Horinmara-Hatuvanga Waterfall, Sitakunda
For getting a different type of taste in trekking trails than the regular trail, you can choose the Horinmara-Hatuvanga trail in Sitakunda. You may not find such huge boulders as other trails but the trekking route of this trail is very wild and thrilling. To start the trail you need to buy a ticket first. The ticket price is Tk 20 per person. Basically, you have to reach the Horinmara trail through a village and the locals take this money from the tourists. The village is very small, beautiful and tidy. Locals have built their own houses around the hills. The houses are made of mud and are a little higher than the road. There is very little settlement here. An elevated bridge you will see when you cross the village road. In front of the bridge is a lake, named “Nilambori Lake”. The lake is currently dry. Earlier, tourists had to enter the trail by boat through Nilambori Lake. But now, as there is no water, you have to walk through the side road to reach the trail. It is clear that People don’t not using this road. The jungle surrounds the entire road. Some places on this trail are very narrow. If you are a little careless, an accident can happen. We were treading very carefully. Because of the density of the jungle all around, we can’t see huge holes next to it.
How to go to Horinmara-Hatuvanga Waterfall-
You can go by bus in 2 ways.
1- Direct Dhaka to Sitakunda
2-Dhaka to Feni to Sitakunda
Ena, Hanif, Shyamoli, and Saudia buses reach Sitakunda directly from various bus terminals including Syedabad, Janpader Mor, Chittagong Road, and Gabtali in Dhaka. The fare is Tk 680 per person. There are also some cheaper bus services that leave from Jonopoder Mor, Dhaka. Rent – 450 Tk. The bus will drop you off directly at Choto Komoldoho. From there you can take an auto to the entrance of the trail. The fare is Tk 40-50.
If going to the Feni route, some buses including Star Line, and Ena go to Mohipal in Feni. Rent 359-400 Tk. Buses are available from Mohipal to Sitakunda. Fare 80-100 Tk. You should tell your driver about your destination. He will drop you at Choto Komoldoho. Then take a rickshaw/auto and go directly to the trail gate.
Intercity trains don’t go to Sitakunda directly. First, you can go to Sitakunda by train from Dhaka. Dhaka to Chittagong train fare- 360 taka (S chair). From Chittagong, you have to get down to Choto Komoldoho by bus. Dhaka to Chittagong Train Schedule, Ticket Price, and Booking Details.
The mail train comes directly to Sitakunda. Rent is Tk 110 per person. If you have too much budget problem, you can travel by mail train. From Sitakunda station you must take Chittagong bound bus or minibus to Choto Komoldoho. You can reach the trekking point by auto rickshaw. The Rent is 40-50 taka. Find out if traveling by mail train is safe or not!
Sitakunda Residential Hotels and Food Hotels-
Many hotels have been built in Sitakunda Bazar, bus stand. You can spend the night on a low budget. Hotel Saudia, Hotel 99, Hotel Jalsa, Hotel Tayiba, Hotel Saimun, etc. are open for tourists 24 hours.
After finishing the trail, you can eat at the house of local residents. In that case, you must order in advance. You can also eat at the local’s house by shopping yourself. In that case, you only have to pay the cooking bill. Besides, there are some good food hotels in Sitakunda market, you can eat there too.
What to see on Horinmara-Hatuvanga Trail-
1) Nilambari Lake or Bawachara Lake
2)Hatuvanga Waterfall
3)Shorpopropat waterfall
4) Horinmara fountain
5) Andharmanik-2 khum
Harinmara Hatuvhanga trail has a total of 3 springs and four khums ( Deep lake creates from Springs water). There is a khum in front of each fountain. And the most attractive and terrifyingly beautiful place on this trail is the Andharmanik 2 khum. Earlier this khum had to be entered by boat after crossing Nilambori Lake. At that time, the real beauty of this khum could be enjoyed but now tourists have to walk on foot to reach there. Don’t go down here out of curiosity. It’s so dangerous and risky.
After walking along the hilly narrow road for some time, I saw the Jhiripath. There was little water in the Jhiripath as there was no rain in Sitakunda. Harinmara is an instant trail. These trails are more enjoyable to trek during rain. On the way, we see a big rock and a cascade. Buzzards are calling in groups from the jungle. After walking for about 20 minutes, we reach the Hatuvanga waterfall. The waterfall is named Hatuvhanga because there is a round hole in the middle of the cascade. You can climb up this fountain. But if you have no experience, there is no need to go up with the risk. There is a khum in front of the fountain. Although small in size, the depth is considerable. The cascades are very slippery and sharp, so be careful. After walking along the road to the right from this fountain, you will find Shorpoprapat waterfall. It is named shorpopropat because it is spiral like a snake (Shorpo). The road to this waterfall is a bit dark. Due to the abundance of vegetation, the sunlight does not reach here at all. There are many cuts on the way to this waterfall so avoid walking with bare feet. I saw some big stones and a small khum in front of the Shorpoprapat waterfall. It is a sweet water spring. The water of this spring is mildly sweet to drink. You can test if you want. This waterfall is the smallest in size on the Horinmara Trail.
Leaving Sarpaprapat waterfall, our next destination is Horinmara waterfall, the last and largest of the trail. We don’t have to walk long. From a distance, I heard the continuous sound of water. A dense forest surrounds this fountain. Once upon a time, there was a lot of deer gathering here. Hunters from different parts of the country used to come here to hunt deer. Hence the name of this spring is Horinmara Waterfall. In front of the spring, There is a huge and deep khum. There are a lot of poisonous flies around this fountain. Flea bites usually heal after some time, so there is nothing to fear. As it is almost afternoon, I did not dare to bathe. The water was very cold. As the evening progressed, the chirping of insects and spiders increased. The sun sets a little early in the mountains. And being on the trail after dusk is dangerous. So we quickly left the place. Since we ate nothing all day, everyone was very hungry. Before entering the trail, we visited the house of Asma Apa, a local resident. She prepared food for us. Her cooking was ready when we returned. We sat down to eat after getting fresh. The food items included rice, chicken, potato paste, and dal. After trekking all day, the food tasted like nectar. Our night bus was at 10 pm. So after the meal we all rested for some time. The people of this house were very sincere and hospitable. We said goodbye to everyone and left for Dhaka.
Traveling Cautions and Tips-
1) Must wear Trekking Shoes.
2) Try to avoid poisonous flies.
3) The slopes of this trail are hazardous. Huge holes in various places. Once stuck in a rock, A terrible accident can happen. If you don’t know how to swim, getting into the water is dangerous. Be careful.
4) Do not go up the waterfall, especially in the on-season. It is very dangerous.
5) Horinmara-Hatubhanga is an instant trail i.e. when it rains there is plenty of water available on this trail. There is very little water without rain. So try to trek this trail during rain.
6) It is sometimes difficult to get a bus to Sitakunda Bazar or Chittagong after the evening from Choto Komoldoho, so try to catch the bus before evening.
