Living Root Bridge and Nohwet Viewpoint | Meghalaya
Living Root Bridge is located around 78 kms from Shillong near Riwai village in the East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. From Riwai Village one has to trek around half a kilometer of descend to reach the Living Root Bridge. It is located between the Riwai village and Nohwet village between two hills and over a stream.
There is no entry fees for Living Root Bridge.
Living Root Bridge is a bridge over a stream made of roots of two living trees on both sides of the stream. This type of bridges has been an ingenious invention of the local Khasi people who through a special technique encourages the roots of rubber fig trees ( ficus elastica) to grow over a stream and strengthen over time until it can hold a human weight.
We traveled there in the month of December and there were hardly any water in the stream. During monsoon one can try a soothing bath in the stream.
After watching Living Root Bridge we started to climb on the other side of the hill to go to Nohwet viewpoint. After trekking around 1 km I reached Nohwet viewpoint. I took a little longer route as I wanted to explore Nohwet village. On the way I walked past a church, Meghalaya type houses, kids cheering me 🙂
At Nohwet Viewpoint there is an entry fees of Rs 30 per person. One has to walk on a machan (a platform erected on a tree) and go to the viewpoint which also on a elevated platform made of bamboo. One 7 persons can be on the platform at a given time. It was a nice experience to be on a tree machan which gives nice view of the valley and hills on the other side. On the left hand side one can see the plains of Bangladesh.
Watch a video on my trip there. Let me know how is it. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for future updates.