Sagargad Trek Notes

                 The month of October is a pleasant one in Mumbai. The rains slowly receeding and the chillness of winter just creeping in. We decided on an easy trek this weekend for starters. It was just a week after my Konkan road trip and I eagerly awaited the trek plan. For starters, it was a trek after more than a month. My cousin was in the city and was also keen on it. Zeroing in on a location not far from Mumbai city, we decided on the trek of ‘Sagargad’. Located 10kms prior to Alibagh beach, it was an ideal getaway for a day trek. 

                Because of no private vehicles and relying on public transport, we decided to leave a bit early to make good our trek on Sunday, 14^th October, 2012. Two of my friends Kris and Clive were also enthusiastic for this trek. Kris gave a wild idea of hitchhiking from ‘Panvel’ to the base village. This might seem really eccentric, but since no one had hitchhiked, we decided to give it a try. Leaving home at 1.00AM from ‘Chembur’, four of us went to the nearest ST bus stand and caught the bus to ‘Panvel’. It was a 45 minute bus ride, pleasant with the cool breeze and no traffic at that point of the night. Reaching the main bus stand at Panvel, we were in for a shocker. Being a major inter-city bus stand, none of the shops were open, but for a tea stall. Apparently, the shops aren’t open post 10.30-11PM on any given day. Stocking up on water, we stood by the road waving down potential vehicles to drop us off midway to ‘Wadkal Naka (Junction)’. This junction is the point where the road cuts off towards Goa and Alibagh. An ambulance travelling in that direction agreed to drop us off 5 kms down the road. The place where the ambulance dropped us off had shops that were open 24hrs. Stocking up on snacks, we stood on the side of the national highway waving down truckers for a lift. Reality hits in; no trucker agreeing to offer us a lift till 4.30AM. 

                The cops also shrugged off our plea to stop by a trucker. A passing van ferrying people, suddenly agreed to drop us off at Wadkal Naka for Rs. 25/- per head. We were quite lucky because the whole idea of hitchhiking was turning into one of embarrassment. Moving on, it was really stuffy in the van and a trip of 20-25kms was painful for the back. We got dropped off at Wadkal Naka at 5.00AM. Quite tired, we decided to sleep for a couple of hours before we ventured on. The gas station and the cop station weren’t feasible. We then found a decent spot just outside an SBI ATM at the junction. We woke up at 7.00AM and tried to catch a rickshaw to the base village of ‘Shali’. The auto agreed to ferry us till ‘Poinad’ from where we caught an ST bus moving towards ‘Alibagh’. Finally, we started off our trek at 8.00AM and inspite of the events, we were quite enthusiastic.

                It was an easy climb initially. We took the assistance of villagers to guide us on the right path.  Watch out for spiders hung on webs spun between trees; smallest size of a spider being the size of one’s fist. This is at the start as soon as one starts the trek. Moving forward, it was a steep climb for about 1.5 hours. 

 

We pushed ourselves and made good time mainly because of the night travel to the base village. We reached the solitary village close to the peak at around 11AM. One of the villagers agreed to guide us to the summit primarily because there are many rogue paths leading to the summit. We were quite skeptical, but agreed to his request. Before we ascended the final climb, we made our way to the quiet waterfall just behind the village. Spending an hour there proved to quite fruitful. 

Taking the villager's assistance proved to be lucky because, it took us nearly 45mins to reach the summit and was quite confusing for a first timer. The sights were beautiful. ‘Vanartok’ is a pinnacle at the edge of the summit that we could access. This pinnacle is famous recognizable point of Sagargad. Legend has it that the convicts on death row during the rule of Shivaji were bundled and hurled down to their death from Vanartok. One can easily view the beaches of Alibagh and Murud in the distance as well catch a glimpse of Janjira fort in the horizon. Since we made up a lot of time, on the trek, we got an extra couple of hours to relax at the summit. Continuing downward, the villager intimated us that the village receives electricity only for couple of hours during the day. A small village school in the vicinity for kids; agriculture being the only occupation; having no access to any sort of technology; they were content people. Content with their way of life and content that trekkers and hikers made an occasional visit to their village en route to the summit. Since, our trek was in the midst of ‘Navratri’ festival celebrations across the country, the villagers were also celebrating the festival. They insisted we have lunch with them; part of the festivities. Shankar took couple of pictures of the villagers and they were quite thrilled to see their pictures on a cell phone. Running short on time, we quickly bid adieu and headed to base village filled with happy memories. We reached just before darkness engulfed the entire region.

