Updated date:

Jan 24, 2017

Harishchandragad Trek, Maharashtra, India

Author:

I love being at places and clicking photos. Started posting as it might be of help to people crazy about travelling. Yoo :)

The trek to Harishchandragad via the Nalichi Vaat route is one of the toughest treks in the Sahyadris (a mountain range in the Western Ghat of India).

harishchandragad-trek-via-nalichi-vaat-a-challenging-trek-in-the-western-ghats-maharashtra-india

Trekking Info

Destination: Harishchandragad Fort
Range: Western Ghats
Base Village: Belpada
height: 1,426 m (4,681 ft)
Grade : Difficult

Konkan kada(cliff) view from bottom of the fort

Location of Harishchandragad

There are different routes to get up to the fort. I chose the ascent via Nalichi Vaat which is the difficult way. The trek via this route is considered to be one of the toughest route in the Sahyadris. This peak is the third highest peak in Maharashtra with 4681 feet of elevation.

We started the trek from the base village of Belpada at 6am, and walked through stony rock patches until we reached the bottom of the gorge which is 80 degrees steep and requires a high endurance level.

Things Recommended for You to Carry


Shoes	Good action trek shoes with a good grip as the path is 80 degrees steep and requires a perfect grip shoe
Trekking Bag	Minimum 40 litres capacity
Sleeping Bag/Mat	It's preferable to carry a sleeping bag as it's too cold from November to February
Clothes	An extra pair of shorts/ track pants
Food	Dry snacks, energy drinks, 2-3 liters of water (village food is available at the top)

Attractions

This trek was indeed exciting, as there were many attractions along the way to the top.

Konkan Kada (Konkan Cliff). The highest cliff of Maharashtra and appears like a cobra’s hood.
Kedareshwar Cave. A cave that had a Shivling(Hindu God) surrounded by four pillars, of which three have collapsed with time.
Temple of Harishchandreshwar. A beautiful temple in the center of the fort built of ancient rocks 11 centuries old.

Konkan Kada (Konkan cliff) - first highest cliff of Maharashtra, India

There are caves situated all over the fort, believed to be carved out in the eleventh century.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.