Whoa, this is mesmerizing guys. We are finally here; the place is heaven. This waterfall is the most stunning thing I have ever seen in my life” exclaimed Mayur with enough enthusiasm that would move a mountain.
Yes, we were finally there. After a long and relatively difficult trek of over 5 kms, the group of 6 friends came face to face with the towering Mainapi waterfall. The roar of the waterfall deafening the ears, the surrounding scenery akin to a postcard picture. The rocky hills engulfed with lush green forests surrounding the waterfall as if guarding the place of its secrecy leaving enough room for the water to snake it way down to the Netravali village. The Mainapi waterfall is situated in the foothills of the western ghats, deep into the forested region of the Netravali wildlife sanctuary, South Goa.
THE JOURNEY
A simple plan hatched 2 weeks ago, by a group of 6 colleagues. One of the group members, Sanit suggested, “Let us visit Mainapi. I have seen this waterfall on Instagram, it looks beautiful and I bet it will not disappoint us.” We agreed, for lack of any better suggestion.
As it was raining continuously that week, the plan to visit the waterfall was pushed back until such time the rains subsided. And so, a Sunday was fixed and all 6 made pact to be part of the trip. There were hushed voices during lunch hours to discuss ways and means of transport, amenities to be carried along. Kamlesh almost backed out, citing personal reasons, but the group members barbarically threw down the gauntlet, eventually forcing him to postpone his own plans after the waterfall trip.
It was decided to commence the journey from Margao – the meeting point. Kamlesh would pick up Chandresh and Sanit on the way from Panjim and meet Mayur, Abhijit, and Kiran at Margao. The idea was to start the journey at 9:00 am from Margao. To reach the Mainapi waterfall, we need to travel to Netravali village, situated at approx. 50 kms from Margao. It would take us another One and half hour of trekking to reach the final destination. We could only start the trip at 10:00 am. All 6 of us squeezed in Mayur’s car, the fun of traveling together, while listening to Bollywood masala songs, made the voyage memorable. We stopped over at an antique restaurant in Quepem – Ambika Bhavan, to feast upon the distinctive Goan Pav bhaji with Mrichi and Garam Chav. The menu has become our signature breakfast before the beginning of any trip.
The road to Netravali, passes through some of the most remote and serene villages of South Goa. The roads, inundated by curving trees on either side, as if welcoming us to the village, is a sight to behold. With soothing music in the background, it only increases the camaraderie of the journey. After a brief stopover at a bridge to take a few insta worthy pics, we reached the Netravali wildlife sanctuary checkpoint manned by the Forest officials.
We paid Rs. 100 per person and Rs. 100 for the 4-wheeler, to get an entry into the wildlife sanctuary. From the gate we drove for about 500 mtrs, to reach a Y-intersection. From there on, we could proceed to Savari waterfall at 5 kms or head to Mainapi waterfall with a short trek of 4.5 kms. We parked our vehicle near the intersection and headed in the direction of our planned terminus. We need to carry the entry ticket received at the gate, as this needs to be shown to the caretaker before advancing any further.
THE TREK
The trek, is principally through a well-mannered graveled path, wide enough for a 4-wheeler to travel. There are no tar roads, but loose gravels and cobblestones, yet well marked, surrounded by deep forests on either side of the route. We started the trek at around 11.30 am. At first the trek appeared easy; flat and wide. Literally, a walk in the park. This continued for about 500 mtrs and then the slow ascent started. The humidity was daunting, but it seemed we could manage the trek with consummate ease.
Each one of us carried our backpacks with water bottles. Jokes and banter flew around, with each one trying to pull the other’s leg. Office gossip is never far away. About a kilometer into the trek, the task ahead of us hit hard. Gone were the flat treks. The pathway snaked its way up the mountains. It needed us to pull up our socks and climb. The ascent seemed endless. Chandresh was already struggling, finding excuses to take plenty of water breaks. Along the routes, there are benches, to take rests during this uphill trek.
The fitness and stamina demons inside us were having a field day. The hard gradient coupled with the high humidity was taking its toll. The sign boards showing distance covered along the way, only informed us of how slow and challenging the trek is. The group split with some of us surging ahead, while the relatively less fit, took their own to trek. Mayur, Abhitij and Sanit took advantage of a tiny rivulet crossing their path as they dipped their bodies to cool themselves.
THE FALLS
Finally, after a long and arduous trek of 4 kms, we could hear the magical sounds of the gushing waterfall. It took us the better part of 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach the chosen spot. Navigating the serpentine steps of 500 mtrs down the ravine, we saw the most enthralling sight. The splendid Mainapi waterfall, in its complete glory, falling from a dizzying height of 100 ft, emptying itself into a canyon surrounded by hills on all 3 sides. Out came the cameras, as each one took turns to pose with the waterfall in the background. For a weekend, the young crowd was sparse with a mix of local and outbound tourists.
We quickly got into our bathing suits and dived in at the base of the falls. Few of us, who knew swimming, bravely ventured into the depth to explore the place further. Mayur boldly took his mobile phone near the waters and donned the photographer’s hat. The water was warm enough to cool our bodies, yet cold enough to not let us saunter inside for hours. Lovely rounded and colorful pebbles are in plentiful, which accentuates Mainapi’s features.
As one stood in the waters facing the waterfall, it is an intimidating feel. The roar of the falls and the daunting nature of the cascade makes you feel timid. Yet, it made us feel lively, as if we belonged to this place and the place belonged to us. We wanted to be wrapped around by this natural force.
After being in the waters for over 2 hours, it started raining perilously, which made the waters turn colder. A sign that we should move out. Nature had probably seen enough and wanted to get rid of us. Taking a cue, we decided to trek back. The rain and the descent made the trek a breeze. Mayur must have mentioned a thousand times “The weather is beautiful” much to the amusement of the group. We passed around a few snacks as it took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach back to our vehicle. We even took a few Ranveer styled photos along the streams. We had a new companion on our trek back – The Leech, which seemed to have a taken a liking to Mayur. It clung on and only let go off him, once we were safely inside the vehicle.
On our way back, we decided to stop over at the well-known ‘Budbude Tale’ or ‘Bubble Lake.’ A freshwater lake that dates to 400 years, this spot is hidden away from the popular tourist hotspots, is a riot of nature. Lying amidst the lush greens, Bubble Lake is a picture of peace and serenity. Visually the bubbles keep popping up, making continuous concentric circles causing the ripples in the lake. Different kinds of sounds such as clapping, stomping also activate the bubbles numerously.
We reached back to Margao by 6:00 pm. Indulged in Bombay pav bhaji at Krishna Hotel and the group dispersed for the day. A fantastic and memorable trek to witness the riveting Mainapi waterfall being the highlight of the day. There would be sore backs and muscles from the trek, but in the end, it was well worth the effort.
