It’s a mystery, why caving in Meghalaya is not so known. While most seem to know about the state’s scenic beauty, including the beautiful hills, root bridges and lovely waterfalls. Only a few are aware that it is one of the best places to explore caves in India.
You will enter through a small hole and begin your journey of traversing through uneven terrain.
Caves take millions of years to form, and owing to Meghalaya’s high level of humidity and precipitation, this ‘abode of the clouds’ has approximately 1700 limestone and sandstone caves. These are some of the deepest in India and are either fully or partially explored.
Stretching to over 300km, most of the state’s caves are located in the East Khasi Hills, South Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills.
Caving is an adventure activity that involves exploring wild cave systems. Many operators offer this activity in Meghalaya, along with the necessary gear and guidance.
It is important to go with a professional guide or group that can help you navigate through the caves. A typical itinerary ranges from five to 10 days and involves exploring several caves.
Your pace will be slow and every step will be placed strategically, under the guidance of an experienced professional. You will be enriched with the waterfalls, stalactites and stalagmites formations, narrow routes, flooded passages and creatures such as beetles, bats, crabs and small fish.
You will have to be careful and also not to hurt yourself or break any of the formations. That took millions of years to form.
You should be fit, flexible and active. This activity is physically taxing and involves a lot of hard work as you go from climbing to belly crawling, all in pitch dark.
The group will provide you with all the gear you will need, such as body suits, gloves, helmets, LED headlamps, and gum boots. Besides these, you should bring a small backpack, a bottle of water, something small to eat, such as granola or a chocolate bar, a basic first-aid kit, a camera with flash (if you intend on taking pictures), and a set of fresh clothes.
November to March is the best time to enjoy caving in. The water levels in the caves are at their lowest.
The cost of caving depends on the tour company you choose, and how many people you have in your group.
Generally speaking, the more the number of people, the less will be the cost per person. A package for six to seven days, which includes exploring multiple caves, will cost anywhere between Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,500.
Best caves to explore in Meghalaya
Krem Chympe: India’s fifth largest cave (as of now), this river cave has a difficult terrain. It is also known to have a large colony of bats and fish.
Krem Umthloo: This beginner-friendly river cave has gorgeous formations inside. There are 50 to 60m deep potholes that act as entrances in a dendritic pattern.
Krem Liat Prah: This magnificent cave is the longest known in India. A major feature of this cave is its ginormous trunk passage, popularly known as the aircraft hangar.
Mawsmai Cave: This limestone cave has a big entrance, but it quickly becomes narrow and might be scary for claustrophobic people. It is the only fully lit cave and is home to bats and many kinds of insects.
Krem Mawmluh: With a length of 7km and the distinction of being the fourth largest cave in India, Krem Mawmluh is a Grade 2 level cave.
Krem Ri Blai: This is one cave you must definitely go inside once in your life. It is a vertical cave that is difficult to get to but perfect for lovers of adventure and the dark.
Tetengkol Balwakol: The small entrance here leads to the second largest cave in the Indian sub-continent. At 17,500 feet, this cave is also called the cave of dwarfs with inverted feet.
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