Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Kalsubai - Highest peak in the Sahyadris in Maharashtra

Kalsubai Peak (Marathi: कळसूबाई शिखर) is the highest peak (1646 meters / 5400 feet) of the Sahyadris in Akole Taluka, of Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, an Indian state. It is situated on Kalsubai mountain range which is an offshoot range from main sahyadri range and rung from west to east.

This entire range is amazing from the trekking point of view. Though small in length, this range has some of the tallest peaks and toughest forts. Starting from west to east this range contains Kulang, Madan, Alang forts. Top of Kalsubai peak gives and excellent view of all these forts.

Kalsubai, though a highest peak, from trekking point of view its easy. the peak has a temple and to visit this temple many people trek to the top. So for sake of such pilgrim trekkers government and local villagers has made the route easy and safe by putting ladders and staircase wherever necessary. So reaching to the top is just a test of your stamina and not mountaineering skill. But once you reach the top then you get absolutely uninterrupted view of surrounding. No other peak pokes its nose between you and the spectacular view.

The month of October, little bit hotter than monsoon or winter is excellent for this trek. Since monsoon is over you can enjoy the clear skies and hence get excellent view and on other hand soil is still moist and so you get to see receding but excellent flowering all over the route. November onwards this treks becomes dry and in monsoon its too much rainy.


The main route to the temple is at small climbing slope. It usually takes three  to four hours to reach the top from Bari. Soon after leaving Bari, There are three iron ladders along this route. There is a well near the last iron ladder as one approaches the top but the water is not potable during the summer. The rest of the route is without water, so it is best to fill water bottles in Bari. It is an easy hike, but parts of it are quite steep in places.

The vastly spread out backwaters of Bhandardara attracts ones attention from the top. To the north of the mountain range forts such as Ramsej, Harihargad, Brahmagiri, Anjaneri, Ghargad, Bahula, Tringalwadi, Kavnai can be seen. To the east one can spot Aundha, Vishramgad, Bitangad, to the west Alang, Madangad, Kulang, Ratangad (south west) and to the south Pabhargad, Ghanchakkar, Harishchandragad can be seen. Randha waterfall can be visited during this trek .


Location :- Akole Taluka, of Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra
Base village:-  Bari Village ( 40 kms from Igatpuri Railway station by State Transport (ST) )
Difficulty level:- Easy

How To Reach

To start point: from Igatpuri to Bari Village, it is 40 km/2 hours by the Bhandardara State Transport (ST) by bus. 
All ST buses stop at Bari Village (about 12 km before Bhandardara); you can get off here.

A better option is to catch a bus/jeep to Ghoti, which is 7km away and get a jeep from there to Bari. 

To Hub: from Mumbai, take NH3 to Igatpuri over the Kasara Ghat, via Senapati Bapat Marg (Tulsi Pipe Road) Bus stand in Mumbai to Nasik via Igatpuri.










































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