Karnala Fort Trek Witnessing the History

Journey Date : 21-Feb-2019
Mode of Transport : Train and Auto

History of the fort 

    Karnala Fort is a hill fort in Raigad district, Maharashtra, India, about 10 km from Panvel city. Situated at 1440 feet above sea level. The fort was likely constructed before 1400, under Devgiri Yadavas (1248–1318). From the year 1540, it is under the control of Nizam Shah of Ahmednagar. Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj conquered the fort on 22^nd June 1670

 

    In the year 1879 freedom fighter Vasudev Balvant Phadke used to stay on Karnala fort with his army. Officer pother of the British army announced a bounty for the information of Vasudev Balvant Phadek. One night he got information and he reaches Karnala fort in the night and captured Vasudev while he is in deep sleep at the goddess Karnai temple.

    Maruti B. Chitampalli born 5 November 1932 is a wildlife conservationist and Marathi writer from Maharashtra, India. He was instrumental in the development of Karnala Bird Sanctuary, Navegaon National Park, Nagzira Sanctuary, and Melghat Tiger Project; also constructing orphanages for displaced wildlife at the last two institutions. Maruti Chitampalli inspired by Salim Ali referred to as the Birdman of India, Salim Ali was the first Indian to conduct systematic bird surveys across India and wrote several bird books that popularized ornithology in India.

Travel and Trekking Experience

Mumbai to Karnala Fort: Train Routes, Tum-Tums, and Sanctuary Rules

    Our journey from Mumbai to Karnala Fort kicked off at Dadar Station. We boarded the 6:40 AM Harbour Line local train and arrived at Panvel Station by 8:20 AM. Right outside the station, we fueled up with a comforting breakfast of homemade idlis, upma, and dosas. While eating, my trekking partner, Vinayak, started gathering intel on the best transport options to reach the base of the fort.

    We initially checked the Panvel MSRTC bus depot, but the bus timings didn't align with our schedule. Luckily, an MSRTC employee tipped us off that 6-seater auto-rickshaws (locally known as tum-tums) frequently run along the Mumbai-Goa National Highway. Using Google Maps to navigate, we walked toward the highway, took a left, and quickly spotted the rickshaw stand. The standard fare is about Rs. 60 per person, though a little polite bargaining is always recommended! By 10:00 AM, our tum-tum dropped us right at the Karnala Fort trek starting point—which also serves as the main gate for the Karnala Bird Sanctuary. If you are wondering how to reach Karnala from Panvel, this ride is incredibly convenient and only takes 20 to 30 minutes.

    Traveler’s Tip: Finding a return ride on the Mumbai-Goa highway can be difficult. Be sure to take your rickshaw driver's contact number so you can easily call them for your journey back to the station.

    Right at the entrance is the forest department check post where you must purchase your tickets. The Karnala Bird Sanctuary entry fee is Rs. 35 for Indian citizens and Rs. 60 for foreigners, with a separate charge if you are carrying a DSLR or professional camera (mobile phone cameras are free). The sanctuary also strictly enforces a fantastic eco-policy: you must pay a Rs. 100 refundable deposit if you are carrying any plastic items, such as water bottles, polythene bags, or chips packets. The guards will check your backpack and note the exact count of your plastic items. To get your Rs. 100 back, you must present all the plastic items on your way out, ensuring the mountain remains litter-free!

Entrance gate of Karnala Bird Sanctuary

Peacock at bird sanctuary

Parrots at bird sanctuary

Exploring the Bird Enclosures on the Karnala Fort Trek Route

    Just a short 10-minute walk past the entrance, we came across the sanctuary's caged enclosures. We stopped to take a few photos of the birds at Karnala Bird Sanctuary, spotting species like eagles, peacocks, and parrots. To be completely honest, this part of the experience was a bit underwhelming. There were very few bird species actually available for viewing, and unfortunately, the condition of the enclosures and the birds themselves did not seem ideal. Because of this, we only spent about 30 minutes exploring this section. After a quick look around, we hit the Karnala Fort trek route again, keeping our focus on the primary goal: reaching the summit of the fort!

