When we say trekking, the first thing that comes to mind is navigating a tough hilly terrain probably in mountain getaways or forests. When you are trekking in Gokarna, you get the thrill of painstakingly crisscrossing a hilly terrain, finding your way through a groove of trees and ferrying through a river just like you do in most other trekking trips. But what makes a trek in Gokarna distinctly delightful is that while you walk and climb and jump, the sea constantly cheers you with it’s comforting murmurs and rewards you at every turn with it’s breathtaking views.
Is it a wonder then, that Gokarna’s beach trekking trail is called the Golden trail? Uttar kannada’s jagged coast line makes it an ideal location for such a unique experience of sea, trees, rocks and river.
The Kumta- Gokarna trail
This trail starts at the Kumta beach and then goes on to Vannali beach and then around the hill through a grassland to Mangodlu Beach. From there conquering another rough terrain will take you to Kadle Beach. The Nirvana cliff which is the next stop could mesmerise you with the view. You keep the wall of Kagal fort to your left and walk further till a hole in the wall takes you to Heaven beach. Heaven beach as the name informs you is heavenly and is ideal to camp.
The next day a small trail on the right at the end of the beach will take you to the River Aghanashini which can be crossed by a ferry ride. Then the Belakhaan beach alternated by a stretch of forest cover will take you to Paradise beach. Trekking through the Golden trail of Gokarna’s beaches through grasslands and pristine beaches like the Small Hell beach, Half Moon beach, Om beach and Kudle beach will be an exhausting but exhilarating experience. If you are lucky, you can view schools of dolphins playfully gamboling in the sea from the dolphin view point and click quite a few unusual shots to post and brag about in Facebook and Instagram.
There are travel and adventure companies and resorts in the region organising these treks as a package. The package includes bonfire parties, picnic lunches and other refreshment breaks in between. With such packages come a lot of advantages. One is safety. As experienced guides lead you through the trek, you don’t have to break your head about checking if you are on the right way.
Trekking in big groups makes sure that each one looks out for the others and there is readily available help in emergencies. The luggages are sent ahead to camping venues by vehicles and uncertainties are minimal as the pit-stops and night stays are planned well in advance. But if you hate the rigidity of such plans, you can embark on this trekking trip on your own after taking some precautions for safety. But whether you are travelling solo or are part of big trekking expeditions, the Kumta to Gokarna trekking trail in the right season can easily be one of the best trekking trips you have made in your life and one that your friends and family are going to be tired hearing about, as you will tend to re-live and fondly recount those memories time and again!
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