Doodh Sagar - A dream come true.

When mungaru male movie came, it showed us the other side of Jog falls to the tourists, who were already amazed at the beauty of Jog falls. Same happened to Doodhsagar after Maina, a kannada movie came followed by Chennai Express. Even before these movies released, I had a dream to visit this amazing place. It all started when I read an article about Doodh Sagar ,way back in 2007 and it took me 7 years to make it possible. It was a dream come true for me when I along with two of my friends, visited the Doodh sagar on 20th September 2014.

After coming back from Chandrakani trek, we decided to take rest for two months. It was after I returned from Badami, I decided to plan for Doodh Sagar. But in one or the other way it postponed. I got busy with my job search but Guru took the first step in finalizing itineraries.


Itinerary 1)

1. Friday: Leave to Castle Rock from Bangalore(Dep from YPR at 9.55 PM - Reaches Castle Rock station at 10.40 AMTrain No (17311) /Chennai Vasco Express)
2. Saturday:10.40AM: Reach Castle Rock station by morning 10.40 AM. All morning rituals to be done inside train itself or on station. Including breakfast.
3. 11.00 AM: Note down all the train timings (Including that of goods train) that passes through Dudh sagar from railway station notice board.
4. 11.30 AM: Start to Dudh Sagar falls through railway track. Its about 14 kms from Castle rock station.
5. 6.30 PM : Reach Dudh Sagar Falls. Immediately look spot for Camping. It will be crowded there and earlier we reach there, better for us to get good camping spot.
6. 8.00 PM: have dinner and sleep.
7. Sunday:1.00 AM: Wake up very early / Midnight and start towards Tambi Surla. Note that this is an Exploratory trek. I have no idea on how the terrain would be. We will be taking little risk if we do not permission from Forest dept. Distance is about 19 Kms. However GPS is always there for our guide.
8. 11.00 AM: Expected to Reach Tambi Surla falls. We can get down to falls and have fun.
9. 1.00 PM : Finish Lunch and head back to nearest road for Transportation to Londa. Nearest road is about 4 Kms from falls.
10. 4.00 PM: Catch a vehicle or pre-hired vehicle.Head towards Londa. Reach Londa before7.00 PM.
11. 7.45 : Leave to Bangalore. (Dep from Londa at 7.50 PM - Reaches Majestic at 7.15 AM. 16590/Rani Chennamma Express).
12. Monday :7.00 AM: Reach Bangalore and go to office.

Itinerary 2)

1. Friday: Leave to Castle Rock from Bangalore(Dep from YPR at 9.55 PM - Reaches Castle Rock station at 10.40 AMTrain No (17311) /Chennai Vasco Express).
2. Saturday:10.40AM: Reach Castle Rock station by morning 10.40 AM. All morning rituals to be done inside train itself or on station. Including breakfast.
3. 11.00 AM: Note down all the train timings (Including that of goods train) that passes through Dudh sagar from railway station notice board.
4. 11.30 AM: Start to Dudh Sagar falls through railway track. Its about 14 kms from Castle rock station.
5. 6.30 PM : Reach Dudh Sagar Falls. Immediately look spot for Camping. It will be crowded there and earlier we reach there, better for us to get good camping spot.
6. 8.00 Pm have dinner and sleep.
7. Sunday:6.00 AM Wake up. Finish Break fast before 7.00 AM.
8. 7.00 AM : Rome around Mollen National Sanctuary through a pre-hired vehicle, including Tambi Surla.
9. 7.00 PM: Reach Londa,
10. 7.45 : Leave to Bangalore. (Dep from Londa at 7.50 PM - Reaches Majestic at 7.15 AM. 16590/Rani Chennamma Express).
11. Monday :7.00 AM: Reach Bangalore and go to office.

Compulsory Things to be carried :
1) Rain Coat a must.
2) Good torch.
3) Rain proof tents. Hired Tenet costs 150 rs for two members per day.
4) Sleeping bag / Mat with blanket.
5) All food items need to be carried. We cannot cook there due to Monsoon. Not even Hot water will be available. Hence Don't get cup noodles. Get only items that can be eaten without circus.


But meanwhile Guru was getting engaged and we wanted to finish this trek as soon as possible. We decided to try for tatkal ticket. We didn't get the Vasco train ticket from bangalore. So we decided to go to hubli and then take the vasco train to Castle rock.


We got the train exactly at 7:30 PM from Yeshwantpur. We reached hubli station at 3:30 AM. We completed all morning activities and had breakfast in one of the 24/7 restaurant inside the station. I have to mention about renovated hubli railway station. It looks better than how it was few year back and cleanliness has to be maintained properly to make it better. We got our train at 6:30 AM and we reached Castle rock  at 9:30 AM.

Casle rock is a small station. There is only one toilet available, You don't get any shops nearby. But locals will be selling the food items like palov, avalakki bath. We tasted food and it looked better than what we got in the train.

I really missed my camera which I have kept in my home town. But we had two SLR cameras. This pics were taken from Vineeth and Guru's camera. Guru has his copy right symbol in his photos.

We did booked the return ticket. But it was in RAC. So we tried to book tatkaal. But for online booking requires  xerox copy of ID proof. Vineeth went alone for taking xerox.

In the counter he told, online booking for tatkal will start at 10 AM. But at that time of booking he went for breakfast and we decided to go with RAC.

Having rice bath

Castle rock's beautiful route

      We started trekking at 10:30 AM. After that whatever happened was an experience worth explaining. We crossed tunnels after tunnels, ran behind train after train, crossed Caranzol station to reach Doodh Sagar station. People say these tunnels were not as big as Sakleshpur tunnels. People even say Sakleshpur has much beautiful version of trekking route, but it was our first experience and it will last long.

braganza ghat section begins here.

