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Goa
That you never imagined!
TOUR OVERVIEW
We think the world has been unfair to Goa in so many ways; but mostly because we have thought of it as just a beach and beer place. Goa is so much more than that. It has a rich heritage and history. Old Portuguese mansions, quaint islands, heritage walks, backwaters, waterfalls, and forests that glow!
Monsoon, typically an off-season, is one of the best times to explore this entirely different face of Goa. We bring you a trip that curates the most exciting and interesting experiences the state has to offer, including lip-smacking Goan cuisine. Stay in heritage properties and nature retreats, making it a perfect monsoon getaway!
Dates: 14 to 18 August 2024
Price: INR 41,000 + 5% GST
Duration – 4N/5D
Single occupancy surcharge – INR 15,500 + 5% GST
GALLERY
Day 1 - 14 Aug 2024
Arrive at the Dabolim airport by 2 PM. Proceed to check in to your stay in Velha Goa. Later, take a ferry ride and go for a guided walk around Divar island. Discover the island’s multicultural heritage of ancient Hindu temples and 18th Century churches, with the backdrop of a sleepy, green and panoramic island. End the evening with a Goan dinner. Overnight at Velha Goa.
Day 2 - 15 Aug 2024
After breakfast checkout & take a morning heritage walk of Velha Goa. Discover the stories of Goa’s former Portuguese empire, Velha Goa’s churches, and legends of hidden passages and tombs. This is not a history lesson but a storytelling session on the go!
Proceed to Sancordem, close to Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. Check in to your stay with mud lined rooms, offering a rural Goan experience.
After lunch, go for a plantation trail that the stay is set in and end the evening with folk dance and dinner. Overnight at Sancordem.
Day 3 - 16 Aug 2024
Wake up to beautiful surroundings. Go for a bird watching trail in the morning. After breakfast, visit a 13th century Lord Shiva temple in Tambdi Surla built by the Kadamba Dynasty and follow it up with a trek to a nearby waterfall. Return to stay by lunch time. Evening is at leisure. Late evening, get ready to experience the magical bioluminescent fungi trail. Overnight at Sancordem.
Day 4 - 17 Aug 2024
After breakfast and beautiful experiences captured, start for Panjim. On the way visit the Big Foot Museum to understand Goan life. Check into a heritage hotel in the heart of the Latin Quarter of Fontainhas. In the evening, go for a guided food walk. Not only try the local food at local establishments that have been around for years, also get to hear the untold stories of the evolution of Goan cuisine. Overnight at Panjim.
Day 5 - 18 Aug 2024
Have breakfast and get dropped at the airport. Trip Ends.
Inclusions
- 3 meals a day starting from dinner on Day 1 till breakfast on Day 5
- Beverages with meals (alcoholic or non alcoholic) are not included except on the food trail in Panjim on Day 4
- Evening tea/coffee
- Accommodation for 4N on double sharing basis.
- All transportation as per the itinerary. Please note that vehicles are planned from point to point basis and are not available during all hours
- Guided tour of Divar Island on Day 1
- Guided Old Goa heritage walk on Day 2
- Guided plantation tour on Day 2
- Guided trek to waterfall on Day 3
- Late evening bioluminescent fungi trail on Day 3
- Fontainhas food trail walk on Day 4.
- All entry tickets
- Tolls and Parking
- Your F5 guide
Exclusions
- Tea-time snacks and meals other than mentioned
- Packaged/Bottled water
- Alcohol
- Beverages during meals other than what is in the set menu
- Camera charges
- Activity charges other than mentioned
- Tips and personal expenses
- Medication
- Flights/Trains/Bus from your city of residence to Panjim and return
- 5% GST
Terms & Conditions
CANCELLATION CHARGES
- 15% of the trip cost if cancelled 90 days or more in advance.
- 25% of the trip cost if cancelled 89 – 60 days in advance.
- 50% of the trip cost if it is cancelled 59 to 16 days in advance.
- Last 15 days – no show – the entire amount will be forfeited.
- If you use our services to book flights, cancellation charges will apply
Disclaimer
- 50% of the trip cost is required to confirm the booking.
- All our trips are well-researched, including identifying access to medical facilities. In case of a medical emergency, F5 will assist the traveler in getting medical attention.
- F5 Escapes is in no way responsible for any untoward incident happening due to the ignorance/negligence of the guests, natural/man-made calamities, accidents or any other events that are out of human control during the trip.
- F5 reserves the right to cancel the trip under certain conditions – in such a case, the amount will be refunded in full.
Arrival & Departure
Reach Goa (Dabolim Airport) by 2 PM on Day 1 and fly out any time after 11 AM. If you are using the train or bus to reach Goa, please reach Panjim bus stand. If you are flying into North Goa airport in Mopa, additional pick up charges will apply.
Weather
We will be in the middle of monsoon and you should be prepared to get wet. Carry enough change of clothes and socks, as well as a raincoat and an umbrella.
*Please note that now a days, climate/ weather is dependent on many factors and unpredictable hence above information might be subject to change during your actual travel days.
Stay
Stays during the trip offer a variety of experiences from Portuguese style villas to ancestral homes turned heritage hotels to a stay completely surrounded by nature.
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- Velha Goa – A well reviewed 5 star hotel
- Sancordem – A stay catering to nature and wildlife. Mud lined cottages offer a Goan village experience.
- Panjim – A 130 years old family mansion heritage hotel providing Old World Goan hospitality.
Food
- We will try to have a mix of local thalis, continental fare and street food. There will be seafood in a couple of dinners but not all. Meals where sea food (prawns, lobsters, crabs etc.) is not a part, you can order those dishes at your expense. Fish and meat will be available as non-vegetarian options in most meals.
- Beverages (other than the ones included in the set menu) are to be ordered at own expense – alcoholic or non alcoholic.
- On Day 4, beverages (alcoholic and non alcoholic) are included during the food walk in the evening.
- If you have special dietary requests, please let us know beforehand.
Note > Prepare > Accept > Embrace
- Most important – This is not a typical beach and party trip. We are trying to explore a very different aspect of Goa in unusual weather. Rain will drive us indoors and there will be some segments where we will be just relaxing at the beautiful places. We may have to juggle some plans around depending on the weather. Please come with an open mind. If Goa still means beach, beer and party to you, we may not be a right fit.
- Our stay in Sancordem is next to a wildlife sanctuary. Being monsoon, insects are common. You are safe, but please do not be horrified if a grasshopper or cicada pays a visit.
- We will have salt sachets for the leeches. Please don’t worry about them. Leeches are a part of the monsoon in Goa and traditionally a medical therapy.
- There is quite a bit of walking involved in this trip, but apart from the simple trail walking in the forest, most are leisurely walks.
- This is a group trip. You will be signing up after reading the itinerary and asking questions. Please do not try to change the itinerary as per your preference. If you would like to go out on your own in Panjim, we can arrange a vehicle at extra cost. However, there will be no change made in the itinerary on your accord.
Interesting Read About Goa
‘F5 Escapes’ is a Bangalore-based, experiential travel company, with a focus on redefining the way women travel in India. The premise of F5 is an ambitious dream – to put India on the global travel map as a preferred destination for women from across the globe.
F5 Escapes offers fixed departure all-women group tours, customized itineraries for families, groups and solo travellers. We also do in-city engagements which include #JustGo travel meetups, workshops to educate women on travel safety, sustainable menstruation, motorbiking etc.