A Complete Travel Guide To The Krang Shuri Waterfall In Meghalaya
On my 5th-day ride to North-East India, I covered Krang Shuri Waterfall in Meghalaya, Dawki, and Bamboo Trail in Wakkhen and shared my travelogue via post. Though I explained my trip to the Krang Shuri Waterfall in that post yet after completing my post, I felt I should write a separate post only on Krang Shuri Waterfall. There were two reasons for coming out with a separate post. One, the waterfalls in Meghalaya are famous for their beauty, and the state has numerous waterfalls, yet they are not so popular outside Meghalaya, excluding a few waterfalls. For example, Seven Sisters Falls, and Noh-Ka-Likai Falls are famous, but the same is not valid for Wei-Saw-Dong and Rainbow Waterfalls. The second reason was the beauty of Krang-Shuri Waterfall as the waterfall is not only beautiful but also unique in its own way. Waterfalls are either plunge waterfall or cascading, but Krang Shuri, it is neither of two types. A water stream feeds krang Shuri, and at the edge of the plateau, the falling water looks like a waterfall. The Krang Shuri waterfall is an ideal place for travelers to take a dip in the pool, which is not possible with most of the waterfalls in Meghalaya. Most waterfalls in Meghalaya are found in rough terrain barring travelers from reaching the base of the waterfall. For example, at Noh-Ka-Likai Falls and Dainthlen Falls, it is nearly impossible to reach the bottom of the fall, but in the case of Krang Shuri, we can comfortably go to the bottom of the waterfall. A 15 minutes walk will lead you to the base of the waterfall, and you can enjoy the waterfall to its fullest extent. Krang Shuri Waterfall provides a perfect destination for any traveler, be it a solo traveler or a person traveling with family. Moreover, the road en route Krang Shuri Waterfall provides another memorable experience, and riding on this highway is a bliss. When I was riding on the Dawki-Jowai Highway, I enjoyed riding on this road. A well-paved road surrounded on both sides by greenery is all a rider wants when he/she hits the road, and I experienced the same while riding on this stretch. All these reasons combined forced me to come up with another article explicitly dealing with the Krang Shuri waterfall. In this article, I will be sharing my bike ride to Krang Shuri Waterfall, how to reach Krang Shuri waterfall and road status en route Krang Shuri Waterfall. I will also be explaining facilities available at the Krang Shuri waterfall and why this waterfall is a must-visit place for any traveler traveling to Meghalaya.
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Where Is Krang Shuri Waterfall Situated
Krang Shuri Waterfall lies in the West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, which is one of the 11 districts of Meghalaya. The town of Jowai serves as the district headquarters. The Krang Shuri Waterfall lies 100 kilometers from the state capital Shillong, and the waterfall lies on the highway connecting Jowai to Dawki. The Krang Shuri Waterfall lies 30 kilometers from Jowai and 28 kilometers from the Border town of Dawki. Jowai is not a popular tourist destination (especially for people outside north-east India) compared to Cherrapunjee, and Dawki and travelers tend to skip Krang Shuri Waterfall due to time and budget constraints. Due to this, the waterfall is less visited by travelers visiting Meghalaya from other parts of India though it should be in the bucket list of everyone touring the state.
Why Visit Krang Shuri Waterfall:
Also Read: Trek To Double Decker Root Bridge In Meghalaya
When I was in Meghalaya, I was thrice recommended to visit the Krang Shuri Waterfall. The first time I heard the name of the waterfall when I was in my Delhi-Guwahati flight. The co-passenger recommended me to visit the waterfall if I had sufficient time. At that point, I thought it might be like other waterfalls in the state, and I quickly forgot its name. The second time I heard the name when my homestay owner in Cherrapunjee recommended the waterfall. He advised me to visit the waterfall and said I wouldn’t regret visiting the waterfall. This time I gave serious thought of visiting the waterfall, yet I had to manage my itinerary to visit the waterfall. When I was at the Tamabil Check post, the BSF personal again recommended me to visit the waterfall and said he was there last week. After hearing so many recommendations, I made my mind to visit the waterfall even if it derails my plan. Once I reached the waterfall and got a glimpse, I had a feeling that the entire ride and time spent was worth it. The water looked bluish, and it was so transparent that I was able to see the river bed.
How to Reach Krang Shuri Waterfall
There are two ways to reach the Krang Shuri waterfall. One is the Shillong-Jowai route, where after a 100 kilometers ride, you will reach the waterfall. Second is the Dawki-Jowai highway, and a 30-kilometer journey will take you to the Krang Shuri waterfall. The road condition on both the route is excellent and one of the best to ride in North-East India. The National Highway 206 connects the Krang Shuri waterfall from Jowai and Dawki. Throughout the ride, you will see rice fields, and pine trees on both sides of the road, and the fog will further enrich the riding experience. Krang Shuri waterfall lies midway on the Jowai-Dawki Highway, and a 30 kilometers ride from either side will take you to the waterfall. After reaching the town of Amlarem, you have to exit the main highway and follow the unpaved road. From the main road, a kuttcha road of 1.3 kilometers will take you to the parking lot of the Krang Shuri Falls.
Once you reach the parking area of the Krang Shuri waterfall, you have to walk for 20-25 minutes to reach the bottom of the waterfall. The path is well laid, and the state tourism department has built a viewpoint to see the waterfall from a distance. The viewpoint gives a birds-eye view of the waterfall and a perfect place to get a good shot of the waterfall.
