Meghalaya Backpacking Trip(6D/5N)

• Start the day with Breakfast in the misty town of Cherrapunji.
• Visit Nohkalikai Waterfalls viewpoint, one of the biggest falls in India.
  
• Visit offbeat and 4 layered Wei Sawdong waterfalls and take a nice dip in chilling fresh mountain water.
• Have leisurely Lunch at a restaurant that serves different varieties of veggie food.
• Explore the breathtaking maze of caves formed of limestone called Mawsmai caves. Though the caves are quite long, only a small part of open for tourists. This magnificent natural wonder is the handiwork of years of natural erosion and underground water. The fun part is – there are some tricky paths in the caves where you have to sneak through.
• Dress up in Meghalaya special Khasi tribe traditional attire and pose for cameras.
• Get back to the Cherrapunji homestay and do a social gathering.
• Well deserved rest in the assigned rooms.

• Start the day with Breakfast in the misty town of Cherrapunji.
• Head to base village Tyrna and trek down to Nongriat Village to visit Single & Double Decker Living Root Bridges.
• The 3641 steps into the valley to the Nongriat village will take us to the most offbeat place of Meghalaya where we will explore very interesting Living Root Bridges.
• Marvel at the huge Double Decker Living Root Bridges structure constructed by generations of humans by carefully bending roots of Rubber trees for centuries.
• Climb up, back to the base village and get back to Cherrapunji stay.
• Social gathering with Dinner.

• Say Bye Bye to Cherrapunji guest house after Breakfast, go on a 3 hour journey to Asia’s cleanest village Mawlynnong. 
• This village boasts interesting things like Balancing Rocks, a bamboo-made tower to peek into Bangladesh from a height, cleanest roads, sense of calmness and beautiful people.
• Post another quick Lunch, we shall take a pit stop at Dawki where the transparent Umngot river leaves our country, peek into the border areas, and say hi to our neighbors from Bangladesh 😉 
• Continue our journey to Shnongpdeng on the banks of the Umngot river.
• River side Camping with Bonfire and social gathering.
• Rest in the assigned tents.

• Good morning at the crystal clear waters of Umngot river. The first rays of the sun reflecting on the flowing waters is mesmerizing. There is also an eye-catching suspension bridge to explore. 
• Finish Breakfast at our camp.
• Indulge in Shnongpdeng Water activities like Boating, Cliff Jumping, Kayaking, Zip Lining, etc. based on their availability at that time of the year.
• Shnongpdeng is also the hottest place on this trip. Turning into a fully wet mermaid for a few hours under sunny weather gives the best experience along with a rush of adrenaline.
• Break for a quick Lunch at a local food joint on our way.
• Visit beautiful and lush bluish Krang Suri Waterfalls.
• Take a dip in the chilling water of Krang Suri with life jackets that are mandatory. The water is so cold that going in the water pool itself is a dare! But there are some crazy people in every group, who will take this challenge.
• Continue our journey to Shillong town and check into a guest house.
• Social gathering one last time followed by Dinner.

• Start the day early with a Breakfast at our stay. We are expected to check out by 7 AM.
• We will move towards Shillong to visit very interesting Don Bosco Museum that showcases culture, colors, tools, clothing and artifacts of North Eastern states.
• One shouldn’t miss this wonderful museum on their Meghalaya trip. It will make you fall in love with North East and pull you back to explore other states like Nagaland and Sikkim.
• Taste some local food for Lunch at a place our guide will take you to, and sip a warm cup of variety of tea famous in Shillong.
• Do some shopping at Police Bazar Shillong (based on timing)
• Start before 4 PM and try to reach Guwahati Airport around 7 PM.
• A strict timeline will be maintained today so that we can reach Airport on time to catch our return flights.
• You may book flights after 8:30 PM or we shall help you with pointing a guest house in Guwahati for the night so that you could leave the next day.
• Note: Many travelers extend their holiday to visit Kaziranga National Park of Assam. If you need any assistance in that, do let your organizers know.
• Note: Our team can also assist you in booking your flight tickets.

• Jan, Feb (Winter): Winters are pleasantly cold in Meghalaya which pull tourists in good numbers. There’s still a good amount of water to play in rivers and waterfalls (Umngot, Krang Suri). However, those giant waterfalls meant for viewing are quiet (Nohkalikal) this season.
• Mar to Apr (Summer): These are drier months where one cannot find too much water anywhere. 
• May to Sept (Monsoons): The rains hit the mountains starting from May. They start slow in May, consistently increase during June, peak around July/August and reduce by mid of Sept. Thick clouds all around interrupt views. With the brute force of water, one cannot take dips/play in water anywhere.
  
• Mid Sept to Dec (Winter): The giant waterfalls (Nohkalikal) are at their best post monsoons (Oct till mid Nov) with enchanting views. End of the year (Nov, Dec) is good to play in the clear waters of rivers and waterfalls (Umngot, Krang Suri).

