Kohoj Fort

Kohoj is located about 104 km from Mumbai off the Mumbai - Ahmedabad Highway. Upon reaching Manor you have to take a right turn under a newly built flyover and take the Manor - Wada road

Brief Introduction about Kohoj 

Fort: -

Height: ~ 3200 feet
Grade:  Medium
Time: ~ Maximum 2.5 hrs from Waghote, Base Village
Location: Palghar region

History:-

Very few of the historical evidences are coherent to this fort. Looking at its well-dug cisterns, the fort can be said to be belonging to Bhoj-period. But no such evidences are available. In 16th century, Portuguese captured this fort from the King of Gujarat. They constructed fortifications and bastions on this fort. Later, in 18th century, Peshwe conquered this fort in their campaign of 1737. Afterwards the fort remained under the British rule.

How to reach :
There are many way to reach Kohoj fort

1)  From Kalyan bus depot one has to reach Wada. 
      From here we can alight in a bus going towards Palghar or Manor 
     and board at Vaghote village. 
     One can also hire six-seater rickshaws from Wada. 
     Now keeping the fort on our right hand side we have to walk down the foot-track. 
     After a 5 minutes of walk we have to take a right turn. 
     Few minutes of further walk takes us to a beautiful dam wherein 
     we get a wonderful reflection of the fort. 
     On crossing this dam actual climb of the fort begins. 
     There is a complete U traverse to get to the fort-top. 
     About 2 hours are required from Vaghote village to climb up the fort.

2) From Thane bus stop --> catch manor bus and get down at  Vaghote village.
3) From palghar  --> catch manor bus and get down at  Vaghote village.

Hargad Fort

Fort Height : 4450 feet
Type : Hill forts
Fort Range : Selbari-Dolbari
District : Nashik
Grade : Medium

      Nothing much is written in the history about this fort, as no major battle was fought here. This fort can be seen from the village of Mulher - Fort Mulher in the front, Moragad on the left and Hargad to the right. This fort is at a higher elevation than the fort of Mulher.

The top of this fort is so wide, that it can almost be called a plateau. There are some remnants of the fortification on the top. Ruins of a temple, of the residential structures and a couple of water cisterns can be seen here. However, the water in these tanks is not potable and hence it is necessary to carry enough quantity of water. 

A cave with a temple of goddess Kapaar Bhavani can also be found on the plateau during the fort-walk. Apart from these places there isn't much to be seen on the fort. One can either return by the same path to visit the Mulher fort or go back to the village of Mulher. The whole walk on the fort can be completed in an hours time.

Ways To Reach :

      Presently there exists only a single way to reach the fort-top. This path traverses through the village of Mulher. After leaving the village we reach a tar-road. A walk of about 20 minutes along this road brings us to a bifurcation. The way to the right, passing by a banyan tree, leads to a shepherds' colony on a hillock. At this point one has to turn towards right and reach the pass between fort Mulher and fort Hargad. This can be arrived in about an hour and half. From this pass, the way on the left takes to the fort of Mulher and the one on right to the Hargad. The trail leading to fort Hargad is not much in use and hence is not distinctly visible. An hour's time is sufficient to reach the fort-top from the pass.

Bhaskar Gad or Bas Gad

Fort Height : 3500 ft. 
Type : Hill forts
Fort Range : Trimbakeshwar
District : Nashik
Grade : Medium

      Bhaskargad or Basgad is a part of Trimbak range, near to the famous “Trimbakeshwar”, one of the 12 “Jyotirlingas” in India. This is 43 km east of Nashik, and was built to guard the ancient Gonda pass which was a trade route from the west coast towards Nashik.

History :
      History of Bhaskargad is not available. However, the rock cut steps along the mountain face and the stone cut covered cisterns are characteristics of forts built during the rule Satvaahan dynasty and indicate that the fort is ancient. 

During 1271 to 1308 this fort was under the control of Yadavas of Devgiri. When Devgiri was taken over by Bahamanis, this fort went under their control. When Shahaji Maharaj revolted against Nizamshahi in 1629, the fort went under his control. In 1633, the Moghuls gained control over Bhaskargad. In 1670, Moropant Pingle won this fort for Shivaji Maharaj and the Moghuls regained it in 1688. In 1730, the fishermen rebelled with Mughals and captured the fort. Later it was with Peshwas till the British captured it in 1818.

Fascinating Spots :
 The forts in this region are built on characteristically shaped mountains. The mountain of Bhaskar gad comprises mainly of basalt rock. The steps are cut through the mountain rock and take us through the stone walls towards the main entrance, which is buried under soil now. We have to enter by crawling. Once we reach the cap of the mountain, we can roam about the edge of the fort. We can find some remnants of houses and cisterns on the fort top.