Information board

Jungle trail

The Ascent, the Pinnacle, and Karnala Fort History

    Before hitting the steep trail, we took a moment to absorb some Karnala Fort history. The forest department has set up excellent information boards at the base, including a fascinating letter written by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to his ministers—an absolute treat for anyone passionate about Maratha history! At 11:00 AM, the real ascent began. The initial path is easy and straightforward, but don't let that fool you. The trail soon becomes steep, and when combined with the coastal humidity, the Karnala Fort trek difficulty definitely ramps up. While seasoned trekkers can comfortably reach the peak in about an hour, it took our 16-member group of mostly first-timers around two hours. Thankfully, the trail features convenient rest sheds every 15 to 20 minutes, which were an absolute lifesaver for our group.

We finally conquered the summit at 1:00 PM. The fort itself is quite compact and takes only about an hour to explore, but the Karnala Fort top view is nothing short of spectacular, offering sweeping panoramas of the lush Raigad district and the winding Mumbai-Goa highway below. We spent a good chunk of time admiring the iconic Karnala Fort pinnacle (historically used as a strategic watchtower). Tucked inside this impressive basalt pillar are ancient rock-cut water tanks, one of which still holds clean, drinkable water! After navigating through a narrow historic gate, we reached the second section of the fort, where our whole group sat down to enjoy some well-earned snacks. By 2:00 PM, we began our descent, taking a peaceful 15 to 20-minute detour to visit the beautiful, ancient temple of Goddess Karnai along the way.

Goddess Karnai

Basalt Pinacle (sulka)

Fortification (wall)

Completing the Trek: Plastic Refunds and the Return Journey to Panvel

    We successfully completed our descent and reached the Karnala Fort base camp around 3:30 PM. True to the sanctuary's strict eco-friendly policy, we stopped at the forest department checkpoint to present our empty plastic bottles and wrappers. Because our final count perfectly matched their entry records, we happily received our Rs. 100 deposit back a brilliant initiative to keep the trails clean!

    By this point, we had worked up quite an appetite. Right across the Mumbai-Goa highway, directly opposite the main gate, you will find a local dhaba. If you are looking for restaurants near Karnala Bird Sanctuary, this is a highly convenient spot to grab a hearty post-trek lunch.

    While we waited for our food, we called the rickshaw driver we had met in the morning. By the time he arrived at the sanctuary gate to pick us up, we had just finished our meal. The return journey from Karnala to Panvel was smooth, and we were comfortably back at Panvel Railway Station by 5:30 PM, wrapping up a perfect weekend adventure.

Places to see on the fort Karnala

Basalt Pinacle
Water cisterns
Ruined structure of the house
Fortification
Entrance gate

Sculpture on the entrance gate

Goddess Karnai temple

Places to see nearby

 

Shidhon village, Birthplace of freedom fighter Vasudev Balvant Fadke

View from top

Ruined house

Sculpture of Sharab on the gate

A short history of the fort on the bord

Kalsubai Monsoon Trek - Everest of Maharashtra

 

Journey Date : 24-Jun-2018

Per head cost : 700 Rs

Mode of Transport : Train / Jeep

Short Information about Kasubai Peak

    Kalsubai is a mountain in the Western Ghats, located in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Its summit situated at an elevation of 1646 meters (5400 feet) is the highest point in Maharashtra. The mountain range lies within the Kalsubai Harishchandragad Wildlife Sanctuary. It is visited throughout the year by avid trekkers, Kalsubai temple devotees, and wildlife enthusiasts alike. Kalsubai is a 6.6 KM long trek.

Travel and Trek Experience

Our Mumbai to Kalsubai Trek Itinerary: The Journey to Bari Village

    Our Kalsubai trek adventure began at Dadar Railway Station in Mumbai. We boarded the 12:15 AM train heading to Kasara and arrived comfortably by 4:15 AM.

    To ensure a seamless transit, we had pre-booked a jeep from Kasara Railway Station to Bari village the official base camp for the Kalsubai mountain trek. We gave our driver a quick heads-up 10 minutes before pulling into the station. He was waiting for us right outside, and we hit the road immediately. The scenic drive from Kasara to Bari village takes about 45 to 50 minutes, putting us at the base village by 5:30 AM. One of the best parts about trekking to Maharashtra's highest peak is the warm local hospitality. The villagers in Bari arrange amazing homestyle meals for trekkers, which our driver had kindly coordinated for us in advance. After fueling up with a hearty breakfast and a hot cup of tea, we hit the trail at 6:30 AM.

    Pro-Trekker Tip: Before starting your ascent, give the locals your lunch order (both veg and non-veg options are available). By doing this, a hot, well-deserved meal will be ready and waiting for you the moment you return from the summit!

