If you ask me – Beaches or Mountains, I’d always say mountains! The reason being mountains make me feel more alive and get me a step closer to conquer my fears. Well, if you don’t know, one of my biggest phobias is Acrophobia, the fear of heights. But after travelling and trekking for all these years, I’ve slowly started to overcome this fear and why not…the beauty of a place like the Kasainath Hill is more than enough to overpower any fears. I totally fell in love with this location and I thought of sharing this with you as well. Trust me; the Kasainath Trek is going to be totally worthwhile – try it yourself. Here is a complete guide to Kasainath Trek that will help you make this trekking journey even more fruitful.
About Kasainath - Unexplored Side of Goa-Maharashtra
Kasainath is a beautiful hill that is located on the outskirts of Dodamarg on the Goa-Maharashtra border. Enveloped with greens, this hill has a Shiva Temple right at its peak that is visited by many devotees during the holy month of Shravan, especially on Mondays (A day dedicated to Lord Shiva) and seek for blessings and goodwill. They walk bare feet, all the way uphill as a sign of gratitude and sacrifice since Sharavan is considered as a month of sacrifice and thanksgiving. However, on the other days, Kasainath remains unexplored.
If you’re a sucker for mountains and beautiful views, this is a must-visit place, especially during the monsoons or late monsoons as the view from above depicts picturesque green paddy fields hiding from the clouds – what more do you want?
How to Reach Kasainath?
To reach Kasainath, you will need to ride/drive all the way to Dodamarg by crossing the Goa border.
Time & Distance from Panaji: 1 h 17 min (40.8 km) via SH 2
Time & Distance from Mapusa: 49 min (26.5 km) via Mapusa – Bicholim Rd and SH 2
Time & Distance from Margao: 1 h 54 min (66.9 km) via Hathkhamba-Goa Rd
From the Dodamarg main junction, you will have to go a little ahead and take a right that directs to a little village until you approach a temple (P.S. This is not the Kasainath temple). You will need to park your vehicle here and then start walking for the trek.
The Kasainath Trek - Unexplored Side of Goa-Maharashtra
The locals of this village are very helpful. They saw us wandering and realised that we didn’t really know which side to walk, so one of the elderly guys approached us and gave us the exact directions of where we need to head. Before you reach the foot of the mountain, you will need to walk amidst a beautiful green paddy field – I swear I loved this part. It took me back to the good old days where my grandmother used to walk me through our fields during monsoons. You can get a couple of clicks here as well – the backdrop would be lush green and small streams flowing. You can see the Kasainath Hill from here. Once you cross the fields, the real trek starts.
The climb is a little steep, so if you are not used to trekking, I’d suggest you try walking slowly and don’t carry much of load in your bag pack so that you can walk freely. The pathway is fully visible, so you don’t need to worry about losing your way. As you reach halfway you will see a small waterfall towards your left where you can rest for a while. (Looks like this waterfall is available only during the monsoons).
You will find many small holy sculptures (locally known as ‘Pashaan’) throughout the trek.
Once you reach the peak, you will find the main Shiva temple (or ruins of the temple) which has the Shiva Lingam that is adorned with flowers & incense sticks (only if someone has been there recently). If you walk a little further, you will reach at the end of the cliff which has a huge rock.
The view from here is heavenly – I can’t really put in words the feeling on standing there and overlooking the entire green planet, fogged with white clouds.
We also took some ‘Chai’ along to add to our adventure as we sipped on a cup of hot tea by the cliff. We spent some time clicking pictures (after all I am a photoholic) and enjoyed the view – so very satisfying & just the kind of therapy that one needs over the weekend to relax the mind and soul.
After around 2 hours of being on top, we eventually, with a heavy heart had to leave downhill as we had to grab some lunch. So, as we trekked down, we made sure that we collected all the existing trash (at least as much as we could) because as a Sustainable Traveller, it is my duty to keep the environment clean. However, it was a little sad to see such a beautiful and sacred place being littered with plastic and chips packets.
Tips for the Kasainath Trek
Here are some additional points that I’ve made from my trekking experience to Kasainath, for you to keep in mind that will help you get a better trekking experience.
- The Trek is a moderate level trek – the only thing you need to note is that the climb is a little steep. However, the path is clear, and the locals will guide you to reach to the foot of the mountain
- The trekking duration is approx. 1 hour
- Don’t forget to carry enough water and avoid carrying unwanted things in your bag that would increase its weight
- Monsoon is the best time for this trek as everything is covered in green and you will also find a small waterfall on your way uphill
- Respect the sacred places that you encounter on the way
- Try to buy food or any other eatables from the locals so that they get business during these bad times
- Avoid carrying single-use plastic or any kind of non-biodegradable material
- DO NOT LITTER the place. If possible, do carry a bag with you to bring down any existing garbage – it’s for a good cause.
Conclusion
I whole-heartedly enjoyed this trek – I think it was the best one in 2020, so far! The entire journey, right from riding through the Goa-Maharashtra border on my new ride, interacting with the locals, walking through the paddy fields and sitting by the cliff, trying to overcome my phobia – it was an unforgettable experience. I’d suggest that every travel enthusiast visits Kasainath at least once in their life. If you do, don’t forget to tag @wander_with_kevin in your photos and stories. Happy Exploring!
Was this blog informative and helpful? Do tell me your suggestions in the comments section below so that I can put together anything that I have missed out – Your feedback is highly appreciated so that I can make your virtual travel experience worthwhile!
