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 

 

Daarya Ghat दाऱ्या घाट

Daarya Ghat दाऱ्या घाट 

(Based on the latest visit in October 2017)

Its an off beat monsoon destination. Not so known or so popular in tourists. Generally tourist goes to Naneghat which is more popular and developed comparatively. So Darya ghat is lonely and isolated place not full of crowd. If you searching for calm palace in monsoon, Darya ghat would the right choice.

How to Reach :

It is about 120 km from Pune. Pune-Junnar 100km, Junnar to Darya ghat 20 km.

Easily completed in a single day from Pune.

Pune - Manchar -Narayangaon -take right turn to Junnar-Junnar(100 km)- to Shivaji maharaj statue- go straight to Aptale road- Surale village- Aptale village (right side road goes to Naneghat)- take left side road - Wanewadi-Keldare-Utchil-Amboli-Amboli is the base village for Darya ghat trek

Pune to Daarya ghat

Junnar to Darya ghat

You can do both Naneghat and Darya ghat in single day. It is about 25 km and would take one hour to reach from one ghat to another. 

Food and Stay :

The home made veg/non-veg food is available in Amboli village. Place your order then go to Darya trek. The food will be ready when you back. The home stay available as well in the village.

No Hotels or restaurants near Amboli but can be found at Aptale village and Junnar too.

  

Parking :

Park your vehicle any where in open space, no parking lot.

About the Trek :

It is easy and simple trek. Carry food and water on the trek. It is 4 hours round trip. The trails are not so clear because on less trekkers, so carefully find a right trail. small streams are beautiful in monsoon. Green rice farms, white water stream, foggy moist and crashing waterfalls will make this trek memorable. Mobile coverage is poor. One and half hours would enough to reach the V-shaped valley of Daarya Ghat.

Daryaa ghat trek route

What to See :

The waterfall and the V-shaped valley are two major attractions in Daarya ghat.

The Darya ghat is the V-shaped valley in the Sahyadri. When you reach on the spot you will be in the huge vertical walls of the rocks. The narrow trail will be disappears in the valley. Just be on the top of the valley. An open temple of lord Shiva is there on the edge. Pind and Nandi are there on the temple.

No need to descend the valley. Enjoy the glory of nature. There is dense forest in the valley. tiny flowers make it more photogenic. Because of the V-shape the views are not wider, but the depth is horrible.
A huge waterfall is very attractive on the left side of the trail. It has steps like structure. So many tourists can sit in the waterfall and enjoy the flow of waterfall. 
There is one temple in the waterfall. Go only if the flow of the waterfall is less. 

Trek-safety :

• Off beat location, so go in the Sundays of monsoon.
• Go with the groups.
• Before proceeding for the trek make arrangement of food in the village. 
• Safer time for the trek would be 7 am to 5 pm.
• The slope of the valley is steep and vertical, it is sleepary in monsoon, so be alert in the Daarya ghat.
• Take every care on the waterfall when enjoying in it. Be alert about the amount and force of the water. 

( My latest visit was in Oct 2017 with Prof. Mayur Mire, Prof. Satish Jadhav, Nitin Kulkarni and Hanumant Londhe )