Gate - Kalsubai trek starting point

Hitting the Trail: Fog, Plateaus, and the Kalsubai Monsoon Trek

    Thanks to the rainy season, the weather was absolutely incredible, setting the stage for what we instantly knew would be an unforgettable Kalsubai monsoon trek. Just a few minutes into our walk, we arrived at a small Lord Hanuman temple. The gate right next to it officially marks the Kalsubai trek starting point. As we pushed forward along the Kalsubai trek route, it wasn't long before we reached our first plateau. You will quickly notice that the mountain offers these flat, welcoming stretches at regular intervals throughout the climb, making them perfect spots to catch your breath. After a quick rest, we resumed our ascent. By the time we reached the midway point of the mountain, dense fog and low-hanging clouds completely enveloped us. The mist was so thick that the trail ahead vanished, making it thrillingly impossible to see the route or guess how much distance was left between us and the summit!

Lord Hanuman Temple, at base village Kalsubai

    Soon enough, we reached the first of the famous Kalsubai trek ladders and carefully made our way up, one by one. There are a total of four steep iron ladders on this route, making the ascent both thrilling and accessible. By the time we conquered the third ladder, we had reached an impressive altitude of around 1,300 meters.

    At this point, we decided to take a well-deserved break to refuel. Thankfully, finding food on the Kalsubai trek is easy! There are several small mountain stalls set up by locals serving up hot Maggi, crispy pakodas, and steaming tea. The hot tea and pakodas were exactly what we needed to keep our bodies warm against the biting cold wind and rain, giving us the perfect energy boost to tackle the final stretch to the summit. Honestly, enjoying piping hot Maggi and pakodas while surrounded by monsoon clouds is easily one of the best experiences you can have in the Sahyadris!

4th Metal Ladder

Reaching the Summit: Standing on the Everest of Maharashtra

    By the time we reached the fourth and final ladder, we hit a bit of a bottleneck. We had to wait for about 30 minutes because the summit was completely packed. To keep things safe and manageable, those of us climbing up waited for descending trekkers to clear out and free up space at the top.

    Trekker's Note: Be prepared for heavy foot traffic! During the monsoon season, this trail is incredibly popular. It is not uncommon to see massive trekking groups of 200 to 300 people tackling the mountain at once.

    We carefully climbed up one side of the ladder while the descending crowd used the other. Finally, we stepped onto the Kalsubai peak summit—the absolute highest peak in Maharashtra. Standing at the very top of what is rightfully known as the Everest of Maharashtra is a truly surreal experience. The view from Kalsubai peak is breathtaking. Surrounded entirely by dense, rolling clouds, it felt like we were standing in heaven, or on an isolated island floating in an endless sea of mist. The summit area is actually quite narrow, comfortably accommodating only about 45 to 50 people at a time. At the very center sits the revered Mata Kalsubai temple. We offered our prayers, took some incredible photos, and soaked in the magic for about 15 to 20 minutes before beginning our descent.

Bari village view from top

Rock Steps - a way to heaven

The Descent and the Journey Home: Wrapping Up the Kalsubai Trek

    Navigating the Kalsubai trek descent requires extra caution. Thanks to the heavy monsoon rains, the muddy trails become incredibly slippery. In fact, at certain steep and slick sections, the safest and most fun strategy is simply to sit down and slide!

    For those keeping track of the average Kalsubai trek time, it generally takes about 4 hours to conquer the ascent and roughly 2.5 hours to carefully make your way back down to the base. We successfully reached our host's village house in Bari around 12:30 PM. After freshening up and changing out of our damp trekking gear, it was time to eat. As mentioned earlier, pre-ordering our meal before the hike was a game-changer—a hot, comforting lunch was ready and waiting for us the exact moment we returned.

    Post-lunch, we hopped back into our pre-arranged jeep for the return trip to Kasara Railway Station. Unfortunately, we narrowly missed the 5:00 PM Kasara to CSMT local train. We waited about an hour, eventually boarding the 6:00 PM local, and finally pulled into Dadar station by 10:00 PM, completely exhausted but full of unforgettable memories.

   

Places to see nearby

Bhandardara Dam

Ratangad

Harishchandragad

Prabalgad

Harihargad

Hide and Seek of mountain into the clouds

Milestone

Group photo