The Travel bug bites again. We need this bug to break away from the chaotic city life we live in. So fortunately i got my weekend planned for an adventurous road trip from Pune - Mulshi - Tamhini ghats - Kolad - Lonavala - Pune. It's around 250 Kms trip.
So off to details about Kolad : Located 117km from Mumbai & 105 km from Pune on National Highway 17, Kolad is a village on the banks of the Kundalika river. Known for its waterfalls, adventure activities, Kolad is situated on the Sahyadri mountain range in Raigad district of Maharashtra. A sleepy hamlet, Kolad gained prominence after it was discovered by trekkers and for the rafting experience on the Kundalika River. A white water rafting hotspot, Kolad is to Maharashtra what Rishikesh is to Uttarakhand, Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir and Coorg in Karnataka.
We contacted ‘Wilder west adventures’, a beautiful scenic resort off Kolad for a day package.
Some Tips:
- Kolad River Rafting is open throughout the year depending on the release of dam water every morning.
- Call a couple of agents for a good deal.
- It is advised to book at least a day prior. I even chose the option of 50% advance payment. Don’t forget to carry a copy of the invoice.
- On booking, you are given the contact number of the river rafting operator with whom you can co-ordinate for route and directions. You will need his help
- Carry spare clothes, obviously! There are decent mobile shower rooms with changing facility.
- Each raft accommodating eight people are sent in batches of 3 and 4 at a single time. Depending upon the flow of the river, there are 3 batch timings – 8:30am, 11:30am and 1pm.
- You may be asked to wear comfortable closed shoes. Although, we went bare feet. Do the latter
- You can add kayaking and river crossing to your trip for a dirt cheap price of Rs 100 and Rs. 200 respectively. We did not add these to our trip as it would result in too much exertion. Besides, these activities were at a different point in Kolad near the market area.
- Monsoons are the best time to visit for a scenic drive while the river brims with waters.
More pics of the road trip :)
Our first stop from Pune took just about an hour; Mulshi is famous for its lakeside view. Huge lake formed due to Mulshi dam, offers a great panoramic natural centric experience. One should try Paradise café.
Tamhini Ghat is a mountain passage which cuts across the Sahyadri range to join Pune and the Kokan region. Located on the crest of the Sahyadris, it is famous for its natural beauty—with high mountains, green valleys, lakes and waterfalls. Once we were past the ghats, we stopped at Hotel Shivraj, nested in between the mountains; this place offers some great respite. We had our lunch here and some much needed rest. Next stop will be Kolad !!
Rafting in Kundalika river is fun. They have Unique way of remembering the rapids that we covered were that all were named. Names such as ‘Fisherman’s Clove’, ‘Morning Headache’ and ‘Johnny Walker’ were assigned based on their difficulty. It was not much of a surprise that ‘Johnny Walker’ was the toughest of them all.
They have one of the best team for water sports activities. Service is amazing and they look out for making you comfortable. The stay was more than satisfactory. Service is really nice with courteous staffs. They have all sorts of water sports activities lined up at reasonable rates.
It was a blessing for us that without any planning we reached such an important pilgrimage. We visited the temple. It is beautifully built with great surroundings and history.
Another of the ashtvinayak temple that we visited enroute our journey. Is has beautiful complex where we stalled for a while before leaving again to cover the road ahead.
We stopped over at Kumar waterpark. It is one of the best place to visit in Lonavala. Cooled off and had great food at their restaurant. Just opposite to it there is a newly opened joint – German bakery. It offers some great drinks for all the travelers out there.
The last stop before we reach our destination, Pune. Kamshet offers loads of fun for paragliding enthusiasts.
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