By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 23: The 2026 “Caving in the Abode of the Clouds” expedition has concluded with the mapping of 11,781 meters of new cave passages across Meghalaya and Assam. This latest exploration brings the total length of surveyed caves in the region to 585.4 kilometers since the project began in 1992.
Held from January 27 to February 26, the expedition was a collaborative effort between international cavers and the Shillong-based Meghalaya Adventurers Association (MAA). The team included 24 explorers from Austria, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United States, and the UK, supported by local guides and staff.
The expedition was conducted in three phases.
Byrong and Umrangso
The initial four-day visit to the Byrong area in the East Khasi Hills focused on Krem Shanguh. Explorers added 1,073 meters of new passage, nearly doubling the cave’s known length to 2,100 meters. The new sections revealed large, well-decorated relic passages.
A week-long pre-expedition in the Umrangso area of Assam surveyed eight previously unmapped caves, totaling 4,984 meters. Highlights included the Tularam Cave System, where four separate caves were linked to create a 2,107-meter system. Other significant finds included Longkip Resurgence Cave (1,093m) and Lungchai Cave (701m).
Sakwa and Muallian
The three-week main expedition targeted the South Jaintia Hills. Major findings included:
Krem Wah Dyngiem: Following the successful descent of an unstable shaft first identified in 2017, the team mapped 3,516 meters of new river passage.
Chympe-Krem Sakwa System: By bypassing a roof waterfall that had blocked progress since 2020, explorers added 294 meters. At 20,816 meters, it remains India’s fifth-longest cave.
Zong Khur: Exploration of this system, featuring a 142-meter entrance shaft, reached a depth of -218 meters. It is now ranked as India’s sixth-deepest cave.
Retdung Khur: The addition of 215 meters brought this system to a total length of 23,604 meters, solidifying its status as the second-longest limestone cave in India.
Pynnod Um Sngad-Ram Khur: Small gains in unmapped leads further established this as the country’s sixth-longest cave system.
Scientific and educational outreach
In a continued partnership with the State Fisheries department, a small team assisted in collecting specimens of Neolissochilus pnar, the world’s largest known species of blind cave fish. The specimens are being studied to ensure the preservation of this unique Meghalayan species.
The expedition also served as a training ground for local youth. Twenty-one students from St. Anthony’s College and Martin Luther Christian University joined the team to learn cave exploration and survey techniques.
The Meghalaya Adventurers Association expressed its gratitude to the NEEPCO Guest House in Umrangso and Meghalayan Age Limited for their ongoing support in documenting the state’s vast subterranean networks. Evidence from this year’s mission suggests significant discoveries remain for future expeditions.
