Mawphanlur
Grassy knoll village of tiny lakes and kayaks at 1,850 m
Best time to visit Mawphanlur
- Jan, peak season
- Feb, peak season
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, shoulder season
- May, off-season
- Jun, best avoided
- Jul, best avoided
- Aug, best avoided
- Sep, shoulder season
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: October to February
- Shoulder: March to April and September, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: June to August
Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryOctoberNovemberDecember
Mawphanlur season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Dec-Feb is crisp and empty: near-frost mornings, mirror ponds for a slow paddle, and bonfire evenings at the village guesthouses.
Summer March to May Shoulder
Mar-Apr gives clear ridge walks and wildflowers on the knolls; May opens the big pre-monsoon downpours, so keep plans loose.
Monsoon June to September Shoulder
Jun-Aug sits in rain and fog for days on end; the grass is at its greenest but you will see almost none of it, come later.
Autumn October to November Prime time
Oct-Nov is peak: rain-rinsed green hills, kayak-calm ponds and long easy ridge walks in shirtsleeve sunshine.
What Mawphanlur is actually like
Village-run guesthouses on bare green hilltops; Shillong weekenders paddle, solo walkers get whole ridges to themselves
Getting to Mawphanlur
78 km from Shillong via Mairang, 2.5 h; take a Nongstoin sumo to the turn-off and a local drop; no permits
Practical ways in: road
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 2 days
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Quiet at its peak
- Solo travel
- Fine solo
- Altitude
- 1849 m
- State
- Meghalaya
- Coordinates
- 25.5461, 91.4532
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Mawphanlur?
October to February is peak season in Mawphanlur. March to April and September is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to August. Oct-Nov is peak: rain-rinsed green hills, kayak-calm ponds and long easy ridge walks in shirtsleeve sunshine.
How many days do you need in Mawphanlur?
2 days is the usual stay. Village-run guesthouses on bare green hilltops; Shillong weekenders paddle, solo walkers get whole ridges to themselves.
How do you get to Mawphanlur?
78 km from Shillong via Mairang, 2.5 h; take a Nongstoin sumo to the turn-off and a local drop; no permits. Practical ways in: road.
Is Mawphanlur expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Fine solo.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Nongkhnum Island (Langshiang Falls)
Meghalaya
Sand-beach river island above one of India's tallest falls
40 km from Mawphanlur, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Mawphlang Sacred Forest
Meghalaya
Khasi sacred grove where you may not carry a single leaf out
50 km from Mawphanlur, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Chandubi Lake
Assam
Earthquake-born forest lake in Rabha country near Guwahati
50 km from Mawphanlur, roughly under an hour by road
-
Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge)
Meghalaya
3,500 steps down to a living double-decker root bridge
50 km from Mawphanlur, roughly under an hour by road
-
Cherrapunji (Sohra)
Meghalaya
Wettest place on earth: waterfalls, canyons, caves
60 km from Mawphanlur, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Shillong
Meghalaya
Northeast's hill capital: cafes, lakes, live music
70 km from Mawphanlur, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Wahkhen (Mawryngkhang Bamboo Trail)
Meghalaya
Bamboo skywalk over the Wahrew gorge to the king of stones
60 km from Mawphanlur, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Mawlynnong
Meghalaya
Asia's cleanest village: root bridge, bamboo skywalk
80 km from Mawphanlur, roughly about 2 h by road
More places to visit in Meghalaya
- Baghmara (Balpakram gateway) Meghalaya
- Cherrapunji (Sohra) Meghalaya
- Dawki & Shnongpdeng Meghalaya
- Jowai (Nartiang & Krangsuri) Meghalaya
- Mawlynnong Meghalaya
- Mawphlang Sacred Forest Meghalaya
- Nongkhnum Island (Langshiang Falls) Meghalaya
- Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge) Meghalaya
- Shillong Meghalaya
- Siju (Dobakkol Caves) Meghalaya
- Tura (Garo Hills) Meghalaya
- Wahkhen (Mawryngkhang Bamboo Trail) Meghalaya