We kickstarted our Meghalaya expedition with the little known David Scott Trail. We had plans of moving to Cherapunji from Shillong, but instead of taking a vehicle, we decided to cover it on foot.
The trail is 16 km long and takes you to the Sohra highway. Sohra is the local name for Cherrapunji.
Discovered by British administrator David Scott, the trail links Assam to Bangladesh in the 1800s. Originally a mule track, the trail soon was used by the locals to reach parts of Meghalaya.
The trail takes you through the Eastern Khasi hills meandering through the turquoise streams, gushing waterfalls, rickety bridges, and typical Khasi villages.
It branches out to different routes, the famous one connecting Shillong to Cherapunji, which was the one we took. The trek is 16 km long and takes around 4 to 5 hours.
Trail Essentials
- A Guide – Though, the trail is well marked, taking a guide is advisable. Our guide charged us INR 1500 for the hike. Winning, as a guide was one of the most cheerful persons we met. He matched our pace and shared a few interesting anecdotes, that gave us a glimpse of the Khasi culture.
- Water Bottle – Keep a water bottle handy, as no civilization would be spotted for miles. Also, a few snacks on the way would be good to carry. However please bring the empty bottles and packets with you and don’t litter the place for ecology reasons.
- Comfy Clothes and Shoes – Last but not least comfy clothes and trekking shoes are a must. It is not a difficult trek but the rocks during the monsoon can get slippery. So one must be very very careful.
The Trek Experience
The trail connects the villages of Mawphlang to Lafmawphlang, both occupy a prime position in Khasi village. We started our journey from Mawphlang village, as it is a descending trail.
15 minutes down the trail you would come across the tomb of a child called Camilla. You may pay your respects there.
Simpanghang fall & Mawphlang Dam
On your way, you can spot the Simpanghang falls and Mawphlang dam. Our guide narrated the legend behind the name of the waterfall.
The legend goes that Simpanghang waterfalls were named after the sister who shredded tears because she lost her sibling. The waterfall goes meets the Umiam river that has a similar meaning.
The Maggi Point
The trek takes you through many picturesque locales. My favorite was the one that came after the Maggi point.
Halfway through the way you can stop at Maggi point. Tucked inside a Khasi home, the Maggi point is run by a lady whose main occupation is agriculture and animal husbandry. So we could spot a cock, a goat, a cat and a dog there.
Lakrai and Laitsohma Villages
The trek takes you through many Khasi villages, where you see villagers in their traditional attires and engaged in their daily chores.
We also spotted many turquoise streams and clicking some Insta-worthy pics was a must.
The trail ends with a steep upward hike.
The last leg lasted 15 minutes and at the end of the trail, our cab was waiting with our luggage and dropped us to our nature resort in Cherapunji Sai Mika resort.
