The Blue Waterfall Trek : Satrem Waterfall

We were finally there! After a long and arduous trek, right through the heart of western ghats, we had reached our destination. The Satrem Waterfall, nestled deep into the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary in Valpoi, Goa. Even though it was at the start of New Year, the waterfall was still gushing in all its glory, flowing from a dizzying height of well over 50 metres.

THE JOURNEY

The plan, somewhat tentatively, was hatched about a week ago. One of the friends suggested we explore the place. 2 other friends agreed to join and the plan was engraved 1 day before. The excitement within the group was palpable. Only thing the group discussed over lunch was the trip. It was decided to get an early start the following day. Trekking itself would take us almost 2 hours.

Come D-day, 2 of us commenced the journey from Margao at 7.30 a.m. Distance wise, the waterfall is about 55 kms from Margao. We picked the rest of the group at Ponda at 8.00 am and proceeded to Valpoi. The journey was through some of the most remote villages in Goa with the air carrying the aura of the chilled winter morning, intermittently blanketed by thick fog. The group had carried snacks and water to aid during the trek.

At Valpoi, we braked for breakfast. Found a quaint little hotel that served typical Goan styled pav bhaji with Mirchi, delicious and soul filling. We re-commenced the journey from Valpoi and reached the entrance of Mhadei wildlife sanctuary. In between we even indulged in few photoshoots for the benefit of Instagram inspired reels. The entrance fee was pegged at Rs. 100 per person + Rs. 100 for the vehicle. We parked at some distance from the entrance of Satrem village to avoid being charged of further Rs. 100 for parking charges at the temple premises. And then the trek began at 9.45 am.

THE TREKKING

Initially, the trekking seemed easy. The air among the group was thick with excitement. The pathway was through flat mud roads decorated with odd shaped stones spread haphazardly along the route. We had brought along Bluetooth speaker and danced merrily to the tune of hit Bollywood masalas. The adrenaline was pumping. We even decided to jog to cover time and as well to make the trek challenging. They say, be careful what you wish for! Just as we were gathering momentum, we reached the base of the hill and then it hit us hard. From being wide, the track narrowed to just over a few inches. At places, we were walking right at the edge of the hills, a mis-step and a 50 ft fall into the deep ravine could easily result in few broken bones.

The path was now becoming treacherous. The trail was inundated with steep climbs quickly followed by sharp descents. The loose gravel underneath was making the climbs / descent a herculean task. During climbs there was barely anything to hold on, we found ourselves slipping and sliding on the pathways. Some of the group members were huffing and puffing on the climbs and were finding every given opportunity to take water breaks. The humidity was already on the rise. What seemed a breeze just a short while ago had turned into a grueling task.

Of course, this did not deter our spirit one bit and we kept inching towards our destination. During the breaks, we also clicked Instagram worthy photographs, led by one of the group members who is fond of photography. At one point, he accidently dipped his shoes in a tiny rivulet and that’s when we realized the nippiness of water. After sometime, he complained of numbness in his feet, thereby making the trek even more wearisome. We squatted near the stream to drink directly from the flowing water. At some places, we crossed over huge logs, lying across the narrow pathways. We were growing richer by the experience with each passing moment. There were many other groups along the way from various parts of the country who were struggling to cope with the uniqueness of the trail.

THE DESTINATION

Akin to a soldier, bruised but thrilled, we finally made our way to the destination. It had taken us 2 hours of the most demanding physical activity, which also served as an eye opener for some of our members on their physical fitness. As we came face to face with the waterfall, the sight took our breath away. The majestic fall was almost vertical from its tipping point. Below the fall, it formed a blue pool analogous to a sea-side lagoon. The area around was picturesque with the waterfall accentuating the tranquility of the surroundings.

Being a weekend, there were a large number of tourists at the falls. Some were enjoying the swim inside the plunge pool while a few were sitting on the rocks admiring natural beauty. There were even families enjoying picnic by the wayside. We parked ourselves at a corner away from the crowd and quickly stripped down to our swimming costumes. As soon as we stepped into the water, we nearly froze. The ice-cold water sent shock waves through our body and silent yelp escaped from some of us. Eventually, after sometime we did get adjusted to the lower temperatures. In between we took breaks for photoshoots and snacks, albeit plenty of them.

After nearly 2 hours of bathing in the pool, we started to feel cold. Jaws were clattering and making funny noises. Body started shivering to the point of experiencing mild hypothermia. It signaled the end of the bathing session. It was nearly 1.15 pm by which time stomach grumbling intensified. Time to head back to the base.

Mission completed, we scurried through the return journey. The excitement had died down and the only target was to reach the vehicle in record time. The chilliness at the waterfall had given way to high temperatures and intense humidity along the trek back. Coupled with hunger, it seemed an eternity before we could touch base. Finally, after 2 hours of trekking, we had reached rendezvous point.

We reached Valpoi and entered the first roadside hotel we could lay our hungry eyes upon. It was a typical homogenized Goan bar and restaurant. Without any delay, we ordered drinks, starters and non-veg thali in one go. The drinks arrived. When the first sip of chilled beer hit the lips, all the complains of tiredness, the grumbling, the aching legs went up in smoke. We feasted on the lunch as if there was no tomorrow. We gorged upon the tastiest seafood cooked by an expert lady cook. It was indeed a rewarding day.

We dropped our mates back to Ponda and headed home. By 6.00 pm we were home and dry. Tired but spirited, the shimmering blue waterfall was the only thought that night. The next day, being a Sunday, we took ample amount of rest and fluids to re-energize the body. When the group met on Monday, the next trip was being planned in eagerness.