Visapur Trek
Date: 28 July 2018
Planning:
We were planning for Rajmachi for a long time now and once again the plan got scrapped. Since we confirmed with the locals that the Karjat route was closed. So we decided to go to some other place instead! And I came across Visapur fort. So we quickly made a plan late night for the next day's trek!
Train:
We had decided for the 7.12 am Intercity express from Thane, but couldn't board it due to the extreme rush being weekend. So the next train after that was Deccan Express which had more General coaches, so we could easily find a place to stand in the train. It was 2 hours journey to Lonavala station. From Lonavala we caught the 10.10 am local train towards Pune and got down at the next station ( Malavli ).
Towards Visapur from Malavli:
The Base village Patan is at a walkable distance of 15-20 min from Malavli Railway Station. We made a mistake of taking an auto which cost us rs 250.
Starting the Trek:
We directly started following the road where the auto left us. This track was extremely risky and slippery. It had a difficult waterfall climb at the beginning itself. We managed to cross it somehow and were following the people ahead of us. Soon enough we were informed that it was a wrong route and people are returning from the top. So also trekked down and started exploring another route. We could see people climbing another on another route on the next hill. But if we wanted to go there we would have to go down the waterfall again which was risky. There was another waterfall which was connecting the two hills. This was another option for us. This option was also dangerous. But we decided to take it as it would save our time and energy. So carefully we crossed the waterfall and climbed the slippery rocks covered with moss.
Main Route:
Now we were on the right track. We started following the foot trail and people ahead of us. There were locals and small children at the start, selling food and drinks and offering guide service. The entire trek route was extremely slimy with small rivulets in the middle where you could wash your feet. The slimy mud in our sandals was causing us to slip more. Hence washing sandals at regular intervals was mandatory.
Note: Don't forget to carry odomos and wear track pants and full sleeve t-shirts because there are plenty of mosquitoes and other insects.
Reaching the Top:
The last patch goes through a waterfall and then you come across the most iconic steps. The continuous water falling from sides on the rocks have made them extremely slippery. Therefore you have to be very careful. Most people trek the rocks on the sides to avoid slippery steps. After completing this patch you reach the top! It's a fantastic feeling of accomplishment. The views are really thrilling. The cold fog hitting your face accompanied by the wind makes you feel relax. Now you are free to explore the fort. This is a massive fort with three water tanks. The fort is now in ruins. There is not much left to see other than one canon and double fortification walls. You get the eagles view of the Lonavala hill station and Sahayadris. Also, you can see the twin fort Lohagad.
Descending:
This is the trickiest fort to trek down. Because of being slippery during monsoon you will tend to break your sandals. You must keep each and every step with great care. You can slip even while you are standing. Also, don't forget an important tip given to us that while climbing keep to your right always and while getting down always take the left. There is a small plunge created by the waterfall in which you can get drenched and destress.
Back to Mumbai:
We caught the 4.09 pm train from Malavli Railway Station to Lonavala station. Then caught the Deccan Express back to Mumbai. It was crowded being a weekend and we couldn't find a place to sit. It was exhausting to stand at a place after a trek. But finally, we got down at Kalyan and caught a local train back to Home. On this trip, we made new friends and enjoyed the fullest.
