**First I will share our experience of the trip and to end will share some important info as to how you can reach this hidden gem of a place without getting lost**
The destination fixed for our first trek of the season was Devkund. We sure had our fair share of doubts whether it is the right time to visit or not, considering the monsoon has just started. Also as a destination Devkund has gained a bit of popularity only in the last couple of years, all thanks to some trek groups and solo hikers.
Road trip begins..
We started our journey from Borivali at around 7 in the morning. We we 5 members and 1 of us had a car so we went about picking up other members.
Owing to the hidden, very recently popularised nature of Devkund we were not pretty sure about the route that we had to take. Since it was not very far from Lonavala, or as we thought initially it was, we planned to reach lonavala by the express way and then figure out the exact route.
We reached lonavala and tried to figure out the route with some locals, but Devkund the rightly called hidden village was far to be know to anyone. Even so when we were in a radius of 20 kms from the base village, the locals didn't know of a place called Devkund :( . After much headbanging we decided to use the google maps putting the destination as Devkund (the biggest mistake as it cost us 50 -60 extra kilometers)
We had ridden for almost 2 hours from Lonavala and the intended destination was no where to be found. It was 12.30 now and doubt starting creeping in whether we would be able to complete our trip or not. Also there was not rain :( . Amidst all this we took regular breaks to click picture when we sight some amazing views.
We decided to have our lunch and then move ahead. We checked with the hotel guy about the way to reach Devkund and got to know that it's still 30 kms away. We hurried with our lunch and were soon back on the road with renewed energy. It was a swift ride and we reached Bhira, which is the base village for Devkund trek.
The Trek begins....
The moment we stepped out of our car, it started to rain, as if the clouds were eagerly waiting for us to reach the spot :D . It was not a drizzle, in no time it started raining heavily. There were some locals who are the guides to help with the trek through the jungle. The guides were demanding a good amount considering we were just a group of 5 people. We decided to go ahead with the trek without any guide. We initially followed some other groups.
In the first 30 45 minutes of the trek is when the guides are actually required, because there are many visible diversions within the jungles, not sure which paths leads where. However after 45 mins the way to Devkund waterfall is very much visible if you follow the trail.
As we were going close to the waterfall we could see some good number of people, some ascending and some coming back after enjoying at the waterfall.
After 1.30 hr of trek we finally could hear people shouting at the waterfall while we were still amidst the jungle. And in no time we too got our first glimpse of the waterfall from the long distance.
Don't let the not so wide waterfall from the top of the mountain fool you, it's extremely enjoyable once you are below the fall. The excitement was sky high as we advanced towards the kund.
As we reached the spot, the spectacular visual justified all the hardship we took to reach here. It was all worth it. A sense of achievement strike me.....
Devkund is a large pond below a magnificent mountain which continuously feeds water into the pond though a waterfall. We wasted no time and went straight below the waterfall. There were close to 30 people, clicking , swimming and just enjoying the moment. We joined in.
After spending some quality time and soaking in all the positive vibe from the surrounding we decided to head back as it was starting to get dark. We reached the base village by 6pm. Rain that stopped for sometime started to pour in gain by the time we reach back. We anyhow changed to some dry cloths and got in the car ready to ride back home.
The best route to take...as promised in the beginning.
According to me using the old Mumbai - Pune highway would be a good idea. Take the diversion from Khopoli and use the Khopoli - Pali road.
And when checking with locals always check for Bhira Tata Power Plant and not Devkund because most of them don't know about it and often leads to you being misguided.
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If you like this article, please check my other awesome trip to Kasol:
https://www.tripoto.com/asia/trips/mumbai-amritsar-kasol-a-budget-trip-5807711fca8f9
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