Veni, Vini, Amavi.
We came, we saw, we loved.
As I opened my eyes, I saw the rain droplets trickling down the window, coalescing at its base, and as my eye followed it, I caught the view ahead. The mountain was far into the horizon rising up into the clouds that had come down as if to meet it. The clouds funneled down and I could see the rains getting unloaded on the mountain. It was then that the bus attendant came in and announced that we are arriving at Pune. Well, the scenic view outside seemed to have announced it much earlier.
We got a bit delayed in starting off. We started at 10am towards Visapur Fort from Pune. The journey was of course worth a trip in itself. Rains spared us while we travelled, and the roads were kind almost till the very end. But there are a few tight and inclined turns at the end, where I would suggest vehicles be driven by professionals.
Fresh breeze, cooled over the nearby Pavana lake, fondled us with more freshness than a Liril Fresh soap ad. We walked further up the road, overlooked by the twin forts towering over us on either side, like watchful guardians. One the left there was Lohgad fort, and on the right was Visapur fort. Having already been to Lohgad (albeit in winter, when it is not at all the same as in monsoons), we decided to go right this time. No pun intended.
Be as it may, we wandered off the route at the start and ended up (quite fortunately, if I may add) into dense forest where only a tiny trail remained of the road that had took us in. Well, as J.R.R. Tolkien said, not all who wander are lost. As we found our way back, heavy rains lashed down forcing us into a small shed (and possibly the only one around). A woman was grilling corn, and the push to nibble on a steaming cob of freshly grilled corn, dashed with salt and lime bathing in the warmth of the fire piercing through the drenched cloth to the cold body was irresistible.
Since the rains showed no signs of stopping, with corn in hands and childlike wonder in eyes, we started the climb. The place was flooded with people, and to be honest I would rather not have the crowds. I seek places with their tranquillity intact and unhindered by the masses. So my first impression was that the plan was a waste of a precious Saturday. Boy, was I wrong. Initially the trek was through dense shrubs, trees and cacti (yes, cacti) on both sides of the trail. The incline wasn’t much and the trek not demanding much of the body.
We then came across a negligibly shallow and narrow yet rapid stream, which sprang into existence as the rainwater flowed down the slope, jumping over boulders, stones and pebbles. It was this stream that was now our way up. This time, the incline was steep, the ‘steps’ taller and exertion stronger. But walking upstream a brook is its own reward. We climbed to almost three quarters our way up when my friend asked me to turn around and look. Damn, was that a view. The rains had just stopped, and the whole valley lay in front of us, massive, serene and jaw-droppingly scenic.
Energy replenished with the amazing view, we climbed further and reached the top. Now, I have been to a lot many places around Maharashtra, in monsoons and otherwise. But this place clearly and easily was more beautiful than any of the places I had ever been to in Maharashtra.
What lay ahead was nothing short of spectacular, and it is difficult, nay herculean, to put in words. Hopefully, some thousands words-worth pictures would be of assistance here. Take a look. Do keep in mind, that even the best cameras couldn’t do justice to truly represent the beauty of the place. Objects in the gallery are better than they appear.
The wide and lush view of the valley and the lake reminds in a strikingly subtle way what a beauty nature is. 
The flat expanse at the top stood fenced by stone walls, ages old – the frontier where the forces of nature met those of men 
A singular tree appeared somehow to stand against time, as the wind, clouds, water and people moved about it, while the tree remained still. 
The tiny shoots at the edge of the walls fluttered joyfully in the breeze, as the fatherly stone wall guarded them against the winds outside 
The valley stands testimony to the transience of our lives compared to the timelessness of the mountains 
“Yes, now the rains weep o’er his halls
And not a soul to hear”
-Rains of Castamere
The brook cheerfully took a turn and disappeared into the mist 
There we stood, drinking in the view and inhaling the clouds. If nature is your addiction, this is the heroine. 
There’s nothing more soothing than the sound of the rains, and that of flowing water. We heard both. 
The water, un-cautioned, rushed off to the edge, just as blindly as students taking up Engineering 
Heaven can’t be much different now, can it?
Information
Distance:
Visapur Fort is situated at a distance of around 60 km from Pune, and it takes roughly about 2 hours to reach, assuming a short tea-break en-route. There will be a single toll of nearly INR 100 when driving from Pune. Visapur Fort is at roughly 100 km from Mumbai, taking about 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on the breaks taken.
Recommendation – start early in the day targeting to reach there by 9 AM, so that there’s less crowd to wade though and allowing more time for enjoying the experience.
How to get there:
- Road: distance mentioned above. A 350 km round-trip in an AC cab with driver would charge around INR 3000 all included.
- Train: conveniently located at the base of the trek is Malavli station. Even more conveniently, multiple trains run throughout the day from Pune to Malavli at laughably low fares.
Recommendation – If you are travelling from Mumbai, take a cab. If travelling from Pune, and especially if travelling with a large group, do take the train.
Route:
The road till Malavli is smooth and very easy to drive, there on, it gets quite tricky with twisted turns and sharp inclines which would require a very experienced driver, so I would rule out self-driving services like Zoom Car or Avis for this. We saw a car that had rolled off into a ditch near a turn. Though no one got hurt thankfully, it was a grim reminder that “gaadi aaj tera bhai chalaayega” is not a prudent decision.
Trek Information:
The trek is not difficult in complexity nor very exhaustive. In monsoon however, extra caution would be needed to avoid slipping over algae covered rocks that form the path at places. It takes about an hour and a half from the base to the top, and less than an hour to get down.
Best time to visit:
Monsoons, of course – July to August.
Recommendation – go in the first week of monsoons. Less crowd, less rains.
Must have:
- Good sport shoes with a nice grip.
- Being hands free. It is almost necessary at some parts of the trek, for taking support of stones and rocks to hoist up and lower yourself down. Plan accordingly.
- Plastic bags to keep your phone, wallet and valuables in when it rains.
- Extra set of socks, because the ones worn will.get.wet.
- Handkerchief and/or towel, to dry yourself up.
- That friend with a DSLR. Either you love nature, or your life revolves around profile pics, this is a great place to shoot photos of and get shot in.
Good to have:
- Things to munch on. You can buy them at the base of the trek, but you would get nothing once you start up.
- Rain-wear. But I would recommend get drenched, it’s fun.
- A little respect for nature.
Entangled 