Monsoon Trek To Visapur

Striking off yet another monsoon trek before the rainy season ends this year. The very famous Visapur fort trek and the water dripping steps image which gets viral on social media every monsoon. Yes, you got it right. Located at the outskirts of
Lonavala which is near Pune in Maharashtra.

This fort is higher in elevation compared to its twin fort- Lohagad, though Visapur fort was built much later than Lohagad and share a history which is linked.

History of Visapur Fort:

Its history starts in 1713, the fort was built by Balaji Vishwanath, the first Peshwa of Maratha Empire. Visapur fort was built to protect the treasury of the Maratha kingdom which was later captured by the British in 1818 AD and now stand as the ruins.

Within the fort, you will find caves, water reservoirs, a gilded cove and old houses. The ruins of a large stone-built ancestry are called as the Peshwa’s castle. Due to the attack by the British troops, the entire fort was destroyed through their cannons and Visapur faced a lot of destruction compared to its twin fort Lohagad. Of late the fort has witnessed a lot of trek enthusiasts hiking to the fort, most weekends the fort is crowded particularly during monsoons. So avoid going during weekends as it is very congested and packed.

Visapur Trek difficulty level: Medium

Visapur Trek falls under the category of an easy to moderate level trek and it is best recommended for the beginners to start with. The entire trek from ascending to descend gets completed in 2.5 to 3 hours. Further, the breakup of the time can be roughly 1.5-2 hours to ascend the fort and 1 hour to descend the fort with a good amount of breaks in between.

During monsoon make sure to wear sturdy shoes as the red mud gets mushy and slippery. In fact, during the rainy season,
the trek becomes a moderate level because of the water force gauging from the mountains makes it difficult to see the rocky trail. So make sure you carry a light backpack and comfortable track pants with good grip shoes.

You will also find small hut-like shops where you can buy small bites and take a tea break when needed.

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How to reach Visapur Fort:

The cheapest and easiest way to reach the base village of the trek is through railways. The nearest station to Visapur fort is Malavli station which is connected with Mumbai, Pune and Lonavala local train. From Malavi station we use share rickshaw/cabs to the base village.

If you are in a big group you can always hire a minivan or bus or drive in your car to the destination. Which will also be affordable and budget-friendly.

If you are a biker you can surely add more adventure to your trip journey by riding the entire roadway through your source destination. Just to highlight there are 3 trekking routes to reach the fort.

1- Patan Village: This trail route is a bit confusing but you can easily access it with the help of locals. Once you reach the base make sure the village falls on your left side and follow the direction mark across the trail which will lead you to the fort.

2- Bhaje Cave: The caves are situated once you reach halfway to the visapur base village from Malavli station. You can choose this path too for the trek but make sure you have somebody who has been there through the same path.

3- Gaimukj Khind (Bhaja Village): The fastest and the easiest way to reach the top.
The trail is visible at the naked eyes. Crossing the parking area on the left side take a right turn and you will notice concrete steps leading you to the trail on the left.

All the three trails will lead you to the waterfall followed by the steps to the entrance of the fort.

Best time to visit Visapur:

Monsoons are the best time to visit Visapur fort, as you will be surrounded with a panoramic view of scenic green lush mountains and cold weather. The only thing you will have to take care of is the shoes and windcheater for rains. Another season you can explore the fort is winter from November to February which is ideal to trek again because of pleasant weather.

During summer trekking gets difficult due to heat if in case you planning a trek this season you can always opt for night treks so you can avoid the temperature.

Visapur Trek Cost:

As we had booked our trek activity through a service provider the cost came up to 1200 Rs. per person which included private bus transport from Dadar to Base Village and back, Breakfast, Munchies, Guide, and Lunch.

Their pick-up points are listed below:

5:30 am Pritam Hotel Near Flyover Dadar East.
6:30 am Yogi Hotel, Diamond Garden, Chembur.
7:00 am Vashi Below Main Bridge.
8:00 am McDonald, Kalamboli Panvel.

So the trek would start roughly around 10:30 am after eating a refreshing breakfast and washroom break. If you carrying a few protein bars, lite snacks and 2 litres of water you do not need to spend any money while on the trek. We hardly spent a couple of bucks for a tea and chips once we descended, as it was too late to eat lunch.

A quick tip: If you planning a trek through an organiser make sure the group is limited to 10-15 ppl max because if the number is more than 20 the activity slows down and everything gets pushed back and causes a delay. With this trek, I faced a similar situation as the group was big around 40 people and the start itself got delayed by an hour as people are not punctual.

Visapur Trek Experience:

Though it was a monsoon trek we got lucky with the weather as it was not pouring heavily, and the atmosphere was pleasant. There were few moments where the sun sneaked out from the clouds and the warm rays would tickle for a while. We started the trek roughly at around 11 am as we were in numbers and it got difficult to assemble everyone at one place.

Climbing the concrete steps of Gaimukh Kind trail which is leading the path to the mountain we entered the mushy trail of the path. The climb was easy but the mushy soil was making it difficult for people to balance while climbing. Though it was monsoon we got lucky as there was no heavy fog and we could see the village from the top.

After crossing the dense forest on the mountain we reached on the plateau area and took a break and re-energised ourselves with some fun selfies and boomerang. After which we started back again on the trail and arrived at a spot where the further way was all along the waterfall.

This was an exciting trail to cross as it involved a lot of thrill and excitement. Crossing the waterfall we reached the most popular staircase with water falling over it. Right opposite to that is a Hanuman idol carved within the rock. Also, you will find a small cave-like dome at the start of the staircase where the locals sell hot tea and vada pavs for the trekkers.

The stairways will lead you to the fort entrance followed by the spectacle view of a vast plateau with the fort ruins scattered across the summit. Visapur fort is huge and you will need at least an hour to explore the entire fort ruins. You will also find many sellers selling vada pav and tea on the top which is exactly you would crave after a tiring hike and the monsoon weather.

The view from the top is breathtaking and you will be able to gaze through Tikona, Tunga, Lohagad forts and the beautiful Pawna lake. The descending should not take more than an hour, just be cautious while climbing down the mushy path on the mountain.

It got late as we got down, the sun had already set and we hardly had the appetite to eat anything. So with a vada-pav and chips, I ended my trek. I got some good sleep on the bus till Koparkhairne from there we took a local train and got down at Thane station.

It was an amazing experience and would surely wish to trek the twin fort Lohagad soon.