Monsoons here!! Lush green mountains, milky white waterfalls, wet tracks of Sahyadri’s are about to shower its beauty. The vast natural landscape personifies itself in monsoon season. Exhausted and tired from the hot sunny days, monsoon brings pleasure, and drains away all the heat from the body. The treks are getaways to enjoy this rainy season to the fullest and wander around in the natural beauty of mountains.
Following are the 5 easy treks to begin with your monsoon! Explore with Small Steps adventures
- One Tree Hill
Well as the name suggests, one tree hill, where one can see only one tree on a hill literally! One tree hill is one of the points on Matheran, well Matheran is quite common destination for weekend trips; it has many points of amazement. Exploring further one tree hill is such point here. From one tree hill there is direct route to descend into valley and touchdown to base village. The nature begin to uncurl itself in Monsoon, to view it in its most beautiful form One tree Hill becomes one of the getaway trek in Monsoon.
Trek Category: Easy
Base village: Ambevadi
Height: Around 800 m (2625 feet)
Distance: 83 km from Mumbai
How to Reach: Local train till Karjat – from karjat local transport till base village – trek starts from here
- Kalsubai
The peak of Maharashtra; How can that be missed in a climate that brings a different kind of thought process in you? Mind wonders in pleasant monsoon season, let it wonder and reach the top of Sahyadri’s and let your thoughts flow here. At summit there is a temple of local deity. The picturesque view from kalsubai is quite incredible. So Kalsubai is a much-needed getaway for Monsoon.
Trek category: Medium
Base village: Bari
Height: 1642 m (5400 feet)
Distance: from Mumbai 152 km
How to Reach: Local train till Kasara – from here local transport or jeeps till base village – trek starts from here
- Peb Fort-Vikatgad:
Well if you are ready for little adventure and mesmerizing views than definitely Peb fort should be your getaway in Monsoon. It is assumed that this fort derived its name Peb from the ‘Goddess Pebi’ at the base of the fort. It is said that Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj used the caves on the fort as silos for grain storage. This trek offers waterfall, rock patches and dense forest on all sides. Situated near Matheran it is one of the common treks of the season. Gear up for this one and have a pleasant getaway.
Trek Category: Medium
Base village: Fanaswadi
Height: 640 m (2100 feet)
Distance from Mumbai: 52 km from Mumbai
How to Reach: Local train till karjat – from Karjat reach neral – from Neral reach base village Fanaswadi – trek starts from here
- Karnala Fort:
An easy trek with a Jungle trail, consisting of a bird sanctuary Karnala trek is the most sought out treks in Monsoon. The fort’s feature is a 125 feet high basalt pillar; which was built as a watch tower. The fort has dilapidated structure. The trek also provides amazing views of nearby situated forts like Prabalgad, Chanderi, Matheran and Dronagiri. Rains and green nature makes the trail trek an enjoyable outing.
Trek Category: Easy
Base Village: Apta near Panvel
Height: 439 m (1440 feet)
Distance from Mumbai: 47.8 km
How to Reach: local train till Panvel – from Panvel local transport till base village – trek starts from here
- Harishchandragad through Pachanai village route:
If you want to experience the concept “Nature is Beautiful”, then this trek must surely be on your cards this monsoon. Harishchandragad trek is generally a difficult trek via 2 other routes ‘Nalichi Vaat (most difficult)’ and ‘Tolarkhind-Khireshwar’ ; but the trek through Pachanai village is easy and gives an awesome view of nature. There are many waterfalls, ponds through this route. The major attractive points of Harishchandragad are ‘Konkan Kada’ ; a vertical cliff in a semicircular shape just is inexplicable and people fall in love with this point; the other are the Shiv Linga temple in cave being supported on 4 pillars out of which 3 are broken and only one is remaining whole. The cave is filled with icy cold water till waist length. ‘Taramati’ is the highest point on the fort and gives spectacular scenic view. Surely this trek should be a monsoon getaway.
Trek category: Easy
Base village: Pachnai
Height: 1294 m (4245.05 feet)
Distance from Mumbai: 201.8 km
How to Reach: local train to kasara – from kasara local transport till ghoti village – from ghoti reach Pachanai – trek starts from here