Rewarding The Curious Mind: Sheetal’s Trip To Meghalaya With Thrillophilia
Working and hustling in the air-conditioned concrete jungle of Bangalore, Sheetal, her partner, and her friends were craving for a retreat. Not just any random trip, but one that can enrich their understanding of India and its diverse landforms.
And they thought, “What is better than North East India!!”
This region is indeed looked at as an exotic place to tour, but often people forget that it is as much a part of India as Bangalore itself!
So they started searching and contacting people who had been to the northeast before, asking about where they could go, what to see, what mode of transport to take, and what food to try! Within two days they all realised that since it was a less-travelled area, they required a professional travel company who could cover the off-beat places and offer them a taste of the local essence as well. As this was their first trip to the Northeast, they wanted it to be a blend of cultural and natural treasures.
Hearing this, one of Sheetal’s friends recommended Thrillophilia to her. The very day she contacted a salesperson named Avandika, who suggested a trip to Meghalaya. Avandika explained to her the best possible itinerary of the destination, covering the best experiences and activities.
There is always a first time…
After booking the trip and receiving the confirmation, they finally started reading about the place. They saw that most of the famous places were covered on their 7-day-long adventure trip. Excited, the next thing they searched for was food, listing down everything that they wanted to try at the place.
On the day of arrival, they were quite curious about this trip, talking amongst each other about what to possibly expect. The flight journey offered them a slight glimpse of the terrain, they all looked out of the window and could instantly gauge that this was gonna be a very very unique experience.
After landing, they met their designated driver cum guide from Thrillophilia, who, after introduction, took them to their first stop- Kaziranga National Park, marking the beginning of their journey!
They were travelling in a Toyota Innova, and they loved the vehicle as they did not feel any jerk on the bumpy roads. The ride was smooth and comfortable, marking a nice beginning to their trip. The roads, the skies, the air, everything seemed fresh and bright, they were already feeling at peace. Wrapping up the day, they were dropped at a beautiful hotel in Kaziranga.
The next day was their morning safari in Kaziranga where they were lucky enough to spot a few rhinoceros bathing in the soothing sunlight. The safari driver told them that they had actually chosen a good time to visit Kaziranga as winter is the best season to spot wild animals, especially rhinoceros.
The highs and lows
The next part of the trip whooshed past them in a whiff, sparking shine and shimmer in their eyes. They had never had such an experience on any trip before...
The group went through the waterfall belt, stopping at the seven sister falls, Wei Sawdong Falls, and Elephant Falls. They also trekked to the Double Decker Root Bridge (also called Nongriat), walking up the interesting caves of Mawsmai and Arwah, and then again climbing down to take a stroll around Mawlynnong.
It did not stop there, they went to the single decker living root bridge , and finally, made their way to the famous Dawki (Umngot) river. This was the part that literally blew their minds away.
So, the Dawki river is located between the India and Bangladesh border, gifting the tourists crystal-clear waters. When they went there, they could see the button of the river clearly! Living in such a crowded city, this view was heavenly to them. They went for a boat ride along the river, marvelling at the towering cliffs on either side of the river, and the lush greenery that calmed their eyes and the mind.
Additionally, they could also taste a variety of indigenous food items like Tungrymbai, Pudoh, Kyat and Pumaloi throughout the trip, making their fooding bucket list shorter with each passing day.
Till now, they wanted a trip just like this…but after Dawki day, they wanted to live here itself, never to go back!
Lemons or strawberries? Both!
On the penultimate day of the trip, Sheetal’s partner got sick in the morning. As their breakfast menu was mostly uniform, she ordered a different menu for him. Unfortunately, that was not available in the hotel and he had to eat only puffed rice.
A bit upset, she called up our operations executive to convey the issue, but due to the remote location of the place, her request could not be fulfilled. Although the puffed rice did good to his stomach, Sheetal was still bugged about the incident.
Guys, what saved the day (and lifted Sheetal’s mood) was a flavourful bamboo shoot curry for lunch, followed by a Kranf Suri waterfall trip. They all bathed there, playing with the water and taking some insta-post-worthy photos. Finally, they ended the day with a mesmerising stop at a viewpoint in Laitlum Canyons that left all of them at awe.
On the day of their return, they had to visit the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati which is one of the most respected Shakti Peethas in the world. But, we all know how crowded the roads can get during the tourist season, so they had to skip on that.
So, with the promise of returning again and visiting the temple the next time for sure, they boarded the flight back to Bangalore. Bidding goodbye to this happening trip indeed made them a bit sad…
Sheetal knew that for all, including her own self, this trip was one of the most memorable trips of their lives. They unlearned several prejudices and experienced many fantastic things about Meghalaya.
While sharing her feedback with us, she thanked Thrillophilia for arranging such a diverse and exciting itinerary, appreciating the transfers, the punctuality, and the planning of the trip.
Just before keeping the call, she added “oh yes, please be more considerate about including more dishes to the food menu. That is the only point remaining!
And we duly noted it down.
Read More: Thrillophilia Meghalaya Reviews