Mountains… they leave me in trance! Mountains… they make me feel alive!
With high top trees, over-powering boulders hanging on the edge of a deep valley and air that’s so pure with grass so green; give me a trip to the mountains any day and you’ll find me to be a happy soul. This is why I jumped up on the opportunity to visit the Sahyadris. I have been to a few hill stations like Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani and more, but this was a chance to experience Sahyadris in their raw form; view abundant greens, hear pleasant sounds of night and breathe in fresh air that refreshes your soul.
Karnala fort & Karnala Bird Sanctuary
The funnel hill that is in the Bird Sanctuary lies approximately at a height of 1500ft and we literally took the road less travelled upon. There are two paths to choose from where one is a well defined track and the other is crude. We took the latter where we came across a few different species of birds. I remember the day we chose for a trek to the fort because it was quite gloomy with high trees towering over and as we walked further we could see the Mumbai coastline and soon enough we saw a high rising overpowering structure covered with moss that slowly became prominent with each step that we took in its direction. It was a sight to see; surreal! From the top of the fort we could see glimpses of Matheran, Bhimashankar and more. The bird’s eye view of the Sahyadris was nothing short of Fantastic!
Rajgadh Fort
The royal capital of Maratha Empire, also known as Murumbdev is one of the most sought after destination for trekkers; so I had heard. As a result of the hype, I just had to trek here. I realized how significant it was. It is massive and there is a lot to explore. There are magical views of the Sahyadri range and I spent a lot of time, at a lot of places just soaking up the view. Very carefully with help of railings we climbed up the Chor Darwaza and reached the Padmavati temple. Hereon, ascend becomes steeper and a little difficult but worth the effort. It’s not far from the city and an excellent break from the cacophony of the urban hustle bustle.
Sandhan Valley trek
I thought I was well aware about treks but this Valley of Suspense a.k.a Valley of Shadow pleasantly surprised me. The narrow floored ravine that is set between two mountains gave me a chance to sharpen my rock climbing skills but when my feet touched the floor, what a feeling! There were deep water pools and some nice camping spots as well. These natural gorges were something that was just spectacular and since this is fairly unexplored, the natural beauty lies pretty intact. It was challenging but what’s the fun without a little challenge.
Vasota Fort
Vasota Fort is at a height of 3,842 feet and it is one of the more difficult climbs. But before the crude climb begun, we had a stop at Tapola which is famed as Mini Kashmir with its perfect scenery and magnificent view. The Shivsagar Lake took us to the base of the fort and from there I had to put all my trekking experience to use. The walk through the dense forest gave us a sense of fear that a wild animal would be waiting to give us a warm welcome. Once we scaled the fort, the beauty took my breath away. By the time we came back from the fort, it was almost time for sunset. To take a break from the exhausting trek, we stopped near the lake. This short walk around the lake at twilight seemed to be something that has carefully been picked from a romantic novel. Some of the group members booked a top–rated Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar taxi as we were staying at Mahabaleshwar. After the heavy trekking, I was glad we didn’t have to travel for too long before I could hit the sack.
Lingamal Falls, Mahabaleshwar
After walking through the forest area, close to the forest bungalow are the majestic Lingmala Falls. The water appears to be like silver streaks that reflect the rainbow just as sunlight shines upon it. On one hand the Dhobi falls provide a beautiful view whereas on the other there is Chinaman’s waterfall. It is much crowded owing to the fact that it is very easily accessible and it is quite a nice place for families to have picnics while enjoying the lap of nature.
I love myself a trek and my exploration of the Sahyadri range was something that reassured my love. Since I had to head to Pune after my little break, I booked a reliable Pune to Mahabaleshwar cab. The roads were also pretty calm which gave me a chance to catch up on my sleep. We don’t give Sahyadris as much credit as it deserves, there is so much more and beyond Lonavala, Panchagani, Khandala and likes; so much to explore, so much to experience and so much to love… we just need to give the mountains and ourselves a chance!