Guru and Vineeth infront of tunnel 1

Beautiful capture from Guru

We crossed 10 tunnels like this. Do not forget to carry torch, because inside tunnel it will be completely dark.

Tunnel 2

On the way you find many such source

Goa state starts here before Caranzol.

insect on track

We stopped near Caranzol station to have our food. We had carried the food stuffs from Bangalore. For lunch we had sweet bread and chocolates.Some people who don't want to trek more than 14 km ,they get down here. From here I think 8 more km to Doodh Sagar.

Caranzol station

In between heavy rain came and it didn't make any effect on our enthusiasm. I took my rain coat and covered my head and top portion of my bag.

protection from tain

People enjoying 

There is small falls on the way

This classic pictures taken from Guru's mobile explain the beauty of this route.

in front of a beautiful tunnel

Finally we reached Doodh Sagar railway station

Finally we made it

When we reached Doodh sagar falls our GPS was showing 15.5 km and time was pointing to 4:30 AM.

Maina view

Train stops here some time 

I already mentioned we have to reach early to get a place for our tent. By the time we reached falls, there were many tents arose from nowhere. We first decided to put our tent in the space available. We found it difficult while putting tent, because till then we were managing with the built tent or sleeping bags. But a group of bangaloreans in the nearby tent helped us in putting our own tent. 90% of the tourists were from Karnataka. Most of them were from Bangalore, hence we didn't find any difficulty in asking any help. In short time our tent was ready.

The place where we camp our tent

Doodh sagar 

Finally with my love doodh sagar

We were tired but Vineeth was busy in watching birds. I decided to go inside the tent. We took rest for half an hour and then went near the falls. It was an amazing location to spend your valuable time. You will not get bored at any point , during any season when you visit here. There were some leaches but less than what we expected.
These beautiful picture tells everything about Doodh Sagar.

another view of Doodh Sagar

We were wandering there till 7:30 PM. We also put coins on the railway track to see the impact on the coins. That was the first time I have seen childish face of these guys, otherwise these people look serious talking about the same topics like altitude, GPS, Decathlon. Jokes apart, we enjoy each other's company and we have common interest. That makes our friendship more unique. Adding butter to this journey was Guru's engagement topic. I and Vineeth pulled his leg throughout the journey.

our tent

At 7:30 PM we were in our huts.We opened the chapathis Guru has prepared from his home along with MTR ready made curries. After some stupid talk we went for sleep. Of course there were long heard discussions from the near by tents which made us difficult to sleep.


Morning we woke up early and packed our bag and tent and left for Cullem Goa at 5:30 AM. After crossing the first tunnel, we can see the full view of Doodh Sagar which is shown in movies. If you are planning for doodh sagar trek, don't miss this view. How difficult it has been for us to leave such a beautiful place. But we were planned for our next destination.

its insect

Morning view

On the way to Cullem

On the way we were searching for water source where we can finish our morning activities. We always carry the toilet kit and medicine kit with us. Finally we got one and we spent more than an hour in water and had breakfast there only. We opened some more chapathis and sweet bread. After having breakfast we continued our journey. On the way we saw many motor bikes carrying tourist from Cullem to Doodh Sagar. They charge 700 Rs for 1 person.

So near

No pythons here :)

relaxing

Doodh Sagar to Cullem route is fully covered with forest. There is short cut through which we have to cover 8 km to reach Cullem. But it took us 12.5 km. I got a sprain in my leg, after sliding over a wet floor just before Cullem. Still I am recovering from that injury. Some how we managed to reach Cullem station at 11:30 AM.


From Cullem station, you will get a vehicle to roam around Cullem. You can cover Tambdi Surla falls.temple, mollem national park and some viewpoints. They will charge Rs 2000 for all and Rs 1200 for only Tambdi Surla. We took a tata sumo and they charged us 2000 bucks excluding national park entry fee.

Here our plan looked weak because we didn't have time to cover Tambdi Surla falls. We reached Tambdi Surla Mahadeva temple. We took a bath in the small river flowing near to temple. This temple is built by Kadamba dynasty and is one of the oldest temple of Goa.

Vineeth with flower 

in front of Mahadeva temple  

Kadamba Yadava style architecture

 After taking darshan, we wanted to go to Tambdi Surla falls which is 5 km from temple. As we didn't have much time, so we decided to go for Mollem national park and Devils canyon, a viewpoint.

We paid 178 Rs for national park entrance. Our timing was not proper and we didn't get to see any wild animals. If you want to see the wild animals here , you have to visit after 4 PM.

Lord Ganesha in the form of tree

Then we went to Devils Canyon which is inside national park. Because of sprain I didn't go inside and slept in Tata sumo. As told by my friends, it was also a big disappointment.

Board showing path

Devils Canyon

After devils canyon, we left for Cullem  railway station. We had booked Vasco passenger train to Londha. We were hungry and had ready made bisi belebath in railway station which we had carried from Bengaluru. When the train came, we got into some sleeper compartment.  We also paid fine for entering into sleeper coach. But it was only way we would have taken train to Londa.

Londa is a big station, where we had dinner. Our Rani Chennamma train came bit late at 8:45 PM. When train left to Bengaluru, our heart was heavy leaving lots of memory in this beautiful place. The way I and vineeth slept in RAC seats was horrifying and even worse was Guru's situation. Till Kadur , Guru didn't sleep properly. In the end it turned out to be an excellent and tough trek of our life.

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