The Western ghats present a prominent landscape along the
West-south Coast of India and springs up plenty of options for instinctive tourists like me. Chorla ghats sitting pretty atop the Belgaum - Panjim plains is one such destination that could well be called the 'Goa sans the beaches'. It falls right at the vertex of Goa, K'taka and Maharashtra border and covered with dense jungle of mangrove trees and wild species. It is well connected by road from Panjim and Belgaum though the Belgaum route is rooky and will offer you a bumpy ride.
I went in mid of October when the weather was a treat and I chose the Wildernest Adventure Resorts as my place of stay. The good part about this venture is that you are totally cut off from the outside world of vagaries with no phone signals, no newspapers and Television and a blanket cover of dense jungle all around you. That certainly sounds rejuvenating. Although spotting wild animals is a rarity but you get plethora of close shaves with snakes, birds, and invertebrates. During my stay, the best capture i could get my hands on was the Green wine snake camouflaged into the green flora.
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| Enroute Belgaum - chorla |
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These wood calls the shots to demarcate the Goa- Maharashtra border
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The Wildernest resort is a well built natural property in the Chorla village that offers premium space to stay, some indulgence into the organic konkan food and plenty of outdoor action.
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| Trekking to the Vazhra falls tackling the rocky paths |
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| Green Wine Snake |
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| Red Mushrooms |
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| Only if you observe carefully - this rock structure on the path to the falls resembles a face with eyes nose and lips. |
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| Vazhra falls - Conquered after crossing a rough terrain |
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| Malabar Snake |
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| The highest point of the Chorla ghats. Chorla derives its name from the native word 'Chorla' meaning thieves' den. It earlier used to be a thriving abode for smugglers during the portugese rule. |
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| Trying my hands and eyes to catch a glimpse of the Great Indian Snake |
Chorla , is indeed a must see for any adventurous wild life backpacker to dwell into the heart of eco- habitation. Detoxify, demystify, and deregulate from your monotonous routine.
