Guidebook
Lonely Planet India
Lonely Planet · 2024
The 20th edition covers every state with a fall on this site, from Goa and Karnataka to Meghalaya and Chhattisgarh.
India · Meghalaya
Elephant Falls
Three linked tiers step down a hillside just outside Shillong, named by British colonists for a large elephant-shaped boulder that once stood at the base before it was destroyed in an earthquake. It remains one of the most easily reached waterfalls in Meghalaya state.
Meghalaya most accessible multi-tier waterfall Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Elephant Falls drops 30 metres (98 ft) on the local stream. It is a tiered-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Shillong, with SHL the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
As a tiered waterfall, a series of distinct drops, one below the other.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Elephant Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Shillong are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Monsoon (Jun-Sep) brings all three tiers to full flow; can thin considerably by winter.
Entry: Small viewpoint entry fee
Getting there
- Base town Shillong
- Airport SHL
- Country India
- Region Meghalaya, South Asia, Asia
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Elephant Falls
India
Height30 mWidth—
Most similar
Ban Gioc-Detian Falls
Vietnam · China
Height30 mWidth300 m
Also a tiered waterfall, of similar height and in Vietnam
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
30 m
30 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Elephant FallsBan Gioc-Detian FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Ban Gioc-Detian Falls
300 m
Angel Falls is 33× taller than Elephant Falls. Victoria Falls is 3.6× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Elephant Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Elephant Falls
11:23
41:17
10:39
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
On the map
25.5379, 91.8221
Quick answers
Where is Elephant Falls?
Elephant Falls is in India (Meghalaya). The nearest base is Shillong and the closest airport is SHL. Its coordinates are 25.5379, 91.8221.
How tall is Elephant Falls?
Elephant Falls drops 30 metres (98 feet). It is a tiered-type waterfall on the local stream.
When is the best time to visit Elephant Falls?
Peak flow is June to September. Monsoon (Jun-Sep) brings all three tiers to full flow; can thin considerably by winter.
What can you do at Elephant Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
How do you get to Elephant Falls?
The usual base is Shillong, and the closest airport is SHL. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Small viewpoint entry fee.
Nearby
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