Rajgad Fort To Torna Fort Trek

Location: Rajgad and Torna Fort

Nearest Village: Gunjavane(Rajgad),Velhe(Torna)

Range: Western Ghats

District: Pune

State: Maharashtra

Distance: 56 kms from Pune

Route: Pune -(ST) - Gunjavane - (chor Darwaja) - Rajgad -(Sanjivani machi and Alu darwaja)- ( Budhala MAchi) - Torna - (Zunjar machi ) - Velhe - Pune

Trekking Trail

 
Cordinates:

Gunjavane Village: Lat: 18°15'12.91"N, Long: 73°42'16.49"E

Rajgad Fort: Lat: 18°14'45.59"N, Long: 73°40'55.49"E

Torna Fort: Lat: 18°16'33.25"N, Long: 73°37'20.47"E

Velhe Village: Lat: 18°17'44.38"N, Long: 73°38'13.39"E

Route to Rajgad Fort

Places to see:

In Rajgad: Rajgad Fort,Padmavati Machee,Suvela Machee,Sanjevani Machee,Ballekilla

In Torna: Torna Fort,Budhala Machi,Zujar Machi,Bini Darwaja

Activities that can be done: Trekking, Night Camping,Swimming
How To Reach: Velhe and Gunjavne can be reached by bus or private transport from Pune. Buses ply from Pune ST bus stop to these villages. One can also come till Nasrapur by bus which is on the NH-4 and from there one can reach by share vehicles.

Places to see on Rajgad Fort

Places to see on Torna Fort

Map showing the route from Nasrapur

On the way to Rajgad Fort

 Rajgad Fort

Rajgad fort was the capital of Maratha Kingdom ruled by Chatrapathi Shivaji for almost two and half decades.The trek  to  Rajgad Fort starts from Gunjavane Village which  can be reached by public transport from Pune ST bus station. It takes about 3-4 hours from Gunjavane village to reach to the top.

Stairs near Chor Darwaja

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chor Darwaja-Entry to the fort from Gunjavne Village

 

Pool on Padmawati Machi

My friend Sachin Ratan- Pool on Rajgad @4000 ft

Pasmawati Temple on Rajgad Fort

Route map on Rajgad Fort

On the way to Balekilla

Steep climb to Balekilla

Mahadarwaja on Balekilla

Me with my friend Srinath On Balekilla

Torna Fort

This is the first fort captured by Chatrapathi Shivaji at the age of 16.This fort can be reached from Velhe Village and also from Rajgad fort. A ridge between Alu Darwaja on Sanjivani machi (S-W to Rajgad Fort) and Budhala machi(S-W to Torna fort) connects these two forts.

A Narrow ridge between rajgad Fort and Torna Fort

On the way to Sanjeevani Machi

Near Sanjeevani Machi

Alu Darwaja which connects Torna Fort

Camping enroute to Torna fort

On the way to Torna Fort from Rajgad fort via rigde

Its me on the way to Torna Fort

 Note: Torna Fort pics are not available as I couldn't take the pics due to heavy rain.Will updates in my next trip.

Heaven On Earth- Valley Of Flowers

In Valley Of Flowers

Location: Valley Of Flowers   

Base Village: Ghagarai

Base Town: Govind ghat

Nearest Town: Joshimath

District: Chamoli

Region: Gharwal

State: Uttarakhand

Co-Ordinates:

Joshimath: (Lat: 30°33'23.36"N,Long: 79°33'31.55"E)

Govind ghat : (Lat: 30°37'9.07"N,Long: 79°33'41.51"E)

Ghagaria: (Lat: 30°42'4.53"N,Long: 79°35'36.52"E)

Valley Of Flowers: (Lat: 30°43'40.94"N,Long: 79°36'18.97"E)

Hemkund Saheb:  (Lat: 30°41'57.19"N,Long: 79°36'54.21"E)

Badrinath: (Lat: 30°44'27.05"N,Long: 79°29'32.36"E)

Vasudhara Falls: (Lat: 30°47'18.01"N,Long: 79°27'9.96"E)

Places To See: Valley Of Flowers,Hemkund Saheb

Other Places Near VOF: Auli,Tapovan,Badrinath, Vasudhara Falls, Mana Village

How To Reach: Rishikesh is the major centre to reach all these places.Rishikesh is about 230 Km from Delhi and 42 Km from Dehradun and can be reached by train or bus.Fron Rishikesh all the above places can be reached by bus or private vehicle.

How to Reach Valley Of Flowers:
There is no road route to VOF and one has to trek for about 16 Km to reach VOF.Joshimath is the major town near VOF which is well connected to Rishikesh by road,about 250 Km from Joshimath.
Govindghat is a small place close to Joshimath ( about 20 Km), where the trek begins. A trek of 13 Km takes to a small settlement called Ghagaria,which is near VOF(3km from the valley).There is a small hotel in Ghagaria where one can stay.

Pushpawati River passing through VOF

Ghagaria Village:Place where River Pushpawati and River Bhyundar Ganga join to form Laxman Ganga

In VOF

Berries

Cobra Lily

  

 

Hemkund Saheb:
Hemkund Saheb is a Sikh place of worship located at an altitude of about 14,000 ft and is about 6Km from Ghagaria. This place is surrounded by seven mountain peaks and has a Gurudwara, temple of Lord Laxman and a glacial lake

Glacier on the way to Hemkund Saheb

Gurudwara Hemkund Saheb

Blue Polly

Brahmakamal

 

 

Badrinath:
It is a Hindu holy town on the banks of river Alaknanda and is the  most important of sites of Char Dham pilgrimage.The town gets its name from the Holy temple of Badrinath. It is about 20 Kms from Govindghat and 290 Km from Rishikesh.

River Alaknanda

Badrinath Temple

Laxman Ganga

Mana Village

Mana is the last Indian village  befor the Mana pass and is 24 Km from the border of India and  Tibet/China.

Mana Village

 

Vasudhara Falls

Vasudhara is a waterfalls located near Mana Village.Mana is the last boder village and is about 4 Km from Badrinath. To reach Vasudhara Falls one has to trek for about 5 Km.

Vasudhara Falls

Mountains on the way to Vasudhara Falls