It was simple plan to be executed that is why it took us so long to travel to Lonavala. Finally when I had to go to Pune for a SCM Conclave and that too on a Friday. We had to have a weekend mid way. So chikkis we come to gobble you :)
I would meet AM at Lonavala in the evening from Pune where he would join me from Mumbai. But turns out that he has a call at 7 30 and before which we had to reach MTDC Karla. Well we chose this as our base because our itienary had Karla - Bhaja Caves and trek to Lohagad. This place was ideal to reduce our travel. AM reached by 12125 Pragati Express by 6 40 pm. I had searched for options - Either by shared auto or by private auto. Buses were not available. Shared auto takes 10 - 20 Rs and starts from main road outside station near a Petrol bunk and drops you in the main road near MTDC.
But because of time constraint we took private auto and it is standard 150/-
It is not that we are promoting MTDC but their resorts are at Prime locations and the cost is standardized. You are spending time bargaining to find the right price for a room. We have always budget travelled and once a while it is great to splurge. Here the rooms start from 1400 plus taxes and goes upto 4k plus. The only restaurant here ( the river side restaurant was not functional) - food is amazing but over weekend the staff is not equipped to work under full capacity of the restaurant. There are good places to eat in the highway but you can reach them only if you have a private vehicle.
We planned to call the night early so that we can start at 6 am for the trek. I wake up at 6 after couple of snoozes of alarm - it was pitch dark. I go back to sleep. Finally left at 7 15 am. But no autos to take us to Bhaja caves. We walked upto the highway and tried to wait for any share autos but no luck. It was a good morning walk. We came back to ditch the plan of trek and plan it better the next day. Initially we thought of having breakfast at some local place, but thought of having it at MTDC. But on our way back we got an auto that took us to Bhaja village.
Bhaja village is at the base of Bhaja caves and from which Lohagad village is 5 kms. The auto charged us 200/- to reach Bhaja Village. All the shops were closed but one where a lady was sweeping, we got the shutter opened and asked them to make us breakfast. Yummy poha and great chai but they took half an hour to make this, so didnt want to risk delays. It was 8 or 8 15 am when we started climbing. The idea was to do Lohagad first and then on the return route see Bhaja Caves.
We reached the Lohagad village by 11 30 and was totally exhausted. We basically climbed in peak sun and no shade to rest. The only company we had in 3 km radius was group of 4 guys who were also trekking. We just took 2 bottles of water and on the way we didnt get anything. I found it very difficult because of the heat. My necklace that was exposed to the sun was burning me.
There was further climb from Lohagad village to top of the fort. But compared to many forts it was well maintained and there is restoration work is also being done. On top of the fort there is not much to see except a temple - shiv and hanuman, dargah and a tomb structure. There are many tanks - Shatkoni talav (Trimbak Talav) and the exciting 16 koni Talav (hatti talav) for which you have to walk another 25 mins.
We started the decent, took a break at Lohagad village for Nimbu Paani, Kokam Sharbat. Had food at the first stall when you climb from Bhaja to Lohagad. This guy and his wife made the most amazing food. Do give it a shot. They were quick to make them also.
Took couple of more bottles of water and continued with the decent. The heat got worse at 12- 1. We could see no shadow of us nor the trees. It took us equal time to climb down. My shoe's sole gave some problem. I had half a mind to skip Bhaja Caves but AM diplomatically persisted to see it. We spent time seeing all the caves and even resting for half an hour in the main cave. We reached Bhaje village by 3 30 pm and asked a shopkeeper for auto. He took 2 turns dropping a group to Malavli station. He dropped us back to MTDC charging same 200/- I was atleast happy about the std rates even if it didnt make sense. We did want to give some business to the place where we had poha and chai in the morning but no one was there in the shop. AM found awesome local snack for 5 bucks and purchases all the stock in the shop.
