Our Assam\u2013Meghalaya Tour’s Day 4: Living Root Bridges, Long Walks & Testing Our Limits in Cherrapunji<\/h1>\n
Day 4 was the day we had both looked forward to and quietly worried about<\/strong>. This was the day planned around the Living Root Bridges<\/strong>, and we knew from the beginning that it wouldn\u2019t be easy\u2014especially with kids.<\/p>\n
Pre-Planning the Night Before: Managing Expectations<\/h2>\n
The planning for Day 4 actually started the previous night<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Our main objective was the Double Decker Root Bridge<\/strong>, but we weren\u2019t confident whether we would be able to complete it. The reason was simple: stairs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
There are essentially two root bridges:<\/p>\n
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Single Root Bridge<\/strong> \u2013 approximately 2,000 stairs<\/strong><\/li>\n
Double Decker Root Bridge<\/strong> \u2013 approximately 3,500 stairs<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
And beyond the Double Decker Root Bridge:<\/p>\n
\n
There is a waterfall<\/strong> (mostly visible from a distance)<\/li>\n
There is Aruwah Cave<\/strong>, which involves additional walking<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This wasn\u2019t like visiting a museum where you walk a little, stop, and move on. In Cherrapunji, almost every attraction requires serious walking<\/strong>. The Double Decker Root Bridge alone can take 5\u20136 hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
We were travelling with:<\/p>\n
\n
A 4-year-old<\/strong><\/li>\n
A 10-year-old<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Neither had experience with this kind of long, continuous walking. So instead of fixing a rigid plan, we decided to:<\/p>\n
\n
Start the trek<\/li>\n
Assess how things go<\/li>\n
Cover as much as possible<\/strong><\/li>\n
Skip anything that felt too much<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
With that mindset, we closed the day and rested.<\/p>\n
Starting Day 4: Checkout & Heading for the Trek<\/h2>\n
Day 4 began with checking out from the hotel<\/strong>. The stay was okay, and since breakfast wasn\u2019t available, we decided to move out early.<\/p>\n
This was the day for the Living Root Bridge trek<\/strong>, and at this point, we still didn\u2019t know:<\/p>\n
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Whether we\u2019d stop at the Single Root Bridge<\/li>\n
Or continue to the Double Decker<\/li>\n
Or attempt anything beyond that<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The trek starting point was around 18\u201319 km away<\/strong>, and it took us roughly 1.5 hours<\/strong> to reach\u2014nothing unusual for this region.<\/p>\nReady to Take the steps for Double Decker Root Bridge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Choosing a Guide: When It Makes Sense<\/h3>\n
Once we reached the base, we were immediately approached by several guides.<\/p>\n
\n
Standard guide charges were around \u20b91,000<\/strong><\/li>\n
Since we had a small child, we wanted help in case things got difficult<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
We finally agreed on \u20b91,500<\/strong>, keeping in mind:<\/p>\n
\n
Whether we did only the Single Root Bridge<\/li>\n
Or went all the way to the Double Decker The charges would remain the same.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
To be clear:<\/p>\n
\n
Guides are not strictly necessary<\/strong> The path is well-marked, staircases are clearly laid out, and it\u2019s easy to follow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
But in our case, with a 4-year-old<\/strong>, having a guide turned out to be helpful.<\/p>\n
One Practical Recommendation: Carry a Walking Stick<\/h3>\n
Before starting the descent, we rented walking sticks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
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Rent: approx. \u20b930 per stick<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
This turned out to be a very good decision.<\/p>\nMandatory Item for Double Decker Root Bridge Experience<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The stairs are steep and continuous. After the first 500 steps<\/strong>, knees start feeling the pressure. The stick provided much-needed balance and support, especially on the climb back up.<\/p>\nOn the Way to Double Decker Root Bridge – Stairs are Really Challenging<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The Descent: Single Root Bridge to Double Decker<\/h3>\n
Once we started descending, our 4-year-old was surprisingly comfortable<\/strong>.\u00a0It took us about an hour<\/strong> to reach the Single Root Bridge<\/strong>, and the child was still walking on his own without much assistance.\u00a0We decided not to stop<\/strong> at the Single Root Bridge while going down and continued further.\u00a0As we moved towards the Double Decker Root Bridge<\/strong>, the guide started helping the child more actively.<\/p>\n
Role of the Guide (Honest Take)<\/h4>\n
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Mostly helped with child support<\/strong><\/li>\n
Clicked photographs<\/li>\n
Shared minimal information about trees<\/li>\n
Communication was sometimes difficult due to language barriers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Still, overall, the guide was helpful for our situation.<\/p>\n
Double Decker Root Bridge Experience<\/h3>\n
We reached the Double Decker Root Bridge<\/strong> after approximately 2 hours<\/strong>, having covered close to 3,500 stairs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
The experience itself is simple:<\/p>\n
\n
You spend time around the bridge<\/li>\n
Take photographs<\/li>\n
Sit, rest, and observe<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
That\u2019s essentially what most people do here.<\/p>\n
We:<\/p>\n
\n
Took pictures<\/li>\n
Had some snacks and Maggie<\/li>\n
Spent time near the water and fishes<\/li>\n
Rested for about an hour<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
It was satisfying, not overwhelming\u2014but definitely rewarding.<\/p>\n
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