Night Trek to the Jewel of Sahyadri - Ratangad Fort

The 2000 year old #Ratangad fort has a history of its own which makes it one of the must visit places in a Maharashtra. Ratangad was captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle and was one of his favorites. “Ratan” means Jewel in Hindi and indeed it is jewel in all the hill forts here in #Sahyadri, at a height of 4255 ft above sea level.

Ratangad gives you the best views of surrounding peaks and #Bhandardara dam. There are four gates of this fort namely - Ganesh Hanuman, Trimbak, and #Konkan. It also has a natural rock cavity through which the sky can be seen. It is called Nedhe or eye of the needle. Caves on the top is cut from the rock face and can easily accommodate 25 people. #Pravara or #Amrutavahini river has been originated from the here.

Amruteshwar Temple - a 1000 years old temple of Lord Shiva is an absolute paragon of high class architecture of our ancestors.

Short Information:
Category : Trekking
Duration : 1 Night/1 Day
Difficulty Level: Medium

Brief Itinerary:
Day 0:
19:18 - Board #Kasara fast local from CST@19:18. You can board in between stations.
(Dadar@19.31 - Thane@19.58 - Kalyan@20.21)
Express Train(Panjab Mail-12137 CST@19.35 - DadarCentral@19.50 - Kalyan@20.35)
21:45 - Reach Kasara. Meet the team and travel to base village #Samrad, Halt at Dhaba for Dinner.

Day 1:
00:30 - Reach base village. Freshen up. After Introduction and briefing, start ascending via Trimbak Darwaja
04.30 - Reach at the top. Rest till the dawn.
06.30 - Early morning wake up call. Witness the glorious Sunrise across the #Katrabai Pass mountain range
Explore the Cave and Fort. Move towards ‘Needle’ point.
Enjoy the beautiful views. Help us to prepare breakfast. Have Breakfast.
10:00 - Start descending to #Ratanwadi. En-route visit #Amruteshwar Temple.
12:00 - Reach the base village, swim in the lake.
13:00 - Have delicious local cuisine lunch.
14:00 - Start back journey to Kasara in private jeep.
17:00 - Reach Kasara and depart for home by next available train.

Trek concludes with happy memories :)

Fees:
Rs.1200
(To be paid in advance only)

Inclusion:
- Private transport from Kasara base & back to Kasara.
- Food: Breakfast, lunch
- Refreshments
- Guide and Expertise Charges
- First-aid

Exclusions:
- Saturday night Dinner.
- Any personal expenses such as soft drinks etc.
- Anything other than above mentioned inclusion

Things to carry:

1. Identity proof
2. Water Bottle (2 Litres Compulsory)
3. Electral Powder / Energy bars / Dry Snacks (dry fruits. biscuits, plum cakes etc).
4. Good grip quality trekking shoes.
5. Personal Medication
6. Toiletries (Napkin, facewash, tissue paper etc.)
7. Cap, goggles, moisturiser, mosquito repellent etc.
8. Camera (Optional)
9. Slippers (optional – at the trek so that your feet can relax).
10. Torches (Compulsory)
11. Sleeping bag / mat / bed sheet (as per schedule)
12. Proper Backpack to carry all these things

Important Note:
- Do not wear precious Jewelry while trekking, as we won’t be responsible for any losses for the same.
- Consuming liquor or any kind of Alcoholic substance is prohibited. Carrying any kind of substance that’s illegal is not allowed. Smoking is strictly not allowed. Anybody found smoking or consuming alcoholic drinks will be expelled from the event without refund.
- Mountains are a place of rich natural beauty. Hence, it is our duty to keep them free from garbage. So please do not litter. One is expected to deposit all wrappers/empty water bottles etc. in his/her own bag.