Location: Mahad, Raigad District
Distance from Mumbai: 170 km
Distance from Pune: 150 km
Trekking Duration: 1 day.
Trek Length: 1 hour 30 minutes.
Starting Point: Pachad village is the base village
Best Season to Visit: All round the year.
Difficulty Level: Easy to Medium.
Height: 820 mt (2700 feet) above sea level.
A brief history:
The Raigad fort was built by Shivaji Maharaj and was made his capital in the year 1674 when he was crowned King of the Maratha Empire. Since then the fort had an interesting history and many legends associated with it. Later during the 18th century the British laid siege and destroyed the Fort.
In present times, the Raigad Fort is known for its immense beauty and waterfalls and remains a paradise for trekkers, hikers and campers from Mumbai and Pune. This fort is strategically perched atop a wedge-shaped block of hill, split off from the Western Ghats and is inaccessible from three sides.
The fort rises at 2700 feet above sea level and is located in the Sahyadri mountain range and trekking here is a great experience. There are a series of 1750 steps that will take you to the top of the fort.
A trek here is completely safe and many trekkers even opt for a night trek which is a great experience. While trekking at Raigad trekkers need not worry about food and water as it is easily available at the many shops at the base and the top of the fort.
For tourists who are with family and children and are not interested in trekking they can opt for the ropeway which will take them directly to the top of the fort within 5 minutes.
Note:
Trekkers should be aware that Raigad Fort is much more than a tourist attraction and is considered a holy place by locals and many others from different parts of Maharashtra since it is home to the Samadhi of Shivaji Maharaj hence trekkers are advised to be sensitive to the emotions attached to this fort.
What to see at and from the fort:
- Market Place
- Holicha Mal
- Hirkani Buruj
- Tak Mak Tok Point
- Jagdishwar Temple
- Samadhi of Shivaji Maharaj
- Throne of Shivaji Maharaj
- Queen’s Palace
- Meena Darwaza
- Ropeway
and many more attractions.
Camping Info:
Raigad fort is ideal for camping as there is a lot of open space where trekkers can pitch their tents or alternatively stay in one of the hotels or resorts at the base or top of the fort.
How to reach:
On a daily basis, there are many S.T. buses plying from various locations in Mumbai and Thane for Raigad. A journey by bus will take you about 4 hours hence start early in the morning. Trekkers can also travel by private cars and cabs and can reach Raigad within 2 hours.
For bookings for a Monsoon Trek to Raigad Fort PLEASE CLICK HERE
Caution: The roads and trails leading to the fort are quite slippery during Monsoon so be careful while venturing on a trek.For more information read: Precautions to be taken during Monsoon trekking.