Introduction
Rajmachi is one of the most famous treks in Maharashtra. One of the most chosen treks in the monsoon season is the Rajmachi fort trek. The monsoon makes the trek more beautiful with lush greenery and makes it more challenging for the climber as the path can be a bit slippery.
Rajmachi fort is a historical monument which played a major role in the first anglo-maratha war. The fort was built by Shivaji in the 17th century and is one of the most sought out treks in monsoon. It is located in the Sahyadri mountains in the western ghats of the Karjat area. They consist of two fortresses between a plateau named Shrivardhan and Manaranjan. The base village is Udhewadi which is situated in the plateau. The fort lies 2700 ft high on the basis of altitude.
The best time to visit the trek is around June to November to have the bestest time of your life. Beware you might get addicted to this place and visit it again! The lush green heaven in the monsoon season is something that remains in your heart and craves for it again and again.
What’s all the fuss about?
Rajmachi fort trek is quite famous because of the beauty it holds but also because it is a short trek and can be finished in a day. If you are a person who doesn’t have a lot of holidays and still want to get out of the city life cycle and have a peaceful time then my friend, this is the perfect trek for you.
What all to do there?
- If you are deciding to take the trek then do consider going for it during late evening because that is a sight you can’t miss. The swarm of fireflies is heading your way and they are everywhere giving you light even in the darkness. That sight mesmerises a person and fills their heart with warmth.
- After reaching your destination go for an exploration trip in the fort where you can see different kinds of temples, water reservoirs, ramparts and caves.
- If you still want to explore, go for the Shirota lake which is just a few kilometres from the fort and watch the beautiful reflection of the moon in the lake.
- If you still aren’t satisfied there is always time to just randomly start another trek that is to kataldhar waterfalls.
- As mentioned above, do explore the place because who knows what hidden gem you might discover.
Trek Itinerary:
There are various routes you can opt for this trek. First reach Mumbai or pune as the cities are pretty well connected so, it won’t be an issue.
Next you can opt for two paths one from Karjat via Mumbai and the other from Lonavala via Pune.
For the Mumbai route go for a local train and reach Karjat from where you can go for a share auto also known as tum tum to the Kondhane village, from where it is 3 to 4 hours long trek to reach the base village Udhewadi.
The other way is the one where you have to reach lonavala from pune and then reach the base village Udhewadi but there are still two paths you can choose form one is Lonavla-Kunhe village-Della adventure park- Udhewadi or the Lonavala-Tungarli-Nandangao-Undhewadi. Choose the right path for you after considering all the factors but if you are travelling alone go for the della adventure park route.
The trek
Beginners prefer the Lonavala to Udhewadi route because it is a little bit less walking distance but on the other hand if you are an expert or even have a little bit experience in trekking then do go for the Kondhane village route because the view you are going to get is just amazing and the walk to the fort for there is also widely chosen by people.
Once you reach the base village that is the Udhewadi village then the next trek to reach your final destination, the Rajmachi fort, is just an hour. But do remember that the roads tend to get a bit slippery so walk with caution.
Along the way to the Rajmachi fort you will get numerous shelters so there are possibilities if you want to rest for a bit. You will also get some food stalls along the trek so do get your stomach full but not heavily because your trek isn’t finished yet. Enjoy the beauty of nature and how nature blooms out in the monsoon season and make the same view ten times more beautiful.
