Kenjalgad fort

Kenjalgad Fort Trek

How to Reach : Its about 80 km from Pune which requires 2 hours.
1.Pune-Bhor-Varandha ghat raod- take left  to Ambeghar-Ambwade-take right-Oholi-Ghat starts- Same ghat goes to Raireshwar Fort and Wai. after almost half of ghat take left tune for Kenjalgad-Base village-Parking.

The ghat section is not so good for car. Some portion is very rough especially in rainy days.

Parking : The parking can be done at open space near Kenjalaimata temple. Its free and non supervised.

Food a Water : No food stall here at the parking. You can take water from well. Only homemade food can be made available by villagers  on demand.

Stay : Home stay can be provided at the base village on request or can be stayed at Kenjalaimata temple.

About Trek :
The trek is quite simple. It will take hardly 30 mins to reach on the top. Just take care not to misguide on route. Because there are other routes used by local people for different purpose. The route starts in dense forest and climbing higher. You have to follow the route that goes upwards and in case of confusion take left and upwards route. Once to reach on the top, beautiful scenic view will give you tremendous pleasure. Form the open space the Plateau of the Fort plateau looks very elegant and epic. Go towards the plateau and take slight right in the trees to go on the top of the fort.
Go for 5 mins walk and take left. There is one cave with small worship place inside. Take left and right and you will see a huge steps carved in stone. Steps are slippery in rainy season.These are iconic steps of the fort. After a Step you will be on the top. 

What to See :
You need atleast 30 minutes to explore the fort. Since the view is very scenic it may take 2 hours
The fort has vast plateau.Temple, Grinder, Fortification walls and bastion are there on the top. Some water tanks also there which has drinkable water.
You can see Raireshwar Plateau, Arther seat point of Mahabaleshwar, Dhom dam, Panchgani, Kamalgad, Rohida fort, Varandha ghat, Rajgad, Torna fort etc. are visible from the fort.

Trek Safety : 

• Carry food and water with you !
• Ghat section is not good for bike and cars in rainy season.
• Parking is unsupervised.!
• Follow the route properly or take a guide from the base village on nominal charge of Rs. 200/300 around.

Kothaligad Trek

Kothaligad fort ( Peth fort)

Kothaligad is one the most scenic popular fort. It is also known as fort of Peth named after base village Peth. Its very photogenic because of its 'Bell-Shaped' look.

 How to Reach : Its about 140km from Pune.

Pune-Lonavla-Khandala-Khopoli- exit from right turn to Karjat-Posari-Kadaw-Takawe-Kothimbe-Jambhawali-Kothaligad base

Public transport is to the base village Jambhvali is available from Karjat, Kadawe and Panvel.

Food : Food and water available at Jambhawali & Peth. There are veg and non veg restaurants are there at Jambhawali. You can order food and can have it when you back from trek.No food on the top of the fort. 

Parking : Non paved parking is there at Jambhawali for buses, cars and bikes beside 

restaurants, which may be chargeable. 

Stay : Home stay available at Jambhwlai and Peth village. 

About The Trek :

The trek starts from Jambhwali village after parking. It will take almot 2.30 hrs to reach on the top of the fort. Total time for trek to return parking may need 7/8 hrs for normal groups.

Follow the trek route and go to left in case of divergent. After 10 mins there is a forest check post there. They charged Rs.50 per head from us.Then ascending starts with snake turns. 

After 40 mins you will reach on the top of plateau. The view is spectacular and your steps will slow down to watch it. The beauty of Kothaligad and its bell shape is visible from this plateau. In monsoon, there are many waterfalls parallel to the edges and makes the fort more scenic and photogenic. 

There is a small temporary restaurant  is 

found here on weekends in monsoon. Here you can spend 20 mins easily for taking photos because its most photogenic point on the route with backdrop of the fort.

 After chilling out here proceed to Peth village which will be there after 20 mins.

There is Kaccha road upto here from Jambhwali village. Local uses this road for bikes and bull-kart. Peth village is at the foothill of the fort. There are small restaurants and homestays are here too. Guides can be taken from the village. Villagers are friendly. 

Then real fort ascend starts from Peth village. It is very steep and vertical. Since its a popular fort,you will come across many groups and foreigners too during trek. Because the route is narrow go with cooperating each other. Help girls, kids, senior citizens and foreigners. 

There are almost 80 degree slanted steps to the ceiling to go on the top. Its a windy and narrow way, so go slowly and carefully. Its most risky section of the fort. In normal conditions you will need 5/10 minutes to cross this section.

