Introduction : Meghalaya, the 21st state of the Indian Union, was declared a full fledged state on January 21, 1972. Tucked away in the north eastern region of India, Meghalaya is a land of raw natural beauty which has a distinct other - worldly appeal to it. The higher ridges of the state lie in the coniferous belt, gradually sloping down to sub-tropical and tropical zones. Of the 17,000 species of orchids in the world, about 1250 exist in India, of which nearly 300 are found in Meghalaya. The Khasi Hills boasts of the age-old Sacred Forests, many of which, are preserved to this day, by traditional religious sanction. The Mawphlang Sacred Forest, 20 kms from Shillong, represents the wisdom of the elders of yore, in preserving the fragile ecological system.

Meghalaya is also rich in wildlife. The state has two national parks and two wildlife sanctuaries. Species like the Golden Cat, Golden Langur and Hoolock Gibbon are endemic to Meghalaya.

Altitude : 1496 mts.
Climate (deg C) : Summer - Max 23.3, Min 15 ; Winter - Max 15.6, Min 3.9.
Season : Throughout the year.

Travel Information :

Air : Nearest airport Borjhar (Guwahati), 129 kms from Shillong, is connected with Calcutta. Umroi Airport, 31 km from Shillong, is also connected by Vayudoot with Calcutta.

Rail: Nearest Railhead is Guwahati (103 kms).

Road: By road Shillong to Calcutta-1184 kms, Darjeeling-690 kms, Gangtok-692 km, Guwahati-103 km, Kaziranga-294 km, Aizwal-430 km, Siliguri-578 kms, Manas-273 kms, Agartala-499 kms, Kohima-469 kms, Itanagar-481 kms etc.