Meghalaya makes guides compulsory for trekking in East Khasi Hills
The decision was taken following the death of a Hungarian tourist & the murder of Indore businessman Raja Raghuvanshi;
Shillong, July 1: Tourists keen on having an adventurous trek off the beaten tracks of the East Khasi Hills district will have to compulsorily hire registered guides to do so from now on.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner and Chairperson of the District Tourism Promotion Society (DTPS), Rosetta Mary Kurbah, on Monday directed all tourists to hire registered guides for their proposed hikes.
“In view of the safety reasons, it is mandatory for tourists to take tourist guide services while trekking to avoid any unfortunate events,” she directed.
This decision has been taken due to two tragic incidents in the district’s Sohra area this year. In the first instance, a Hungarian national, Puskás Zsolt, was found dead on April 10 along an abandoned trail near Tyrna village. He was a solo trekker.
The other incident was the murder of Indore-based businessman Raja Raghuvanshi in Sohra on May 23.
East Khasi Hills offers some pristine hiking areas in Sohra like the Nongriat’s double-decker bridge. Further from Nongriat is the Rainbow falls, a hike through a narrow forested area.
Some of the other popular hiking areas are Smit to Laitlum canyon and the David Scott trail, one of the oldest in the State. There are other hikes like the Tyrna to Mawlynnong (cleanest village) hike, the trek to Mawryngkhang on the handmade bamboo skywalk from Wakhen village, etc.