Cliff-edge drive to Thangkharang
Most visitors to Sohra see Nohkalikai and Mawsmai and turn back. We like to continue east along the rim, past small Khasi villages and orange groves, to Thangkharang Park, about 12 km from town. The park itself is modest, a garden of local plants on the cliff top, but the view is not: the escarpment falls almost straight to the plains, and on clear days you see rivers and fields stretching away into Bangladesh.
Across a side valley, Kynrem Falls drops in three stages down a forested cliff. It is among the tallest falls in the state and runs strongly in and after the monsoon. The road continues to the Mawkdok and Laitkynsew areas, where we can stop at the trailhead for Nongriat or at the old Ramakrishna Mission school in Sohra, founded in 1931.
This is a good afternoon outing after a morning on the root bridge trail, as it involves almost no walking. Winter visibility is best from November to February, but cloud can build fast. We keep it flexible and go when the sky is clear.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
Can you see Bangladesh from Sohra?
Yes. On clear days, viewpoints on the southern rim of the Sohra plateau, including Thangkharang Park and the Mawsmai area, look down onto the flat plains of Bangladesh far below. Visibility is best from November to February, usually in the morning before cloud and haze build.
How far is Thangkharang Park from Sohra?
About 12 km, or 30 to 40 minutes by car along the plateau rim. The drive passes Khasi villages and orange groves. It makes an easy half-day or afternoon outing with almost no walking, which suits guests resting after the Nongriat trail.
When does Kynrem Falls have the most water?
From June to October, during and just after the monsoon. October is the best compromise, with strong flow and clearer skies. By late winter the falls thin considerably, though the cliffs and view of the plains remain worth the drive.
Also in Sohra (Cherrapunji)
More hours to plan around
