Train

Stay Not Included

Meals Not Included

08:50 pm: Team assembles at Begumpet station and takes the Mumbai Express to Pune.

MultipleModes

Transport + Trek

Tents

All Meals

09:05 am: Reach Pune and have breakfast. After breakfast we take a private transport to Gunjavane, the base for Rajgad Trek 12:00 pm: Reach Gunjavane. Introduction, warm up and start the trek. 03:00 pm: Reach Rajgad fort. Lunch en route. Drop bags at the camping spot and head off to explore Suvela Machi 05:00 pm: Climb Bale Killa. If lucky, we might get an amazing view of the surrounding valley. 07:00 pm: Head back to the camping spot. Time for some exciting games followed by dinner. 10:00 pm: Hit the bed Our journey starts the minute we leave Pune Railway station. The first leg of the jouney is reaching Gunjavane, the base village of Rajgad trek. There are two routes to Rajgad fort from Gunjavane. One follows the secret entrance to Padmavati Machi via Chor Darwaza and the other trail is via the Gunjavane Darwaza. We take the Chor Darwaza trail and reach Rajgad Fort by early evening. The fort can be divided into four different parts based on geographical terrain and fortification. These are the three sub-plateaux (Machee) namely Padmavati Machee, Suvela Machee and Sanjevani Machee, and at the centre is the Ballekilla. Padmavati Machee (north end) : This machee is the site of Padmavati Temple, Padmavati Lake, Chor Darwaja, Pali Darwaja, Gunjavane Darwaja, Daru Kothar (storage of arms and ammunition), Diwankhana, Rajwada (ruins), Ghod Tale (Horse Lake), Sadar (office) and Dhalkathi (flag hoisting place). Suvela Machee (south east) : This is another grand machee facing east with lots of secret routes and doorways. This one is a double-stepped fortified machee with the steps separated by a beautiful bastioned doorway. At the end of first step a hole cuts across the rock; one can sit in this hole (nedhe). The final (lowest) step like Sanjeevani Machee has a double curtain wall. To the south side of this machee one can see a beautiful triangular bastion called Kaleswari buruz having an escape door near it. The home of the renowned military leader Tanaji Malusare was in this machee. Sanjeevani Machee (southwest/west end) : This huge, beautiful and royally constructed machee faces west and has a three-stepped (layered) fortified structure. Each of the lower levels is separated from the higher one by a fortified bastion with a gate that could be defended independently. The lowest level is beautifully fortified by double curtain walls (chilkhathi) separated by a deep trench, on average 12 feet across. One can walk between these walls. The outer wall has openings to let soldiers out for sudden attack. Bale Killa (centre) : This is the highest part of the fort which has remains of palaces, water cisterns and caves. It has a beautiful entrance door called Mahadarwaja. One can view the whole fort and the vast surrounding expanse.

Trek

Tents

All Meals

06:00 am: Wake up call. Freshen up and have breakfast 08:00 am: Start our trek towards Torna via Sanjeevani Machi. 04:00 pm: Reach Torna. Lunch en route. After reaching Torna, spend the evening exploring Torna 06:00 pm: Head off to campsite. 07:00 pm: Dinner 10:00 pm: Hit the bed The trail from Rajgad to Torna stretches for 9 kms along a narrow ride. In the morning we head off to Sanjeevani Machi and exit via the Alu Darwaza. It takes appx 5 to 6 hours to reach Torna, crossing more than 20 hills. En route we will come across a small hut where we can buy some refreshments. The toughest part of the Rajgad Torna trek are the 3 rocks patches. The first is about 60 % steep with loose sand. The second about 80 % steep. The final rock patch is the toughest one, with steep edges and the valley below. On scaling these rock patches, we finally reach the plateau. Follow the trail to the Torna temple. Fascinating points on Torna fort: Goddess Toranjai: it is a simple temple where goddesses Somjai and Toranjai are worshiped. Ahead we can see the lakes toran and mhasoba.Maal and Safeli Bastions: On the west of Kothji Darwaja are the bastion maal, and the latter one is to the south of the former. Near Safeli is the construction called lakadkhaana, where wood was stored. Here is the way to Kokan Darwaja and Budhla Machi. Budhla Machi: In Marathi ‘budhla’ means vessel, and budhla machi looks like a vessel kept upside down. This cliff is a breathtaking spot on the fort. Bini Darwaja: This is the main entrance to the fort from velhe and is situated to the northwest of the fort. The bastion on the left side has collapsed. The path ahead leads to the Kothi Darwaja. Kothi Darwaja: Ascending the steps carved in the rock, we enter the Kothi Darwaja facing east. Here we come across some guard rooms. Way along the wall towards east takes us to the temple of goddess Toranjai. Hanuman Bastion: This bastion is situated to the east of Kothi Darwaja. Here we can see the idol of hanuman facing south and a flag post. The way ahead leads to the bastion Bhel. Further eastwards we come to Zunjar Machi. Temple of goddess Mengai: this is the only place on the fort where one can stay. It has two doors and the roof is still there but needs of repairs. In front of the temple is a Deepmala. Zunjar Machi: It is situated on the western side and is beautiful.

MultipleModes

Trek + Transport + Train

Stay Not Included

Breakfast, Lunch

06:00 am: Wake up call. Freshen up and have breakfast 08:00 am: Start descent toward Velhe 11:00 am: Reach Velhe. Catch a local transport to Pune 04:00 pm: Reach Pune. Lunch en route 07:00 pm: Board the Konark Express back to Hyderabad Torna to Velhe. Velhe is a small Town which has quite a few hotels where you can have Maharashtrian delicacies viz Poha, Misal, Wadapau etc. Exit Torna via the Bini Darwaza. The route is pretty direct and the tricky patches are supported by railings. It takes appx 3 hours to descent Torna via this route.