Ways To Reach :
      The base village of this fort is Nirgudpada, which is 20 km away from Trimbakeshwar. From Nirgudpada, the forts Harihar and Bhaskargad are visible, and Bhaskargad is to the left side of the village. We need to cross a rivulet to reach the trail to the fort, which takes us to the steps after a hike for an hour and half.

There are two routes to reach Nirgudpada:

From Nashik :
      Nirgudpada is about 50 km to the east of Nashik on SH27, on the road to Trimbakeshwar.

From Khodala :

    People travelling from Mumbai, Thane and Dombivli can reach Nirgudpada via 2 routes

Kalyan – Kasara – Khodala – Nirgudpada
Kalyan – Bhiwandi – Wada – Khodala – Nirgudpada

If we are traveling at odd hours on this route, better to have a private vehicle as buses might not be frequent. Also, this is a very lonely route for night traveling.

Harihar Fort

Type : Hill forts
Fort Range : Trimbakeshwar
Fort Height : 3500 feet
District : Nashik
Grade : Medium

      Alike Pune district, there are many forts lying in Nasik district too. Ranges like Selbari – Dolbari, Ajanta – Satmal, Trimbak have their origin in this district. The fort of Harihar, lying on Trimbak range, was of significant importance in earlier periods, as there used to be a route crossing this range connecting Maharashtra to Gujarat.

Trimbak range has spreaded its arms to the north of Igatpuri and west of Nasik. It is divided mainly in two parts, with forts of Basgad, Utvad, hill of Fani, Harihar and Trimbakgad on one part while the forts of Anjaneri and Hargad on the other. Vaitarna is the main river in this region. But due to the one – sided slope of Sahyadri, the water flows away from this region. There is an absolute shortage of water from January to March in this region. 

The fort appears to be rectangular in shape from its base village.


 While climbing the fort, we come across a rock-sheet, which has got steps carved in it. Also many grooves have been carved here for additional support. After climbing these steps, we get upto the entrance door. There is a cavern ahead of this door. Again we come across few steps after a short distance walk from this cavern. On climbing these steps we reach to the main entrance door of this fort. The fort has got a tapering plateau with a raised level in the middle. 

One secret – door is located at the edge of this fort, but the way to this door has now got blocked. There is a small temple of Lord Hanumana and Lord Shiva on the plateau. A small pond is there in front of this temple. Water from this pond can be used for drinking. Making headway from here we come across a palace having two rooms in it. 10 to 12 persons can be accommodated in this palace. There are five cisterns along one side of the palace, one of which has water suitable for drinking.






















Ways To Reach :
Via Igatpuri – Trimbakeshwar – Khodala :

      Ahead of Nirgudpada lies the village of Kasurli. One can alight here by boarding the bus of Igatpuri – Trimbakeshwar – Khodala. From this village one has to climb a small hill where Harshewadi is located. From Harshewadi the way to the fort is easy and can be climbed within an hour.

Via Kasara or Nasik :

      One has reach Igatpuri via Kasara or Nasik. From Igatpuri board in a bus for Trimbakeshwar and alight at Nirgudpada, the base village of Harihar. From here a route leads us upto the rock-sheet from where the steps begin. One can reach the fort-top within about two hours via this route.


Time To Reach :
 Approximately 2 hours via Nirgudpada.
 About 1 hour via Harshewadi.

Peb Fort (Vikatgad)

Peb Fort Height : 2100 ft
Peb Fort Type : Hill
Base Village: Neral 
District : Raigad

Trekking near Mumbai to Peb Fort or Vikatgad around 4 km from Neral Station a very enjoyable trek in Monsoon season passing through a local village, waterfalls this trek offers all ladders, rock patches, caves, dense forest, ridge walking. Trek can be combined with Matheran visit or you can trek till Panorama point Matheran till here. Excellent for new trekkers a village guide or guided tour will make the trek more enjoyable.


Peb Fort History :
It is assumed that this fort derived its name Peb from the 'Goddess Pebi' at the base of the fort. Historical references clearly indicate that Shivaji Maharaj used the caves on the fort as silos for grain storage.

