The best time to visit Shillong is year-round as this is one destination where even the monsoon provides the exhilaration and experience of being in the wettest place on the planet. With pleasant temperature in summer, which normally is between 15°C to 25°C, it’s the best time to visit Shillong. The winter in Shillong is colder with temperatures going down to 4°C often enveloping the city of Shillong in fog during this time. But with a name which means "abode of clouds", the best time to visit Meghalaya is definitely monsoons. Cherrapunjee is world-famous for being the wettest place, and Shillong makes a good base to explore this place in monsoons

East Khasi Hills in monsoons

The monsoons start from July and go on till the end of September in Shillong with heavy downpours taking the temperature between 12°C and 16°C. Monsoon season in Shillong is the perfect time for those seeking adventure, especially nature lovers and backpackers. One of the best ideas is to make Shillong the base for excursions to Cherrpunjee and other places to visit. Monsoons are also one of the best times to visit Shillong as locals celebrate the Behdienkhlam festival, one of the local festivals in Meghalaya.

Visiting Cherrpunjee from Shillong during monsoon time is an experience in itself- the rain-drenched mountains with waterfalls in full glory and the forest in bright green make for a pleasant experience. With Mawsynram getting an average of 11,873 millimeters of rain, it is one of the best places to visit during monsoon time; Cherrpunjee is a close next. The Seven Sister’s Falls also known as Nohsngithiang Falls, and the other waterfalls are mostly rain-fed falls and come to their full glory during the monsoon making it the best time to visit Shillong. During monsoon time, excursions from Shillong can be made to Mawphlang and then on to Mawsynram or just to Cherrapunjee; however, it’s not the best time to visit Dawki. This is also the best time to visit Jaintia Hills and a good time to visit the Monoliths of Nartiang. You can also visit Thadlaskein Lake near Jowai.

Thadlaskein Lake

With so many wonderful sites to enjoy and to top it all, just a few visitors choosing to travel at this time, monsoons are definitely the best time to visit Shillong.

Some of the best places to visit during the monsoon time are listed below:

• Elephant falls – 12 km from Shillong with a travel time of half an hour
• Mawphlang Sacred Grove – 27 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour
• Duwan Sing Syiem – 30 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour and half
• Wah Shora Viewpoint – 38 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour and forty-five minutes
• Wah Kaba Falls – 46 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour and half
• Llyngngai Falls – 44 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour and half
• Mawsawdong Falls – 46 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour and half
• Lyngksiar Falls – 48 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour and half
• Janailar Falls – 48 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour and half
• Mawsawa Falls – 50 km from Shillong with a travel time of two hour
• Nohsngithiang Falls - 98 km from Shillong with a travel time of three hour
• Monoliths of Nartiang – 61 km from Shillong with a travel time of two hour
• Thadlaskein Lake – 53 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour and half
• Laitlum Canyon - 22 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour
• Mawsynram – 60 km from Shillong with a travel time of two hour
• Cherrpunjee – 54 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour and forty-five minutes
• Thangsining Falls – 20 km from Shillong with a travel time of an hour
• Smit Village - 15 km from Shillong with a travel time of half an hour

Meghalaya Tour Packages