Sahyadri Treks

Karnala fort, also known as Funnel Hill, situated in the Panvel taluka of Raigad district, this protected fort lies within the Karnala Bird Sanctuary. The sanctuary is small with an area of 12.11 square kilometres, centred around the historic Karnala Fort and it lies just off the Mumbai-Goa highway. This place is approx. 50kms from Mumbai and around 10kms from Panvel city. After taking necessary permission, your actual trek starts from the Karnala Bird Sanctuary gate. The forest department opens the gate for visitors at 7 am until 6pm. This fort was built by the Devgiri Yadav dynasty in 1400 and was later used by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as an observatory for trade between Kalyan and Alibaug sea routes. The beauty of the fort and the surrounding is magnificent and you can absorb the breath-taking views and the zig-zag, narrow and uphill path that takes you to the top of the fort. From the entrance to Karnala fort is about 2.5km in distance through the forest. On the way, you cross the bird sanctuary. It is peaceful to walk along the narrow path and you come across some birds on the way up. The view from the top is beautiful and filled with greenery. The view offers Raigad district on one side and Lonavala, Khandala range on the other. In the centre of the fort is a 125ft tall basalt pillar also called Pandu’s tower. This structure was used as a watchtower when the fort was occupied. At the bottom of the fort is a small temple called Karnai Devi. Whether you are a professional trekker or just a beginner, this is the one trek you should definitely try. It's an easy to moderate level trek, an ideal getaway during weekdays and weekends. read more read less

Lohagad Fort trek is a standout amongst the most prevalent trek points near Pune/Mumbai .Out of the numerous forts located in the region, We would rate this as one of the most effortless and secure forts to climb.You will love the place if you are a history lover. This place holds very important mark in the history of Maharashtra. It contains many reminiscences. If you want to go to some different location then its a place worth going. There are several forts which one can spot, prominent among them are Tikona, Visapur and Tung. This was basically used as a watchtower during Maratha rule and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj has graced this fort at least twice - once when coming back from Surat after siege of Surat and second time after the battle of Umbarkhind when 3000 maratha light infantry beat a 20000 strong Mughal forces headed by kartalabkhan. On climbing the steps one can get beautiful view of Pavana lake and other green mountains, the fort remains cover with clouds during monsoon. On reaching the top one can get magnificent view of the surroundings and the green valleys.On the top there is a dargah, a temple and Vinchukata Point(Scorpion Tail). The trek may get a bit tiring but once you are on top you really forget your tiredness.   read more read less

Located closer to Panvel, Kalavantin Durg offers dangerous yet thrilling trekking experience. This fortress was named after a queen named Kalavantin as per legendary folk tales, but that's all one could say about this massive fort as very little is known about its history. The most impressive feature about Kalavantin Durg is its amazing steps that have been cut out within the huge rock. Technically difficult yet Kalavantin Durg gets its share of visitors from local tourists, as well as enthusiast trekkers. A perfect 360-degree view will leave you breathless. read more read less

The peak of Kalsubai in Nagar district is the highest peak of the mountain range of Sahyadri. The Everest of the Sahyadris, Kalsubai trek is a dream of every avid trekker to climb it at least once. Kalsubai is a part of the Kalsubai Harishchandragad Wildlife Sanctuary which spreads from Kalsubai to Harischandragad in Akole. The Kalsubai sanctuary is a challenge to trekkers with its rugged hilly terrain and the Kalsubai pinnacle at its height of 5500 ft is a real steep climb. There is a steep and difficult route from Indore but trekkers prefer the ladder-route from Bari village which is about 10 km from Bhandardara. It usually takes three hours to reach the top from Bari. Soon after leaving Bari, there is a Hanuman temple and the route from behind this temple takes the hiker straight to the summit. At a height of 5500 feet Kalsubai offers a panoramic view. Towards west, Alangad, Madangad & Kulanggad could be seen. Towards south is the famous Bhandardhara lake and Ratangad beyond it. read more read less

