Double Decker Living Root Bridge Meghalaya Trek

A Living Root Bridge is a beautiful confluence of Nature’s marvels and mankind’s indigenous thinking. These are bridges formed by the entwining of aerial roots of trees and are typically used to cross rivers in dense forests. The secret to building such manmade wonders is attributed to the Khasi Tribe who live in East Meghalaya. As such, you will find the most number of root bridges in the villages and forests of Meghalaya. In fact, as per locals, there are over a hundred root bridges that can be found in the villages of Nongriat, Mawlynnong and Sohra.

Meghalaya as we know is home to Cherrapunji, which is one of the wettest places on Earth. In these times where we have seen bridges built with modernized technology fall like a pack of cards during storms or heavy rainfall, these living root bridges are different since they withstand the test of time. They are more resilient and the ones that we see today are testimony to the architectural marvel of these bridges. It is believed, that the older the root bridge, the more resilient it is. If you want to know more about how these wonderful structures are built check out this link.

Meghalaya is home to several such root bridges but the one near Nongriat Village is the most popular one, in terms of tourist attraction. It is called the Double Decker Living Root Bridge, owing to the double-span structure across the river. Since this was built by the tribals to help cross rivers and transport raw materials and water in the heavily forested area, the Double Decker Living Root Bridge in Meghalaya is accessible only by a lengthy hike of over 3km from a village called Tyrna, which serves as the base for this trek.

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How to Reach the Double Decker Living Root Bridge in Meghalaya

Tyrna village, the starting point of this trek, is located about 22 km from Sohra or Cherrapunji. This distance needs to be covered by car and it takes about 30 minutes to reach the village. You can get several taxis that will take you to the village. This Tyrna Village has a car parking area, where you must leave your car behind and begin the trek on foot. The locals charge Rs.50 for the car parking.

There are a few stalls selling chocolates, snacks, and cold drinks near the car park. Shops selling similar items are also present along the route to the Double Decker Living Root Bridge, and you can choose to buy it later so that you do not carry a lot of weight right from the start. You can also hire a guide for Rs. 700 who will guide you to the Double-decker bridge but in my opinion, this is not a necessity. The stairway of the trek is fairly straightforward, and there are arrows marked along the pathway, so you will not get lost without a guide.

The Trekking Experience

The trek from Tyrna Village is nearly 3 km long and entails walking down 3500 steps on one side. The first 2000 steps are extremely steep and this is the most difficult leg especially while climbing back. This is a very physically demanding trek even for a fit person and it is best avoided by the elderly people.

While the trek down takes about an hour, the return where you have to climb up the steep stairs, takes atleast 3 to 4 hours. And it is not just the time, the trek back takes every ounce of your mental motivation and physical strength and stamina.

The Double Decker Living Root Bridge Trek stairway

Along the entire stairway path, you will find trees of tej patta and lemon dotting the sides. You will hear different types of birds and insects calling out to each other in one joint cacophony. The villagers have set up small tea shops and stalls at periodic intervals, where you can rest and catch up on your energy.

After traversing 2500 steps, you will find the first root bridge, called the Ritymmen Root Bridge in Nongthymmai village which is as beautiful as the double-decker bridge, if not more. It is one of the longest root bridges in Meghalaya, about 30 metres long. Several tourists who cannot manage to complete the trek to the Double Decker return after seeing this one.

Ritymmen Single Root Bridge in Meghalaya

After exploring the Ritymmen root bridge, you will need to retrace about 50 steps and continue onwards to the Double Decker. For this you have to cross 2 wired bridges over smaller streams, until you finally reach your destination. Looking at the wonderful marvel, will actually take all your tiredness away and fill your heart with joy and excitement.

From the moment you reach the Double Decker living root bridge built on the Umshiang river, you will feel the cool breeze, the fragrance of damp Earth, the sound of waterfall gushing in the background interspersed with sounds of birds cooing and chirping. A beautiful confluence of nature’s beauty and the small village huts will invigorate you, something thats required for the trek back up.

Few Tips

1. The trek is really challenging for any physically fit person, hence please be prepared. If the trek down in difficult, the trek upwards is 4x of that

2. Elderly people should avoid the trek, it is can lead to health complications. However, if they wish to see the marvel, there are stretchers pulled by the local villagers, you can take that for an amount of Rs. 3000 per person.

3. Carry fluids with you and keep sipping at regular intervals to keep up the energy levels. You can also buy them from the local villagers.

4. Remember the trek is a marathon and not a sprint. Do not overdo. Listen to your body and take breaks when required.

5. The living root bridge is located inside the forest, and is surrounded by locals. Respect nature and the local traditions. And ensure you do not litter the forest.

If you are looking for other tourist places to see in Meghalaya, please check out my below posts:

Top 7 Meghalaya Tourist Places – Finding Adventure in the Abode of Clouds

Top 5 Places to Visit in Shillong for a Memorable Trip

If you are looking for options in Kashmir, check out my posts on Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Snowfall in Kashmir, and Best time to Visit Kashmir. If you are looking for options in Ladakh, check out Ladakh Weather, Nubra Valley, 5 Days Kashmir Itinerary, Best Packing tips for Ladakh & best tourist places in Ladakh.

If you are looking for places to visit in the Andaman Islands, please check my post on Radhanagar Beach & Ross Island.

If you are looking for other seaside options, check my posts on Murud Janjira, Kashid, and Kihim Beach in Maharashtra or Malshej Ghat. Alternatively, if you are interested in some Religious tourism, please check my posts on Golden Temple, Kamakhya, Trimbakeshwar, and Kashi Vishwanath. If you are looking for North East Adventure tours, check my posts on Shillong, Meghalaya, Dawki, Double Decker Living Root Trek, and 7 Day North East Itinerary.