Monsoon trek to Lohagad, Lonavla
As the rainy season begins, it time for bag packers to look for some exciting place nearby. For people living in Mumbai or Pune, lonavla turns out to be the best option for one day trip.
Weekend + monsoons = Lonavla 💗
Lohagad fort history :
One of the trekking location located in Lonavla is none another than the hill fort in Malavli, Maharashtra, at the height of 1,033m above sea level. It is the part of western ghats, once ruled by great leaders like Mughals, Nizams and Marathas.How to reach:
- By Road :
- By Train :
One can board the express from Mumbai early in morning.
Mumbai - Pune Indrayani Express
| Station/Code | Distance* | Arr. | Dep. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai (CSTM) Maharashtra | Origin | NA | 05:40 | ||
| Dadar (Central) (DR) Maharashtra | 8 Km | 05:51 | 05:53 | ||
| Thane (TNA) Maharashtra | 33 Km | 06:14 | 06:16 | ||
| Kalyan (KYN) Maharashtra | 53 Km | 06:33 | 06:35 | ||
| Karjat (KJT) Maharashtra | 99 Km | 07:13 | 07:15 | ||
| Lonavala (LNL) Maharashtra | 127 Km | 07:58 | 08:00 |
You can get the local ticket and board the train. It is usually not crowded, but the crowd may vary according to the working day and vacations.
After getting down at lonavala, you need to catch a local train to Pune from platform no. 3, which will take you to Malavali. (next stop). Reach around 8.30
Once you get down at malavali station you should get your way out towards the right. i.e. near the express way. From there you can easily get a shared vehicle which will help you to reach the base of fort. The sharing cost will be around Rs. 100 per person. If you are an enthusiastic person you can go walking 6 kms.😬
The Fort
Once you reach the base, you have many option to get yourself fresh. There are many stalls available that will serve you hot pakodas, vada pav, tea,etc. After getting your breakfast done you can start climbing the fort.
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| Fort covered with clouds. |
Difficulty level : Easy
Time take : Approx 1hr
Since it was rainy season, you can expect fog to continue on your entire route. The time we visited, we experienced such weather. The sun played hide-n-seek with us for few hours. You can spot the Pawna lake on the route. The view from top was spectacular and mesmerizing.
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| Pawna Lake |
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| View fom top |
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| Weather on fort |
After exploring the fort you descend towards the base. Have some refreshments and get a sharing vehicle to reach malavali station. From malavali station get a local towards lonavala.
Local timing: 15:03. (you get an hour free to board the next train so better to explore the near by spots in lonavala or visit the lonavala market)
Express Timing from Lonavla : DeccanExpress
Thing to carry:
- Rainy wear/raincoats.
- Shoes.
- Food packets (in case you does not eat outside food)
- Water (1 ltr.)
Total Cost:
- Mumbai to Malavali return ticket: Approx 150/-
- Shared vehicle (two ways): 200/-
- Breakfast :Approx 50/-
- Lunch: Approx 50/-
