Rajmachi Fort Trek — Fireflies Festival | Pune

About this trip

'Rajmachi Trek and Camping' - the name itself tells what this trek is most famous for in Maharashtra. One of the wonders you will witness on this trek is watching fireflies at night. The environment here in the Sahyadri Hills is very favorable for fireflies to live and flourish. During Rajmachi camping at night, you can easily enjoy nature's light show by playing with them while the little creatures will amuse you the whole night. Stargazing during the night while camping on this fort would nurture the astronomical interest in one. The Rajmachi trek will be a lifetime experience for you. Rajmachi Fort is one of the many forts cuddled by the Sahyadri mountains with its rugged and lush green arms in the Western Ghats, which is a world biodiversity heritage site. The fort is 2700 ft. above sea level, which promises the most scenic view of the Western Ghats and their flora-fauna along with the backwaters of the Shirota dam. Rajmachi Fortification comprises two forts — Shrivardhan Fort and Manaranjan Fort. Shrivardhan Fort was used as a watchtower due to its height (3000 ft.) while Manaranjan Fort is comparatively lower in height but one can enjoy views of Karnala Fort from here. From the roots of Indian history, it is found that Rajmachi fort was built as a defensive fort to have a lookout on the Bor Ghats, since this was a significant route for traders to reach Mumbai, an important trade center in the west. Because of its significance, it has a very interesting history. This fort was built by the Satavahanas, who established their kingdom after the decline of the Maurya Empire. The fort came to prominence when Shivaji became the king of the Marathas. In 1657, Shivaji fought Adilshah and brought this fort under his control. In 1704, after the death of Sambhaji Maharaj (son of Shivaji Maharaj), the Mughals attacked the fort and took control of it, only to lose it again to the Marathas the following year. In the 19th century, the Maratha dynasty started declining, and finally, in 1818, this fort came under British-India rule. After India's independence, this fort was announced as an ancient heritage place and a protected monument in Maharashtra. Different Buddhist caves, manmade water storage tanks, temples, ruined complexes, and fort walls attract a lot of archeological, architectural, and historical enthusiasts. Apart from the historical and architectural brilliance, one would surely fall in love with the natural beauty and surroundings in which this fort is perched. As Rajmachi fort is situated midway between Pune and Mumbai, and just a few km away from the all-time favorite Lonavala hill station, it's one of the best trekking places near both cities. In short, the Rajmachi Fort Fireflies Trek and Camping is the all-in-one package to get one step closer to nature and experience it thoroughly. With time, the fort has developed its own identity as the 'Rajmachi Trek'. It attracts trekkers from all around the world to enjoy trails that are an indivisible part of the Western Ghats. It also excites novice trekkers because of its easy-to-moderate difficulty level, while still being an exhausting trail at the same time. Generally, it takes two days to completely explore this trek, and as a result, 'Rajmachi camping' becomes a synergistic part of it. After getting exhausted exploring the trek on day 1, camping at night recharges your energy to explore the unexplored parts of the trek on day 2. Rajmachi trek and Rajmachi camping together make a complete package for spending your valuable holidays in nature's surroundings. Witnessing the sunrise and sunset from the fort during Rajmachi camping is a mesmerizing memory that can be preserved for years to come. It also lets you experience the fascinating night at the Sahyadri hills by witnessing the fireflies during Rajmachi camping. The fort has witnessed countless mesmerizing treks and campings but is still waiting for you to come and enjoy its glorious legacy. Rajmachi Fort is located midway between Pune and Mumbai, so you can choose to come from either city. There are two ways to reach the fort — one from the Karjat side and the other from the Lonavala side. If you're travelling by local transport, take any local train that runs between Pune and Mumbai, get down at Karjat, and hire an auto to reach Kondhana village, the base of the Rajmachi trek, from where you trek for around 3-4 hours to reach the top. Another way to reach Rajmachi is to take a local train to Lonavala from either city, hire an auto to reach the Tungarli dam (4 km from Lonavala station), and cover the remaining 16 km from Tungarli to Udhewadi base village on foot; from Udhewadi it hardly takes 30 minutes to reach the top. By road, Rajmachi is approximately 82 km from Pune and 94 km from Mumbai, via Lonavala (which is about 75 km from either city). If it's not the rainy season, local transport is usually available to cover the 16 km stretch from Lonavala to Udhewadi; if you have your own vehicle, make sure it has enough ground clearance to cover that off-road patch.

Trek at a Glance

Trip Highlights

* All timings are approximate and may vary based on weather, traffic, or group pace.

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