Lohgad Trek

Trek to the Iron Fortress of Maharashtra - Lohgad

Grade: Easy.

Altitude: 3450 feet above mean sea level.

A trek that takes you back in time to the period of Sattvavahana, built during or possibly before the reign of the Sattvavahana Empire (30 BC to 200 AD) one of the well-preserved forts of Maharashtra. Explore the Iron Fortress of Maharashtra. 

Altitude: 3000 Feet above mean sea level

Experience Category: Trek easy grade climbing a hill fort (around one hour to climb; less than one hour to descend, you can add around one or possibly even two or three hours to explore the fort). 

Location: Approximately 12 KM from Lonavala just off Lonavala Pauna Lake Road. approximately 115 km from Mumbai.

Best Season: Round the year. (Treks for all seasons Summers, Monsoon and Winter).

Duration: One Day trip from Pune / Mumbai.

Who is it for? Families with kids / Individuals interested in getting the first time introduced to trekking with easy grade. If you are interested in History, Heritage, or try local cuisines in authentic Dhabas. 
Recommended Plan for the trek.

 6:00 am Start from Mumbai / Pune by your own car/volvo/train/ST/Share cab
9:00 am Reporting time at Lonavala - Meeting point near Shivaji Statue near Lonavala Police Station, Main bazar road, 5 minutes' walk from Lonavala railway station.
9:15 am Start for base village of Loh gad (30 minutes' drive).
10:00 am Lohgad trek... 1 hour to reach the summit
1 to 3 hours exploring the fort
12:30 pm start our descent from fort
01:30 pm start back from base village for Lonavala
02:00 pm Lunch at Lonavala, near Shivaji statue
Explore Lonavala market... Lunch, famous local eateries and snacks. Chikki's, Fudge, Bakeries and a lot more can be done at Lonavala. 

Standard Trekking Package: (WhatsApp: 9619182010 to get exact commercials that match your requirements).

Rs.5000/- (For a group size up to 9 persons), (Mountain Guide with Safety Equipment and General First Aid Kit)

Rs.7500/- (For a group size 10 to 15 pax), (2 Mountain Guide with Safety Equipment and General First Aid Kit)

Special Corporate or Celebrity Trek Charges:
Rs.10,000/- for a group size of up to 12 persons
Rs.15,000/- for a group size of 15 to 23 persons.

(Mountain Guides with experience to host corporate events along with safety Equipment, First Aid).

Exclusions:
Meals
Bottled water/ beverages.
Any kind of insurance
Tips etc.
Un-utilized resources will not be refunded.
Anything that is not included is excluded.
Travel budget (by private transport - ask for quote).

Note: Meal cost for Mountain Guides during trek has to be borne by customer.

Note: We can organize stays (Villas and Farm Stay; Camping and Glamping; Resorts and Hotels); transport; "meals for your trek"; "Group or Corporate Events with games, activities, and adventures"; we can customize the whole event to match your requirements.

Note: Adventure sports should always be done under strict supervision of professionals who are experienced and have standard based equipment's to support the activities. We will be happy to help. 

Experiences:

 Easy Trek, Ancient Fort Exploration and Exploring Rural Countryside.

 Scroll down to know more about Lohgad and places around Lonavala. 
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Contacts for Bookings / Queries: 
WhatsApp / sms : +91-9619182010
emails: info@natureknights.net / natureknights@gmail.com

About Lohaghad Fort

One of the better-preserved forts of the region, it retains most of its distinctive medieval defense features and some of the spirit and gloss of its past grandeur. Must have been built during the reign of the Sattvavahana Empire (30 BC to 200 AD) or possibly even before that.

The fort has 4 successive entrance Darwaja's, the Ganesh Darwaja, the Narayan Darwaja, the Hanuman Darwaja and the Maha Darwaja. All the doors are still quite strong and are located on the serpentine ascent of the fort. The Hanuman Darwaja is the oldest of the quartet The remaining three doors were built by Nana Phadnavis, the space between the second and the third door contains some cellars used as granaries. On entering the Maha Darwaja there is a structure that houses some tombs. Further along the fortification is a rock-cut cave called the Lomesh Rishi Cave.

