Wild Table by Chef Harshita: Through Konkan’s Foothills & Coast​
At the edge of the Amboli forests lies Kumbhawade — a foothill village where the road slowly gives way to forest trails, perennial rivers, firewood kitchens, and the slower rhythms of monsoon life.
Shaped by rain and the surrounding wilderness, the village remains deeply connected to the land around it. Food follows the season. Wild plants and medicinal herbs still carry everyday relevance. Forest paths lead to hidden waterfalls, and evenings gather people around slow meals, stories, and woodsmoke.
Wild Table is a four-day monsoon journey into this landscape. Led by forest food researcher and chef Harshita Kakwani alongside local farmers, home chefs, ethnobotany expert, herpers, and KTC field guides — this is an exploration of food, forest, culture, and the slower intelligence of village life.
You will walk hidden waterfall trails and perennial rivers. Forage through forests with people who know what they’re looking for. Cook beside woodfire kitchens with home chefs who learned from their mothers. Spend evenings around slow meals and monsoon conversations that go nowhere in particular.
The journey begins in the foothills and ends by the sea, closing in the laid-back coastal town of Vengurla, where the forest settles into salt air and open water.
- Chef-Led Journey: Chef Harshita Kakwani
Forest Food Reinventor & Culinary Curator - Regional Knowledge Keeper: Ramchandra Shrungare
Wild Food, Medicinal Plant & Forest Knowledge Keeper - KTC Field Expert
Naturalist, Interpreter & Wilderness Guide
Itinerary
Day 0
Finding the right transport? That’s on us. Whether you're joining from Pune, Mumbai, Hyderabad, or Bangalore, we’ll sort out the most comfortable option so you can just show up and enjoy the experience. Departures are scheduled for the evening before the trip begins to ensure a relaxed start to your adventure.
We are at 25 Kms from North Goa.
Day 1 | The Wild West
Amboli with its altitude of 2264 Ft is a prime hillstation before the coastal highlands of Konkan. We will breeze past Amboli into the foothills to a village where the road ends!
 + Pick-up & Road Trip in the Ghats
 + Pitstop at Thakar Adivasi Kala Aangan for breakfast & freshen-up.Â
 + Trip briefing by Trip Co-ordinator
 + Thakar Museum & Art Gallery Guided Walk:  Guided exploration of the tribal art, puppetry, Chitrakathi paintings, and other traditional art forms at Thakars. Experience the storytelling aspect of this rich art and craft. Option to purchase souvenirs and support local artisans. This is the very artform that aided Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in his battles!
 + Roadtrip to the Amboli Hills
 + Amboli Waterfall! Amidst the Amboli ghat & overlooking the Valley, amboli waterfall is a mesmerizing fall that greets you as you enter Amboli.
 + Authentic Malvani Cuisine Veg Lunch: A Thali featuring the vegetarian staples of the region
 + Check-in at the stay: Nestled between forested hills, streams, and seasonal waterfalls, your stay offers a quiet retreat surrounded by the sounds of the monsoon.
 + Introduction to Foraging way of life! A conversation around wild foods, seasonal ingredients, and the deep relationship between local communities and the surrounding forests.
 + Village Life Trail: A slow walk through the everyday landscapes of the village. Follow riverside paths, visit the local school and temple nestled among the hills, and practice the art of noticing, the sounds, stories, routines, and relationships that reveal how people live in close connection with the land. The evening concludes at our hosts' home for dinner.
 + Introduction to the Malvani Cuisine leading upto a woodfire cooked meal amid the rains with the hosts.
 + Woodfire Supper! As evening settles over the valley, gather around a wood-fired kitchen for an introduction to the ingredients, techniques, and stories behind Malvani food.
Dinner features locally inspired recipes prepared by the hosts. The highlight of the dinner is a fluffy yet crisp rice wada served alongside traditional hill-style chicken and seasonal vegetarian gravies.
A simple meal, cooked over fire, made memorable by the people, the setting, and the rain.
Day 2 | Explore the Foothills
A day spent following the hidden threads that connect forest, food, water, and local knowledge in the monsoon landscapes of Amboli.