Water bottles and Limbu sarabat stalls are there on the whole trek.

 

On the Fort : Finally, after 2 hrs and 30 mins,you will be on the narrow top of the fort. You can see lots of waterfalls around the region including Bhimashakar region. The wind energy project adds spectacular view. 

There is a small temparory stall here selling water and Limbu sarabat here on weekends.

Keep calm and click photographs, as many as you can.

Its a plain top with no cover. Groups can eat there tiffin here. 

Nearby Places : Khanadal, Lonvla, Zenith waterfall, Mathran, Bhimashankar, Prabalgad, Karnala fort etc.  

( Recently i visited with 11 members with my trekking Paltan group Pune and carried out cleanliness campaign Friendship Day 05/082018)

Sinhgad Fort (Kondhana)

Sinhgad Fort (Kondhana)

How to Reach : 

To Trek - 
i) From Donje -About 25 km from Pune city. Pune- Khadakwasla-Donjegaon- Atakarwadi (Sihgad base village).

Pune to Atkarwadi 

ii)From Kalyan : Pune-Dhayri- Enter on NH48 to Satara side- Shindewadi tunnel - right turn to Khed-Shivapur..
or Pune- Katraj-Old tunnel- right turn to Khed-Shivapur -Arvi-Kondhanpur-Kalyan village ( Base village)


By Vehicle - about 30 km from Pune city. Pune-Khadakwasla-Donjegaon-Golewadi-Left turn to Sinhgad ghat- Checkpoint of Forest dept- Pay the pollution charges - then Ghat of about 8km- Parking on the top.

On the fort by vehicle ( No Trekking)

Parking : 
Free Parking is available on the top for mini buses, cars and bikes. On weekends and holidays the parking usually full, so you have to park in ghat section immediate to parking. 
Paid Parking for trekkers available at Base village i.e. Atkarwadi.

Food and Stay : 
Veg restaurants available on the fort. Local Snacks - Kanda-bhajji (onion pakoda)& Dahi (curd) is very famous. You must try it. Apart from this full veg thali also served. Bottled water available. Stay also available on the top. MTDC hotel and guest house of forest dept are there on the top. 

Much more options for stay and food are available from Khadakwasla dam to base of the 
fort. 

About Trek :
Its simple to medium trek. Needs approx. 90 mins. to ascend. The trail is well used, so the trek route is clear. Since its most popular fort in Punekars, many people come with family from kids to senior citizens. Need to take care of few parts of the route which become slippery in rainy days. 

What to See : 
This is one of the well maintained fort in the state. The routes are paved. Washrooms and dustbins are maintained.

Pune Darwaza, Horse Stable, Shivsrushti (Media Center), Amruteshwar temple, Kondhaneshwar Temple, Dev-take (Water tank), Hanuman temple, Kalyan Darawza, Tanaji Kada(Cliff), Tanaji Malusre Smruti Mandap, Chhatrapti Rajaram mausoleum , Zunjar Buruz ( Bastion), sun set point.

Tanaji Kada/wind point is most popular spot among tourists. You can see spectacular panoramic view of Sahyadri e.g. Khadakwasla dam, Panshet-Varsgaon dams, Nilkantheshwar temple, Torana & Rajgad fort etc. 

Some area is restricted because of Television towers.

Drinking water of Dev-taake would be refreshing experience. The water tank is clean and healthy. 

The forts is heaven in rainy days. Many waterfalls appears in the monsoon. The fort turns colorful in the month of September and October due to blossom of tiny flowers.

 

Zunjar buruz

Kalyan Darwaza

Zunjar buruz

Sunset from Tanaji Kada

Nearby places : 
NDA, Khadakwasla dam, Panshet dam, Varasgon dam, Lavasa, Nilkantheshwar temple, Khed-shivapur Darga, Balaji temple,  Bhatghar dam, Purandar fort, Torna fort, Rajgad fort etc. There are many water parks, resorts, adventure park, amusement park etc. on the way after Khadakwasla dam.


Trek-thics :

• Take care in rainy season about slippery trails.
• Avoid vehicles on the top on weekends bcz of insufficient place of parking.
• Take care of over-enthusiastic people and kids on wind-point and Tanaji Kada. 
• Chhatrapti Rajaram mausoleum is less visited place, so go in group only.
• Don't throw plastics and wastages on the fort, keep it in dustbins which are kept on fort.