Doodhsagar and Tambdi Surla Trek

The idea of a trek is probably to have different set of people join together for an adventure. In one recent trek, a group had four type of people. The scared one (SO) - who is ready to take very minimal risk; The don’t care one (DO) - who doesn’t really care about the trek, but only about the food and sleep that he can get; the Responsible one (RO) - who consider all the risk factor and make responsible decisions; The out of the mind one (OO) - who as the name suggest is out of his mind; probably because of last night inebriated state. So the SO, DO, RO and OO set for a last moment trip to Dudhsagar. They did not have any plan so they decided to plagiarize Bangalore ascender’s plan.

Waiting for Chennai-Bangalore-Vasco Express at Hubli

At Castle Rock Railway station

Tickets were booked in Tatkal to Hubli, as only 16 tickets were available for the direct train from Bangalore to Castle Rock- The usual starting point of the trek. Once they reached Hubli, they waited for Bangalore Vasco train for which they earlier failed to get Tatkal ticket. The journey from Hubli to castle rock is around 3 hours. Around 11, they reached Castle Rock. The entire station was covered in mist. It was a pleasant view indeed. Many trekkers were already preparing for the 14 Km trek along the railway track from Castle Rock to Dudhsagar. After taking few photos, they boarded the train while it started whistling for its departure. As soon as the train departed from Castle rock, everyone in the group started feeling bad about not trekking from Castlerock to Dudhsagar. The trains have one more stop in the midway between Dudhsagar and Castlerock. They decided to get down there. Unfortunately they forgot the food that they had carried, which included chocolates and 35 chappatis. They realized this only after getting down and by that time train had started moving. SO wanted to get in the moving train, this was an unprecedented move from him as it was evident that it should be DO who should show the desperation for the lost food. SO reveled that he was scared of staying hungry in the forest, which solved the puzzle.

Trekkers trekking from Castle Rock

The 7 Km trek from the midway till Dudhsagar is also very beautiful. Many tunnels, 100 year old bridges, mist covered valleys and small waterfalls made that trip a memorable one. It was expected to rain, but it didn’t. Travelling in railway track is similar to walking in a mine field, mines are everywhere, somewhere fresh and somewhere old. OO wondered on who had time to plan these mines when the train was passing through the nature at its best. It took them around 2 hours to finish the 7 Km and finally they reached Dudhsagar railway station, the water falls was just 1.5 Km away from it. As they had lost their food, they decided to make use of a small mess/hotel available at Dudhsagar railway station. For Rs 40 they got enough pulav to appease their hunger. As expected DO was not happy about the pulav.

First waterfall that we encountered on the way to Dudhsagar

On a bridge on the way to Dudhsagar

First tunnel on the way

 Dudhsagar was a majestic view. 50 m high waterfall looked similar to someone who spilled his milk bottle on a rock. OO wanted to take a bath in the waterfalls and soon after taking a few pics, he went directly to enjoy the milk bath. To his desperation there was no Cleopatra there, a few were looking from the top of the bridge, enjoying the sight of many potbellied half naked men enjoying the milk bath. OO felt completely rejuvenated after the bath and was ready for the next 11 km trek to Kulem. They were supposed to follow a Jeep trail. Many bloggers had suggested them to look for a Jeep trail after Sonalim station which came between Dudhsagar and Kulem. Once they reached Sonalim, they enquired about the jeep trail. The station master at Sonalim advised not to take that route as the water in the streams to be crossed are very high and there are chances to find wild animals. OO still wanted to find that trail and take the risk. SO was definite that he was not going to take that route. SO’s jinx worked as they couldn't find the Jeep trail. Thus they walked from Dudhsagar to Kulem, another 11 Km in the railway track avoiding mines. Around 5 they reached Kulem. Kulem has good veg and non-veg restaurants.

The whole gang at Dudhsagar

Her highness Dudhsagar

 Stay at Tambdi-surla foiled, as SO along with RO decided not to go there as no one else is camping in Tambdi-Surla on that day. Tambdi-Surla is 22 Km away from Kulem and one has to rent a taxi to reach there. It is a completely deserted forest with no human settlement near to it. They decided to stay in the tent which they had carried along. RO and OO was all set for putting up the tent in the Kulem railway station, when scariness and sleeplessness struck SO and DO respectively. Both went searching for a hotel and found a house to stay for 250 Rs per head. They moved to the house and arranged for a taxi next day to Tambdi-Surla at decent rate of 1600 for round trip. Stay was decent and they all had dinner together and went to sleep soon. The next day early in the morning they went to Tambdi-Surla.

On the way to Kulem

 Tambdi-Surla is a serene forest, on the way from Kulem to TS we could grab a sight of peocock and wild boars. SO and RO convinced the driver to join us for the trek. Before trek they decided to visit Mahadev temple. The temple was built in 12^th century and is believed to be a permanent residence of a huge King cobra. The temple was surrounded by forest and was beside a stream. The sight of the temple lying in the tranquil solitude of the forest, misty mountain in a drizzling morning will sure make even the hardcore atheist to visit that place. The priest in the temple showed us the way to Tambdi-Surla water falls.

athos porthos aramis and d'artagnan at Tambdi-Surla

Mahadev temple at Tambdi surla

The trek to Tambdi-Surla water fall is a 5 Km trek. OO showed justice to his name when he decided to remove his shoes and trek the 5 km in bare foot, which he regretted just 500 m into the trek. The trek was a medium tiring trek. Crossing many streams and ticking away the leeches, they reached Tambdi-Surla water falls. OO decided to go closer to the Water fall. He used a tree which had fallen recently to reach a rock from where he could enjoy the best possible sight of the water falls. He could not get a good photograph of his feat as the rain started pouring immediately. After spending sometime there, in the rain, they descended. Rain added an icing to the trek. Tambdi-Surla is definitely a must go place and according to OO one should plan to stay at Tambdi-Surla. There is an open space available for putting up the tent, which is beside the stream and at the starting point of the trek and is very clean according to trekking standards.

On the way to Tambdi-Surla waterfall

The distant view of Tambi Surla

Close up view of the falls

SO, DO, RO and OO, though had different interest and opinion at many point during the trek, managed to come to conscience very fast and could enjoy the trip to the fullest. OO after coming back from the trek told the author of this post that he is ready to trek with new type of trekkers- PO, The Pro One’s and probably move from OO to RO.