 + Wake up to the sounds of nature around you
 + Pothole river in the jungle: A short walk from the stay leads to a hidden river corridor where two streams meet beneath the forest canopy.
Watch waterfalls tumble into crystal-clear pools as the river winds through giant boulders and dense greenery.
 + Forest Listening Circle: A guided practice in slowing down and experiencing the forest through sound, observation, and presence.
 + Traditional Amboli & Chutney Breakfast
 + Ethnobotany & Jungle Foraging Trek: Join our regional wild food expert on a guided trek through Amboli's monsoon forests. Learn about the edible, medicinal, and cultural uses of local plants while exploring how generations have relied on the forest for food, healing, and everyday life. Discover seasonal wild vegetables and gain insights into the region's rich ethnobotanical traditions.
+ Forest to Fork! Enjoy a traditional Malvani meal featuring seasonal wild vegetables and ingredients inspired by the morning's exploration.
 + Slow Afternoon in the Foothills: The afternoon is intentionally left open to wander village paths, spend time by the stream, chat with local residents, or simply enjoy the monsoon unfolding around you. Let serendipity surprise you!
 + *Add on!* Wildlife Herping Trail: Venture into the forest after dark with an expert naturalist to discover the fascinating nocturnal world of frogs, reptiles, insects, and other creatures that emerge with the monsoon.
 + Malvani Dinner at Stay
Day 3 | Tropics
After two days spent among rivers, waterfalls, and the forests of the foothills, we begin our journey toward the warmth of the Konkan coast.
 + Baba Cave Waterfall Trail: Follow a forest path through a series of cascading waterfalls leading to the magnificent Baba Waterfall. Tucked beside a natural cave, the trail offers the rare experience of standing behind the curtain of water and viewing the falls from within the landscape itself.
 + Breakfast with a view! Settle into a natural cave overlooking the waterfall and enjoy a leisurely breakfast accompanied by mist, birdsong, and the constant roar of water echoing through the valley.
 + Checkout from the Foothills Stay
 + Road-Trip to the Beachside HomestayÂ
 + A Seat at the Village Table: An intimate afternoon meal with the local family that celebrates the food, traditions, and hospitality that define coastal life in Konkan.Â
 + An Evening by the Sea: Spend the evening at the beach close to the homestay. Walk along the shoreline, take in the sunset, or simply relax and settle into the slower rhythm of coastal life.
+ Authentic Malvani Seafood Dinner at the Stay. Peek into the kitchen to grasp a few flavoring techniques that have not left the local kitchen.
Day 4: Tune into the local life
The final day of Wild Table unfolds in one of Konkan's most fascinating ecosystems, the mangroves. Neither land nor sea, these tidal forests are shaped by the constant rhythm of rising and falling waters. Life here adapts to the tides, and so does the day ahead.
 + Life in the Mangroves: An immersive exploration of the mangrove ecosystem guided by local knowledge holders who have lived alongside these waters for generations. Just like the mangroves, this experience is shaped by time and tide: we may go crab gathering, swimming through backwaters, but definitely observing the remarkable ecology that thrives where river meets sea.
 + Traditional Breakfast. A surprise foraged snack from the mangroves awaits!
 + Heritage Market Walk: Step into the bustling local market where the region's food culture comes alive. Discover seasonal produce, fresh catches, kokum, spices, preserved foods, monsoon delicacies, and ingredients that have shaped coastal kitchens for generations. Our team will help you navigate the market and understand the stories behind what is being sold.
 + Vengurla Fish Market Walk: Follow the morning rush through one of the coast's most vibrant spaces.Â
 + Authentic Malvani Lunch
 + Relax at the Homestay
 + Departure: Drop back at the Station/Highway (with a truckload of memories..
)
- Charges include 4D3N Stays
- All Meals
- Local facilities
- Experts on the trip
- KTC Field Guiding & expertise
- Internal transfers from Pick-up till Drop
- Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
- Items with tag [Add-on]
Trip Fees
- Best Price: Shared Occupancy
> Ex Sawantwadi/Kudal ₹-
> Ex Pune/Mumbai ₹- [Overnight AC Sleeper Bus]
