All About It

• Best Season - May June July

Imagine yourself camping in a dense forest on a cold night, starry sky and…. surrounded by bright shining light illuminated by twinkling fireflies!!! Imagine walking on a mysterious dark trail brightened by fireflies flying all around you. Sounds enthralling, doesn’t it? In reality, this can be much more beautiful and captivating. Prabalmachi and Kalavantin Durg trekking is the best that nature has to offer and is the perfect getaway if you are looking for something like this!

About Prabalmachi Trek:

• Prabalmachi as the name itself indicates is a huge gigantic plateau situated at a massive height of more than 1200 feet above mean sea level. It is a little hamlet hiding in the hills, close to our megacity - Mumbai! Prabalmachi camping offers breathtaking picturesque of the two magnificent and gigantic peaks of Sahyadri - Prabalgad and Kalavantin forts. Because of these two glorious forts and the bewitching natural beauty of the surroundings, many visitors are attracted to this place. Being an ancient and beautiful village situated halfway up a mountain it is an ideal place to pitch your tents and experience outdoors. Apart from being a camping place, it is also the base village for the Kalavantin trek and Prabalgad trek. One will also get to explore beautiful village homes; small farms; dense forests; in and around this hamlet. Prabalmachi camping and trekking transport you to a whole new world of scenic beauty and peace.
• A little something about Kalavantin Durg, Kalavantin, a 2,250 ft high summit, is a beautiful steep fort that lies to the north of Prablagad, which was initially used as a watchtower. Kalavantin Fort is also renowned as the ‘Climb to Heaven’. You get to witness a wide variety of flora and fauna as you ascend. The mesmerizing scenery from this watchtower gives you a memory to cherish for a lifetime. One remarkable thing about the Kalavantin Durg trek that takes you to the top of the fort is the amazing rock-cut steps that zig-zag their way up to the mountains.

Highlights

Prabalmachi Fireflies Trekking and Camping Details:

Prabalmachi: Thakurwadi acts as a base village in the Prabalmachi trek. The trek is two hours ascend that starts at night from Thakurwadi till Prabalmachi which is approx 2.5 km. Even though it is a night trek, this is an opportunity one cannot miss. The presence of a gazillion brightly colored yellow fireflies glimmering all around you is what makes this night trek to Prabalmachi an enthralling experience. Once you have completed the hike uphill through the wilderness, with fluttering fireflies decorating your path, the overnight camping takes place on a vast meadow of Prabalmachi. Prabalmachi Camping is an exhilarating and fun-filled experience with unexploited nature, inside a blanket beneath the star-studded sky and in the midst of a forest full of glowing fireflies.

• Overview Region: Sahyadris
• Elevation: 1500 feet above mean sea level (approx)
• Grade: Easy
• Base camp: Thakurwadi village
• Best time to visit for fireflies: Premonsoon and monsoon | May to September

Kalavantin Durg: After having spent a memorable and beautiful night at Prabalmachi many trekking enthusiasts wish to ascend the majestic fort of Kalavantin Durg. If you wish to witness mesmerizing sunrise view and the immense beauty of Kalavantin Fort that awaits atop you should start your climb early in the morning. The trek to this adrenaline-sparking Kalavantin fort can take about three hours. After having enjoyed the panoramic view from the top, start descending towards Prabalmachi. You can have breakfast or lunch here and continue the descent back to the base village-Thakurwadi.

While in the peaceful surroundings of Prabalmachi and Kalavantin Durg, brace yourself for an amazing trek and enjoy the journey!

• Overview About Type: Hill
• Fort Region: Sahyadris
• Elevation: 2300 feet (701 m) above mean sea level (approx)
• Distance: 10 km
• Grade: Medium
• Base camp: Thakurwadi village
• Best time to visit: Throughout the year | Preferably - Winter