The Magic of Monsoon

Walking in the middle of the forest, taking perfidious winding roads with excitement and fear at every step, hearing the chirping of birds and watching few others fly around, feeling submerged in the passing clouds at the higher altitudes, experiencing the kiss of the breeze as the legs struggled to walk on the railway tracks. The greatest pleasures of trekking won't come without risk or struggle. 

Starting Point

Yes “You have to get lost before you can be found”.  Dudhsagar is one of the world's most exquisite falls that lies in India.The falls lies high up in the Mandovi River watershed and so are not particularly spectacular during the dry season. During the monsoon season however, the falls are transformed into one of the most powerful falls in India. Dudhsagar Falls is listed as India's 5th tallest waterfalls, and is 227th in the world at 310 m. The water plummets hundreds of feet in large volumes during the monsoon season, forming one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in Goa.  It was a most awaited adventure of monsoon.

On the Way

Since it was a 14km railway track trek!!. Initial plan was with larger group say something about 20!! But finally ended up with 4!!!!!. Direct train tickets to from Bangalore to castle rock (Chennai –Vasco train) was not available before 2 months. So we had to take a connecting trains. Bangalore to Hubli by Sholapur Express. We had 2 option one by bus as well as train. Since it was 4.30 AM we could not find any bus from hubli to Londa Junction. We decided to go in Chennai –Vasco train in general with the tickets!!. Hubli to Londa Junction is around 2-3 hrs in train. We had breakfast and packed food for trekking in londa junction as we were waiting for other train to board from londa junction to castle rock. 

The Boys

Londa junction to castle rock is half an hour journey.
Starting our journey from londa junction to dudhsagar falls. Initially it was very good experience as the time runs we had been troubled by rains as expected! We had prepared for everything meanwhile but we had to take a pause in the tunnel. We had many pit stops forcefully and also physically. The tiny waterfalls made us to re-gain our spirit saying don’t be happy with me “Mera baap aghe hain”. Totall 11 tunnels on the pathway from Castle rock to falls. It took around 4 to 5hrs to reach waterfalls. 

Tunnel No-1 Train Heading!

Starting distance it took us quiet more hours than expected so we increased our speed in the middle so that we can reach as expected. We had calculated dresses in our bags so that it will not be the burden for trekking. The tunnel trekking experience and railway track experience is worth to feel rather to explain more. The beautiful scenes, weather condition, drizzling was all time beautiful trekking experience. All our eatables and drinking water were empty in 75% of trekking. Hoping that we get food near the falls. 

But it went in vain as there was no food and drinking water in the banks of falls. That particular moment was really horrible because I came to know what is starving literally. God has given me enough so that I don’t have to starve. Thank you. 

That moment what I thought is how people in Somalia or any other African countries starve for days and months. Coming back to reality “Dudhsagar Waterfall”. 

The Beautiful DudhSagar Falls

  “The beauty of nature unites everyone”. We spent 3 hrs in waterfalls, few minutes we all were bewildered by. At around 5.45 PM expected train from Goa to belgaum. In which we were waiting to go to belgaum for staying as planned. Actually we were waiting for train not to go to belgaum but to have food!!!!!! Which we had in train. 

Catching train was more challenging as falls was crowded and all were waiting for the same train and the train has no dedicated stop there. As planned we could have returned in same train to belgaum  but we did not want to take risk of travelling without ticket. It was a last train which will go from londa junction so we had to take a tempo trax which we got luckily, which dropped us till……..  From there we went to belgaum and paused our journey of the day. 

Gokak Falls, Belgaum

Next day started little early as planned packed belgaum special kundha( Sweet) and resumed our journey to gokak falls. Which is 2 hrs from belgaum, The falls was little dreary because of less water force!! The hanging bridge view was a good with sound of breeze, Surroundings is the well maintained place which attracts lots of tourists. As planned we boarded our train from nearby stop of gokak falls.

                                       Travel teaches toleration. Benjamin Disraeli