We rested for sometime and took off at 5 pm for Karla caves. We didnt check for the closing time for caves but we were managed to catch a glimpse before they shoo'ed us off. There is Ekveera temple in the same site. I felt it was encroached but the auto driver vehemently said the temple also was very ancient. Shivsena posters probably gave that impression. We saw the sun set from here and returned back to MTDC.
Next day we spent whole day in MTDC itself. I was woken up by heavy beating at the door at 7 30 am. When I opened it was a chaiwala. Knowing my addiction for chai and coffee I didnt shout at him. Took couple of cups and asked him if he would come again in sometime. He eluded. Explored the whole resort. Sat by the river in a plastic float. Boating started at 9 am. We finished our breakfast, then boated for half an hour. When returning we got a call to vacate by immediately as the check out was 9 am. It was already 10 30am. We packed our stuff and kept the bags at reception.
We got discounted tickets for water world inside MTDC resort at the reception. They are not too strict about the dress code. Pretty clean but they dont have many water floats for the rides. We spent time on enough rides before we actually got bored to get floats. Then we moves to waves and then to rain dance. AM enjoyed like a kid going to water park for the first time. :P We were totally bored by 1 pm and changes to fresh clothes. Wanted to have lunch at River side restaurant but it was not functional. We went back to MTDC - we had the whole menu at the back of our head. I tried the Biriyani twice consecutively ( but first time i was blown away by the taste) and nothing was there. But we relied upon MTDC's inefficiency to spend next 1 hour for food and left the place at 2 30.
On the way, we visited wax museum. There are few good exhibits but few of them dont look anywhere close to the real person. We didnt want to leave because this place had AC. But we had seen the museum twice and thrice in max half an hour. We purchased chikki jelly and fudge on the way and reached station by 3 30. Our train Koyna Express was at 4 45 pm and we reached Thane at 7 30 pm. We had a crush load to reach Ghatkopar as we were lazy to move to a slow platform with all the luggage.
At home, we tried this new place that is opened near our house and it was not a disappointment at all :) one more happy memory to be cherished.
Regrets - Should have done this in the monsoons and not a diffcult trek. But I would have been more cheerful instead of cribbing whole way about heat :)
I would meet AM at Lonavala in the evening from Pune where he would join me from Mumbai. But turns out that he has a call at 7 30 and before which we had to reach MTDC Karla. Well we chose this as our base because our itienary had Karla - Bhaja Caves and trek to Lohagad. This place was ideal to reduce our travel. AM reached by 12125 Pragati Express by 6 40 pm. I had searched for options - Either by shared auto or by private auto. Buses were not available. Shared auto takes 10 - 20 Rs and starts from main road outside station near a Petrol bunk and drops you in the main road near MTDC.
But because of time constraint we took private auto and it is standard 150/-
It is not that we are promoting MTDC but their resorts are at Prime locations and the cost is standardized. You are spending time bargaining to find the right price for a room. We have always budget travelled and once a while it is great to splurge. Here the rooms start from 1400 plus taxes and goes upto 4k plus. The only restaurant here ( the river side restaurant was not functional) - food is amazing but over weekend the staff is not equipped to work under full capacity of the restaurant. There are good places to eat in the highway but you can reach them only if you have a private vehicle.
We planned to call the night early so that we can start at 6 am for the trek. I wake up at 6 after couple of snoozes of alarm - it was pitch dark. I go back to sleep. Finally left at 7 15 am. But no autos to take us to Bhaja caves. We walked upto the highway and tried to wait for any share autos but no luck. It was a good morning walk. We came back to ditch the plan of trek and plan it better the next day. Initially we thought of having breakfast at some local place, but thought of having it at MTDC. But on our way back we got an auto that took us to Bhaja village.
Bhaja village is at the base of Bhaja caves and from which Lohagad village is 5 kms. The auto charged us 200/- to reach Bhaja Village. All the shops were closed but one where a lady was sweeping, we got the shutter opened and asked them to make us breakfast. Yummy poha and great chai but they took half an hour to make this, so didnt want to risk delays. It was 8 or 8 15 am when we started climbing. The idea was to do Lohagad first and then on the return route see Bhaja Caves.
