When you start listing all the amazing waterfalls in India, Dudhsagar sits in the top 5. The reason for this 4-tiered waterfall to have such a position is its amazing location and the picturesque hike that comes with it. You can see this waterfall in it’s full might in peak monsoon, however because of the overflowing river Mandovi, the trails are generally closed during that period.
During our trip to Goa, we had one complete day reserved for trekking till Dudhsagar waterfall. The plan was to reach Kulem, hire a local guide and trek till the base of waterfall. Since we were visiting just after monsoon, we were hoping the jeep trail to be open and the weather to be pleasant.
We rode about 70 km till Kulem where we had our breakfast and got ready for the trek. The guy running the breakfast place referred us to a guide who settled for 600 rupees per head as the charges for leading the trek. Because of the frequent showers, government hadn’t allowed jeeps to run on the trails. So the only way ahead was to trek along the railway tracks for half way and then cover the remaining half through jungle to reach the waterfall.
We were given a life jacket in case of emergency as the area experiences extremely heavy rainfall and the water displacement around the fall is potentially very large. Conditions were overcast and the guide told us to be quick otherwise we could get stuck in heavy rains while coming back. We started on the trail around 10:30 am. Initial 4 km of the trail was alongside a railway track and there were trains passing every now and then. During our 4 km hike, 2 passenger trains and one goods train passed us. The feeling of these giant machines passing right in front of you can be scary at times. The guide usually knows all the spots where you can stand while a train is crossing so that you are safe and sound. After covering the 4 km, we took an entry in the forest and started walking on the marked trail. After walking for about 200 m, we crossed a forest check post where the guide showed all the documents and permissions required to the forest ranger. Once the document check was complete, we kept following the trail until we reached an establishment that serves as a tea break spot.
From here, another trail starts which takes you through thick forest. Since it’s coastal region, weather was humid all along. As we were nearing to the falls, weather started deteriorating and it had started drizzling. Couple of places we had the option of either going via a makeshift bridge or crossing the stream. Since the flow wasn’t much, all of us preferred going via the stream. After walking for about an hour, we finally reached the entrance of Dudhsagar waterfalls.
We could see the fall in distance, and we could very well hear the thundering sound of water flowing through the falls. After entering the reserve area, the drizzle got worse and the water level of streams started rising. We had to cross around 4 sections where the water flow was increasing by the second and it was getting risky. Although it was just 1 pm, the weather made it look like 7 pm. Jumping from one rock to another, we somehow managed to wade our way through the streams and finally reached the base of Dudhsagar waterfalls. The humongous scale of the waterfall had left everyone in awe, and we were just staring at it with eyes wide open. We had close to 15 min as per our guide after which the weather might worsen and we could have serious problems in reaching back to Kulem.
After absorbing the beauty and might of waterfall, we started our hike back to Kulem. The water level was certainly higher from what we had seen while we were coming to the base. A little worried, we kept on walking towards the exit gate of the reserve. Because of extreme flow, all of us had to form a human chain so that everyone could safely cross the streams and make their way back. As we got through the exit gate of Dudhsagar, it started raining incessantly. None of us were carrying rain jackets or umbrellas. Our only option from here was to rush back to Kulem. Because of the heavy rain, the entire forest trail felt like one stream full of water. Most of the time we were making our way through shin deep water and trying to find the right path through the heavy rains which had come our way. Streams which we had crossed easily in the morning now had water which could sweep away anything in its path. Unwillingly, we had to take the makeshift wooden bridges because cutting through the stream was no longer even an option. As we crossed the jungle, rain turned into a drizzle and we could finally see our way to the railway track.
The guide told us that from here on, we can either wait for the train and hope it stops on seeing us or we walk back the remaining 4 km via railway track. We waited for the train for some time but eventually we started walking back on the railway track. After covering the last 4 km on the tracks, we reached the place where we had parked our bikes and that concluded our trek to Dudhsagar waterfalls.
Although we were pretty sure that we had seen the prettiest of views that nature had to offer, we were quite surprised to see the sunset on our way back. Goa is one place where you can go to the beach everyday and experience a totally different sunset. Every time it will amaze you in a different way and leave you wanting for more.
How to reach:
There are multiple ways to reach Dudhsagar falls. We took the road to Kulem which is 70 km from Panjim and from there we hired a guide.
Things to be careful of:
1. Carry sufficient water while going for the hike.
2. Guides usually haggle around the charges and they might settle around 6-700 per head as trekking fee.
3. Carry rain jackets and umbrellas if you are going just after monsoon season.
4. Prefer hiking in sandals as you might have to cross some streams to reach the waterfall.