Situated deep in the heart of the forests and mountains of Meghalaya is the unusual village of Tura. Located at the foothills of Tura foothills and right below the Tura peak, Tura makes for one of the most offbeat places in Meghalaya as it boasts of abundant natural luxuries and scenic beauties which are unique throughout the country.
At an average elevation of 349 m. Tura enjoys wonderfully cool weather throughout the year. Tura is also home to hospitable locals who take great pleasure in welcoming tourists and integrating them into their daily lives.
The ideal season to go to Tura is the summer season which is from March to June. However, winters can be considered if you can’t make it during summers. However, the monsoon season in Meghalaya should be avoided due to the heavy rainfall which causes landslides and leads to blockages of transportation and communication.
For going to Tura from anywhere in the country, you need to travel the city which is popularly known for it’s temples,Guwahati . is It’s the nearest railhead and airport situated to Tura. From there it is a 5 hour drive by bus or cab which will take you straight to Tura. The distance between Guwahati and Tura is 175 km, which makes for a long and meandering drive through valleys, foothills and meadows along with the occasional mountainous tract.
The town of Tura is the largest one in the West Garo Hills district and is the district capital. The residing deity of the town is Durama who is supposed to reside in the hills all around. The town is the headquarters for the administrative activities of Garo tribes. The town is effectively cut off from the capital as a road journey spanning days or a helicopter ride are the only viable options to reach Shillong. On the other hand, the Bangladesh border of Dalu is situated at a measly 50 km from the town.
Apart from its remote location, Tura is heaven for adventure lovers and wandering souls. A number of beautiful waterfalls and famous tourist spots grace Tura which makes it a popular destination in recent times. Now let us talk about the 9 things to explore in Tura which nobody should miss out on.
Enjoying the uncommon names of the locals Yes you heard it right, the best and primary adventure of Tura is the amazingly off-track names of the localites. In fact, the assembly elections saw Adolf Hitler and Frankenstein competing as contestants even! Close proximity to England in the pre-independence era led the people of this town to use random English words as names with no prior idea about the meaning or association of the word. In many cases, a name of a historical/fictional figure or celebrity is used randomly without having any idea who that person is or what he or she might have done. Once you visit Tura, the names of the townsfolk are going to keep your spirits high all throughout the trip.
Standing with a height of 1400 m, Tura peak offers a panoramic view of the town and dense rainforests all around. Because of its challenging ascent and descent gradients, this peak is frequented by mountaineers all over the globe who stay overnight at Tura in their attempt to scale the peak. The 5 km climb and hike isn’t as easy as it looks to be as the heavy rainfall in the region makes it a perilous climb. It gives a complete view of the Lower Brahmaputra Valley and a far off peek into the golden meadows and fields of Bangladesh.
One of the longest cave structures of India, Siju Cave is a natural beauty which is indigenous to Tura. The caves are the third largest cave complex in India. This cave is also called the cave of bats because of the huge number of bats residing here. Well, if anyone has a fantasy of becoming Batman (who am I kidding, everyone does) do visit this cave to get a feel of a real world bat cave like you saw in the movies. The cave is dubbed ‘Dabokhol’ which literally means cave of bats.
This sanctuary is situated among the banks of the Simsang River. Spanning over acres of tropical rainforests, this cave is home to quite a few endangered species of birds. The most important one of them is the Pheasant Peacock. The endangered migratory Siberian Ducks visit this place during winter, making November to February the ideal time to visit.
Situated at a distance of 7 km. from Tura, the Pelga Falls are a beautiful picnic spot complete with a viewpoint and a bamboo bridge over the Ganol River which enables the tourists to enjoy the falls from up close. This is also a hotspot for the adventure sport of angling.
The Nokrek National park, separated from Tura by just 2 km, has one of the most biologically diversified gene pools. A rare breed of citrus is found here along with a gene sanctuary. The endangered Red Panda can be viewed here in its glory. Along with pandas, this park houses Asian elephants, tigers and marble cats which are an endangered variety of wild cats.
The Balpakram National Park is a hotspot for viewing wildlife due to its huge diversity and amazing natural conditions in which species like tigers, leopards, sambhar deer, barking deer, black deer, elephants and many other wild animals thrive.
Situated right at the base of the Nokrek Peak, the Sasatgre Village is noted for its orange farming and the vast number of orange bushes which are seen everywhere. This village is an ideal destination in you want to soothe your nerves and gain some inner peace and tranquility.
Situated in the vicinity of Siju caves, these waterfalls make for an amazing picnic spot. The most notable thing about this waterfall is the huge wadepool available at its base which isn’t available in most waterfalls. This is the perfect place to go for a picnic if you simply love getting drenched in the water!
The unusual village of Tura enjoys a steady yet tranquil daily life which is a treat to the eyes after the fast-paced lifestyle that you experience in a city. The beauty of nature available in and around the village, makes it a perfect destination for a change of scenery. The refreshing experience is perfect to rejuvenate your batteries so that you can focus better on your daily life back home.
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