We reached the Lohagad village by 11 30 and was totally exhausted. We basically climbed in peak sun and no shade to rest. The only company we had in 3 km radius was group of 4 guys who were also trekking. We just took 2 bottles of water and on the way we didnt get anything. I found it very difficult because of the heat. My necklace that was exposed to the sun was burning me.
There was further climb from Lohagad village to top of the fort. But compared to many forts it was well maintained and there is restoration work is also being done. On top of the fort there is not much to see except a temple - shiv and hanuman, dargah and a tomb structure. There are many tanks - Shatkoni talav (Trimbak Talav) and the exciting 16 koni Talav (hatti talav) for which you have to walk another 25 mins.
We started the decent, took a break at Lohagad village for Nimbu Paani, Kokam Sharbat. Had food at the first stall when you climb from Bhaja to Lohagad. This guy and his wife made the most amazing food. Do give it a shot. They were quick to make them also.
Took couple of more bottles of water and continued with the decent. The heat got worse at 12- 1. We could see no shadow of us nor the trees. It took us equal time to climb down. My shoe's sole gave some problem. I had half a mind to skip Bhaja Caves but AM diplomatically persisted to see it. We spent time seeing all the caves and even resting for half an hour in the main cave. We reached Bhaje village by 3 30 pm and asked a shopkeeper for auto. He took 2 turns dropping a group to Malavli station. He dropped us back to MTDC charging same 200/- I was atleast happy about the std rates even if it didnt make sense. We did want to give some business to the place where we had poha and chai in the morning but no one was there in the shop. AM found awesome local snack for 5 bucks and purchases all the stock in the shop.
We rested for sometime and took off at 5 pm for Karla caves. We didnt check for the closing time for caves but we were managed to catch a glimpse before they shoo'ed us off. There is Ekveera temple in the same site. I felt it was encroached but the auto driver vehemently said the temple also was very ancient. Shivsena posters probably gave that impression. We saw the sun set from here and returned back to MTDC.
Next day we spent whole day in MTDC itself. I was woken up by heavy beating at the door at 7 30 am. When I opened it was a chaiwala. Knowing my addiction for chai and coffee I didnt shout at him. Took couple of cups and asked him if he would come again in sometime. He eluded. Explored the whole resort. Sat by the river in a plastic float. Boating started at 9 am. We finished our breakfast, then boated for half an hour. When returning we got a call to vacate by immediately as the check out was 9 am. It was already 10 30am. We packed our stuff and kept the bags at reception.
We got discounted tickets for water world inside MTDC resort at the reception. They are not too strict about the dress code. Pretty clean but they dont have many water floats for the rides. We spent time on enough rides before we actually got bored to get floats. Then we moves to waves and then to rain dance. AM enjoyed like a kid going to water park for the first time. :P We were totally bored by 1 pm and changes to fresh clothes. Wanted to have lunch at River side restaurant but it was not functional. We went back to MTDC - we had the whole menu at the back of our head. I tried the Biriyani twice consecutively ( but first time i was blown away by the taste) and nothing was there. But we relied upon MTDC's inefficiency to spend next 1 hour for food and left the place at 2 30.
On the way, we visited wax museum. There are few good exhibits but few of them dont look anywhere close to the real person. We didnt want to leave because this place had AC. But we had seen the museum twice and thrice in max half an hour. We purchased chikki jelly and fudge on the way and reached station by 3 30. Our train Koyna Express was at 4 45 pm and we reached Thane at 7 30 pm. We had a crush load to reach Ghatkopar as we were lazy to move to a slow platform with all the luggage.
At home, we tried this new place that is opened near our house and it was not a disappointment at all :) one more happy memory to be cherished.
Regrets - Should have done this in the monsoons and not a diffcult trek. But I would have been more cheerful instead of cribbing whole way about heat :)
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