Rajmachi Trek is a perfect trek that promises the most scenic views of Sahyadri Hills and its flora-fauna. It is the full nature package where you will experience lush green mountains, waterfalls, green valleys, beautiful forts, the most amazing thrilling trails & many more attractions. Another wonder you will experience on this trek is watching fireflies at night from the campsite. This trek is also known as the Rajmachi Fireflies trek. Here the environment in the Sahyadri Hills region is very easy for fireflies to live and flourish. These belong to the bug family and exhibit bioluminescence which makes them special. During the night from the campsite, you can easily spot them which will make you spellbound. It will be a wonderful experience for you throughout life.
The Rajmachi Fort is near Lonavala which is the famous hill station near Mumbai, Pune settled in the Western Ghats at Sahyadri Hills. The Western Ghats is a world biodiversity heritage site. It is perched at the elevation of 2710 m above sea level. Throughout the route on the Rajmachi trek, you will have the chance to see the flora & fauna of the Western Ghats. The specialty of this area is it remains evergreen and in the monsoon season, it becomes green heaven.
It is the best getaway near Mumbai, Pune to rejuvenate your selves from routine work stress. Here you will enjoy being kind in the lap of mother nature. If you have time available then you can also visit one of the wonders near Rajmachi Fort which is Kataldhar Waterfall. While trekking to the fort you will find 3 mango trees from there is the only way to reach Kataldhar Fall. There you will find a cave that 100 people occupy at the same time. From there enjoying the views of Rajmachi -Shrivardhan Fort Balekilla is the most amazing thing. During monsoon, you will experience many small waterfalls throughout the route which makes it wonderful.
Rajmachi Fort Trek is the full package for the person that has an interest in archeology and history as well as for nature lovers also. The surroundings make it so beautiful as from there, you can capture the natural beauty of the Sahyadri range’s lush green hills and forest. It is the perfect spot for shutterbugs for quenching their thirst for photography.
The difficulty level of the trek is easy to moderate. It is advised that if you are a beginner-level trekker then start trekking from the base village Udhevadi and if you are an experienced trekker then the trek route from Kondane caves will be the most amazing option for you. During monsoons, the trek becomes a little slippery so be careful about that and trek carefully.
About Location
Rajmachi Fort is one of the best examples of Maratha architecture. It is settled in the Sahyadri Hills of Western Ghats. It comprises two forts Manaranjan and Shrivardhan near Udhewadi Village. Shrivardhan Fort is named based on Shrivardhan Ganpatrao Patwardhan who was one of the Maratha officials. The structure of this fort looks like a watch tower. It has two water tanks and one water tank has an iron pole in between the tank. It is considered that it was used as a watch tower.
Manaranjan Fort is low in height as compared to Shrivardhan Fort. It is a neighboring fort and has large rampant and three gates. From Manaranjan Fort you can enjoy the views of Karnala Fort.
The base village is Udhewadi from where the trek route starts. It is situated in Mawal Taluka of Pune district, Maharashtra. The exact location of Udhewadi is the southern foot of Rajmachi Fort.
As a brief history, Satvahans established this fort under their rule, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj captured this fort from the Bijapur Sultan in the year 1657, After as time passed Mughals ruled over this fort and stayed the year 1704 to 1705. In the year 1818 British took over this fort as the Maratha powers became weak.
The Architecture of Rajmachi Fort is impressive and shows glimpses of past ruling times. This fort has secret gates, water reservoirs, vast ramparts, strong walls, broad and high gateways, residential units, and many more attractions. All these specialties are enough to make you in awe. Apart from these attractions, there are several temple complexes there in the Kal Bhairava temple between Shriwardhan and Manaranjana Fort is main. It is the central religious spot for the nearby peoples, and also visitors can seek blessings from there. Another point of attraction is that ancient caves belonging to Buddhism are considered to be built-in 200 BC.
Activities to Do
The main activity on this trek is trekking. Other activities are camping, bird watching, firefly watching at night, photography, vlogging, etc. The Rajmachi Trek is one of the heavenly treks in the western ghats. You can capture all the amazing scenes in your camera for a lifelong memory. Trekking and Camping in the lush green surroundings cast a spell on you. You will be mesmerized by the views. Vlogging will also be the most interesting activity there. There you can make the most wonderful blog which will be a gift to your subscribers from your side.
About Stay
There are two kinds of stay options available there one is Camping and another one is a homestay. The Kalbhairav Temple complex is suitable for camping and is nearby the base of Rajmachi Fort. Another good option is homestay offered by locals. You can stay there and enjoy their hospitality. It is the best way to know about the area with the help of locals.
How to Get in There
The Rajmachi Fort lies in between the Mumbai - Pune route. So either from Mumbai or Pune, you can reach from both sides for the Rajmachi Trek. The direct train is not available for Rajmachi as there it does not have a railway station. The nearest railway station is Lonavala which is 84 km away from Mumbai. After reaching there you can hire a private tourist cab or through sharing taxi services to reach the start of the trek.
The Udhevadi is the base village to ascend Rajmachi Trek. There are two ways to reach Udhevadi, one is from Kunhe Village, and another route goes to Udhevadi from Lonavala via Tungarli, Nandgaon.
