Any trekker, would say that some of the most memorable moments of a trek is listening to the roar of a waterfall or dipping your feet in a cold stream. Though on a Himalayan trek one might not even dare to stand under a waterfall or wet their feet in that glacial stream, but when they trek in the Western Ghats of India these are absolute ‘must-dos’ and no trekker wants to Miss out these things under any circumstances .
So here we are with a list of the best jungle treks in Maharashtra.
Andharban trek
Andharban translates to “dark forest ” in literal sense. This dark forest trek is ranked as a moderately easy trek. Lying at an altitude of 2,160 ft this trek.
This trek is located in the sahyadri region and transverse through the thickly packed forests, apart from that it also gives you a chance to witness the breathtaking devkund waterfalls. The Plus valley and the tamhini ghats also gives you an enchanting feel in this trail.
When all the other treks ascend high, this particular trek descends low. It begins from the high elevation and descends down into the valley to reach the backwaters of the Bhira dam after trailing through the scattered streams and spurting waterfalls.
It is a 13km long trail that takes 4-5 hours to complete and the most stirring experience is when you trek through the trail during monsoon.
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Naneghat
This mountain pass is located near Junnar and Pune district, the pass was rapidly used as a trade route between Junnar and Kalyan. The word ‘Nane’ means coin and ‘Ghat’ means pass.
In fact, there are inscriptions in the caves that say that it was used as far back as during the Satavahana rule.
If you want, you can further climb up the caves and visit the Jivdhan fort as an extension of your trek.
Rated as one of the Moderate treks, it Initial ascents through open fields followed by climbing up the rough and rugged terrain with huge rocks and boulders
Its base camp is located in Vaishakhare village.
Torna Fort
This was the first fort that the great king Shivaji won at the tender age of 16 . It is identified by the name Prachandgad owing to its huge size.
In addition to this, there is much more than its size in terms of history and folklore on this trek.
Gushing Stream crossings, waterfalls tumbling down and walking via the ridge along the trail is what makes it an apt trek to do during the rainy season.
the views, when the clouds clears for few minutes, you get to catch a glimpse of surroundings which constitutes of Khadakwasla dam, Singhad, Raireshwar, Bhatgar, Mahabaleshwar, Raigad, Pratapgad and Makarangad from top of the historic Torna Fort.
Rated as one of the Difficult treks the trail goes through Hill Fort, the initial climb is slippery during monsoon, after that there is a gradual ascent and after you’ll walk on ledge and lastly small rock patch. Ropes are not required.
The base camp is located at the Velhe village.
Takmak Fort
This trek Is fully Surrounded by a dense forest, the fort is naturally parted from the main hill. Raised up in the 12th century the fort shuttled between Marathas and Portuguese several times in its 800 years long history.
It is Located in Vasai tehsil, ascending to the fort is a herculean task. Trekkers often find it hard to locate the eastern entrance and navigate away from the path, thus hiring a guide is advisable.
It is graded as a Moderate trek and the Trail Passes through fields until the foothills of the fort after which it is well crafted.
The base camp is located at Sakwar village.
Manikgad
This place is situated on a hill in the Manikgad village of Maharashtra. Manikgad in the present days is a ruinous fort. This fort is at an altitude about 1,878 feet high and is fortified from all three sides and The upper part can be reached only via the south.
It doesn’t seem like a fort , but more of a checkpost. However, even with that collapsed fortification one can imagine how grand it could have been during its pinnacle. A worn
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out gate with carving of Ganesh on the top of it welcomes the trekkers while entering the fort.
The fort presents a very prescribed view of the valley around it, with Karnala peak and Prabalgad fort visible clearly.
This trek can be identified as Easy or a Moderate depending on the route that the trekker chooses.
This trek trails through Well defined fields, forests, rocks and ladders and has its Basecamp at Khandas village.