Dudhsagar Falls (literally Sea of Milk ) is a tiered waterfall located on the Mandovi River in the Indian state of Goa on Goa’s border with Karnataka state. It is four-tiered. It is 60 km from Panaji city by road and 46 km from Madgaon railway junction by train.
Courtesy: Cajetan Barretto
Courtesy: Aparant Asmita Group
The waterfall is located in the Bhagwan Mahavir Wild Life Sanctuary at Collem in South Goa in the western ghats. The waterfall is on the border of Karnataka and Goa states. The roads leading to it are maintained by the Goa Forest Department. A small resthouse is maintained in the forest by the Karnataka Forest Department and is the only place to stay there. The roads are closed in the rainy season of June to September as fast-flowing streams cross the roads and make them dangerous to drive.
Courtesy: Aparant Asmita Group
The roads are again opened in the month of October. At the base of the waterfall, there is a small pond. One can bathe in it only during non-rainy days, that too at one’s own risk. However, such a risk is not advisable. There are fish in the pond, the water is very cold and the pond is slippery. The surrounding area is surrounded by a deciduous forest and many species of birds, insects, plants and animal abound here.
Dudhsagar is one of the world’s most exquisite falls. It lies high up in the Mandovi River’s 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 fifth tallest waterfall and is 227th in the world at 310 m.
Courtesy: Aparant Asmita Group
How to Reach: The Waterfall can be reached both by road and rail. It can be reached by road from Panaji or Madgaon by National Highway NH4A and by train from Madgaon railway junction or Londa railway junction. There is a railway station called Dudhsagar Falls (station code DWF or DDS) where trains stop for a minute or so for technical reason (to test brakes while going downhill) but no tickets are issued to or from this station and it is not a commercial halt for trains. The next railway station is Collem (Kulem) on Madgaon-Castle Rock-Londa track, 13 km from the Falls. The railway route for reaching the falls from Goa is Madgaon-Collem- Dudhsagar Falls. One can reach the falls from Collem railway station by a much shorter 6 km long road. The other route is from Carambolim (Karmali Railway Station of Konkan Railways. The route is Carambolim-Old Goa-Ponda-Tiska-Mollem (total 50 km) – Dudhsagar Falls.
Courtesy: Aparant Asmita Group
Ordinary cars are not suitable for the drive to the Falls and within the forest sanctuary. One should use a four-wheel drive vehicle (SUV) as the road is a jungle track that has fast-flowing streams criss-crossing it at several points. The motorable track stops a kilometre before the Falls and one has to walk one kilometre crossing over small paths carved through the rocks at the foot of the Falls.
The Falls can be reached by train from Karnataka state from Londa railway junction on Hubli-Madgaon-Vasco da Gama route. One can get down at Castle Rock station or Collem station and reach the Falls by road. However, one can get down at Dudhsagar Falls railway station itself (station code DWF or DDS) that lies between Castle Rock and Collem and walk the short distance to the falls. Then one can come back to the same station and take a freight train by requesting the guard and taking his permission. All the trains including freight (goods) trains stop at Dudhsagar Falls railway station while going towards Madgaon (but not while going in the reverse direction).
