The Dudhsagar eco-tourism circuit in Goa has reopened for the 2026-27 season, with the Forest Department introducing online vehicle bookings, a daily cap of 240 trips and stricter safety rules for visitors travelling to the waterfall.
The order, issued by the Goa Forest Department on Saturday, allows authorised vehicles to carry tourists to Dudhsagar and back with immediate effect. Bookings must be made online through a government-authorised portal operated by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC).
The entry gate to Bhagawan Mahavir National Park at Collem will remain open from 8am to 3pm. Visitors will be admitted in batches of 30 to 40 people at hourly intervals, a system the department said was designed to account for available parking space and prevent overcrowding.
For the first 15 days, additional forest staff and other personnel will be deployed near the river crossing at Collem and at the waterfall site. Extra deployment will also be made during yellow alerts issued by the India Meteorological Department in Goa. The department has reserved the right to suspend the activity on any day for valid reasons, including orange or red weather alerts.
The number of daily trips has been capped at 240 in line with a recommendation from the State Board for Wildlife. Only vehicles registered with the Goa Forest Department will be allowed to enter the tourist circuit. Private vehicles and two-wheelers will not be permitted beyond the entry gate.
Visitors entering the falls must wear life jackets. The order requires the Goa Forest Department, Goa Forest Development Corporation and GTDC to deploy forest guards, trekkers, nature guides, support staff and lifeguards. Their instructions and services must be followed by visitors inside the circuit.
Permit holders must also keep personnel and vehicles on standby at the Collem river crossing to respond to visitor-safety concerns. Entry to the waterfall through the railway track has been prohibited, while the number of adults in each vehicle has been restricted to seven at a time.
The department has prohibited plastic water bottles and plastic carry bags inside the wildlife sanctuary and national park. Alcohol is also banned within the circuit, and strict action will be taken against visitors carrying alcohol or entering the area under its influence. Jeep operators and permit holders have been assigned primary responsibility for restricting such cases.
Speeding and rash driving are prohibited and may result in the suspension or cancellation of permits. Operators must ensure that their vehicles are fit for carrying tourists and must provide an undertaking that visitors will be allowed at least 15 minutes at the nature interpretation centre at the Collem gate. The visit is intended to sensitise tourists to forest and wildlife conservation.