip it in heavy rain.
- Keep away from the lip of every fall and off wet rock.
- We have no verified entry rules or fees at the falls; ask locally.
Going together
No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.
Other ways to do it
All Cherrapunji itineraries →
More places nearby
All of Cherrapunji →
Nearby destinations
All destinations →
Questions people ask
How do you reach Wei Sawdong Falls?
By road to the start of the path, about 22 minutes from Cherrapunji on our routing and about 4 minutes past Dainthlen Falls, then on foot. Wikipedia calls the out-and-back trail difficult and challenging. We have no measured walking time, so allow several hours, wear shoes with grip and avoid it after heavy rain.
How tall is Wah Kaba Falls?
Wikipedia gives a drop of about 170 to 190 metres from a steep rock face into a gorge. It is one of the falls you can see from the road between Shillong and Cherrapunji, about 12 minutes from Cherrapunji on our routing, so it is an easy first stop of the day.
When is the best time to see the waterfalls near Cherrapunji?
The rains fill the falls, but cloud often hides them and wet paths are risky. For this day, with a steep walk to Wei Sawdong and its clear pool, a dry day after the monsoon, in October or November, is the safer choice. In any month carry a rain jacket and check the path locally.