Stay in Nowhet with the Khasi community

€750 per person

A smooth 5-day journey within the Khasi community in a small hamlet nestled in the lush hills of East Khasi. You will be staying in a lovely traditional house where your hosts will prepare and serve the most delicious local dishes. The generosity of the inhabitants and the serenity of the place will make your stay an unforgettable one.

Meghalaya is one of those states in India where indigenous people make up the majority of the population. The three main ethnic groups of the state are Khasis, followed by Garos and Jaintias. These people are also called ‘hill tribes’ because they live in the hills of Khasi, Garo and Jaintia respectively. Originally animist, they were mostly Christianized in the 19th century, about 75% of the population in Meghalaya now practice Christianity.

Rather unique in India, some of the peoples (like the Khasis) practice matrilineal descent. Women are given a dominant role: for example, the youngest daughter in the family, ‘Ka Khadduh’ inherits all ancestral property. After the marriage, the husband lives in the mother-in-law’s house and the mother’s surname is given to the children.

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Stay in Nowhet with the Khasi community €750

A smooth journey within the Khasi community in a small hamlet nestled in the lush hills of East Khasi. You will stay in a lovely traditional house and make and taste delicious local dishes.

5 days

Day 1

Guwahati (Assam) - Shillong (capital of the Meghalaya)

Namaste! We welcome you warmly at the Guhawati Airport (Assam). While we are in Guhawati, we will visit the famous temple of the goddess-mother Kamakhya. It is one of the highest places of pilgrimage dedicated to female energy (Shakti). We will then proceed to Shillong, the administrative capital of Meghalaya. Overnight in Shillong in a bed & breakfast.

Day 2

Shillong - Nohwet

After breakfast, we will begin the visit of the capital of Meghalaya with the 'Don Bosco Museum', a four-storey museum that gives a good overview of the way of life of the indigenous peoples of north-east India. After lunch, we will go for a short walk into the bustling Lewduh market and we will then head to the hamlet of Nohwet. Overnight in a traditional guesthouse in Nohwet.

Day 3

Nohwet and the Khasi community

After a tasty breakfast prepared by our guests, we will spend the day wandering in the vicinity of Nohwet, a chill out day in the wild nature of Meghalaya. We will first visit a 200 years old traditional Khasi house. We will then see the 30-meter living Root Bridge of Nohwet, which crosses the Thyllong River, which is held sacred by the natives. On the way, we will admire the view on the Bangladesh Valley. We will return to Nohwet for lunch and, in the afternoon, we will go swimming in a the clear water of a waterfall around the village. Overnight in Nohwet.

Day 4

Nohwet - Dawki - Clear water - Nohwet

We leave our small hamlet and drive to the western hills of Jaintia, where you will discover beautiful natural sites. We will start with Dawki, the Indo-Bangladeshi border; here, the blue waters of the Dawki River Meghalaya flow into the Goyain River of Bangladesh. The view out over the plain of Bangladesh is simply splendid. A few kilometres further, there is Shnongpdeng, a timeless place, rightly nicknamed 'clear water'. After a boat ride on the calm and crystalline waters of the Dawki River, we will return to Nohwet where a good meal awaits us. Free time to stroll in the village. In the evening, we will be able to participate in the preparation of our guest meal and you may have the chance to taste the flower omelette, a traditional Khasi dish. Overnight in Nohwet.

Day 5

Nohwet - Guhawati

In the morning, we say goodbye to our lovely hosts and go back to Guhawati. End of the trip. Looking forward to meeting you again. Namaste.