Elephant Falls is a popular tourist spot in the state of Meghalaya, India. The waterfall has also been known as the Queen of Shillong Lakes because of its beauty and size. It is situated near the town centre, close to the banks of the Rangit River. The falls are devoid of any commercial intentions and had no facilities for visitors. The falls are named as such because of their location in the vicinity of Shillong Peak which is believed to be an elephant’s footprint.
Elephant Falls is considered to be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in India. It is located at the confluence of two rivers, Elephant and Nayapui rivulets. The waterfall is in length and it cascades down from a height of. Around the falls, several other waterfalls have formed due to erosion of surrounding rocks. The area around Elephant Falls is rich in wildlife, which includes elephants, deer, wild cats such as leopard and jungle cats etc. It attracts many tourists to its vicinity who take part in hiking tours over the hills nearby.
The Shillong Peak, the highest point in Meghalaya, is located near Elephant Falls. The story goes that a king was once travelling on his elephant and came across this place where he decided to rest for some time. However, later on, due to some reason he was forced to abandon his elephant as it became too heavy for him to carry into the dense forest and hence a waterfall came into existence at this same place which could not be crossed by an animal that can easily cross any other waterfall. This story is a myth and cannot be substantiated by any historical evidence at all.
Weather and Climate
Sometimes in April and May, a large number of butterflies (mainly Morpho) can be seen flying over the falls. They leave the valley and head towards West Bengal or China.
Elephant Falls is one of the most beautiful tourist spots in Shillong Meghalaya. The Elephant falls are one of the favourite places to visit in Meghalaya as one can get a panoramic view of it from the Shillong peak.
The Elephant Falls is located approximately 10 km north-east of Shillong, along Tura road, a diversion at a place called “Elephant Falls View Point”. A good number of visitors come to this place for picnics and weekend outings.
Tourism
The Elephant Falls near Shillong is located at the confluence of the Elephant and Nayapui river. The waterfall is in length. The area around the falls is rich in wildlife and attracts many tourists to its vicinity. The falls are named as such because of their location in the vicinity of Shillong Peak which is believed to be an elephant’s footprint.
Elephant Falls is a popular tourist spot in Meghalaya, India. The waterfall has also been known as the Queen of Shillong Lakes because of its beauty and size. It is situated near the town centre, close to the banks of the Rangit River. The falls are devoid of any commercial intentions and had no facilities for visitors. A beautiful place to enjoy the natural beauty and also to hang out with friends.
However, with time it has become one the most visited places for tourists in this region and has generated revenue for local traders through sales on postcards and other souvenirs sold around it.
Reasons To Visit
The reason to visit Elephant Falls is that it holds a unique place on Meghalaya’s tourism map. The reasons to visit Elephant Falls are:
For the local Meghalaya’s tribes, the Elephant Falls is an important place of worship and is a symbol of their clan and culture. Traditionally, they used to perform their rituals here on the occasion of the festival. This practise was discontinued by the Government of India after many accidents were taking place here. With so many tourists coming here it causes disturbance and hence it was evolved as a tourist spot. The locals used to sell postcards to tourists after taking photographs here as they were not allowed to use cameras in any case under the law of India.
The Elephant falls is not only for the locals but also for the tourists. The reason to visit this place is that it provides a panoramic view of Shillong peak and thus people can get a full perspective of the city. It is believed that after the creation of Shillong Peak, an elephant (elephant), along with its young calf, used to come here and so they named it “Elephant Falls”.
Tourist Items sold around
Several tourist items can be found in and around Elephant Falls. Watermelons grown in the vicinity of this waterfall are very healthy and delicious. The area is also home to several trout coming from the river below.
There is a temple at Elephant Falls that is said to have been built by one of the Meghalaya’s kings called King Jadav Payeng, who came to power around 2005.
Best Time to Visit
It is best to visit Elephant falls during March and April, and also from October to December. This is because then the weather remains cooler than during the other months. The temperature in Elephant Falls is generally around 15 to 28 °C. However, it can vary according to the time of year and time of day it is visited.
The most important thing which can be done at this waterfall is that you have to be very careful about the places where you can step upon as most times if you slip or slip down, there are no people or any government officials close by as they do not want you being a tourist there at all.
How To Reach Elephant falls
Elephant Falls is located at a distance of 10–15 km from Shillong. The easiest way to get there is by hiring a car or a taxi to reach the spot. It may also be reached by taking any of the route buses or cabs in Shillong. Elephant Falls can be reached in about 30 minutes from the city centre and 10 minutes from Mawlynnong Village.
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