Kamalgad fort (1375 m), Mahabaleshwar
Wasole is 20 km from Wai by bus. From Wasole, the route climb steeply to the first plateau (with two resident families) and then to the fort. The to & fro trek takes 3 hour. A 25 meter deep well at the top with excellent views of the surroundings.
Fort can also be reached from Tableland of Panchgani/ Kate's point of Mahabaleshwar. Trek to Nandgaon, a road leads to Wasole via Asgaon and Chandwadi.
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Dhom lake at Wasole road head
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Kamalgad fort view from first plateau
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Steps to 25 m deep well on top of the Kamalgad fort
Pratapgad fort, Mahabaleshwar
Pratapgad fort is 25 km from Mahabaleshwar on the Poladpur road. The Fort is famous due to Shivaji's encounter with Afzal Khan. Shivaji killed Afzal Khan, the Bijapur commander, here.
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Peth fort (473 m), Karjat
Travel from Karjat to Jamrugh via Kashele and get down at Ambivili by ST. Walk to Peth village (3 km) and then to Bhairoba's cave. Rock hewn steps leads to top. To and fro trek takes 3 hour. The fort is also known as Kothilagad, because it was used as a weapon storage.
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Vasai Bassein fort, Mumbai
This huge fort was built by Bahadurshah, Sultan of Gujarat (1526 - 1537 AD). Portuguese occupied the fort from 1534 until 1739, when the Marathas captured it. Portuguese developed the place into a city with cathedral, churches, convent, asylum etc. In 1739 AD Sriman Chimaji Appa, the brother of Peshwa Bajirao I, after storming the Sam Sabastio's bastion, captured the city. In 1802 AD under the treaty of Bassein, the Marathas handed over the city to the British, who, 16 years after incorporated it in the Bombay province.
The fort has long walls and two main entrances. The fortress has arched buildings, tombs, statue of Shivaji, a High school, few huts and Nageshwar temple. The nearby area is inhabited by fisherman community. The style of their dress is noteworthy. They have a different complexion and good in health. One can also see salt making by evaporating seawater.
Reach Vasai from Churchgate, Mumbai by local train and travel to the fort by ST bus. One can take a bus to Arnala fort from the Parnaka bus stand (16 km).
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Cathedral Church
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Alibag island fort (Kulaba fort)
Alibag fort is 1.5 km into the sea from beach. At 1500 h, during the low tide, one can walk at knee deep water to the fort and at around 1600 h the water fully removed and the sea bed become visible. It is a nice experience to walk in the sea to the fort. Ganesh temple built in 1759 by Kanhoji Angre, two cannon on wheels, an isolated fortified structure are in the fort. Alibaug is 50 km from Murud.
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Saptasringi (1416 m) & Markandeya hill, Nashik
Get down at Chandakpur phata (55 km from Nashik) by Vani bus. Walk towards left to reach the base of the hill and climb the ridge to rock wall. Climb over a series of steep rock carved steps to temple at top (5 km). Inscriptions and Hanuman temple on the way near the top - Fine views of the prominent hill : Markandeya with a temple at top. There is direct Bus to Saptashringi from Nashik.
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Markandeya can be climbed by the connecting ridge - On this upper plateau, one can see a steep rising rock wall. Right route leads to the temple. Climb the steps to temple at top. One can take a parikrama around the hill, if desired. The trek takes 2 hour to climb up.
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Wild Flowers of Sahyadris
Anjaneri fort (1300 m), Trimbak
Anjaneri is a huge grass topped mountain. Get down at Anjaneri 6 km before Trimbak. A road climbs to the hill where step starts. Climb a gully to reach a higher plateau. A flat walk takes one to a temple and a small lake. A left track leads to Sita gupha - cave and a temple. The right track climbs to the upper plateau and a flat walk leads to temple. Nice views of the surrounding hill range. The to and fro trek takes 3 hour. On return one can visit the ruined temples of Anjaneri village at the base.
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Brahmagiri, Trimbakeshwar (35 km from Nashik) - It is the place of one of the main out of 12 Jyotirlingas and source of Holy river Godavari, Shiv temple, Kushavarta tirtha - holy pond, caves, Brahmagiri hill (1295 m) with rock carved steps - a narrow passage in the rock is cut 4 to 6 ft with about 300 steps : 1.5 hour by trek. In 1818 the British conquered the fort and dismantled it.
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Ajinkyatara fort (1006 m), Satara
The fort was built in 1150 by king Bhoja of Panhala. It changed hands several times and one of the important events were imprisonment of Chand Bibi, widow of Adil Shah, in 1580. The entrance of the fort has carved tiger, elephants, peacocks and other incidents. Since 1749 it was Satara's state prison and finally went to the British in 1818.
The fort has three temples, 7 water tanks, a well, TV tower, other communication antennae and a good aerial view of the city. One can night stay in the temple if desired. It has two main entrances on both sides of the fort. A flag post near the temple is in good condition. Visit the near by Jhansi Rani memorial on the way.
One can reach the fort walls by a motorable road (private vehicle). The to and fro trek takes 3 hour.
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