Everything You Need To Know For A Weekend Gateway To the Magical Lonavla

Most of the trains plying between Mumbai and Pune have a stopover at Lonavla. You can easily get a General ticket or you can book your tickets a day before online as well. The general ticket costed me around 140 INR (including return) for the 2.5 hour journey.

Once you reach Lonavla, I would say find the next local train to Malavli rather than opting for autorickshaw which will charge you around 300 INR to reach the caves and forts. It will cost you 5 INR to reach Malavli which is the closest station for all the popular places to visit. If you are fit enough and want to experience the tranquil roads carving between the tropical greens on side and rocks on the other, take a walk to the forts- you will never regret it.

You can opt for autorickshaw and hired vehicles as well that wil charge you 300-400 INR to transport you to the base of the steps for the Lohagad Fort. I preferred walking and it took around 20 minutes to reach the spot where the trek starts for the fort. The trail amidst nowhere so it is better to ask some local about the route but once you get started it’s a straight road leading to the fort and you will also come across some small shops who can direct you accordingly.

The trek will take you around 1.5 hours if you are fit enough to reach the stairs of Lohagad fort. The Visapur fort trek takes an hour more to reach. According to locals, Lohagad fort is more scenic and offers more panoramic view of the city than the Visapur Fort. But if you are visiting in the monsoons make sure you visit the Visapur fort as well where you get the opportunity of walking through stairs with flowing water from waterfalls. The trek takes you through winding roads with the distant valleys and clouds in your view.

Once I reached the base of the stairs for Lohagad Fort, you will notice a lot of monkeys hopping around. Make sure you keep your valuables safe and avoid carrying any food in your hands. As you ascend he staircase you will find the landscape opening up and you will get an amazing aerial view of the city.

Once the stairs is finish you will be welcomed by humongous gates and canons. You will be amazed to see the sturdiness of the gates still now and the thick walls standing tall after ages. At the top you will find a wide meadow with a small tomb. Most of the tourists stop here but a little stroll can find you in the best place of the fort. The little narrow valley protruding out to the wide mountains and a steep drop will amaze you. Do click pictures and you can spend some time.

The Visapur Fort stands tall as an epitome of strength of Maratha rulers and their much celebrated kingdom. The trek becomes a bit difficult in the rainy seasons because of the waters flowing over the stairs but that is what makes it unique. there are primarily three starting point for the trek to the fort- one from Patan Village, one from Bhaje Caves and the third one from Gaimukh Khind. The lush greenery and the trapezium shaped mountains will blow your mind with their panoramic beauty.

During return, walk towards the station and you will find the Bhaja caves on the way. The entry fee is 25 INR. Except the symmetrical dome shaped structure leading to the Buddha statue there is nothing much to explore. Ancient rocks, withering stone structures and dark rooms fill the place. But if you reach the place with no crowd around, maybe it will be more serene.

How to Reach

Most of the travellers reach the fort from Mumbai or Pune by train. Take any train plying between Mumbai and Pune and drop at Karjat. You can easily avail a autorickshaw to the base of the Kondhane village from where the trek starts. The shared auto will charge you around 50 INR

The stupendous fort and the amazing trek

The trail is marked and is a medium difficulty level trek. The important part is that the trail has many small shops where you can stop for some refreshments. from the base village it will take you around an 1 hour to reach the top. The mesmerising view of the lush greenery and the splendid Western Ghats. the fort mainly has two peaks- Shrivardhan and Manaranjan with a flat plateau that acts a bridge between the two.

If you are experienced trekkers and reach the place early, you can also explore a beautiful place called Shirota Lake - a few kilometeres from that place.