Elephant Falls, Shillong — the tiered waterfall in the ferns
What it is
Elephant Falls is a waterfall in a fern-covered gorge at Upper Shillong, on the outskirts of Shillong. Wikipedia describes a mountain stream that descends through successive falls, and says the first is a broad horsetail-punchbowl fall hidden among trees, while the last is the tallest and the most striking.
Photos: Guddu123456 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Simbu123 (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
The name
The Khasi name is Ka Kshaid Lai Pateng Khohsiew, the three-step waterfall. The English name dates from the British period, when a rock near the fall was thought to look like an elephant; the rock was destroyed in 1897 by an earthquake.
Visiting
A flight of steep, slippery steps leads down to each level, with benches at the first two. The falls are fed by rain, so the second looks modest in the dry winter months. Wikipedia places the falls about 12 km from the centre, opposite Mattilang Park in Laitmynsaw; our measured road time is in the quick facts. We have no verified opening hours or entry rules.
Combine it with
Shillong Peak is on the same road, and the one-day plan takes both. Read when to visit Shillong and things to do in Shillong.
Plans that include this
All 2 plans that stop here →
Nearby places
All of Shillong →
Nearby destinations
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Questions people ask
What are the Elephant Falls?
A tiered waterfall on the outskirts of Shillong, in Upper Shillong, where a mountain stream drops through fern-covered rock. Wikipedia calls it two-tier in its lead and describes three successive falls; the Khasi name, Ka Kshaid Lai Pateng Khohsiew, means the three-step waterfall. The tallest fall is the third, which comes into view suddenly.
Why are they called Elephant Falls?
Wikipedia says the name dates from British times, when a huge boulder near the fall was thought to resemble an elephant, and that an earthquake in 1897 destroyed that boulder. The modern name survives, and a signboard at the site explains it. Locally the falls keep their Khasi name.
When are Elephant Falls best, and how far are they?
Wikipedia says the second fall looks small in winter and the drier months, so go after rain. It puts the falls about 12 km from the town centre; our routed road time, about 15 minutes, is in the quick facts. The steps to each level are steep and slippery, so wear shoes with grip.