Varandha Ghat

Varandha Ghat

There are many popular monsoon destinations around Pune due to Ghats and waterfalls. Malshej ghat, Lonavla-Khandala, Mulshi-Tahmini ghat, Madheghat etc.
Varandhaghat is one of the most scenic and adventruous and less rush destination in all season.

How to Reach : 

Its located on Pune-Bhor-Mahad road. The Varandha ghat starts about 10km after Bhor and ends at Varandha villahe on the other side of the ghat.

Total length  of ghat section is about 40 km. The ghat goes along with Neera Devghar dam back water at one side and hilly side on the other side.
Pune-Bhor- Ambeghar-Pisavre -Nandgaon-Apti-Venupuri water fall-Hirdoshi-Shirgaon-Umbarde-Mahad

The ghat road is spiral.Lots of turns on the road.Many waterfalls in the ghat in Monsoon season.The ghat looks colorful in Sept n October.

 

Pune to Varandha

Bhor to Varandha

Food and Stay: 
Small restaurants are situated on ghat, many on opened werkends.

Veg n non veg food is very tasty prepared in homemade Maharashtra style. The non-veg food is very popular among travelers.

Kandabhaji, chilly bhaji, Vadapaw, pohe, tea, water bottle etc. are available. 

Full meal is availble at Bhor then at Vaghjai point Varandha ghat. From Waghjai point the descend towards Mahad starts.

The stay facility unavailable in ghat section. But available on the both end of ghat i.e. Bhor and Mahad.

What to see :

You can have wider view of Neera Devghar dam, Rohida fort, Raireshwar Fort, Torna fort, Rajgad, Kavlya fort, Shivthar ghal, Madheghat etc. Can be enjoyed in a drive of one and half of hour of journey.

Waterfalls and flowers increases the scenic beauty of Varandha ghat !

 

Neera Devghar Dam 

 

Pratapgad Fort

Pratapgad

How to Reach :
About 150 km from Pune. About 20 km from Mahabaleshwar. 
Pune- NH48- Satara Road- Shirwal-Khabataki ghat-( Keep vehicle slow and left side because the the divergant to Mahabaleshwar is not visible clearly  from running vehicle. The board is small.) Suroor- turn to right side under the  over bridge - right turn for Wai leave highway-Wai-Pasarani ghat-Pachangani-Mahabaleshwar- take right turn from Mahabaleshwar bus stand to Poladpur road-Ambenali ghat-Jawali village- right turn for Pratapgad ghat (through the The Welcome Arch) -Pratapgad Parking.

You can see the fort from Ambenali ghat. The ghat is single road with rush.  The ghat has lots of  and sharp turns with not so maintained road. Generally visitors from Mumbai, Konkan and Goa come from this ghat. There are many waterfalls in the ghat. Tourists park their vehicle near it which creates more trouble to traffic. You need to drive carefully. The ghat is on its most scenic view between July to November. 

 

 

Poladpur to Mahabaleshwar (Ambenali Ghat)

Pratapgad fort from Ambenali Ghat

 Welcome Arch

Parking :
The paved parking place available,  although not enough on weekends, holidays and vacations. May have to park before parking in the ghat. The parking is FREE.

Parking

Food and Stay :
Many Veg restaurants are available for individuals and groups. They give special concessions to educational visits. Bottled water available. 

About Trek : Hardly any trekking possibility. All visitors goes by vehicle. Vehicles reach near to the steps. So this fort is not for trekking.

What to See :
There are official guides available at the entrance of the fort. Its worth t take guide who narrates the history and features of the fort in Hindi, Marathi and English.

The fort is full of restaurants and houses from historic period. People lives on this fort. You have find the historical signs in the crowd. 

The Tehalani Buruz ( Watch Bastion) is very famous of the fort, which has become most attractive place of the fort. The fort is pictured by the image of this watch bastion.

The Shivai temple, Handicraft centre, Bhavanimata temple, Statue of Shivaji Maharaj, Kadelot tok ( Death Punichment cliff), Mahadarawaza (Main Entrance gate), Chorwat ( Hidden paths and Balekilla ( Small and Most safe part fort) etc. are the other places to visit on the fort.

You need at least 3 hrs to see whole fort.

 Restaurants on Pratapgad

चोरवाट 

Ambenali ghat

Mahabaleshwar from the fort

 

Jawli village from fort 

 टेहाळणी बुरुज 

 शिवकालीन खेडे 

 शिवकालीन खेडे 

You can see scenic panorama of Mahabaleshwar (Arthur seat point, Savitri point, Elphiston point, Sunset point( Bombay), Lodwick point(Elephant head point), Makarand fort, Ambenali (Poladpur-Mahabaleshwar) ghat, Koyna dam back water, Savitri river, Chandragad, Raigad fort, Torna fort, Rajgad fort, Jawali forest etc from the fort.

Trek-Safety :

• Driving on Pasarani ghat, Ambenali ghat, Poladpur ghat and Pratapgad ghat should be done carefully. All ghats are single and rushed with traffics.
• Should avoid in heavy rainy days.
• Half of the fort is crowdy upto Shivaji Maharaj Statue, next to that the fort is lonely. Rarely visitors go there. So go in the group.
• Don's throw plastics and other wastage on the fort.