Best Time To Visit The Krang Shuri Waterfall
The Krang Shuri Waterfall is accessible throughout the year, and travelers can visit this waterfall any time of year. Yet looking at the source of the waterfall, it is advisable to visit this waterfall during monsoon or post-monsoon when the stream feeding waterfall has abundant water. By looking at the water stream, I assumed that during the summer months, there would be negligible water in the waterfall, thereby hindering its beauty. Therefore the best time to visit the Krang Shuri waterfall is from August till January.
Facilities Available at The Krang Shuri Waterfall
The following facilities are available at Krang Shuri Waterfall:
The Parking area and Fees
Parking area at Krang Shuri waterfall is vast and, therefore, no need to pay the parking fees. Parking has ample space to accommodate cars and bikes, and travelers need not worry about the parking space.
Restaurants and Hotel Availability at Krang Shuri Waterfall
Krang Shuri Waterfall has a few small local restaurants. The restaurant is present at the parking lot and one near the waterfall. The restaurant near the fall is small and serves limited food. You will find the traditional local dishes like veg/chicken/pork thali. The restaurant near the parking area is a bigger one and have more variety of food. A standard Veg and Non-Veg thali will cost you somewhere between 100-200 rupees. If you are looking for an overnight stay near the waterfall, then there are tents available near the waterfall, and they serve as an ideal place for camping. Camping is cheaper at Krang Shuri as compared to Dawki, and when I checked rates, they told me that camping starts from 700 rupees onwards.
Since a water stream forms the waterfall, the boating facility is also available at Krang Shuri Waterfall. A small dam controls the water flow and also provides a uniform depth for boating. A unique thing about this waterfall is that the water appears to be blue, and an ideal place for taking a dip in the pool. There is also a facility for changing rooms, and there are two changing rooms for gents and two for ladies.
Entry fees and Other Fees at Krang Shuri Waterfall
- Entry fee for adults: Rs 40
- Entry Fee for Kids: Rs 20
- Life Jacket: Rs 30
- Boat Ride: Rs 100
My Trip To Krang Shuri Waterfall
As mentioned in the beginning, I was my 5th day in Meghalaya, and I had planned a lot of things to cover in a single day. I was not sure if I would be able to cover all the places, but multiple recommendations of the waterfall forced me to visit the waterfall. After my boat ride in Dawki, I started my journey to the Krang Shuri waterfall and aimed to reach within an hour. Since Krang Shuri waterfall is only 30 Kilometers from Dawki, I hoped to complete the round trip in three hours and then continue my ride to Shillong. Once I hit the Dawki-Jowai Highway, the ride was smooth, and I was amazed by the beauty of the highway. The highway is a single lane, yet the area through which the highway passes makes the ride memorable. On both sides of the road, I saw pine trees and rice plantations and hardly any traffic. Dawki is a major trading center, and waterfall lies on Jowai-Dawki Highway; therefore, I imagined the road to be marred by the continuous movement of trucks, yet I encountered a few vehicles in my entire ride. I took multiple breaks to click pictures of the highway, as riding on it was an altogether different experience. The early morning fog was trying to take control of the road, and at a few points, the visibility was negligible. I wanted to click more photos, but I was running out of time and later refrained from taking more breaks. One I reached Amlarem, I took the exit from the highway and continued my ride to the unpaved road towards the waterfall.
Once I reached the parking lot of Krang Shuri Waterfall, I parked my bike and started my walk towards the waterfall. Once I reached the viewpoint, I took a few pictures of the waterfall, and by this time, I knew that visiting this waterfall is worth of all time and money. Ten minutes of walk and I reached the entrance gate of the waterfall, purchased the ticket, and moved closer to the waterfall. The Krang Shuri Waterfall is a fantastic waterfall and different form other waterfalls situated in Meghalaya. One can go to the bottom of the waterfall and take a dip, and all the facilities are available here, including the changing room, which is not so common with other falls in Meghalaya. Meghalaya Tourism Department has constructed a viewpoint at the base of the waterfall, but it looked like more of formality as everyone was in the pool, and no one was watching the fall from the viewpoint. I also wanted to take a dip, but I took a shower in the morning and was not in the mood to wet my clothes as today I had a long ride pending. The blueish water of the Krang Shuri waterfall is mesmerizing and put me in doubt of how the water could be so clean. I have visited waterfalls like Jog and Birthi and many more, but their water lacks the bullish nature, which is so common among the waterfalls of Meghalaya. After clicking a few more photos from the bottom, I went to the nearby restaurant as I had only tea in the morning. Once breakfast was over, I went near the stream, which acted as the source of Krang Shuri waterfall and saw many people enjoying the boat riding. The water was not deep and looked like a fun place for family, and now I understood why the BSF personnel recommended the waterfall. After spending a considerable amount of time at the waterfall, I started returning as I had to reach Dawki and start my Bamboo Trek in Wakkhen. The one thing I noticed at the Krang Shuri waterfall was that most of the tourists were from the nearby states, mostly from Assam. I estimated that travelers visiting Meghalaya skip the Krang Shuri Waterfall as it doesn’t make sense to ride for 60-70 kilometers to see one waterfall when the state has plenty of waterfalls to offer. I would have done the same hadn’t I got recommendations from the people I met on my trip and never regretted my decision to visiting this fall. I would also urge my readers to visit this waterfall if they ever visit Meghalaya and keep this waterfall in their itinerary.
Once I started returning, I stopped at the viewpoint and took a few more photos of the waterfall before bidding farewell to the waterfall. After receiving my bike from parking, I started my ride back to Dawki with memories fo Krang Shuri waterfall in mind hoping to revisit this waterfall in the future.
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