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Meghalaya

Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge)

3,500 steps down to a living double-decker root bridge

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Best time to visit Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: November to February
  • Shoulder: March to May and October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: June to September

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryNovemberDecember

Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

Dry stone steps make the descent and climb back up far safer, cool weather helps.

Summer March to May Shoulder

Air stays a mild 26C, but Sohra already takes 790 mm of rain in April and 1,300 mm in May, so the 3,500 steps get greasy early.

Monsoon June to September Do not go

Steps become a waterslide, genuinely dangerous plus leeches: most guesthouses say skip it.

Autumn October to November Prime time

Rainbow Falls swimming hole still full from monsoon, steps drying out nicely.

What Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge) is actually like

Riverside guesthouses full of trekkers, communal dinners, easy to find company.

Things to do in Nongriat

The local places worth your time in and around Nongriat, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Rainbow Falls

    Waterfall · 2 km out

    An hour on past the root bridge, a hard climb to a blue plunge pool; go by 10 am for the rainbow in the spray

  • Mawsaw Root Bridge

    Heritage · 1 km out

    Smaller living root bridge on the Rainbow Falls path with a clear pool under it, the best swim on the whole walk

  • Ritymmen Root Bridge

    Heritage · 2 km out

    The long single decker root bridge at Nongthymmai, passed on the way down from Tyrna; most people walk straight past it

  • Tyrna

    Village · 3 km out

    Trailhead village at the top of the 3,500 steps where taxis wait and porters are hired; the climb back up takes two hours

Getting to Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge)

Drive to Tyrna (1h from Cherrapunji), trek 3,500 steps down. No ILP.

Practical ways in: road

Trip facts

How long to stay
3 days
Budget
Shoestring
How busy
Steady at its peak
Solo travel
Easy solo
Altitude
620 m
State
Meghalaya
Coordinates
25.2370, 91.6800

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge)?

November to February is peak season in Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge). March to May and October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to September. Rainbow Falls swimming hole still full from monsoon, steps drying out nicely.

How many days do you need in Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge)?

3 days is the usual stay. Riverside guesthouses full of trekkers, communal dinners, easy to find company.

How do you get to Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge)?

Drive to Tyrna (1h from Cherrapunji), trek 3,500 steps down. No ILP. Practical ways in: road.

Is Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs steady at the busiest time of year. Easy solo.

What are the best things to do in Nongriat?

Rainbow Falls, Mawsaw Root Bridge, Ritymmen Root Bridge and Tyrna. An hour on past the root bridge, a hard climb to a blue plunge pool; go by 10 am for the rainbow in the spray.

Nearby, and where to go next

More places to visit in Meghalaya

All 17 destinations in Meghalaya