Dudhsagar Falls – A Breathtaking Tourist Destination in Goa

Dudhsagar Falls which literally means Sea of Milk is a superimposed waterfall. As the flowing waters appear as white as milk, that is why, the waterfall is known as Dudhsagar. Doodh in Hindi means milk. It is situated on the River Mandovi in Goa, in the border of Karnataka. This waterfall is four-tiered. It is positioned in the Bhagwan Mahavir Wild Life Sanctuary which is at Collem, South Goa, Western Ghats. It is nearly 60 kms away from Panaji by road and about 46 kms away from the Madgaon railway station by train. Dudhsagar waterfalls are world-renowned beautiful waterfalls. These waterfalls lie high above in the River Mandovi’s watershed and are not very spectacular in the dry season. However, in monsoon, these waterfalls become one of the mightiest waterfalls in India. It is 5^th tallest waterfall in India and in the world it is 227^th. The water falls from the height of thousand feet in huge volume in the rainy season, forming the most amazing natural phenomena. These waterfalls cover a major portion of the ecosystem of Goa. The height of these waterfalls is 310 meters and the average width is 30 meters. At the bottom of these waterfalls, a small pond is there. Tourists can take bathe only in non-rainy days. However, this kind of risk is not worthwhile. The water of the pond is too cold and the pond is slippy. The deciduous forest surrounds the nearby area and a variety of birds, plants, insects and animals are found here.

The roads to these waterfalls are taken care of by the Forest Department of Goa. A small guesthouse is taken care of inside the forest by the Forest Department of Karnataka and it is the lone place to reside there. The roads remain closed during the rainy season from June to the last week of September, as the fast-flowing watercourse crosses the roads by making the drive dangerous. These roads are opened during October month. During summer season, when the water level is low, one can take a Jeep and go near the foot of the waterfalls from either Collem or Molem. 

Folklores say that a gorgeous princess resided in the jungle in a palace, where the present Dudhsagar falls is. She enjoyed bathing in a nearby lake and also used to drink “sugared milk” from a jug made of gold after finishing her bath. Some day while having her milk she found that a prince, standing behind the trees, was watching her. She got embarrassed as her bathing attire was inadequate. So, she diffused the milk from the jug near him to make an immediate curtain to wrap her body. It is believed that this sugared milk is cascading down the hill slope as the Dudhsagar Falls, as an honor to the good value and decency of the princess.

Trekking is a famed tourist attraction in Dudhsagar. Two deserted shelters are there for the trekkers to stay, one on the left side of the falls and the other on the right side near the railway track. Drinking water and medical facilities are not obtainable around Dudhsagar. Four trek routes are possible to get to the Dudhsagar Falls, but during monsoons only two of them are possible.