Shillong Peak
The highest point in Meghalaya at 1,966 m, and the residence of the deity the city below it is named after.
The city is named after the peak
Shillong takes its name from Lei Shyllong, a powerful deity held to reside on this summit, and the town below was called after it because that is where the town sat. At 1,966 m it is the highest point in Meghalaya, ten kilometres from the centre, and the view runs out over the whole plateau and the countryside beyond. Every spring the priest of Khyrim and Mylliem pays obeisance to U Shyllong at the sanctum at the summit — the older business of the place, still going on above the viewpoint.
Explore Shillong Peak on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What there is to see
A viewpoint, and a shrine that explains why the city has its name.
🏔️ The view
- The panorama over the plateau and the countryside, with the town spread out below
- On a clear day the plains toward Assam show as a haze at the northern edge
🛕 The sanctum
- The summit shrine to U Shyllong, the deity the city is named for
- Obeisance is paid here every springtime by the religious priest of Khyrim and Mylliem State
☁️ The weather
- This is the abode of clouds and the peak is often inside one; the view is a matter of luck as much as timing
Getting there
Ten kilometres up from the city, on the same road as the falls.
🚗 By road
- About ten kilometres from the centre, climbing through Upper Shillong
- Elephant Falls is on the way, which is why every itinerary does the two together
🪪 At the top
- The summit area adjoins a defence establishment and access arrangements are set locally; your driver will know the current position
When to go
Cloud decides everything, so go when the sky is open rather than when the schedule says.
🕰️ Time of day
- Mornings are more often clear; cloud builds through the afternoon in most seasons
📅 Season
- The drier months give the most reliable views. During the monsoon the peak is frequently in cloud
⏱️ How long
- Three quarters of an hour including the drive up from the falls
Before you go
A short stop that is worth reordering your afternoon for if the sky is clear.
🧥 Layers
- It is nearly 500 m above the town and the wind at the top makes it feel further
🔄 Be flexible
- If the morning is clear and the afternoon is not, do the peak first and the falls after — the falls do not care about cloud
🙏 The shrine
- It is an active place of worship rather than a monument, and is treated as one
Nearby
The road back down into the town.
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