Nohsngithiang waterfalls Travel Guide
Nohsngithiang Falls was sometimes referred to as the Seven Sisters Falls due to the presence of several strands of cascades coming down in parallel. However, I presume some guy envisioned there were seven of them during the monsoon as Julie and I didn't see much of the waterfall during our November 2009 visit. By the way, this shouldn't be confused with the similarly-named Seven Sisters in the Geirangerford of Norway. Plunging down a height of 1,035 ft, the Nohsngithiang Falls is the fourth highest waterfall in India. In addition to the contextual views from across the ravine draining towards Bangladesh, we were also able to get right up to the top of this waterfall. And from that vantage point, there was the so-called Missing Waterfall, which was nothing more than the watercourse disappearing into a narrow slot chasm in the ground before re-emerging as part of the Seven Sisters Waterfall. There was a separate dedicated car park and section to experience the waterfall from this spot.
As shown in the pictures on this page, we noticed that this waterfall had a rather short life since we showed up barely a month after the "official" end of the monsoon in India's northeast. I reckoned we would've had to have been here right during the monsoon in order to see the falls under more impressive flow. It also didn't help that 2009 had an abnormally weak monsoon, which the locals we'd been in touch with blamed it on Global Warming.
Now had we shown up during the monsoon between late September or early October (which I believe would be the most optimal time to see the falls in its highest volume), we would've had to deal with a bit of a catch-22 where the monsoon would yield the rain, but the increased likelihood of clouds might have made the falls itself hard to see.
From the same vantage point for this waterfall, we also noticed a distant but tall waterfall that was also light flowing. I wasn't able to recall whether it was part of the Nohsngithiang Falls from a different vantage point or if it was a different waterfall entirely.
Best Time to Visit
The waterfall has a very slow lifespan as it is largely dependent on rainfalls for feeding it with water. In that sense monsoons are the best period to visit the Nohsngithiang Falls as one can see it flowing at its full might, brimming with water and life. The winters and summers could be very disappointing as the waterfall might just dry up to be a tiny strand and a mere shadow of itself.
How to Reach
Nohsngithiang Falls, Cherrapunjee is located very close to Mawsmai Village. Connected easily with Cherrapunjee and the capital Shillong, railway network and flight routes are accessible. The nearest airport is at Guwahati and so is the train station.
- BY AIR:
Nearest airport for domestic flights from the north-east states is at Umroi which is 35 km from Shillong whereas for flights from other major cities Guwahati is the nearest airport which 133 km from Cherrapunjee and 100 odd kilometers from Shillong.
- BY RAIL:
Nearest rail head is at Guwahati. One can easily hire a cab or catch a bus till Shillong and continue further from Shillong till Cherrapunjee through bus or taxi.
- BY ROAD:
Cherrapunjee is 53 km from Shillong and is well connected by road. Many state and private buses ply from Bada Bazaar, Shillong till Cherrapunjee. A short ride in a taxi will take you to Mawsmai village from where the waterfall is just 1 km.
Attractions near Nohsngithiang waterfalls
Mawsynram
Nohkalikai Falls
Khoh Ramhah
Nohsngithiang Waterfalls
Kynrem Falls
Dainthlen Falls
