Dudhsagar Waterfall Trekking - Info Req.

shahronakm

Hi friends,

I would be going on a business visit to Goa & have kept one spare day for Dudhsagar waterfall trekking.
I have following info. on the same:-
1] It is possible in one days time.
2] Some years back there was a train going there but it has been stopped.
3] During monsoons no vechile goes there.
I would like to have more info. on the following points. Please any one of you could help me out.
1] Any trekking agency or guide you know. I will be all alone.
2] Route for the same. I will be staying near Calangute.
(As far as I know we have to reach Collem station)

Any other info. would be appreciated. I wll be going on August 9 th.

Ronak.

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shahronakm

Any feedback.
Please help Imers.

Ronak.

mite

hey ronak

i also will be in goa from aug 12th to 15 most prob and would love to do the trek

i am sure someone will enlighten us as to how to go abt it.

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by the way , wheres india?

mridula

Ronak, I did this stretch as a part of YHAI Goa Trek. Wrote more about it here:

http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/0508/goa.html

But I did it in December and through YHAI so my account may not be of much help to you.

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mridula

http://www.gonomad.com/traveltalesfromindia/

shahronakm

Mridula,

Nice write up.
I am in goa for three days 7,8,9 th. August.
I want to go for trek on the 9 th as on 7 & 8 th i will be busy with my business work. I have tried contacting many agencies with but without any positive feedback (as most of them are closed due to offseason). Also there is no reply to my e-mail from Goa tourism.
Now there is only one hope India mike. It will be difficult or rather impossible to go without a guide.

Ronak.

old india hand

Trains to/from Dudhsagar ???



A few thoughts:


The average rainfall for Goa in July in 1331 mm.

It is unlikely that the 'jeep road' to Dudhsagar will be passable in August.

There is no official timetable that indicates any train stopping at Dudhsagar.

However trains do stop, the difficulty is knowing which trains.

It is very possible that train 7228 departing Margao at 7:15 am on Wed/Sat/Sun will stop.

It is possible that train 7227 on Tues/Fri/Sat to Margao may also stop at Dudhsagar at about 4 pm.

Saturdays look most hopeful:

If train 7228 stops at about 9 am, there will be time to visit the Falls and then walk down to Collem Station to board train 7227 at about 4:30 pm (which may not be necessary if 7227 is stopping at Dudhsagar).

There are also 'engines' which, apparently, convey persons along the line.

In the event of 7228 not stopping at Dudhsagar spend a nice day around the village of Castle Rock (need ticket to Castle Rock, all trains stop here, 7228 arrives 09:05 and 7227 departs 15:25), enjoy the cool air, and train rides.
It may be possible to walk/hike to the top/head of falls from Castle Rock, Dudhsagar is not the top.

If 7228 stops at Dudhsagar on Saturday there is a reasonable chance that 7228 will also stop on Sunday.
So in the dry season it could be possible to 'overnight open-air' and catch the next day's train to Castle Rock (arr. 9:02 am), Londa, Hubli, Hospet etc.
It also happens that train 1097, direction to Margao, departs Castle Rock at 10:30 am, but only on Sundays.

In conclusion, get up early on a Saturday morning, take a little food and sleeping bag, and await what the day may present.


o. i. h.

shahronakm

Old India hand,

Is this info. current ?

Ronak.

old india hand

Both the rain and train times are current:

Suggest as the 9th is a Wednesday, you could travel up on the 7228 and consider road transport back from Collem or Castle Rock. If the train stops at Dudhsagar walk back to Collem etc. If not stopping, stay on train until Castle Rock (should be possible to find a motorbike pilot, reach the main road, and bus back to Goa).

There is adventure in uncertainty.

o. i. h.

shahronakm

Thanks for your info.
Will be a def. uncertain adventure.
Do this 7228 stop at collem station ?
How far is dudhsagar from collem station ?
I was thinking of doing the trek from collem station to Dudhsagar but also want to return the same day. Any idea ?

Ronak.

shahronakm

I am checking on railway website.
Is this Kulem same as collem ?
Also there is no return train on wednesday during day time. Will i get some vehicle from collem if I trek down to the station ? Also I am looking for a guide, are they available there ?
Thanks again & sorry for too many questions.

Ronak.

hitanshu

Here's my inputs:
- Its about 12km from Kollem side, and some 17km from molem national park.
- Best way is to take train and trek the last 500m from the station just before dudhsagar (dudhsagar station is right at falls, but the pool is some meters below, so best is get down before).
- Even Goa express (del) makes unscheduled stop there, and is piss slow in that section. u can walk off the train
- Dont think of hoofing it. The terrain is rough. I did it in march on bike, and was painful. The worse issue is that the rivulet was *knee deep* in March when I went. And yes, you need to cross it THRICE!!! Was tricky even for bike then. Now you'd simply be suicidal to hoof it.



from the station i mention, there's gonna be no rivulet. However, there are some makeshift mini bridges over the rivulet. take care lest they be slippery.
- There are groups of foriegners who hire TRAX jeeps to come there. These groups typically finish by 1-2 max. If you reach after that, u wont get no lift.
- There are no shops, just one solitary stall. Moreover, given that tourist flow will be lesser, the monkeys will be in rampage mode the moment they see you. They are normally fed well by tourists, and in this season they starve. So be VERY careful.
- I doubt getting a motorbike pilot would be possible. In march, there werent even the iron ore trucks to guide me out to South Goa.

In all, highly avoidable in this season. I did it solo in March, but now I wouldnt do it any which way.

There's one piss easy way to do it should you be a little mad and have company. Just train to Kollem, and walk along the tracks. This route has little traffic (just couple trains every hour) and it isnt tough getting out of their way either! The walk would take you to Dudhsagar in an hour or so. Just be careful of the monkeys. Rest wildlife, i dont know of

shahronakm

Thanks hitanshu for your tips & info.
Byt he way nice pic. of the waterfall.
In short according to you it's best avoidable during monsoon & if at all I want to do the same I should take the train the then the tracks.
But what about return journey. Will I get the train easily ?
Also is Kulem same as Collem ? (I found the station kulem on railway website but no mention of Collem.)

Ronak.

hitanshu

yeah, same thing as kulem. You just ask the station masters or check ze map

trains i have no clue. ask ze station masters. or hitch onto the cargo trains, woh toh aayengi hi!!

bellcrank

There are two rivers to cross by jeep from Colem, very doubtful its possible in August, alhough rainfall this monsoon is only 60% of normal.

Nice trip from Panjim to Colem through the mining areas, which takes a couple of hours, probably worth it for the scenery and cheap lunch, even if you don't finally make it to the falls, which to be honest for me was abit of a disappointment.

Here's a picture I took in December.

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bellcrank

And here's another

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