The cave on the fort is occupied by disciples of Swami Samarth, a great saint. They have contributed a lot to development on this fort from last ten years. They have managed successfully to keep the cave and the fort clean, and maintained the dignity of the fort. Near to this cave are meditation caverns, which are underground. These caverns are still in good condition. One has to crawl into these and only one man can enter at one time. In monsoon two of these are filled with water. On the top we can go by climbing the wall of the fort. On the top we can see some remnants. The main attraction here is the bastion on the topmost part. This faces the mountain of Matheran. Here we can clearly see the ridge connecting mountains of Matheran and Peb. When we stand here we feel to be at the top of the world.

On the other side of the fort is a temple of a deity. Here is a big cistern. The disciples are constructing a good temple here. We can reside here for some time.The beautiful waterfall on the way is the main attraction here. Surrounding scenery looks marvelous from the cave in the monsoon. From here we also see the pinnacles of Navara-Navari, Bhatoba and Irshaal, along with forts of Chanderi, Prabalgad and Malanggad and also Nakhind. This trekking is pleasant in all seasons.

How to reach : Peb Fort or Vikatgad

By Train from Neral station :

• Alight at Neral Railway Station (Central Railway Route)
• Walk pass ticket booking center and take right.
• Walk towards Matheran Taxi stand keep walking till main road
• After reaching main road left goes to Matheran
• Cross the road and keep walking straight.
• Some houses under construction could be used as landmarks on the way.
• Proceed towards the huge electric towers on the way near 2nd electric tower we see a big waterfall.
• Trek path starts from here Base Village Anandwadi - Fanaswadi
• You can hire a guide from village it takes 3 hours to complete this trek
• Please carry water and food along with you
• From Matheran Panorama point a way to Peb is available you can reach the cave within 6 hours carving of eagle is seen at the base of cave.
Peb Fort Stay:
A small cavern is available which can accommodate 10 people max

Prabalgad

Brief Details of the fort:

Height above mean sea level: 707 metres / 2320 feet.
Grade: Medium
Base Village: Thakurwadi
Trekking Area: Panvel.
Best time: During Rainy season or after rainy season

Trekking Routes: There are many routes to this fort. The route to and fro - Thakurwadi village near panvel

History: There is not much mention of this fort in history. However in 1658, Shivaji conquered Prabalgad from the Mughals, after establishing his powers in the Kalyan-Bhiwandi area. When Shivaji attacked the fort, the Mughal Sardar and fort chief Kesar Singh forced himself and the ladies in the fort to commit suicide so as to save themselves from falling into the hands of the Marathas. His mother along with her grandchild hide inside the fort by the fear of Shivaji, but such was the greatness of Shivaji that on finding them he sent them to their village with genuine respect and dignity.

Tikona fort

Basic Info: Tikona fort is a hill fort located near Kamshet [Maval region] in Maharashtra. Height from sea level is 3500 feet. Its twin fort is called Tung.

Routes: First you would have to head towards Lonavala and from Lonavala to Kamshet. Then from Kamshet the locals can guide you for the route to Gavhande Village which is also called as Tikona Peth. This is the base village for Tikona. From this point the actual trek begins.

Difficulty Level and Other useful tips: 

Difficulty level is Easy. Takes 1 1/2 hours to reac to the top of the fort.

Some parts are almost vertical as the fort is triangular in shape.

Ideal Time for Tikona Trek: During the winter season or rainy season.

Camping Info: 

Not ideal for camping, but incase you plan for camping, there is a cave which you can use as sheter during night time. Carry plenty of water and firewood.

What to see on the fort:

   Big Entrance Door

   Trimbakeshwar temple

    Caves

   Lake surrounding the fort

Kalavantin Durg

This fort is just opposite to Prabalgad. It is also visible from Mumbai-Pune highway. According to stories, the fort was built for a queen named Kalavanti. Steps leading up to the fort have been cut into the rock face of the hill. From the peak of this fort you can see a 360⁰ panoramic view of Matheran, Chanderi, Peb, Ershal, and Karnala forts, and also the Mumbai city. The Adivasi People of Machi-Prabal village observe the custom of dancing on every Holi (Shimga) Festival at the top of Kalavantin fort. These people have a long-standing relationship with this fort and it has become a part of their heritage.

How to get there:
Panvel railway station 
Reach the state transport depot or hire an share autorickshaw till Thakurwadi village 

You can also get down at shedung phata an take an rickshaw till thakurvadi 

Kalavantin Height: 500 meters or 2300 ft

Kalavantin Difficulty: Medium

Food Arrangement - Some options are available at Prabal Machi though its best to carry lunch.

Kalavantin Best Time to Visit: Can be visited all year round.