 

                 

Getting an ST bus to Mumbai was proving a painful task. Since, the base village wasn’t a major bus stop, very few buses stopped. One mini carrier van stopped and offered us a lift to the next town ‘Poinad’ from where friequency of buses are better. Finally, after an hour’s wait, a bus fully packed was our only option. Cramming every inch of the way, it was quite painful to travel back to ‘Panvel’. 2.5 hours of partly standing and partly sitting on one butt cheek was not quite what one anticipates, but left with no choice. Reaching ‘Panvel’, we bid adieu to Shankar who continued towards ‘Mulund’ since the bus was headed to ‘Thane’ and 3 of us hopped onto the local train to my place in ‘Chembur’ from where Kris and Clive rode down to their place.

                An enjoyable experience of travel through the night and an even more enjoyable trek. The cost per head was approximately Rs. 300. A beautiful trek and a must do amongst fellow trekkers. Hitchhiking isn’t something for the fainthearted, nor would I suggest it to anyone; it was something to experience.

             

           Twitter handles:   

           1. Kris - @krist0ph3r

           2. Clive - @the_rhoadie

           3. Narayanan - @MeanderinTravel

              Costing per head:

1.       ST bus from Chembur to panvel – Rs. 40.00

2.       The Sumo hitch ride from Panvel to Wadkal Naka – Rs. 25.00

3.       Tumtum ride from Wadkal Naka to Poinad – Rs. 15.00

4.       ST Bus from Poinad to Shali; base village – Rs. 20.00

5.       Snacks, Cake, Chips, Water – as per requirement

Ganpatipule Beach and Goa Road Trip

                Konkan! The pride of Maharashtra comprises the complete stretch along the coast of the state till Goa. A very unique culture and even more beautiful Western Ghats parallel to the coastline add to the beauty and scenic thrill. The entire coastal line never fails to thrill the travel aficionado irrespective of the season. Comprising of beaches and ghats, it provides the perfect destination for the water baby as well as the trek enthusiast.  The coastal highway isn’t one to be missed upon.

         The trip to wander the konkan side was decided late Friday afternoon on 05-Oct-12. My cousin, Shankar who is down for couple of months wanted to get away from the city for the weekend. Considering his request and me having leave on 06-Oct-12, decided to head to ‘Ganpatipule beach’ in ‘Ratnagiri’ district of Maharashtra. Catching an ST bus (State Transport bus) on the night of 05-Oct-12 from Chembur was the only option. This proved a boon which saved up on time considering the distance to be covered overnight.

        Located at approximately 350kms, a semi luxury ST bus is more than one could ask for. Their best bus, a semi luxury bus was a non air-conditioned one, but with cushioned seats and priced marginally higher than the ordinary bus that ply. The bus wasn’t in that great a condition, but decent enough to travel. Tickets were available online, but I didn’t take that risk since I could only leave work by around 8PM on 05-Oct-12. Wrapping up my work, quickly rushed home to pack my stuff within half an hour and reached the ST bus stand by 10.00PM. The enquiry counter was unoccupied with the fan and electricity being wasted. This was pretty irritating considering the power shortage currently faced in the state. Enquiry wasn’t an option due to personnel’s unavailability. We enquired every ST bus stopping at the stand. After a brief wait of 15mins, we finally got our bus and the fare was Rs. 920.00 for two people. The fare was a little too steep primarily because the bus was of semi luxury nature. The fare is cheaper for an ordinary one, though wouldn’t be comfortable to travel long distance.

               

               Though the seats are cushioned, but not well maintained, all seats aren’t retractable and you could sometimes find yourself sitting in an uncomfortable seat. The peak season for Ganpatipule had just passed; hence very few people boarded the bus. The bus journey was very comfortable through the night without any incidents. The bus driver and conductor wanted a tea break early morning at around 7AM and since my cousin and I were the only bus travelers, we readily agreed for the same. A tea break at ‘Jakadevi’; on enquiry found out that it was the biggest ‘Taluka’ of that region. The drive from Jakadevi to Ganpatipule was pleasant and scenic. 

