How did I discover:
I got to know about Sudhagad (Bhorai devi temple) from a friend of mine who told me that its a replica of the Raigad fort. Now, this intrigued the explorer in me. So with basic essentials packed & along with a fellow traveler, I set out on an exciting journey.
Quick info about the fort:
Height of the fort is 600 meters, spread in 55 hector of area. Situated 11 km from Pali village. The fort is also known by the villagers has Bhoraidevi temple, Shivaji maharaj had considered this fort has the capital of the kingdom.
How to reach:
FROM PUNE:
BY BUS: Direct bus available to Pali(111 km) and from Pali you can take a bus to Thakurwadi(base village).
IN TRAIN: No direct trains available but you can come via Khopoli – Pali – Thakurwadi.
From ROAD: Shivajinagar – Chinchwad – Dehu Road – Lonavala – Khopoli – Pali – Thakurwadi – Sudhagad.
FROM MUMBAI:
BUS: Direct bus available to Pali (98 km) and Pali you can take a bus to Thakurwadi(base village).
TRAIN: Direct train Dadar – Khopoli then opt for bus.
ROAD: Mumbai – Khopoli – Pali – Thakurwadi – Sudhagad fort.
Things to carry:
2 litre of water,
Lunch for the day,
Dry snacks.
Places to visit on sudhagad fort:
1. Taak Maak point.
2.Lake.
4.Bhorai mata temple.
5.Pant waada.
Things you should know:
Camping:
Yes, you can in a tent and also a mansion is available where you can stay.
Food:
Yes, people live on the fort they can avail food for you.
Water:
Yes, through the route at one point water is available and also at the top of the fort has people liveat the top.
TIPS/HACKS/SUGGESTION: Convenient Backpack For One Day Trek
My personal experience.
We got a train to Khopoli from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, so has per the plan we boarded 17:33 train from CST and reached Khopoli by 20:00.The base village of the Sudhagad Fort is Thakurwadi (approx. 45kms)from Khopoli railway station).
Now let me guide you on how I traveled from the station to this base village:
From Khopoli railway station go to khopoli bus stop; an auto ride on sharing basis will cost you Rs. 10. The distance from Khopoli bus stop to Pali-Balleshwar temple is 30km, for which we hitched a ride as the last bus from Khopoli bus stop was at 20:00, We decided to stay put for a night here & stayed at a hotel for just Rs.100. (Got this deal after a negotiating but cant reveal the hotel’s name,sorry)
Next Day:
The next morning at 7 AM we resumed our journey to Thakurwadi village, which was around 11kms from our current destination, it costed around Rs.17 in a state transport bus. And we arrived!! Once you reach the base village, I recommend that you have a word with the locals about the route to Sudhagad Fort, they will surely tell you and plus its a very easy route. First you will see a stairs (see pic below.)and then again some set of stairs. The route is well marked you will find it easy to hike towards the top of fort. (Browse through the images).
When you pass the above the steps you would see a water body on the left hand side around 50-60 meter away After this you will reach the top of the fort in 20-30 minutes and will be able to spot a lake.
Now walk towards the right of the lake after which you would see the mansion (“waada” as known in Marathi) and the Taak Maak point. After exploring the fort and we took a nap in the mansion after which we headed back to the base village where the bus was at 15:00. (Another bus is available at 18:00 o’clock).
So to sum up the cost of this trek:
Train= CST – Khopoli (return)= Rs. 60
Bus= Khopoli – Pali (return)=Rs. 60
Stayed at pali = Rs.100- because of the delay missing out on the last
bus (extra cost )
Bus= Pali – Thakurwadi=Rs.34
Total expenditure=Rs. 254.
So if you are able to manage your time and everything is in place as per the plan, you can complete the trek in Rs.154 only. Just carry your lunch and snacks with you. If you have any queries , please feel free to contact me. I am just like you – A traveler seeking thrill by discovering new places amazing adventures!.
TIP/HACKS/SUGGESTION: Best Shoes with great grip on mountains, which is used by almost all Trekker’s
You can also Read my blog on Devkund Waterfall which is near by Sudhagad and plan to visit.
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