Skip to content
Menu
Travel Tales from India and Abroad
Travel Tales from India and Abroad
The First Waterfall at Elephant Falls, Shillong

Elephant Waterfalls- Shillong, Meghalaya

Posted on May 2, 2013May 17, 2021

On my recent trip to Shillong and Guwahati we had one off day, Sunday. And all four of us were rearing to go. So we hired a cab and off we went. The itinerary was almost completely decided my our well behaved and patient driver. He first took us to the Shillong View Point (where there was a lot of mist and hardly any view but I except these things now) and then we were on our way to Cherrapunji. He told us we would stop at the Elephant Falls.

If you click on that link above it will take you to Tripadvisor where the opinion is quite divided on this attraction. I belong to the camp that thought the falls were beautiful. Some people mention that the water level was low when they visited. Not so in my case. There are three waterfalls in all and the first one is the most spectacular. There was a reasonable crowd at the attraction but the place was still reasonably quite. The waterfall has two parts and the complete picture is something like this.

Elephant Falls

 Elephant Falls, Shillong

The trail is well marked. At the entrance there is a small fee for people as well as for cameras. I do not remember the exact amount but I am sure it was less than 40 rupees with the camera for an adult. There are notices all around urging the visitors not to enter the water or climb the rocks. People paid heed to them.

Elephant Falls, Shillong, Megalaya

The Second Waterfall- Elephant Falls, Shillong, Megalaya

The second waterfall is the smallest of the three and hence it was the most neglected one! Everyone, myself included, would hurry past it. When I saw it I thought it was not the actual second waterfall, that might be below. So I too went past it quickly.

Elephant Falls, Shillong

The Third Waterfall- Elephant Falls, Shillong

The third waterfall was also a beauty. This was the only waterfall where the pool was shallow and people would wade a little to get their pictures clicked. To reach the waterfalls a little walking is involved. That itself gave me an idea how fit I am for my trek to Annapurna Circuit, Nepal in June. I was not tired with this small walk but 5-6 hours of similar terrain and I can see from here what is going to happen to me later in June.

So I will remember the waterfalls not only for their beauty but also for the warning they gave me about my fitness levels!

facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterTweet
FollowFollow us
PinterestSave

21 thoughts on “Elephant Waterfalls- Shillong, Meghalaya”

  1. rupam { xhobdo } says:
    May 2, 2013 at 5:17 pm

    Lovely , So nice capture.

    Reply
  2. My Say says:
    May 2, 2013 at 5:29 pm

    the first literally looks as if huge elephant heads are behind the gush of water and water is flowing through heads of several elephants on top of eachother .. or may be I am hallucinating 😀 who knows !!

    Reply
  3. anjan roy says:
    May 2, 2013 at 5:55 pm

    Shillong…is also called as god’s own resting place…and Elephant falls…gives an apt name to it’s name….lovely…photographs…!!!

    Reply
  4. matheikal says:
    May 2, 2013 at 7:57 pm

    One of the few places in
    Shillong where I used to spend a lot of time! Nice to see that it still has water 🙂

    Reply
  5. Tushar says:
    May 3, 2013 at 7:22 am

    How much is cab charges for a day in Shillong?

    Reply
  6. Thumbelina81 says:
    May 3, 2013 at 7:36 am

    I love the pics Mridula. And honestly now, I am a lil envious . Keep them coming.

    Reply
  7. Aziz Ampanwala says:
    May 3, 2013 at 10:19 am

    Its a spectacle !

    Reply
  8. Prashanth says:
    May 3, 2013 at 10:52 am

    Beautiful images!! And aptly named waterfalls 🙂

    Reply
  9. Mridula says:
    May 3, 2013 at 11:45 am

    Thank you Rupam.

    My Say many others also said the same and there is nothing on my blog that causes mass hallucinations 😀

    Thanks Anjan.

    Matheikal so did you ever write about it too? Would like to read your posts too.

    Tushar we actually did a cab from Shillong to Cherrapunji and back to Guwahati for 3800 rupees and this was on the way.

    Thumbelina 😀 Do you like to travel?

    Aziz thank you.

    Prastanth thank you.

    Reply
  10. Prasad Np says:
    May 3, 2013 at 1:35 pm

    Waterfalls have magical qualities and a layered waterfall just multiplies the magic. Loved the pics…so refreshing.

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      July 18, 2013 at 7:30 pm

      Agreed Prasad. 😀

      Reply
  11. Ajeeth boaz says:
    May 3, 2013 at 4:25 pm

    Amazing shots of a beautiful place…

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      July 18, 2013 at 7:31 pm

      Thank you Ajeeth.

      Reply
  12. Rat says:
    May 3, 2013 at 4:33 pm

    awesome photos..

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      July 18, 2013 at 7:31 pm

      Thanks Rat.

      Reply
  13. Raj Sharma says:
    May 14, 2013 at 6:20 pm

    Very beautiful Waterfall. Very good photographs. Wish to see live.

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      July 18, 2013 at 7:31 pm

      Raj I hope you visit it soon.

      Reply
  14. Devkant Sangwan says:
    May 30, 2013 at 12:59 pm

    Beautiful pictures, I wish to take bath here and camp for a week near to these waterfalls.

    Reply
    1. Mridula says:
      July 18, 2013 at 7:32 pm

      Devkant 😀 hope you do go there.

      Reply
  15. Uma says:
    April 10, 2024 at 11:24 am

    Elephant Waterfalls in Shillong, Meghalaya, is a true natural wonder! Its cascading waters amidst lush greenery create a picturesque scene that’s both serene and awe-inspiring. A must-visit destination for anyone exploring the beauty of Meghalaya.

    Reply
  16. Uma says:
    April 10, 2024 at 8:36 pm

    Elephant Waterfalls in Shillong, Meghalaya is a stunning natural wonder that captivates visitors with its cascading beauty. The majestic falls, surrounded by lush greenery, offer a serene retreat and a perfect spot for nature lovers to immerse themselves in the tranquil ambiance. A must-visit destination for anyone exploring the enchanting landscapes of Meghalaya.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me

I am Mridula Dwivedi and I started this blog in 2005. It has been an amazing ride. I have visited 33 countries till date! I have worked with many tourism boards and prominent travel companies. My blog was featured on the BBC and the Guardian.

I did my Ph.D. from IIT Kanpur. I worked full time in academics till 2015! I quit my job as a professor, thinking I will take a break for one year, which turned into five.

Subscribe to the blog!

Subscribe

* indicates required

Support provided by Credible Content Writing & Copywriting Services

©2025 Travel Tales from India and Abroad | Powered by SuperbThemes