                 With the rains still imminent, the greenery was in full bloom with lots of palm trees dotting the horizon. We reached Ganpatipule at 8AM. We got a half day hotel stay deal with ‘Krishna Sea View’ resort. This means that you check-in at 9AM and check-out by 5PM, that very same day. It was a very good deal provided our plan was to reach ‘Sawantwadi’ by nightfall. One of the ‘Ashtavinayak’ temple of Lord Ganpati and Ganpatipule beach was just 10 mins from our hotel. A beautiful and well maintained temple, I must add. Hitting the beach, all the rumours about one of the best beaches in Konkan region proved true. Crystal clear water lapping onto our feet with the sun kissing our backs was blissful. Moving away from where the crowds were, we reached a spot which was quite far from the picnic noise one would normally encounter at various tourist spots. 

               We tried to catch up with a fisherman moving swiftly along the shore wanting to catch some fish and crabs. We came to a lagoon with clear water linking the sea water in between. The stark contrast of the lagoon’s fresh water inspite of mixing with the sea water struck us. A swim with mild under water currents was a chance we didn’t want to miss upon. Spending couple of hours here trying to swim against the current was fun. Beautifully maintained beach, but for parts littered with plastic waste. It just annoys me to find out that the place isn’t respected enough for what it provides to one. A sumptuous lunch at ‘Tarang’ hotel at MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) and we headed back to the hotel for some rest.

 

   Out of the various sights of that region, one that proved kind of enticing was a visit to ‘Jaigad Fort’. Located at a distance of 20kms from Ganpatipule, it offers a panoramic view of the region. Contemplating our next move, we decided on going to the fort for a quick tour and then headed straight to ‘Ratnagiri’ railway station to either catch a train or bus to head down south.’ Jaigad fort’ wasn’t a fort of much importance, but just known for the views offered by it. Reaching the fort at 4PM, it was a complete disappointment; trees and grass completely outgrown; kids playing cricket and cattle grazing. This was apparently a tourist spot and shocking at the manner of promoting the same. The panoramic view was fabulous. If only, they could maintain the fort, could that also be included for tourism with pride than just a mere request to the tourists. 

  By 5PM, we headed back to the resort in order to leave for Ratnagiri station on time. The scenic views offered by the State highway SH-106 were mindblowing, especially with the sun setting down that evening. We found out that there were no buses available for Sawantwadi at 7PM and the last train was ‘Netravati Express’ reaching Ratnagiri station at 7.30PM leaving Mumbai that very morning at 11.30AM. 

 

  Our hopes were dashed when we learnt that the train doesn’t stop at Sawantwadi railway station, but its next stop was ‘Kudal’. Kudal though located in Sawantwadi district is a good 43kms away from ‘Tarkarli’ beach and with no bus available beyond 7.30PM in the konkan region, we would be at the mercy of the rickshaw guy who would definitely charge us a steep fare in order to reach our destination.

 A quick discussion and we bought 2 rail tickets to ‘Thivim’; the station that is closest to beaches in North Goa. Surprised as one could be, we were as well. Saturday night, 06-Oct-12, we were actually in Goa! We headed to Baga beach and though it isn’t the peak season, the influx of tourists hasn’t dwindled. Beach shacks aren’t a feature of Goan beaches just yet, but it hasn’t deterred the tourists. A not so expensive room was taken for couple of night’s right opposite the ‘Tito-Baga’ beach lane. Goa was in party mode until 4AM. Critics would always have a say, but the bottom line is that the party destination never skips a beat when it comes to having a good time. I wouldn’t dare lie saying that we slept early. We actually came back to our rooms only at 6AM. The last 2 hours, we spent in the quietness of the beach by a bonfire. Kids working as helpers in various restaurants who hadn’t completed education gave us company. Felt at peace to be away from the panic street of Baga beach.  An extended sleep and a good breakfast on Sunday morning at ‘Nisha Bar and Restaurant’ shouldn’t go unmentioned. Very few places were open for breakfast. A Goan home turned restaurant with sumptuous goan delicacies.

