Shnongpdeng: Camping on the Umngot, When the Camps Are Up, and Who It Suits

Shnongpdeng is a village on the Umngot river about 8 km upstream of Dawki, and it's where you stay if you want to be on the river rather than just photograph it. Riverside camps run from roughly November to April. From June to September they're taken down and the river runs high and brown.

Book two nights. One night is mostly arriving and leaving.

Dawki or Shnongpdeng?

Dawki is the border town and the busy boat point. Shnongpdeng is the same clear river with far fewer people, and it's where the kayaking, snorkelling, zipline and cliff jumping happen. The full comparison is in the Dawki and Umngot guide. Dawki is a stop. Shnongpdeng is a place.

What a night by the river is like

The camps are rows of tents on the sand and grass of the riverbank, run by village families. Expect a mattress or camp bed in the tent, shared toilets and showers, and dinner from the camp kitchen. Power is limited, so charge everything before you arrive.

Evenings are a fire on the bank and an early night. It gets properly dark here, and the stars are the compensation for everything else.

If a tent isn't for you, there are homestays and bamboo cottages in the village, a few minutes' walk from the water.

The morning is the reason

Be on the water at first light. The river is still, the light comes in low, and the day boats from Dawki haven't started; they arrive around 10am. For about an hour the boat really does seem to hang above the stones on the riverbed. That hour is the strongest argument for sleeping here.

What there is to do

Wear a life jacket on the water every time, even if you swim well. The Umngot looks still and isn't, and nobody should swim alone.

When the camps are up

• November to February: the best water, clearest and calmest. Nights are cool, days warm.
• March and April: still good, getting hotter, with occasional storms.
• October: camps are being rebuilt after the rains. Before you book an October night, ask whether the camp is actually standing.
• June to September: no camping. The river is high, fast and silty.

Getting there

About 95 km from Shillong, roughly three hours, the last part dropping steadily into the valley. It gets noticeably warmer as you descend: winter days in the Dawki lowland are around 20 to 28 C, while Shillong drops into single digits at night. Pack for both; the packing list covers it.

Signal is weak near the border, and you shouldn't count on an ATM. Bring cash from Shillong.

Who it suits

It suits couples, groups of friends, photographers and anyone who'd rather spend a day in the water than in the car.

It's a poor fit if you need a private bathroom and reliable hot water, and families with small children should take a homestay over a tent and watch the river edge closely.

Our Shnongpdeng River Camp trip is built around two nights on the bank, with the first-light boat, a zipline and a kayak session included.