south goa tour - monsoon special
Detailed itinerary
South Goa - Monsoon special
A 230 km trail that is specially designed to explore the unseen green landscapes of south Goa in monsoons. Goa has much more to offer than just the crowded beaches! It’s particularly picturesque during monsoon time from June to September. Nature flourishes, the rain brings refreshment and romance, and Goa takes on a more traditional flavor. We will be riding through some dense nature reserves namely, Bhagwan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary, Bondla sanctuary, Netravali wildlife sanctuary and finally end at Cotigao sanctuary.
Mountain/Hybrid biking on this route designed by our expert riders will set your heart pumping and your muscles working. Your eyes get to soak in the magnificent and beautiful views of trees and rocks, flooded downpour of waterfalls and your lungs get to breathe the purest air along with the fragrance of the blossoms.
Dates : 14-17 Aug 2024
Distance : 230 km
Reporting at : Castlerock junction - 8.00 am. You can plan to reach campsite a day early and get some proper rest to acclimatize.
How to Reach:
Train Journey :
From Mumbai/Pune :-
Catch the Goa express from Mumbai/Pune. It reaches Castlerock at midnight by 3:00 am. We will arrange pickup from castlerock junction.
If you do not get Goa train ticket you can opt for Hubli express from Mumbai. You can get down at Londa junction and take public transport bus uptill Anmod or connecting train from Londa to Castlerock.
Bus jouney till Goa and a train from Madgao to castlerock in the morning is also an option.
From any other region :-
Castlerock junction is well connected with trains coming from karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. Plan your journey accordingly to reach the meeting point at the mentioned timings. Train from Bengaluru reaches Castlerock midnight by 12. Castlerock is well connected with state buses from Madgaon/Belgavi. If opting for Bus you can get down at Anmod. Castlerock is 8km from Anmod.
Car Journey :- Ample amount of parking space is available at the start point. But, as our end point is different than start point, riders need to arrange a shared cab/local bus from end point in Goa to Castlerock.
Itinerary (Day wise schedule) :
Participants will gather at the Castlerock junction by 8 am. This will be the start point of our 4 day trail.
In short
South Goa Cycling
Dates - 14-17 Aug 2024
Duration : 4 days n 4 nights
Distance : 230 km
Difficulty : Moderate
Meeting point : Castlerock junction, Karnataka
Category : Multi day biking tour
Fee : - 16000 /-
Batch size : 15
Day-wise Itinerary
Day 1: Castlerock - Vajra waterfall 40km
Fancy a walk in the clouds surrounded by the undeniable beauty of the Western Ghats? We start our ride with a short warmup in the dense jungle of Dandeli and explore the Vajara waterfall in a nearby village.
This is just a test ride to get accustomed to your bike and the nature around.
You get some rest time post lunch and get to know your ride mates.
Day 2: Mollem to Bondla Forest 60 km
Today is going to be a fun day as we get to indulge ourselves in some long downhill patch post Anmod. Lot of active waterfalls in the ghat section while we ride through Bhagvan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary and Mollem national park.
Post lunch we have a good treacherous climb to end our ride near Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary.
Day 3: Bondla to Netravali forest 60km
Today we will be riding back to Bhagwan Mahavir forest to visit the Tambdi surla temple.
Tambdi Surla is noted as the oldest temple in Goa. The temple was built by Hemadri, the minister of the Yadava King Ramachandra. It is built in the Hemadpanthi style from basalt. The intricate carvings adorn the interior and the sides of the temple. The hard work of the skilled workers can be seen in the beautiful walls of the temple. through the Netravali reserve.
We end our ride at a spice plantation and get a chance to know more about the spice farms of south goa and Feni and Urak creation process.
Day 4: Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, 70 km
Today is going to be the longest ride with small climbs and rolling terrain. We pass through small villages of south Goa, a wildlife reserve patch and finally reach the stay for the day. We also visit the Mainapi waterfall and the famous bubbling lake.
Situated in the peaceful and serene village of Netravali the lake is famous for its bubbles. These bubbles rise continuously to the surface in various places in the lake. Strangely enough, they also appear to respond to certain sounds and rise faster if you clap!
Post lunch we climb the Ambe forest ghat and ride through Bamanbudo waterfall on the downhill, crossing small villages with paddy fields and finally reach the destination for the day at Cotigao.
Cost
COST : 16000 /-
Cycle is not included in the above cost. If you wish to hire a bike, we can provide you at an extra cost of 3000/-. It will be either an MTB or hybrid
If you are from Pune/Mumbai, we can get your bikes transported to Londa and back from Goa to Pune in our support vehicle.
We suggest to get your own bike as you would be more comfortable riding it.
COST INCLUDES:
- Accommodation in jungle camps/hotels/dormitories on all the days. Rooms/Safari tents will be on triple sharing or dormitories with separate bedding for each.
- Authentic local breakfast, lunch and dinner from day 1-4.
- Drinking water and fresh, energy drinks and bars along the route
- All entry tickets wherever applicable. Other water activites at actuals.
