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.
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.
Considered 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.
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 of Pune district. This way we can reach the fort in about 4 hours. Many trekkers climb the Harishchandragad via Tolar Khind or Pachnai route. They have completely overlooked this path.
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.
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.
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.
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 peaks 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.
Balekilla is the highest peak on Harishchandragad after the Taramati peak. Many trekkers come from different directions and go directly to the Harishchandragad temple or cave. Very few people know where Harishchandragad fort is and they return without going to Balekilla.
This is a great antique construction, and diverse artistic works are seen on this. On the ceiling of the temple are carvings. The main attraction of the carvings here is the 1.5 m long sculpture of Lord Vishnu in the sleeping posture, popularly known as “Sheshshayi Vishnu” in Marathi. It is rare and hence holds a lot of importance. There are a lot of legends told about this sculpture. There are caves near the temple.
Shivajinagar > Aundh > Nashik Phata > Ale Phata > Walhivare (Base)
22:00 – Shivajinagar
22:30 – Aundh
22:59 – Nashik Phata
Please come 15 minutes before at your pickup point to avoid getting late.
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.
