Tung/Tungi Fort Trek

तुंग / तुंगी गड

How to Reach : 
1) Pune-Paud-Left Turn Kolvan-Hadashi-Javan-Left Turn-Tungi Fort (Total 90KM)
2) Pune-Lonavala- Bhushi Dam-Lions Point-Ghusalkhamb Left Turn-Tungi (Total100KM)  

Google Map

Food n Water : Food and water is not available at the base and on the top as well. Lion point Lonavala and Javan-Kolvan are near by places where you can get food and water, which is about 15/20 km from the base.

Parking : Parking place for car and two wheeler is available at the base. Some villagers supervise parking on weekends.

Petrol Pump & Police Station : At Lonavala and Paud. Distance from fort is about 35 km.

About Trek : The trek is simple and short. 45 mins to 60 mins to reach the top. The trek route is very steep and narrow. Be careful. No place to take support on trek route. With a adequate care, all age of people can trek it.

What to See on the Fort : The Tung Fort is very small fort. its shape is like a pyramid. So narrow on the peak. Ganapti and Shivshankar temple are there. You can see Pawna dam, Lohgad, Visapur, Tikona etc. from the top.

Nearby Tourists Places : Khandala, Lonavala, Lohgad,Visapur, Tikona,Hadashi Temple of Vitthal and Ashram of Satya Sai, Abmi valley, Koraigad, Tailbaila, Ghangad, Karle-Bhaje-Bedase Caves etc.

Best Season -

Since its a simple trek you can visit anytime of the year. Monsoon is the best with clouds on the top.

On the Way of the Fort from Lonavla to Tungi 

( The info is based on 2013 visit)

Waghjai Temple Trek

वाघजाई देवी मंदिर 

The Information is based on my latest visit in June 2015

Waghjai temple is a heavenly beautiful spot at Varandha ghat. Its is small easy family trek. There are many restaurants where many vehicle stop to refresh. The trek is on the same ridge where the stop is there.

How to Reach : It is about 95 km from Pune. The way is Pune - Bhor - Varandha ghat road -Waghjai Temple stop- Mahad. From this spot Bhor is about 40 km and Mahad is about 25km. The road from Pune to Bhor is excellent. Ghat section is quit rough when I visited. There are two stops where small restaurants are there. First stop in on the small plateau kind of place, but you go ahead where valley is on the right hand side and mountain edge on the left hand side. 

Google Map

Parking : Parking place is a road aside where you can park vehicle. See that it will not create a obstacle to ghat traffic because the road is not so wider. Park your vehicle at safer place where less possibility of land slide. Please close all windows of a four wheeler properly because dare monkeys enters in a vehicle in search of food. They don't have any fear of human. They can pull out things from your hands. They can enter in your car in front of your eyes.

Food and Water : The Marathi snacks like tasty Vada-paw,  spicy Kanda-Bhaji (onion pakoda) and Chilly pakoda, Pohe, fresh lemon juice and refreshing tea is available on the stall at waghaji stop. Full meal is not available. Full meal would at Bhor or Mahad. Bottled water  is available.

How to trek : Its very simple and short time trek. Ask about a trek route to stall owners. It will take one hour to return. It has just 20 Min. trek to reach Waghjaimata temple on the top. Monkeys are on the security of it. There are caves on the other side of the ridge on the same trail. Be aware of dare monkeys. Be careful about kids that they should not carry anything that looks like a food.  

Some people carries bananas specially for monkeys in the Varandha valley.

You can see Kavlya fort, Raigad fort, Torna fort, Rajgad fort, Lingana, Konkandiva, Madheghat, Shivtharghal and beautiful panoramic view of Varandha ghat with full of waterfalls in rainy season. 

Monsoon is the best season to trek. You will feel heavenly in monsoon. Visit only on Sundays because its very odd destination and unknown to trekkers.

Please visit in Rainy season to experience heavenly beautiful ghat, waterfalls, hair pin turns on a road and tasty Marathi snacks. 

कावळया गड Kavlyagad Fort Trek

कावळया गड  Kavlyagad Fort

The information is based on my latest visit in October 2015

Kavlya/Kawlya fort is recently discovered fort, not much historical information available of it. It is isolated and alone fort where trekkers are rarely found. It was supposed to be a watch tower of Raigad , Rajgad and Kawlya ghat section which connects Bhor and Mahad.

How to Reach : It is about 100 km from Pune. The way is Pune-Bhor-Varandha Ghat-Waghjai Point-Kavlyagad.

By Google Map

It is about 40km from Bhor. In that ghat section is about 35 km of Varandha ghat. Mahad is about 20km from Waghjai point in Varandha ghat. It’s a refreshing scenic journey from Bhor to the fort, left hand side along with the backwater of Neera-Devghar dam and Sahyadri mountain ridge on the right hand side.

The ghat section road is not in good condition, but still it is drivable for two and four wheeler.

You will have to stop near Waghjai point in the Varandha ghat where small restaurants of Kandabhaji, tea, vadapaw, lemon juice etc. Maharashtriyan snacks are available. Ask restaurant owners where to Park Vehicles.

There are no mechanics, petrol pumps and police station in Varandha Ghat section.

Parking : The parking place is available in the ghat at a hair pin turn position from ghat road starts to descends to Konkan-Mahad. There is no protection to vehicle. Park on own risk.

Food n Water : Nothing is available on the fort. Bottled water and snacks are available at Waghjai point in Varandha ghat which is on walk able distance from parking place. Complete meal is available from at the beginning of Varandha Ghat from Bhor side. Good quality veg and non veg restaurants are available over there.

How is Trek : Overall the trek is easy but difficult to keep on right trek. It will take about one hour trek from parking. The initial trek is risky on high descending side of a ridge. So go slowly with support sticks. After slope take right ascending side of trek, you will reach on small plateau which is full of grass. It looks very beautiful with variety of shades of Green. You can see waterfalls in the monsoon season.

Because it is not a popular trek, you will find difficulty to get correct route. So just keep watch on Flag point of the fort and keep forwarding. Don’t be hurry to decide a correct route. Observe keenly. There are jungle kind of plants are there from where you will have to find out routes, because many small diverging routes ( ढोर वाट ) made by animals like cows and goats.

What to See :  There is nothing special to watch on the fort. Fortification is not much remained. Only one Buruz (बुरुज ) i.e. a Flag tower exists on the fort, where you can have your food. There is a jungle on the rest part of the fort. So it is better not to enter in that without experienced trekkers. You can have panoramic view of Shyadri mountains with historically important forts and routes like Raigad, Rajgad, Mohangad, Shivthar ghal, Madheghat etc.

Best time to Visit : From June to December would be the best time to visit.

Precaution: Since it is an offbeat and isolated trek, please search on internet, see blogs and Google earth, ask trekkers and then go with a group on weekends. Avoid to go with Family without a group because the trek route is confusing, non availability of help, water, food and mobile range on fort !

So take care and enjoy Kavlyagad fort trek.