Meghalaya cave expedition unveils 22.6 kms new passages, records India’s 10th longest cave

Shillong, March 15: The ‘2025 Caving in the Abode of the Clouds Expedition’ has successfully mapped 22,663 metres (22.6 km) of new cave passages in Meghalaya.

The findings, recorded between February 2 and 28, have further cemented Meghalaya’s reputation as the country’s caving capital, boasting some of India’s most extensive and unexplored cave systems.

The expedition was conducted in collaboration with the Meghalaya Adventurers’ Association (MAA) and included participation from both Indian and international speleologists.

The pre-expedition phase, from February 2 to 8, focused on the Byrong region in the East Khasi Hills district, where eight caves were explored, leading to the discovery of 6,210 metres of new underground passages.

Following this, the main expedition, which ran from February 10 to 27, targeted the limestone-rich areas around Jongria and the Muallian Spur, revealing an additional 16,453 metres of subterranean tunnels and chambers.

Among the significant discoveries was the newly explored ‘Lungchung Khur,’ a river cave spanning 13,618 metres (13.6 km), making it the 10th longest known cave in India.

Additionally, existing cave systems such as Um Sngad Sink and Krem Pakse were further explored and extended. The team also contributed to conservation efforts by assisting the Meghalaya Fisheries Department in collecting blind cave fish specimens (Neolissochilus pnar), a species endemic to these underground river systems.

The latest mapping efforts bring the total documented cave passages in Meghalaya to an impressive 573.6 km. However, with vast sections of the state’s karst landscape still unexplored, experts believe that many more discoveries await future expeditions.

The ‘Caving in the Abode of the Clouds’ initiative continues to play a vital role in unraveling Meghalaya’s hidden geological treasures while promoting conservation and scientific research of these fragile ecosystems