  I had to be back in Mumbai for work on Monday and headed towards ‘Mapusa’ to book my bus ticket for Sunday evening which would reach the city by early Monday morning. Underestimating the rush, it came as a surprise when none of the air conditioned bus tickets were available. Ultimately, I settled for a sleeper non air conditioned bus leaving Mapusa at 7.30PM and reaching Mumbai at 8AM on 08-Oct-12. My cousin, though was on vacation and extended his stay in Goa for an extra day and headed down south towards the beautiful beaches of ‘Karwar’ and ‘Gokarna’, Karnataka.

 Weekend well spent and worth a mention. We could not cover ‘Tarkarli’ beach, but no regrets whatsoever. This is considering the places covered by the modes of travel used and with the amount of time on hand. The budget wasn’t steep, but could have kept it to a minimum with better time management. Wouldn’t suggest ‘Jaigad fort’ as a must visit to anyone unless they spruce up the spot with a view on cashing on tourism. Not worth the effort for the time and cost. A must visit to Ganpatipule beach. Another place struck off my bucket list.

Costing:

·         Bus ticket from Mumbai To Ganpatipule beach- Rs. 450

·         Half day hotel deal at Ganpatipule- Rs. 400

·         Hired car to Jaigad fort and back (40kms)- Rs. 1300

·         Rail ticket from Ratnagiri station to Thivim, Goa- Rs. 200

·         Cab from railway station to Baga beach- Rs. 650 (Rs. 150 was night fare due to our train running late)

·         Hotel stay at Baga- Rs. 700 per night

·         Bus fare from Goa to Mumbai sleeper bus- Rs. 500

Kaas valley of flowers, Satara, Maharashtra

                Valley of Flowers and one would easily relate it to Uttaranchal’s Valley of Flowers. Famous as one would know, it has formed its own niche value amongst the seasoned trekkers for India’s very own natural botanical display. Maharashtra had a secret which until six years ago wasn’t discovered, whereby a group of scientists and doctors passing through this region in Satara stumbled upon this plateau/ valley comprising of various types of plants of which numerous were endangered ones. 

 

                Upon discovery and prospective lab testing, they realized these plants did have medicinal capabilities. Located on a plateau on top of a cliff, half an hour drive from ‘Satara’ city, the flowers on this plateau blooms only during the months of July-October. Spread over an area of 5 sq. kms, this phenomenon is a botanical display of colour and life. A trip to ‘Kaas’ was impending from my side for last couple of years and this year proved lucky when a road trip to Kaas was planned between my friends and myself for 15^th-16^th September, 2012. 

                 Though, the road trip planned was for the weekend in entirety, we couldn’t leave Mumbai until 6.00 PM as one of my friends was busy in his company get together. Krishna and Vignesh both of whom reside in Chembur met me and accordingly we left towards Satara. Located at a distance of 360kms from Mumbai, it wasn’t a difficult route considering we cover the entire Mumbai-Pune expressway and continue forward towards Satara for a further 130kms. Night driving was always going to be tricky, but Krishna held his nerve through the ghats with a little accelerated, but controlled driving. We reached Satara city at 11.30PM and immediately checked into ‘Maharaja Residency’ hotel which is located at the city centre. The road trip was a welcome change especially one which was after more than 3 years for the three of us together. With minimal stops for refreshments, it was a peaceful drive with moderate rainfall in between. The hotel that we stayed for the night wasn’t that great, but was the best the city could offer.

It's very misty!!

                 Having a 4 hour nap wasn’t the best way to feel rejuvenated, but again, the need to reach Kaas as early as possible was our topmost priority. One reason was to escape the crowds that would start streaming in as the day wore on and secondly for the pleasant weather. Checking out of the hotel at 7.30AM, we proceeded for a pleasant drive up the mountains towards the plateau. Completely scenic, it was difficult to keep our eyes on the road. Just before the plateau, there is Rs.10.00 entry fee charged by the forest officials of Satara. 

