Rajgad Fort Trek | Monsoon/Weekend Trek from Pune (2024)

The Rajgad Trek

As the name suggests, the Rajgad Trek is one of the most beautiful treks of Maharashtra. The western ghats are enriched with their presence because of the rich architecture that it embodies. It has mesmerized all the trekkers from eons and hence acts as an invitation for many more to take their trekking journey.

Situated at an altitude of 4514 feet near Pune, this fort was built on Murumb Devacha Dongar Hill with a diameter of about 40 km. Its colossal size seizes it from all around, which helped the Marathas strategize better when the enemies planned the attacks on the fort.

Built in the capital city of Rajgad, it was home to Maratha Emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj for 26 years. The fort was built very beautifully with an exotic layout.

The Trek to Rajgad:

The Trek to the Rajgad offers the beautiful scenic beauty of the Sahyadris. The famous Machis: Padmavati, Sanjivani, and Suvela Machi. All three of them are a beautiful portrayal of the architectural creativity the artisans had in those times. Nearby the fort is the ashrams, water cisterns, and temples rich in architecture and have been a center of attraction for many years. The Rajgad Fort offers a splendid view of many other forts in and around Sahyadris.

What all can I expect on the way to Rajgad Trek:

The Architecture: The temple's architecture was personally monitored by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Hence it stands out of all the forts that Sahyadris is home to. The Machis(watchpoints) stand out with their snake-like appearance. Built with double fortified walls, the impression is scenic and worth watching. There are also houses, small lakes, and temples that represent the rich history that the Marathas had.

The view from the fort: The view from the fort is soulful as nature offers itself in its best form and the view of the forts like Lingnan, Singagad, Torna, Raigadis as tempting as is the experience of witnessing the Sun God bestowing upon you the warmth that you desire early in the morning.

The Natural Hole at the Rajgad: At the Suvela Machi, there's a naturally created hole on the wall. Known as the Nedhe in the Marathi Language, its enormous size makes it visible from all around the Plateau and even distant forts like Sinhagad Fort.

The Elephant structure on the rock on Suvela Machi: A vast structure represents an Elephant on a huge rock and one of the best views to watch out for on the Trek.

When should you go for the Rajgad Trek:

This beautiful Trek isn't seasoned bound. There are some pros and cons with every season, where pros are more than cons. You are offered a variety of breath-taking views with every season.

The monsoons offer the best experience with the lush green of the Sayadris at its best and the small streams you get to cross while you witness the wildflowers bloom to their glory. Trekking during summers or winters has its advantage. You experience the clear skies and some mesmerizing view of the various first all around, probably best times to click some pictures where the weather doesn't play a spoilsport.

How do you reach the base village :

The start point :

All the villages have wide roads to allow cars and can easily navigate on google maps.

The Gunjavane Village: Being closer to Pune than to Mumbai, it's easy to reach via Pune and less mentally taxing. Refer the google maps.

The Pali Village: From Pune and Mumbai, the route can be navigated with total ease.

The Vehicles can be parked at all the base villages as they hold enough space for them.

Reaching Base Village through Public Transport:

The Gunjavane Village: Trains and buses are running to and fro from Mumbai and Pune. For the bus, get down at Swargate Bus Station, Pune. From here you can catch a bus that goes to Gunjavane Village. The three options are:

Take a bus that goes to the Velhe, and you get down at the Margasani and can easily get shared taxis to the base village.
Others are Swargate bus stand Pune; there are also direct buses to Gunjavane Village, where the frequency of buses varies.
The third option is to get into the bus that goes to Kolhapur/Satara or Bangalore and drop down as NasraPur. From here, you have many choices of local taxis/autos that head to Gunjavane Village.

The Pali Village: If this is your starting point, take a bus to Nasrapur or Margasani and then a taxi from either place. Get dropped at the base of the Pali Village, the starting point of the Rajgad Trek.

Options for Return: You have to follow the same route to return, post 4 pm, there are very few buses running from the Village Bus Stand make sure you reach on time to get back home.

Pro-Tip: If you are a group of 4-5, preferably book a cab for the whole trip, it's economically cheaper and saves you from the stress of finding a vehicle to return in the evening.

Options to stay: You can stay at the fort, where the arrangements are made at the Padmavati Temple, or choose to camp by pitching the tents near the temple or any of the flat surfaces near the fort.

The Nearest Railway Station to the Rajgad Trek: Pune Junction Railway Station (About 59 km)

The Sections at Rajgad that can pose difficulty for the trekkers:

The Rajgad Trek comes under the Medium Difficulty level. There are a few sections that require careful navigation:

· The final Trek to the Chor Darwaza from the Gunjave Village is tricky as it's pretty steep, even though a railing helps the trekkers navigate the path with ease. However, it's recommended to wear nice trekking shoes and place your foot carefully while climbing up.

· The Trail that leads to Balekilla is about 500 feet. Some patches are steep and have no proper step to negotiate. There are ropes available to help you navigate the path quickly, and every trekker, even though he may be seasoned one should make use of it.

The Nearby Emergency Spots:

The Hospital: 20 km from the Gunjavane and 14 km from Pali Village, this Primary Health Centre, Velhe, is the nearest Medical Centre.

The Police Station: The Gunjavane Village and Pali both fall under the Khed Shivapur Police Station.

The Other: If nothing works, the Pan-India Emergency Response Support System is 112.

The Network and the ATMs:

The Network could be a challenge on the Trek; you still may get lucky with JIO and AirTel as service providers.

You should withdraw money either at Pune or before leaving home as the nearest ATM is Nasrapur in Gunjavane Village which is about 22 km away.