Velas Turtle Festival

Sounds too good to be true, right? Not anymore, we at Mischief Treks can take you to witness the baby turtles take the first steps of their life towards the sea and then see them start their long journey of life which is full of challenges. Velas turtle festival is one of the most celebrated eco-festival in India - an event that sees tourists, travelers, and volunteers from around the globe. Velas beach is the place where the Velas Turtle festival will be held. The Velas beach lines up the coastal village of Velas in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. Velas beach is the Nesting site for Olive Ridley Turtles, once their eggs hatch the newborn baby turtles are released back to sea. So be ready with your camera to click these baby turtles as they take their first steps. Experiencing the turtle festival is also ideal for children, it gives these young buds the chance to come close to nature and enjoy making memories for a lifetime.

Major attractions of Velas Turtle Festival:

• Opportunity to witness the small baby turtles take their first step.

• Meet other Nature Enthusiasts.

• Traditional Konkani Home Stay

• Enjoy the authentic Konkani delicacy

• Visit the pristine Beach of Harihareshwar

• Explore Bankot Fort

• Visit to Harihareshwar Temple.

• Fun and Games at the Beach.

Best time to Visit Velas Turtle Festival

The best time to visit Velas is February to April as it is the time when the Olive Ridley Turtles hatch and start their journey towards the sea. The laying of eggs usually begins in February, and the process of turtles coming to the beach to the hatching of the eggs continues through April. Baby turtles are sighted only during the winter and summer months on Velas beach.

Day 0 - (18-Mar, 25-Mar, 01-Apr, 08-Apr)

Pickup points for the event

10:00 pm: 🚐 Borivli - SGNP Gate
10:15 pm: 🚐 Goregaon - Pathanwadi Oberoi Mall
10:25 pm: 🚐 Andheri - Start of Andheri flyover
10:40 pm: 🚐 Bandra - Kala Nagar
11:00 pm: 🚐 Sion - Station gate
11:20 pm: 🚐 Chembur - Ch.Shivaji Statue
11:40 pm: 🚐 Vashi - Opp. Central Mall
11:50 pm: 🚐 Kharghar - Hotel 3 star
12:00 am: 🚐 Kalamboli McDonalds

Those coming by own vehicle need to reach at the meeting point Kalamboli, before 11:50 pm and follow our vehicles till location. Enroute we will halt for a chai and washroom break, the time for which depends on the location and our driver:-)

DAY 1 - (19-Mar, 26-Mar, 02-Apr, 09-Apr)

• We will be reaching Velas by 05:00 am. Once we reach our Homestay in Velas village, we will have time to rest for an hour and freshen up. We will be visiting Velas Beach at 06:00 am for Turtle sighting.

• Then we'll be having Breakfast and post breakfast we go and take a sneak peek into a little bit of the history of Velas as we visit Bankot Fort.

• Now it's time to fill our stomachs and hearts with some lip-smacking and authentic food. For this, we will be returning to our Homestay.

• You can rest till evening, we will be visiting Velas Beach for Turtle Festival in the evening around 5 pm. This will be accompanied by lots of fun and games at the Beach.

• Have some time to lounge around on the beach and enjoy a beautiful sunset before we head back to the Homestay for Dinner.

• Post dinner we will be going for a night walk at the beach under the starry sky.

Day 2- (20-Mar, 27-Mar, 03-Apr, 10-Apr)

• Wakeup call for everyone at 5 am.

• After a good night rest head out for some more adventure.

• We will be visiting Velas Beach for Turtle Festival at 6am.

• Then we will be having breakfast later, we check out of the Homestay at Velas Village.

• We would then start our journey towards Harihareshwar Temple and Beach by Ferry.

• We'll be stopping for Lunch at Harihareshwar. (LUNCH NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE)

• Post Lunch we will bid adieu to the mesmerizing Velas and start our return journey to Mumbai by
  03:00 pm.

• Depending on the traffic conditions we will reach Mumbai approximately by 9:30pm.

Please Note: Any event including Velas Turtle Festival that is based on a natural occurrence or natural phenomenon eg. Hatching, Raining, Flower blooming, Cloud formation, etc.. is not in our control. You need to book such events only if you are willing to take that chance. The natural phenomenon cannot be assured from our end, nor is part of the inclusions of the charges.

Things Included in Velas Turtle Festival

• 1 night stay at a Local homestay in Velas village.

• Traveling from Mumbai to Velas and back in a private AC-Bus

• Visit to Bankot Fort.

• Visit to Harihareshwar beach And Temple.

• Ferryboat charges.

• All entry tickets and permissions.

• "Masti" and Mischief as always.

• Basic First-aid

• Expertise charges.

Includes Meals as follows:

• Breakfast on Day 1 & 2

• Lunch on Day 1

• Dinner on Day 1

*Please do note that the meals mentioned above are all Vegetarian. Non-Vegetarian (Fish/chicken) will be available at an additional cost*

Exclusions:

• Lunch on Day 2

• Packaged drinking water, Soft Drinks, or any such expenses.

• Any meals not mentioned above.

• Any personal expenses.

• Anything not mentioned in the inclusions.

Things to Carry:

• Identity Proof (must)

• Torch with extra battery (Must)

• A bottle of water (atleast 2 Ltrs)

• Extra pair of clothes

• Camera / Scarf / Towel / Sunglasses / Slippers

• Some ready-to-eat food. Plum cakes, Biscuits etc.

• Medicine that you require usually (We do have a basic first aid kit)

• Please avoid wearing Gold and other ornaments or carry precious items.