Tura (Garo Hills)
Garo hills base for Nokrek, Siju caves and a hundred drums
Best time to visit Tura (Garo Hills)
- Jan, shoulder season
- Feb, shoulder season
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, shoulder season
- May, off-season
- Jun, best avoided
- Jul, best avoided
- Aug, best avoided
- Sep, best avoided
- Oct, peak season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: October to December
- Shoulder: January to April, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: June to September
Tura (Garo Hills) season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Dec-Feb stays dry at 10-26 C and still works for the Nokrek trail and the long road south to Balpakram.
Summer March to May Shoulder
March-April is hot at this low altitude and hazy with jhum burning; May brings the first Garo hills downpours.
Monsoon June to September Do not go
Jun-Sep the Garo hills take huge rain and the Williamnagar and Baghmara roads slide, so travel becomes guesswork.
Autumn October to November Prime time
Oct-Nov is the payoff: harvest under way, the 100 Drums Wangala at Asanang 18 km out, and clear ridge air.
What Tura (Garo Hills) is actually like
Garo town with basic hotels and no traveller circuit; you will be the only outsider on most shared jeeps
Getting to Tura (Garo Hills)
Guwahati 220 km by bus, 6-7 h via Goalpara; Baljek airport near Tura is built but not operational
Practical ways in: road
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 3 days
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Quiet at its peak
- Solo travel
- Doable solo with some planning
- Altitude
- 340 m
- State
- Meghalaya
- Coordinates
- 25.5126, 90.2172
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Tura (Garo Hills)?
October to December is peak season in Tura (Garo Hills). January to April is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid June to September. Oct-Nov is the payoff: harvest under way, the 100 Drums Wangala at Asanang 18 km out, and clear ridge air.
How many days do you need in Tura (Garo Hills)?
3 days is the usual stay. Garo town with basic hotels and no traveller circuit; you will be the only outsider on most shared jeeps.
How do you get to Tura (Garo Hills)?
Guwahati 220 km by bus, 6-7 h via Goalpara; Baljek airport near Tura is built but not operational. Practical ways in: road.
Is Tura (Garo Hills) expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.
Is there a festival in Tura (Garo Hills)?
Nov: 100 Drums Wangala at Asanang (dates shift yearly). Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Siju (Dobakkol Caves)
Meghalaya
Limestone bat caves and a bird sanctuary on the Simsang river
60 km from Tura (Garo Hills), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Baghmara (Balpakram gateway)
Meghalaya
Someshwari river town under the Balpakram plateau
70 km from Tura (Garo Hills), roughly about 1 h by road
-
Nongkhnum Island (Langshiang Falls)
Meghalaya
Sand-beach river island above one of India's tallest falls
150 km from Tura (Garo Hills), roughly about 4 h by road
-
Mawphanlur
Meghalaya
Grassy knoll village of tiny lakes and kayaks at 1,850 m
190 km from Tura (Garo Hills), roughly about 5 h by road
-
Chandubi Lake
Assam
Earthquake-born forest lake in Rabha country near Guwahati
170 km from Tura (Garo Hills), roughly about 3 h by road
-
Buxa Tiger Reserve (Jayanti)
West Bengal
River-bed village under Bhutan hills with a limestone cave
190 km from Tura (Garo Hills), roughly about 4 h by road
-
Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge)
Meghalaya
3,500 steps down to a living double-decker root bridge
200 km from Tura (Garo Hills), roughly about 4 h by road
-
Hajo & Sualkuchi
Assam
Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim shrines, and a town that weaves muga silk
200 km from Tura (Garo Hills), roughly about 4 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
- Mawphanlur Meghalaya
- Mawphlang Sacred Forest Meghalaya
- Nongkhnum Island (Langshiang Falls) Meghalaya
- Nongriat (Double-Decker Root Bridge) Meghalaya
- Shillong Meghalaya
- Siju (Dobakkol Caves) Meghalaya
- Wahkhen (Mawryngkhang Bamboo Trail) Meghalaya