प्रबलगड आणि कलावंतीनदुर्ग

PRABALGAD & KALAVANTIN DURG

This is very tough to make a trekking plan in a middle of October heat...but anyway we succeeded

And we choose Prabalgad and Kalavantin fort as our trekking destination...

Prabalgad Fort is located between Matheran and Panvel. Hight of the fort 2300 ft.  It was known as Muranjan until it was taken over by the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Our story :- For making our schedule more comfortable we decided to cut off at least half of distance in night and early morning so we started our journey at Saturday early evening we had five Motor-Bikes.

Around 1 am we reached at Thakurwadi village, This is the base village for both the forts. We parked our Bikes at a Hanuman Temple in the Thakurwadi. From Thakurwadi we plan to reach Prabalmachi, A small village at centre point of Prabalgad and Kalavantin Durg. Around 3 am we were on the plateau which is entrance of the prabalmachi.

Here we decide to take rest till Sunrise. In the early morning we found one small hotel cum home at the entrance of Machhi. We ask them for tea and some food and surprisingly we got best means 'Maggi Noodles'. Also we ask them to prepare lunch for us till we visit Prabalgad. At 7.30 am we started for Prabalgad. It was little stiff climb but not so difficult to reach top within 1 hr. But most time-consuming part was the searching temple, water tanks and old structures on the fort, It took around 3 hrs to find all the places on the fort which one has to visit...

Around 1 pm we reach the same hotel where we decided our lunch. After lunch and little rest at 3 pm we started our next destination....Kalavantin Durg.

Now this was very hard to reach near pinnacle in very hot temperature. It was like burning, After 15 Minutes walk Kalavantin's steps were visible to us...After climbing that huge steps in 30 minutes we were at the Top of Kalavantin Durg. 


Here we finish our trek and on the way for home.... :)   

Click to check pics by the Group :- 

https://www.sahyadriskada.com/trektoprabalgadandkalavantindurg

गरगड (गडगडा )

GARGAD FORT (GADGADA)

We waited from long to stop raining so we can reach an adventures destination…..GARGAD FORT

The time has come on 2^nd October 2014 we decide to do Gadgada fort…

We start our journey on 1^st October at night, some of our team member who were travelling from their offices has started from Dadar, Mumbai with a private vehicle. Some of we were on bike total 10 of us travelling towards Nashik for Gargad fort.

Gadgada fort is in Nashik region, Amboli Mountains.

Fort Height is around 3156 ft. To reach this fort, we took left from Wadivare Phata on Nashik Highway. After drive about 2 Km took a right turn towards Gadgad Sangavi village which is a base village for Gadgada or Ghargad Fort, we reach around 3am so decide to take rest till sunrise. We had tent so, was easy for us.

Around 7.30am we headed towards fort. The route to the fort is easy, we reach the first part where there is a well with a Shiva temple. Ghargad steps are blown off hence around 125 feet of rock climbing needs to be done to climb to the top. Ghargad steps are blown off by British hence around 100 feet of rock climbing needs to be done to climb to the top…rope and safety is compulsory.

After visit to a goddess temple we were gone to search for caves which is mention in some of trekking sites (trekshitiz) and here we did one small mistake means a wrong turn and spend 30 min to find caves. After seeing cave we came back to base of rock right side means apposite of Gadgad Sangavi village.

There is one small rock patch after crossing that we were under the leafless tress which is well grown from the rocks with the support of that tree roots we easily climb up toward the first rock patch. One of our team member who is tallest one among us Prashant start climb rock patch (Chimani climb) with the rope and then he tie rope with one tree at the end of first rock patch. Guys it was really 90° and around 15ft above. Then again after small climb there is 20 ft. climb. We use same strategy and climb up.

Around 12.15pm we at the top. After reaching top right side means toward flag you will find Mahadarwaja of fort. There are about 6-7 water tanks on top out of which only 4 hold potable water. There are some remnants of structures on top and nothing else.

In the trekking website some trekkers mention about repelling for climbing down the rock patch with one can get down at goddess temple side. But we were comfortable with the same way how we climb up so took the same route for climbing down the rock patch.

The complete trek was very adventures for all of us and most important it was first time where we used rope climb technique without any professional help.

Click link for pics of the trek - https://www.sahyadriskada.com/gargadfort

Happy Trekking :-)