7 Things to Do in Shillong, Meghalaya's Hill Capital

Shillong sits at around 1,500 metres in the Khasi Hills, built up around a colonial-era cantonment that once served as the capital of undivided Assam before Meghalaya became a separate state in 1972. Its cooler climate, pine forests and rolling terrain earned it the nickname the Scotland of the East from British administrators, a tag that has stuck through the decades. It is also, more unusually, known as India's rock music capital, with a live-music culture that runs far deeper than its size would suggest. Here are seven ways to spend time in and around the town.

1. Ward's Lake

A horseshoe-shaped artificial lake laid out during the colonial era, with a Japanese-style wooden bridge and landscaped gardens that make it a popular early-morning walking spot right in the town centre.

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2. Elephant Falls

A three-tiered waterfall a short drive from the town centre, named by British visitors for a rock near its base once thought to resemble an elephant. It is one of the most visited natural sights around Shillong and is easiest to reach by taxi.

3. Shillong Peak

The highest point around the city, offering wide views over Shillong and the surrounding hills on a clear day. It also holds a radar installation, so photography is restricted in parts of the site.

4. Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures

A museum spread across several floors covering the tribal cultures of Northeast India, with galleries on Khasi, Garo and Jaintia heritage alongside those of neighbouring states, and a rooftop viewing deck over the city.

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5. Umiam Lake

Also known as Barapani, this reservoir around 15 kilometres from the city centre was created by damming the Umiam River and is a popular spot for boating and kayaking against a backdrop of forested hills.

6. Police Bazar and Shillong's live-music scene

The town's main commercial hub by day, Police Bazar's cafés and bars turn into the heart of Shillong's live-music circuit by evening, a scene that has produced a disproportionate number of India's rock and metal bands over the decades.

7. Day trip to Cherrapunjee (Sohra)

Around two hours from Shillong, Sohra is among the wettest places on earth and the gateway to Meghalaya's famous living root bridges, hand-grown from the roots of rubber fig trees over generations by the local Khasi and War communities.

Traveller tips

• Shillong Airport at Umroi handles limited flights; most visitors fly into Guwahati, roughly a three-hour drive away.
• October to April offers the clearest skies; the monsoon months bring heavy rain but also Meghalaya's waterfalls at their fullest.
• Living root bridge treks near Cherrapunjee involve steep steps and are best attempted with a local guide.
• Evenings turn cool year-round; pack a light jacket even in summer.