Ratangad is one of the jewels of Sahaydri. It lies in the Ajoba mountain range surrounded by great mountains of Kulang, Alang, Kalsubai, Katarabai, Ajoba and Ghanchakkar. Geographically, Ratangad is at the banks of Bhandardara lake of Ahmednagar district. The fort is about 2000 years old. The road is scenic with lush green mountains and lot of streams. In rainy season, you might get to see lots of waterfalls as well. Ratangad was captured by Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The base village, Ratanwadi has an Amruteshwar temple which is famous for its carvings. Ratangad has a natural rock peak with a cavity in it at the top which is called 'Nedhe' or 'Eye of the Needle'. The fort has four gates Ganesh, Hanuman, Konkan and Trimbak. It also has many wells on the top. read more read less

Dhak Bahiri Cave is situated in the base village of Jambhavli of Raigad District.  Height of the cave is 2700 feet i.e. 823 meters. The route to the cave has rock cut steps and they can be risky at some times. The route is hard at some places so proper care and trekking equipments are required. Usually Kundeshwar temple is a base camp for this trek where water is available in all seasons. The Dhak Cave has two water tanks. There are a number of utensils also found inside the tank which are offered to god by pilgrims. For climbing, on the last patch of Dhak before reaching inside the cave on the steep rock, there is one branch of tree which is tied with a rope. From the top you can see Karnala, Bhimashankar, Manikgad, Rajmachi etc. read more read less

Rajgad fort also known as Raoyal fort/ King of all forts, situated in the Pune district of Maharashtra. This fort was Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj's capital for 26 years, after which the capital was later shifted to the Raigad fort. The beauty of the fort and the surroundings are breath-taking and amazing. Absorb the breath-taking views as the zig-zag narrow, uphill path takes you to the top of the fort. Massive Maha Darwaja and Chor Darwaja tells the tale of the Fortress of the forgotten empire. There are three main Darvajas to reach Padmavati Machi Chor Darvaja, Pali Darvaja and Gunjavane Darvaja. If you are planning to stay overnight, then morning sunrise from Balekilla is mesmerizing. This fort is surrounded by three side fortified ridges: Padmavati Machee Sanjivani Machee Suvela Machee. From Rajgad fort you can see a magnificent view of Sahyadri range. During winter season, this entire range is covered by beautiful wild flowers. Attraction of the Fort: Balekilla Sanjivani Machee Padmavati Machee Suvela Machee View of Torna and Sinhgad read more read less

If you like adventure and nature, this is a must visit trek. Visapur fort is one of the more accessible forts along with Lohagad. Visapur fort is a gigantic fort which lies near the Malavali railway station and it is visible from the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The trek to Visapur is long and winding but it is an adventure worth experiencing. There are no signs to the fort and no obvious trail after a while it is like walking into the unknown and that adds to the fun. The fortification is intact but there isn’t much left on the fort top. The surroundings are amazing. You can see the amazing Pawana lake and the 3 other forts Lohagad, Tung and Tikona Climbing till the top of the fort takes around 2 to 2.5 hours from Malavali. There is nothing you will get on top so please carry sufficient water and food. During monsoon, the road from the dense forest gives a memorable experience and an awesome climate welcomes you, making sure you leave behind all your worries. Surrounding views of the lush green plains are particularly great from the top & you can notice some adjoining forts.   read more read less

Most suited for those who love to trek and have a penchant for history. Torna fort also called Prachandagad (huge/massive fort). It is historically significant because it is the first fort captured by Shivaji Maharaj in 1643, at the age of 16. This fort is around 65km from Pune city and is one of the tallest forts in the Pune district. Composition of long stretched open lands with rocky parts to climb with extreme precision. There are stretches where you have deep valleys on both sides of the cliff.  There are many places to see on the fort. You can see Bini Darwaaja (Main entrance) Temple of goddess Mengai, Budhla machi from Konkan darvaja side, Zunjar Machi on the left side of the fort, Kothi Darwaaja and excellent view of Gunjavne dam & its river from front side of the fort. In the last leg of the trek there is a very steep climb with 2 small rock patches to negotiate. There is protective railing in all the difficult locations, this makes the entire hike very safe. The view, at the top is awesome and rewarding for the long climb. The views from the top are amazing. On a clear day, you will see the twin fort of Rajgad and the majestic Bale Killa. You can see the outlines of Lingana pinnacle and Raigad fort on the opposite side, Sinhagad. From the top when there is clear visibility you can see Purandar fort and Pratapgadh fort.   read more read less