To the edge of the world - The Laitlum canyons

Situated around 30 km from Shillong, lies an exotic secret of the untouched North eastern India - The Laitlum canyons. Unblemished yet, by tourism and commercialization, the pristine Laitlum lends a majestic view down to the valley of the East Khasi hills, overlooking the Raslong hamlet. Surely, a must visit for any travel enthusiast.

Just 11 km from Shillong on the way to Laitlum is the Smit village. This village seems innocently disconnected from the modern world with its traditional houses, the buses from the 60s’ movies, with people sitting over them and simple riding-trolleys to carry water and amenities. Laitlum is a short drive by taxi, from Smit village.

Another alternative would be to hire a taxi from Shillong to reach Laitlum in approximately an hour. An expensive option (₹1000 up and down), but works well when on a tight time schedule. The roads are good until Smith village, after which it starts to break down. Sparsely populated zone, with rarely sighted shops or hotels.

The road culminates at the Laitlum village on top of the hill. The locals collect a nominal Rs.50 to enter Laitlum. A short walk from there, along the gravelly roads leads to cliff edge.

The hill top is a vast area surrounded by fields and meadows, with just a single traditional thatched tea shop  on top of the hill. The tranquility here is enigmatic, one literally has to strain to hear any sound and would feel frozen in time for a while. Indeed, a much needed respite from the busy and bustling city life. Unblemished by tourists, the whole area is clean and fresh.

True to its name, Laitlum - The Edge Of The Hills; the view from the edge of the cliff is simply breathtaking.

One can see the not so small village of Raslong, wrapped delicately by the green carpets of the valley, deep down in the mountain range.

Most people would be happy to just visit the cliff and enjoy the silence and the scenery surrounding them. This in itself is an unparalleled experience, but for a true explorer a trek down to the Raslong village is a must. The only connectivity to this village is a very steep, narrow, stone laden path. The trip up and down the gorge, which we call as a trek, is a daily routine for the villagers down below. During the early morning hours, one can see the local Khasi men, women and little children climbing up the trail to catch the bus.

The whole trek might take around 4.5 hours and can be quite exhausting. However, the cold breezy placidity and the mesmerizing scenery tends to take out all the human exhaustion.

There is a single zip line from the top of the cliff to the village down, which is the only way to carry goods (not for the people though).

Little boys with a bamboo basket hanging on their back, selling boiled eggs to make a living, are a mark of the self respected and hardworking Khasi inhabitants of the Raslong village.

Overall, this picturesque destination is a must visit for any explorer going to Shillong. Unfortunately for me, the locals told that my visit has been during the least beautiful time of the year!!!!!...... After the monsoons, the whole place gets carpeted with endless green foliage. This left me wondering, “can this place get more beautiful than beauty itself?”

I guess, the next time, I shall revisit Laitlum during November, hopefully before its sanctity gets perturbed by any form of human intervention.

                                                                                                                                                               

Places to stay: Plenty of hotels available in Shillong.Relatively pricey (to be honest), with the rates escalating further  three-folds during the tourist season (November- December).The police bazar area,would be a smart choice, considering  the connectivity.

For judicious travelers reaching Shillong early in the early morning hours, The Madras Cafe, adjacent to the Shillong bus stand is a suitable place to freshen up. One can grab a quick delicious breakfast (do try the family masala dosa)with South Indian filter coffee and proceed for their journey.

For the food enthusiast The Shillong Centre Point also provides lots of options. The local Khasi Thali and other north eastern cuisines are a must try.

Connectivity: Buses from Shillong are infrequent and only available till Smit village. From there on one has to depend on share taxis. Local taxis from Shillong are plentiful but as said are an expensive option.

Points to note: If you are planning to trek down to the Raslong village, do carry water and snacks as there are no shops around the area.



Writer and Photography: Dr. Nithin Bhaskar