AdventrekT...

HARISHCHANDRAGAD

My first & favourite & best trek, the place I would love to spend more time

Region: Malshej ghat

District: Ahmednagar

Range: Harishchandragad

Height: 4671 feet

Grade: Moderate/Difficult (depending on the chosen route)

Duration: 2 days

Stay: There are nearly 9 caves in total inculding 2 big caves on Harishchandragad which can accomodate around 100 people.

Routes to Harishchandragad:

1) Khireshwar (Tolar Khind, Rajmarga)

2) Belpada (Nalichi vaat, Rajmarga, Sadhleghat)

3) From Pachnai

4) From Pune

1) Khireshwar (Tolar Khind, Rajmarga)

Mumbai - Kalyan - Khubi phata- Khireshwar
Catch a local going towards Kalyan (on Central Line). Get down at Kalyan Station.

The ST depot is just besides the station on the west side.

Catch any ST going towards Alephata (strictly going via Malshej Ghat)

Ask conductor to stop at khireshwar stop (generally bus doesnt halt there) if he is not ready ask him for Khubi Phata. Khubi Phata is just 5 mins after the Malshej Ghat ends.

Get down at Khubi Phata and start walking on the 6 km long dam that just starts besides the road.

Sharing jeep ply from main highway to khireshwar village

If you are lucky you may get a jeep or just keep walking , beautiful view of dam

Once you reach the base village Khireshwar, the actual trek for Harishchandragad starts !!!

2) Belpada (Nalichi vaat, Rajmarga, Sadhleghat)

Mumbai - Kalyan - Savarne- Belpada

Mind it, this is a very tough route and not at all recommended for freshers !

Ask the ST conductor for a ticket of Savarne. Savarne comes just before the start of Malshej Ghat.

The straight 1 hour walk from Savarne takes you to the base village Belpada (now Walivare)

From Belpada, the trek to Harishchandragad via Nalichi vaat or Rajmarga or Sadhleghat begins !!

3) From Pachnai

Reaching Pachnai from Mumbai is fairly difficult as one has to change several buses and loses a lot of time in transit.

4) From Pune

Catch an ST from Pune towards Alephata

Pune - Ale phata - Khubi phata - Khireshwar

Get down at Alephata& catch another ST moving for Kalyan (strictly going via Malshej Ghat).

To trek Harishchandragad via Tolar Khind (Khireshwar), get down at Khubi Phata. Khubi Phata comes just before the Malshej Ghat.

Best & recommended way to do trek is via Khireshwar

Food & Stay at top

A few villagers at the top of the fort make the food arrangements. The meal includes bhakri, bhaaji, daal, bhat, etc. along with snacks such as kanda bhaji, pohe, tea, etc. They stay in a couple of caves near Harishchandreswar temple. Call Pundalik: 9869054960

Please write your mail in comment box or you can write to yogisalunke_07@yahoo.co.in

Will write about the story soon..

1st vist to Harishchandragad..we 3 idiots..

Shambo..

2nd Visit via Nalichi Vaat..

Picture taken by Sunit while ascending through Nalichi Vaat

The Villagers:
Pundalik & his mother at the top who will help you from tent set up to food & accommodation.
He own 2 tents.

The villagers place where we stayed in night
We did night trek to reach Pachnai, that too get down on the wrong stop..have to cross two small hills, took almost 2hrs to reach

Reached top, exact opposite to konkankada, a much needed break, everyone's bottle, water bottle khatam..
Last main sirf kisikey pass chingam tha..that helped ..