This has been started primarily because Kaas got the world heritage status by UNESCO this year in 2012. Actually, 39 spots on the western ghats got the world heritage status out of which Kaas plateau was one of them. With more publicity year on year, the number of tourists isn’t going to dwindle. The UNESCO world heritage status is an added feather in the cap. The number of tourists to Kaas has increased more over the last couple of years. Initially, people used to drive up their cars right onto the flower beds in a bid to take that one ‘classic’ picture or 2 cent video for their family. What they did was just destroy the delicate flower beds in the process for their satisfaction. The need to preserve a sensitive place should come from within oneself. And with this global heritage recognition, the influx of tourists is not going to reduce, but just explode. But, things now have changed with barricades along the full driveway protecting the flowers not only from vehicles, but also from human influx. You are allowed access to certain areas with precaution, but the decision to barricade is a really good one.

 

 

                Completely misty amongst the clouds, it was really difficult to maneuver the car, but found a nice parking spot close to one section of Kaas lake not frequented by tourists. The weather was pleasant till the moment we stepped out of the car. A sudden whiff of cold breeze and slight drizzle welcomed us. The spot was an amazing one being at ground zero of the lake. It was quite windy and cloudy, seemed straight out of a scene picturing one in the midst of the Bermuda Triangle. 

 A visit to a secluded waterfall and it was time to head back to the plateau for a clearer view of the flowers. This time, we weren’t disappointed. A sudden clearance of the clouds and the valley displayed its true colour and vibrancy. 

Vignesh chilling

Krishna in form

The moment was astounding and spectacular. A wide array of flowers draped in purple. With patches of yellow, violet, white, red and blue flowers gradually starting to bloom in certain parts, it was a sight to just cherish. These flowers will bloom within the next couple of weeks and would take over the colour of the valley in entirety. Villagers were posted all over during the daytime to handle the traffic of vehicles as well as to take care to guard the flower beds. One such villager whom we bumped into, took us on a personalized tour explaining the various types of flowers; the most famous one being “Sita’s Tears”. This has no significance to the mythological tale of “Ramayan”. The best time to visit is normally July to October with the receding rains. The remaining 8 months of the year, the plateau is barren with the initial part of the monsoon season turning it into a lush green field.

Sita's Tears!

                Amongst such talk, we came to hear that the villagers living at Kaas village always knew about these flowers, but never knew of their significance and the place grew in popularity during the last couple of years only. Villagers from Kaas village were employed by the Satara forest department to keep guard all day amidst such windy and rainy weather. A gruesome job, but a job nevertheless. Another very surprising fact is that the population of Kaas village is a mere 25-30 people! One should not miss out on the opportunity to view the 'Koyna Dam'; a human marvel from the top of plateau.

Koyna Dam on extreme right

                

                   Finishing our walk across the plateau and bidding goodbye to the villager, we made our way back to Satara city at 12.45PM. Quite hungry, we bid adieu to the valley with a heavy heart. Next up was hunting down a restaurant “Manali Hotel” listed down by Nat Geo Traveller. We were thrown off track with poor directional skills by the villagers and we landed at a restaurant named “Radhika Palace”, a decent one serving authentic lip smacking Gujarati Thali. The food was very delicious and we were contemplating our luck on how we landed at that restaurant in the first place. My recommendation would be to not to miss out having food at this place. Leaving Satara city at 2.45 PM, we reached Mumbai city in record time at 7.30PM. Having your personal car is an ultimate boon for the time constraint and the distance to be covered. Going by public transport isn’t recommended, though possible. 

 

                An amazing venue for a weekend getaway and one to savour. A must do for every traveler. A visit to this place should be right on top of one’s bucket list. Given an opportunity, I would definitely go back for another weekend to witness the array of colours. The costing was primarily hotel stay cost, fuel for car and toll cost for the highway. Food and refreshment cost is separate and would approximately be Rs. 400.00 per head. Hotel cost was Rs. 1000/- per head, toll cost was Rs. 100-150/- per head approximately, fuel cost for car being Rs. 500/- per head. Leave no traces and savour what the nature has to provide.

 

Jude and Sherlynn colourful

Clive stunned by the natural beauty!