Pick up points reblex id

• Toiletries, moisturizer, light towel, lip balm, wet wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.
• A lightweight large Backpack for the entire trip (50-60 liters). Strictly no trolleys. Remember this is a Backpacking trip.
• A small backpack for basic items (to carry valuables, water bottle, snacks, etc. for outdoor activities).
• Photo identity proof with address (Aadhar/Passport/Voter ID).
• A Passport size color photograph (important for permit).
• Thermal inners and warm clothes in winter (cold climate).
• A rainproof jacket with a hood during monsoons (to protect from cold winds, sudden rain).
• Thick socks, track pants, full sleeve t-shirts (to keep your body warm).
• Cap/Hat/Sunglasses (to protect from harmful sun rays).
• Sunscreen (SPF 50 or more).
• Power bank, charger, camera, binoculars (if you wish to).
• Hand sanitizer and liquid hand wash for Camping and outdoors.
• Proper water bottle for your trip. You may fill at our stays.
• Disposable garbage covers (To separate used/unused, wet/dry clothes).
• Water-resistant good grip shoes for travel, extra slippers to use at stays.
• Personal medications, any drugs that you may feel necessary (remember ghat roads, cold climate), basic first aid kit.
• No need to carry snacks/chocolates. You may buy at local shops to support local people in Meghalaya.

If the trip is confirmed:

• A Whatsapp group shall be created on the trip day and Vehicle & Trip Leader details will be shared.
• Live location of the vehicle will be sent in the group once it starts at the first point.

What if trip is still not confirmed because of less than 8 people signed up?

• Our Booking Team will try to make the trip confirmed till the afternoon of trip day (usually Fridays).
• If the trip is not confirmed by then, we will give other confirmed & available trip options.
• Guests may either choose one of the available trips or opt for full refund.

• The itinerary is fixed. No special requests to change itinerary/schedule shall be entertained. Travellers are not allowed to advice/instruct the Organizers (Driver or Trip Leader or Operations Manager) to change the itinerary.
• Cooperate with the Organizers in following the schedule set for the day (especially getting up and getting ready in the morning). This will ensure travellers won’t miss out on the real fun part that is traveling and visiting all places in itinerary.
• Every traveler is responsible for his/her for your own safety. Do not indulge in any illegal or silly activity that causes harm to self or fellow travelers.
• Do not wander into the forest away from the designated trail for treks. There may be snakes, scorpions, and dangerous animals.
• Unexpected situations: In rare scenarios, we might not be able to cover all the places mentioned in the itinerary because of unpredictable reasons like bad weather, landslides, wild animal presence, abrupt blocking of sites by the police/forest/local authorities, delay in travel because of an issue with our group itself, traffic conditions, etc. In most cases, if the time permits, the Organizers will take travelers to an alternative place. But in some cases, we may have to skip places altogether.
• Note: In case of flight delays, cancellations, or reschedules, Muddie Trails will not be responsible for missed connections to the trip starting point. Travelers are requested to make their own arrangements to reach the destination, as per the itinerary. We recommend booking flights with sufficient buffer time to avoid any last-minute issues.
• No alcohol & smoking during travel, treks, and other outdoor activities. There would be a separate window and space (usually at night) to have these at the stays for interested people.
• Travelers are expected to respect each other and help one another. Avoid discussing sensitive matters like sex, politics, and religion/caste/race.
• Using foul or abusive language, eve-teasing, arguing with fellow travelers/Organizers, and/or involving in the physical assault will not be accepted and will stand a chance of being deserted by the group then and there.
• Every traveler is expected to digitally fill & submit a liability/waiver form given by the Organizers before the trip. This liability form will discharge Muddie Trails of any unexpected incident like injury/death/theft etc.

Cancellation by Traveler

• 80% refund/100% postponement if you inform about your cancellation before 48 hours of the event start time. An email has to be sent to bookings@muddietrails.com to raise a cancellation request.
• No refund/postponing is allowed within 48 hours of the event start time whatever is the reason (Health, Accident, Covid, Family crisis, Office issue, or anything else).
• No refund/postponing is allowed even if you booked within 48 hours.
• Alternatively, you may postpone your ticket to the future event 48 hours before the event start time. (Allowed once per booking ONLY)
• No refund/postponing is allowed for partial payment – booking fee – which is done to book your slot.
• No refund during/after the event.

Cancellation by Muddie Trails

Muddie Trails may decide to cancel the event if there are less than 8 travelers signed up for the trip/trek.

What if we don’t get the minimum number of people for the trip?
We have 2 options in this case:
Option 1: Complete refund.
Option 2: Switch to any other trip of the same weekend or future weekends. The difference amount will be collected from you or paid back according to the new trip cost.

Cancellation due to external factors

Muddie Trails may have to cancel the event in case of external factors that are beyond our control like Natural Disasters, Extreme Weather Conditions, Red Alerts, Political Disturbances, Bandh/Curfews, Local Issues, Road Blocks, Train cancellations, Covid-19 or any other disease outbreaks etc.

In these scenarios:

• No Refund is allowed.
• 100% trip amount can be used for any other new trip of the same weekend or future weekends. The difference amount will be collected from you or paid back according to the new trip cost.
• Once you confirm your participation on the new trip, all the above Cancellation policies will apply for the same.