Lohagarh Visapur Fort

With a 2000 year old history and at 3400 ft high, Lohagad one of the magestic forts in the region. The climb to the fort takes you to panoramic vantage points, huge balconies, doors and reminds you how important this place was which was used to defend freedom. Surrounded by lakes on all side the views from the fort are breathtaking specially from vinchu kata (Scorpion's tail).

Brief Info about Lohagad Fort:
This fort is 10km from Lonavala (100 Kms from Mumbai and 60 Kms from Pune). It belongs to the period of Chattrapati Shivaji's reign and was used for keeping prisoners in the year 1564.

In 1670, Shivaji Maharaj won this fort and in the year 1751, Gaikwad and Dabhade family were incarcerated in this fort. The entrance to this fort is impressive and is aptly called 'Delhi Gate'. There are three gates one after the other.

How To Reach: 
Train or Road:
Alight at malavli station which is the next station after lonavala. Lonavala is midway between mumbai and pune. Cross the mumbai pune express highway via overhead bridge and turn walking towards mumbai direction to bhaje village which is approx 2 Kms. From bhaje walk towards lohagad. After a gruelling but scenic trek of about 2 and half hours (7 KMS) you reach the foothills of the fort. The small village there houses couple of small hotels. It can be a pretty hectic trek for 1 day if you don't have your own vehicle. Take plenty of water in summers(Feb to June). Best time to visit is between July and December.




Nearby attractions :
Visapur Fort
Bhaja Caves - 2 km (1.2 mi) from Malavli, once home to Buddhist monks.
Karla Caves
Lonavala - 20 km (12 mi), a famous and scenic hill station.
Aamby Valley City - 22 km (14 mi) from Lonavala.

For more pics Click Here

Peth fort (Karjat)

Trek to Peth fort

Peth fort (also called Kotligad or Kothligad) is a small Fort (1500ft.) is situated to the east of Karjat in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is one of the famous treks in the Karjat area, because of its small height and easy climbing. It is also known as the Fort of Peth because of its vicinity to Peth village at its base.


Peth Fort is around 21 kms north-east of Karjat.Peth fort contain bhairoba caves and around 15 water tanks. 

Its a small fort used more as a defense station during Sambhaji's era, and is surrounded by other forts like Bhimashankar, Padargad, Rajmachi and Siddhagad. 

Location :- Ambivali,Karjat

Base village:- Peth

Difficulty level:- Easy

History

The cave and the temple carvings date back to the 13th century. Not much is known about the history until the 18th cent. In 1716, this cave was captured by the British. Then later on, on November 2, 1817, it was recaptured by the Marathas under the leadership of Bapurao who belonged to the generation after Bajirao. It was recaptured by the British, on December 30, 1817, the very next month, under Captain Brooks. The British had the fort till 1862 as an outpost for vigilance on the surrounding valley and the hills all around it.

The locals when spoken to tell that this is not actually a fort but a sort of light house from where the directions were given to know the advancements of the enemy. in fact it can be called a watch tower to keep a vigil on the mawal area in the greater province of the Marathas. Its absolutely breath taking to climb and to have a feeling of the engineering marvel being crafted when there were no engineers like today or even no PWD departments as well. only the foresightedness of the Maratha warrior has been behind the development of the watch tower standing atop the small but sturdy hillock. the stone is a single black expanse reaching till the Peth village standing on the fertile soil with abundant natural resources for water and farming.

For more pics click here

How To Reach

To reach Peth, you can take a bus or tumtums (six-seater rickshaw, but of course they can accommodate many more people) from Karjat station to Ambivli village via Kashele, the journey will take around 1 and 1/2 hours. From Ambivli the trek starts to Peth village, which is a scenic one as you pass through dense forests. 


Bus time table
From Karjat  to ambivali
8.15 am (firt bus)
From ambivali to karjat
10.00 am, 2 pm, 5 pm

In about two hours, you reach Peth village, an easier path on the left and the steeper path on the right which will get you faster to the top. 


On reaching the fort, a common sight in many forts in Maharashtra, is this cave called Bhairoba, as it holds the idol of Lord Bhairoba. 

This cave has well-sculpted pillars and is clean to accommodate many people at a time (around 40). The floor is very flat which makes it good for camping too. There are also water cisterns near the entrance of the cave. Inside are small rooms which were used by the Marathas to store ammunition. To get a panoramic view of the surroundings, you can take the vertical tunnel to reach the pinnacle. An excellent view awaits you, as you see the majestic Sahyadri range and the Konkan plains.

It will take you 1 and 1/2 hour to see the entire fort, so if you have a place to stay in Karjat, then this can be a one-day outing or you can spend the night in one of the caves. 