- A trained guide on a cycle along the route along with necessary repair kit etc
- A support vehicle all along the route, which would take care of your luggage
- Extra bicycles as backup in case you have a breakdown.
- A custom designed Event T-Shirt for all riders.
COST EXCLUDES:
1. Transport costs to Castlerock and back home from Goa.
2. Cycle and helmet. Cycle can be made available on rent.
2. Any expenses of personal nature such as mineral water, laundry, liquor, tips to driver, personal food orders etc.
3. Any kind of cost needed for major repairs and spares to repair a personal cycle in case of break down.
4. Any kind of insurance, such as accident, theft, medical, evacuation etc.
5. Any additional expense caused due to any reason beyond control of Pedal Thirst Adventures and its associates; like change in itinerary due to flight delays, road blockage, landslides, bad weather conditions, bridge breakage and any other natural calamity or incidence like strike, curfew etc. on which Pedal thirst adventures and its associates do not have any control.
6. Items not specified above in ‘Cost Includes’.
Things to Carry :
- Sports shoes during cycling and sandals/floaters with good grip while at campsite
- 1 lit water bottle(compulsory), 3/4ths or shorts or track bottoms, Cap, sunglasses
- Personal medication requirements if any.
- Hygienic requirements
- Cycling lights(front and rear), ID proof, power bank, camera(optional)
- Cycling Jersey or Any Dry Fit T-Shirt or Cotton T-Shirts - 2
- Cycling Shorts - 2
- Riders carrying own cycle should bring 1 extra tube, brake pads if not in good condition and helmet.
- Track Pant (Preferably Quick Dry) - 2
- T-shirt - 2
- Rain wear while riding, warm wear while at campsite.
- Undergarments
- Riding Glove - 1 Pair
- Sweat Band or Bandana
- Cotton Socks - (3 pairs)
- Sunscreen lotion (SPF–50 or above), lip balm, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, toilet roll, cold cream, small towel, Cup for tea/coffee.
- Anti-rash cream or powder to avoid any rash near groin area from cycling. Anti-fungal cream: Carry an antifungal cream if you are sensitive to sweating and prone to skin irritations around genitals or groin area.
SPECIAL NOTES
- Your luggage would be carried in the support vehicle. Keep all clothes and electric items in platic bags to avoid getting wet in support vehicle.
- A trail guide would be with us throughout the journey
- It is mandatory for all participants to wear helmets on the ride.
- On this arduous cycle trip delays and detours are possible on account of landslides, road blocks and weather conditions. Our effort would be to continue with the trip as per the schedule; make sure that you would be comfortable. But in such rare situations we could have to compromise on the accommodation that we have booked and adjust to these situations there. No compensation of any sort would be provided in such an event.
- The itinerary described above is the planned one; but very rarely due to reasons beyond our control some spot changes would have to be done. The decision of the tour guide would be final in such a case. No compensation of any sort would be provided in such a case.
- The distances mentioned in the above itinerary are to the best of our knowledge & information. Some minor variations would be expected.
- The cost mentioned above is for India citizen.
Cancellation:Tour Cancellation charges are applicable on actual full tour price
Before 30 days – Full Refund.
Between 30 – 20 days - 80% of the tour cost will be refunded.
Between 20 – 10 days - 50% of the tour cost will be refunded
Less than 10 days 0% - No refund.
Payment: You can pay 5000 as non-refundable deposit for your registration. Remaining can be paid 10 days prior to the expedition. Else you can pay the entire amount through our online registration link. Cancellation policy is applicable only if entire amount is paid while booking for the tour.
ACCOMMODATION: We will be staying in jungle camps with clean rooms and hygienic washrooms. Participants would be required to share with 1 or 2 other participants, based on the size of the swiss Tent at each stay. If it is a dormitory, it will be shared among 10-15 riders. Men and women will be accommodated separately. Electricity and hot water would be available depending on electricity. Mobile network is not gauranteed in such locations. Only BSNL/Jio might have some calling network
FOOD:We would have local food along the way to immerse ourselves in the unique and famous local cuisines - such as south Indian and Goan. Meals provided by us would be vegetarian/non-veg fixed menu. You can order for extra items apart from the fixed menu by paying the difference on spot. Sometimes during the cycling expedition we might have to serve either packed breakfast / lunch. Please carry lunch box for the same.
MEDICAL AND FIRST AID:This cycle expedition is in a relatively remote region, where advanced, professional medical help may not be available as easily as it is in cities. It would be the participant’s responsibility to ensure that he or she is in good health, physically and mentally both. It would be advisable to speak to your physician if you are unsure of your fitness levels. In case you have an existing medical condition or disability you must inform us before booking with us. In case of any health problem that you might face on the trip, it would be advisable to speak to your tour leader. The tour leader would be equipped to give only first aid to participants. Any expense incurred by us for any medical emergency / for evacuation for any reason, the expenses for the same would be borne by the concerned participant.
Talk with lead :9028280766 - Saideep Dhondge