Many water tanks dot the area one with a natural spring in it containing fresh clean water. A Mahadev temple adjacent to which is a tank with steps descending to the water. A narrow spur of the fort stretches westwards in sweeping curves. Both sides are girded with fortification and the westernmost tip is guarded with a bastion. The spur seems worthy of its name ‘ Vinchu-Kata’ (the scorpion’s sting) From here one can descend to the ‘Gai - Khind’ (a Saddle) and head towards Visapur Fort.







some more information on Lohgad (For backpackers or exploring travellers)
From Mumbai, you can take a train to Lonavla. Malavli is the next station from Lonavla in the direction towards Pune, you can take a local train from Lonavala or Pune to reach here. 

From the Malavli railway station, the fort is hardly 9 km away. Vehicles can reach the foot of the hill. From there, which is near a village called Lohagadwadi, there are steps to the fort, numbering approximately 500.

However, people can also walk all the way to the fort. Bhaja Caves is on the way to Lohagad if a small diversion is taken. This walk is a particular favorite of trekkers, especially in the monsoon season. It is a simple and easy trek and the distance from Malavli station to Bhaje gaav takes about 20 min. The distance between Malavli and Lohagadwadi can be covered in around 2-2.5 hrs. The trekking route becomes mucky when it rains and trekkers will have difficulty walking to the fort. The walk is very enjoyable, especially the picturesque scenery, lush green grass, cool mountain air, and the pleasant salubrious climate. A variety of birds and insects can also be spotted in these hills. There is a way to reach it by road. There are two different routes to reach the base of Lohgad by car.

For people traveling from Mumbai, the route is via Lonavala. If starting from Pune, take the old Mumbai Pune highway. Just after you cross the toll plaza before lonavala, keep to your left until you cross “Manshakti”. There is a Y-type left turn just after “Manshakti”. Take that left and drive for another 200 odd meters to take the very first left again. You are on the way to lohgad after crossing the place called “Bhangarwadi” from where it is just 8–10 km. If you come across a railway crossing and Mumbai-Pune highway twice, you are on the right track. You are on way to Paud, continue until you reach “Dudhiware Khind”. Just before it, take a left for Lohgad. From there it is around 4 km max. The road ahead is very steep with a couple of sharp turns, but safe.

For people traveling from Pune city, the route is via Chandani chowk, Pirangut and Paud. After reaching Paud, take a right and drive for around 40-odd km. Just after you cross “Dudhiware Khind” you will reach the same place. Take a right for Lohgad base.

It is a tar road and you can comfortably reach the “Paytha”. It’s a wonderful place and should be tried in between mid-August to mid-September, when you can still have rain but the intensity diminishes.

When it rains, the top of the fort is covered with mist and clouds and becomes particularly wet. It is advisable to carry protective gear during the rainy season (mid-June to mid-September). Further, food is not easily available on the route. Most of the food stalls sell water, poha, tea/coffee, snacks, and soft drinks.

A panoramic view of the Pawna dam can be seen from the fort.

Nearby experiences: (Be an exploring traveler)

Lohgad Boat club with Farm House Dhaba on the banks of Pauna Lake is a cool experience to explore.

One can also drive on the other side of the hill to explore ancient Bhaja and Karla Caves.

An option only for good trekkers can try climbing Visapur fort the twin fortress next to Lohgad fort.

Lonavala is a good place to have your breakfast before you head for Lohgad for a trek and during the evening try the famous Chikki and Fudge at Lonavala market.

A drive from lonavala towards Ambi Valley will bring you across Lion Head Point and Tiger Leap Valley that has an enchanting valley view from an altitude of around 3000 feet above mean sea level.

Driving further towards Khandala on the way back one can also stop over at Rajmachi View, to get a glimpse of Rajmachi Fort (Shrivardhan and Manoranjan or Manranjan)

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