Best Time
During rainy season


Where to Stay
Bhairoba Caves or peth villege


Where to eat
Peth village

Shirgaon Fort ( Palghar )

Just 13km from Palghar station stands the majestic fort of Shirgaon. The fort, steeped in history, lords over the sea and a village. Marathas won this fort in 1739 along with the forts of Dahanu, Kelve and Tarapur. The Portuguese had dominance over this fort before Marathas. In 1818, the British captured this fort from the Marathas. The fort stands about 200feet tall and spans more than 150feet.

The Portuguese renovated this fort and increased its area by while keeping the original brick and red stone construction intact. The five-feet cannon on the northwest of citadel marks the history of the battles that took place over here.

The picturesque environs of the fort and cleanliness attract many historians apart from the regular tourists. The most exciting bit is the palm tree with six to seven branches, a rarity.

Shirgaon fort is well fortified and the walls are good condition. It took us an hour to see the fort. There are two towers located at the entrance of the fort from where one can geta a panaromic view of the place. The fort is small; it has a few rooms in it but they have not been well-maintained. There are many hidden caves in the walls of the fort. One cave leads to another.

How To reach

Shirgaon Fort is also located at a distance of 13 km from Palghar. It can be easily reached from Kelva, but if you opted for public transport instead of private transport you have go to Palghar and board a State transport (ST) bus to Satpati. It took us 30 minutes by ST bus to reach Shirgaon Fort. 

The frequency of public transport is not good if you are travelling directly from Kelve beach to Shirgaon Fort. From Palghar station there are plenty of ST buses and tum tums to take you to Shirgaon Fort.

Where to stay

This fort can be one day picnic, but still you can stay at kelva village or palghar. 

Where to eat

Carry your own food and water

Rajmachi Fort

Rajmachi Fort is famous for trekking. The beautiful place is has exotic natural locations as well as it is a historic site. Rajmachi can be reached via the town of Lonavla along the Khandala plateau. Lonavla is an important train station on the Indian rail network. It is most convenient to start the trekking from the morning itself at around 11am. 

Map of Rajmachi Fort

Near Kalbhairavnath Temple, there is some space that can be used as a campsite. Those who do not want to stay outside can stay inside the temple. There is a tank, which is 100m away on a path to the left of the temple, water is available here. One has to cook his own food or buy some village-made food of Bhakri and Chutney. Once the trekkers reach the fort, one will realize that the climb was really meaningful. 

Opposite to Kalbhairavnath Temple, there is another fort called Shreevardhan. The fort has lots of secret tunnels leading to battlements. There is a place called Manranjan behind the temple that gives one a nice view of the plains. Trekkers who want to explore the area can go the base of Manranjan where there are some simple rock-cut caves. Return route is easier to follow; still trekkers are to be careful while getting down from the steep slopes.

The residents of udhewadi village will accommodate you for night if you wish to stay

Best Time 
 June to March


Where to Stay
udhewadi village 


Where to Eat
Carry your own food

There are two ways to reach Rajmachi fort

1) From Karjat <--> Kondane Caves  <--> Rajmachi Village <--> Rajmachi Fort

Karjat to Rajmachi village - 8-9 km 
5 hr time taken for trek from Karjat to Rajmachi village - (including time spent in Kondane caves, numerous waterfalls)
Guide recommended if going for the first time as the trek is through dense forest and quite confusing

2) From Lonavala
    Climb down to Tungarli hills from lonavala and then walk. 

Shivneri Fort

Shivneri Fort 

A landmark of Maratha history is the birth place of 'Chatrapati' Shivaji Maharaj. Shivneri fort was a difficult fort to climb in those times and Shahaji, father of Shivaji, worried about the safety of his pregnant wife Jijabai, chose Shivneri as the place where she could safely give birth to her son. Shivneri fort is a well maintained fort and all the important landmarks in Shivneri fort has been well marked.

When you plan a visit to Shivneri, we also recommend exploring the surrounding scenic spots like “Konkan Plateau”, “Nane Ghat”, “Jivdhan”, “Malshej Ghat” and the famous fort of “Harishchandragad”.

For Photos Click Here

How to get in?

The best option is to go to Junnar and take the Sakhali Vaat or Rajmarg to go to the top of the fort.

When to go?

Monsoon, it’s the best time of the year.

Where to stay?

There are a number of hotels in Junnar which provide decent accommodation facilities. On special request, one can also stay on the fort but it requires prior intimation.

Where to eat?

A number of eatables are sold inside the fort but it’s advisable to carry the food from Junnar.