Harishchandragad, a hill fort situated on the boundaries of 3 districts of Maharashtra i.e. Pune, Ahmednagar & Thane. The fort comes under Harishchandragad-Kalsubai Wildlife Sanctuary. It is one of the most challenging treks in the Western Ghats. Harishchandragad fort can be visited all year long & known for its size and spectacular ‘Kokankada’- the cliff overlooking the Konkan belt has been a hot pick amongst adventure enthusiasts and trekkers for several years.
Harishchandragad fort is quite ancient, with its origin dating back to the sixth century. There are caves situated all over the fort, believed to be carved out in the eleventh century. The various temples and carvings in the caves indicate that the fort belongs to the medieval period since it is related to Shaiva, Shakta or Naath. Later, the fort was under the control of the Moguls. And by 1747, the Marathas captured it.
This hill fort can be approached from multiple routes. Khireshwar Tolar Khind route & Pachnai route is the two normally used routes. While Junnar Darwaja & Nalichi Vaat route is the route rarely used. Among these, all route Nalichi Vaat route is the toughest one.
Most local treks are not adventurous enough for experienced trekkers. But this route to Harishchandragad is physically daunting and visually rewarding!
This translates to ‘passage through a gorge’ also water curved valley between two mountains is a channel that lies to the extreme right of the Kokankada. It is one of the most difficult paths to the top. Popular among climbers and experienced trekkers, Nalichi Vaat involves a near 80 degrees, involving steep rock patches. The trail begins on a stream bed filled with large man-sized rocks and eventually leads to the foot of the gorge. We will ascend this route while enjoying natural beauty and beast.
Considered as one of the most difficult climbs, Nalichi Vaat will test your morale, stamina and endurance to the core. With rocky patches and technical climbing, you’ll reach the top. Our team of trek buddies and technically sound experts will make your climb a memorable and safe one.
Needs precise management of time and water.
View of Harishchandragad Kokankada from base village Walhivare is one of the best views in Sahyadri. From here one can easily spot Naphtha, Ghodishep, Rohidas peak, Naneghat Panorama.
The oldest route to reach Harishchandragad is the ‘Rajmarg’. It is also known as ‘Junnar Darwaja’ as it connects to Khireshwar village in Junnar Taluka.
The path of Rajmarg, through the bushes at the beginning, was difficult to climb due to the narrow route in the middle and last stage. Right now, there are huge boulders; we have to climb out of it.
The ascent and descent of the ‘Rajmarg’ are challenging and adventurous. Experienced trekkers should try at least once.
The major attraction of Harishchandragad is Konkan Kada, an almost 1,423 m concave fall. It is a vertical overhang, like a cobra’s hood, providing a panoramic view of the surrounding hills and an enchanting sunset. It’s beyond description, one should actually see it to experience nature’s architecture. The view from here is awesome and unimaginable.
Also, there are colonies of vultures in the huge crevices. You need a pair of binoculars to watch them a little closer.
This temple is a marvellous example of the fine art of carving sculptures out of stones that prevailed in ancient India. It is about 16 m high from its base. Around this temple there a few caves & ancient water tanks. The river Mangal Ganga is said to originate from one of the tanks located close to the temple. The top of the temple resembles construction with the North-Indian temples.
A similar temple is situated in Buddha-Gaya. Here we can see many tombs, in which a typical construction is seen. These are built by well-finished arranging stones one on top of the other. There are three main caves near the temple. The cisterns near the temple provide drinking water.
Going rightwards of Harishchandreshwar temple, we come across a huge cave. This is the cave of Kedareshwar, in which there is a big Shivling, which is totally surrounded by water. The total height from its base is five feet, and the water is waist-deep. It is quite difficult to reach the Shivling because the water is ice-cold. There are sculptures carved out here. In monsoon, it is not possible to reach this cave, as a huge stream flows across the way.
The Shivling is surrounded by four pillars that essentially represent the four yugas of life on earth. The general belief is that the current phase is Kaliyuga. The day the fourth pillar breaks down will be considered the end of this era.
To the east of the temple is a well-built lake called “Saptatirtha”. On its bank are temple-like constructions in which there are idols of Lord Vishnu. Recently these idols have been shifted in the caves near the temple of Harishchandreshwar.
A little further away on the mountain is the Taramati peak, one of the highest peak in Maharashtra, providing a breath-taking view of the surrounding mountain ranges and an ideal setting to bask in the golden canopy of the rising sun. From here we can have a glimpse of the whole range of Naneghat and the forts near Murbad.
Shivajinagar > Aundh > Nashik Phata > Ale Phata > Walhivare (Base)
22:00 – Shivajinagar
22:30 – Aundh
22:59 – Nashik Phata
Came to know about Harishchandragad trek being beautiful and challenging over social media, was very excited since then, Well SG trekkers organised it very professionally with guide Vishal and Amol and local guide Ramdas making tough trek very safe. Local food we had was very tasty. All trek members were also very supportive, special thanks to Mr Sandeep who assisted me in getting transport back to Goa. Thanks SG trekkers.
