Living Root Bridges & Mawlynnong: Treks, Tips and Planning

Meghalaya's living root bridges are footbridges grown, not built, from the roots of rubber fig trees by Khasi villagers. You have two main options: the steep trek down from Tyrna to the double-decker bridge at Nongriat, or the short, easy walk to the Riwai root bridge near Mawlynnong village. This guide explains both, so you can pick the one that suits your fitness and your schedule.

What is a living root bridge?

In the wet southern slopes of the Khasi Hills, villagers have long guided the aerial roots of the Indian rubber tree (Ficus elastica) across streams, often using bamboo or hollowed areca palm trunks as a frame. Over years the roots thicken, twist together and take root on the far bank. The result is a bridge that gets stronger with age, and some are believed to be well over a hundred years old.

These bridges are still used by local people every day, so treat them as working village paths. Walk gently, do not pull at or carve the roots, and follow any instructions from village caretakers.

The Nongriat double-decker trek from Tyrna

The most famous root bridge is the double-decker at Nongriat, where two bridges are stacked one above the other across the same stream. There is no road to Nongriat. You reach it on foot from Tyrna village, roughly 2 hours by road from Shillong via the Cherrapunji (Sohra) road, a little longer in heavy traffic or rain.

How hard is it?

Be honest with yourself here. The trail is a long concrete staircase down into the valley, commonly said to be around 3,000 to 3,500 steps one way. Going down is hard on the knees; coming back up is the real test, because you climb all of it at the end of the day, often in humid heat. Along the way you cross a couple of steel suspension bridges over the river, which can feel bouncy.

• Time: most reasonably fit visitors take about 4 to 6 hours for the round trip, including time at the bridge. Slower walkers should allow more.
• Fitness: you should be comfortable climbing many flights of stairs without long rests. It is not a technical trek, but it is tiring.
• Who should think twice: people with knee, heart or breathing problems, very young children and older travellers who are not used to steep climbs. Talk to your doctor if in doubt.
• Going further: fitter trekkers continue past Nongriat to Rainbow Falls, which adds roughly 2 to 3 hours of rougher trail. Many people do this by staying overnight in a Nongriat homestay.

Village committees usually collect a nominal entry or camera fee; check at the counter for current rates. Small shops along the steps sell water, tea and snacks, though prices rise the deeper you go.

The easy option: Riwai root bridge near Mawlynnong

If the Nongriat steps are not for you, the Riwai single root bridge is the easy alternative. It sits close to Mawlynnong and needs only a short walk down a stepped path, usually 10 to 20 minutes each way. You still get to stand on a living root bridge and see how the roots knot together, without spending the whole day on stairs.

This makes Riwai the better choice for families with small children, older parents, or anyone on a tight itinerary. It fits neatly into a day that also includes Mawlynnong and Dawki.

Mawlynnong village

Mawlynnong is a small Khasi village near the Bangladesh border, often called "Asia's cleanest village" after a travel magazine gave it that label in the early 2000s. The name stuck, and the village does take cleanliness seriously: you will see bamboo dustbins along the paths, swept lanes and well-kept gardens.

What to do there:

• Walk the village lanes and see the traditional houses and flower gardens.
• Climb the bamboo Sky View platform for a look across the plains towards Bangladesh on a clear day.
• Visit the balancing rock and the old church.
• Have a simple local lunch at one of the village eateries.

Respect the rules the village sets: do not litter, keep to the paths and ask before photographing people or homes. A nominal entry and parking fee is usually charged.

Mawlynnong is roughly 2.5 to 3 hours by road from Shillong. Most travellers combine it with Riwai and the Umngot river at Dawki on one long day. Our Dawki and Umngot river guide covers that part of the trip.

Which one should you choose?

What to wear and carry

• Shoes with good grip. Steps and rocks get slippery with moss and rain. Trekking shoes or sturdy sports shoes are ideal; avoid flip-flops for Nongriat.
• Light, quick-dry clothes. It is humid in the valleys even when Shillong feels cool.
• Rain protection. A light raincoat or poncho, plus a dry bag or plastic cover for your phone, especially between roughly May and September.
• Water and snacks. Carry at least a litre or two per person for the Nongriat trek.
• Small cash. For entry fees, snacks and homestays, as network and card payments can be patchy in villages.
• Basic first aid. Plasters, any personal medicines and something for muscle aches.
• A spare set of clothes left in the cab for the ride back.

When to go

The bridges can be visited through the year. The drier months, roughly October to April, give you safer steps and clearer pools, while the monsoon brings dramatic waterfalls but slippery trails and occasional landslides on the roads. See our best time to visit Meghalaya post for a month-by-month view. Trail conditions and village rules can change, so check locally before you set out.

How we can help

Pranjal Taxi Service runs cabs from Shillong to Tyrna, Cherrapunji, Mawlynnong and Dawki, and our drivers know the timings that work for each trek. You can add the root bridges to the Meghalaya Explorer package or plan your own day trip. Send us your dates on WhatsApp for a free quote.