Gokarna Beach Trek: Tips, Routes, and Best Times

Overview 

Located in the northern part of Karnataka Gokarna is a true beach paradise. Offering amazing views, gentle waves, and clean water there are 5 popular beaches in Gokarna as kudle Beach, Gokarna Main Beach, Half Moon Beach, Om Beach, and Paradise Beach.
Between these beaches, there are lush green hills making Gokarna an interesting place to visit. 

Along with adding charm to Gokarna's landscape these hills also give an amazing opportunity for Gokarna beach trek. One of the best ways to go beach hopping in Gokarna is the Gokarna beach trek. On this trek, you will be covering all the major beaches of Gokarna. Here in this blog, we have mentioned everything you need to know about the Gokarna beach trek. 

How difficult is the Gokarna beach trek?

The Gokarna Beach trek is rated as an easy trek that can be done by anyone with basic fitness. If you work out regularly or at least a few times a week then this is going to be an easy trek for you. This trek is not full of difficulties though the only difficulty you might face during this trek would be the harsh sunlight. So be hydrated and apply sunscreen for a fun-filled trek! On this trek, you will be hiking and crossing the hills to arrive at the next beach. On your way you will be climbing up, crossing boulders and rocks. It is recommended to prepare yourself well before the trek and not go trekking if you have any kind of sickness or injuries. 

Why should you do this trek?

The Gokarna Beach trek is one of the most beautiful treks you can do if you are visiting gokarna. Here are some reasons why you should do the Gokarna Beach trek. 

• One of the best ways to explore and experience the beauty of gokarna is by hiking along the coast. So, go for these beaches and have a great beach trekking experience of your lifetime. 
• You can not explore all the beaches of Goa by vehicle. Paradise and Half Moon Beach are only accessible by hike or a ferry. So the best way to explore these beaches is to trek. 
• A ferry ride would cost you a lot if you want to visit multiple beaches in Goa. it is better to go for a hike and witness the beauty of nature from close.
• All the challenges you might face during the trek and all the efforts you put in are worth the views you will get while trekking. You might also get to see dolphins near the half-moon beach. 
• Gokarna is one of the few famous destinations that offers a unique opportunity to have an experience of hills and beaches all together. Here you will get to hike and swim multiple times a day. 

Where to start the trek from?

Option 1

You will need to start the Gokarna Beach trek from extreme ends i.e. Gokarna Main Beach or Belekan Beach. However, there are no trekking trails between Kudle Beach and the gokarna main beach. So to reach Kudle Beach you will need to take the road and that is the reason why Gokarna Main Beach is not a part of the trek. So you may start your beach trek from Kudle Beach and trek toward Paradise Beach. 

After the om beach, the later part of this beach trek is through dense forest. If you choose this route you will get extra time in the morning to spend at Kudle and Om Beach. The last ferry to Kudle Beach is available last till 6 pm which is one of the disadvantages of this route there are very few ferries that drop you at Kudle Beach because most of them drop you at Om Beach and then from there you will have to trek to kudle beach. This is not a feasible option if you are planning to catch the sunset from the labyrinth. 

Option 2

You can choose to start the gokarna beach trek from Paradise or Belekan Beach. Your trek will start from Belekan Beach if you are joining the group tour from Bangalore or any other city. If you want to start your trek from Paradise Beach then you can take a ferry to the beach. In this, you will be missing a 1 to 1.5 km long trek from Belekan to Paradise Beach. The advantage of choosing this route is that you don’t need to rush to catch a ferry at the end of the day.

You can have so much time to chill if you start the trek early in the morning and you will also get plenty of time to have lunch at the beach. The second advantage of choosing this route is you can spot dolphins early in the morning because this is the time when there haven’t been many ferry rides. The only disadvantage of this route is that you may not find frequent ferry rides from Kudle to Paradise Beach and in that case, you will need to trek to Om Beach from Kudle to take a ferry. 

What things you should carry for the gokarna beach trek?

You will not need to carry too many things for the Gokarna Beach trek as the weather in gokarna is pretty hot. What things you should carry depends upon how you are going to travel if you are willing to do water sports and swimming or not. Here is a list of a few essential things that will help you select the things to carry that are best for you.

• Clothes: you should carry comfortable and quick-drying clothes for the trek and for swimming as well. 
• Footwear: for most of the treks it is recommended to wear trekking shoes but the gokarna beach trek is not so difficult and it can be done wearing sandals too. You can easily take sandals off and wear them again after swimming or after walking in the sand.
• Quick dry towel: you must carry a towel if you don’t prefer drying naturally under the sun.
• Water bottle: do not forget to stay hydrated. Carry a reusable water bottle along with yourself during the trek. 
• Sun protection: the weather in gokarna is hot so you must carry a sun protection kit in which you should keep sunscreen for the whole body, sunglasses, a summer coat, a cap, and any other essential items. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the best time for Gokarna beach trekking?

The best time to trek is from October to February. Gokarna is too hot in summer, so it's best to visit during the monsoon or winter.

Is the gokarna trek difficult?

The Gokarna trek is considered an Easy-moderate-level trek.

How long is Gokarna Trek?

The Gokarna Beach Trek is an approximately 10 km trek, including a one-way ferry ride. It takes 5-6 hours, depending on stops at the beaches, for lunch, and for photos.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Gokarna Beach Trek is one of the best ways to go beach hopping. Have a safe trek and do not roam outside in the dark. If you don’t have trekking experience then you must find a local guide. Be careful while swimming in the beach water. Visit the 5 famous beaches of Gokarna Kudle Beach, Gokarna Main Beach, Half Moon Beach, Om Beach, and Paradise Beach, and enjoy the serene views of lush green hills and beaches.