Kalsubai Trek
Kalsubai is highest peak in Maharashtra state. It is a religiously important place and for trekkers too. It is named after Goddess "Kalasubai". There is a temple of Kalasubai at the tip of the peak. It is 1,646 meter high, also known as Everest of Maharashtra.
It is one of the most pop place in Maharashtra among the pilgrims and trekkers.
How to Reach : From Pune it is about 175 km. from Pune. You need to reach Bari village which is base of the Trek. It take almost 5 hours journey to reach from Pune because road is single and rough somewhere. Due to ghat section after Rajur the speed reduces.
Pune- Manchar-Narayangaon-left turn-Ozar (Ganapati)-Otur- right turn to Otur city- go straight - then take left- ask here about the road- follow state highway no 46 going to Bramhanwada village, it is small ghat section-Brahmanwada-take left to Kotul village -Kotul- Dhamngaaon -Rajur - state highway 44- Jahagirdar wadi- Bari (base village). jahagirdarwadi and Bari are nearby connected villages.
Food and Stay : There are lots of hotels, home stay and food providers in Bari and Jahangirdarwadi villages. Most of hotels are small and home stay. Even tent and camping facility also provided. Here are some contact numbers : Kalsubai camping -+919689866962
Pandharinath Khade - +919146210744
Kalsubai trek - +917040394085
Kalasubai Tea center +919870416673
If you looking for good hotels then better to stay at Bhandardara. It is just 15 km from base of the trek and 30 minutes travel time.
On the trek, many local food stalls available on each phase. Even on the top nearest to the peak, restaurants are there to provide full meal and water. You no need to carry food with you.
So I recommend you, have a breakfast at the base, carry water and start trek and have full meal at the top, near to Kalasubai temple.
About the Trek :
The trek is of about 4 to 5 hours from the base. We started at 8 am and reached on the top around 12:30pm. So it is almost 4hours and 30 minutes. Then we started descending 1:30 pm and we reached at 5:30 pm at the base Jahagirdarwadi.
When you see from the base you may not get idea the altitude of the peak. But it is very exhaustive trek. You need lots of endurance to complete it. Terrain of the Kalasubai trek has staircase like structure i.e. ascend and plain. You hike then strait walk again hike an straight. So you really don't get idea of the hike that you have to make. You may feel you reached near but but reach on terrace land from there again hike.
I would like to suggest you night stay at the base and start trek in early morning. you can have food on the top.
View of Jahagirdarwadi and Bari villages from trek
The trek can be started from Jahagirdarwadi or Bari village. The base is full of crowd so you don't need to ask the trail. It is visible due to crowd. There are many phases of the trek.
Initial phase starts with rice fields. you have to cross some fields. Just go along with field boundaries. Don't disturb the fields.
Here is the trek start point, both trails from Bari or Jahagirdarwadi you reach here.
After 30 minutes trek you reach here which is temple of 'Kalasubai Nivasini'. you can get food and water here.
The real hike starts from this temple. Go behind the temple. Follow the trail.
After hike and ascend of 30-40 minutes you reach on the small plateaus like section where small restaurants are situated.
You just see the timing on each photo, to get idea of the whole trek to reach.
There are metal staircase are fit on many risky places which are quite safe. But still we found some staircases are not strong enough the weight of the number people use it. It is overused. So carefully use the staircases. Avoid too much rush on it.
Surprise to see few houses of famers there on the terrace parts of the trek.
This the last phase of the trek. it takes almost 4 and half ours to reach here. there are many restaurants here. You can keep your extra bags here on some restaurant and give your meal order and proceed to the peak. The well water is very tasty and so much popular among tourists. It is drinkable water.
It will take 30 minutes more to reach on the top. Because of narrow staircases you need to wait for your turn.
AMK from Kalasuabai peak.
View of Bhandardara dam back water from the peak
We found lot lot lot of plastic waste thrown around. We the members of 'Trekking Paltan Pune' members collected lots of plastic waste from trek route. Our all five big bags were full still lot lot many bottles were left to pick.
Because it is very long trek so people consume lot food and water during trek and throw waste around. We request to everyone do not throw your waste on the route. Carry with you or throw in dustbins if available.
