If you are from Mumbai, Pune or the places around, chances are that you have already heard of these camp stays at Pavana lake at Lonavala. Such camping activities have suddenly seen a surge over the past few years and a lot of people are opting to spend a day amidst nature and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city life. Be it any special occasion like new year's, valentine's, or just social gatherings or trips these camps have morphed to accomodate it all. Plus the accessibility of the camp sites (a mere 2 and half hours from Pune and 3 hours from Mumbai) has been a boon for travellers.
I don't consider myself a camping person, and I do prefer the company of a comfy bed at night, but FOMO won over one day and we decided to check out the camping experience and see what the hype was all about.
How to book?
There are plenty of websites which offer the pawana lake camping trips on google. We had booked through Deyor camps and got a pretty good deal for the day. Camps with live music, which usually happens on weekends, are charged extra.
800 INR per person got us a tent stay, boat ride, evening snacks and tea, barbeque (nonveg) and dinner at night, morning breakfast, music system and games like carrom, badminton, volleyball, archery etc.
Alternatively if you have contacts you can always call up the camp site owner and do your bookings.
How to reach?
Pavana lake, or pawna lake is an artificial dam reservoir built on the pavana river, situated in Pune district.
The best way to reach its by your own car, so you can take in the scenery as you go along. Or you can take a train to Lonavala and then a rickshaw from there.
From Pune- Pune >Kamshet >Pawna nagar > Pawna lake. Takes about 2 to 3 hours to reach there depending on where you leave from Pune.
From Mumbai- Mumbai >Lonavala >Bhangarwadi >Dudhiwarhe khind >Pawna nagar >Pawna lake. Takes about 3 hours.
You can see plenty of camp sites dotted along the shore once you have reached pavana lake. Our camp site was called 'location I' which is for boating and camping. It is situated on the other end of the lake and after driving all the way around the lake we finally reached it. The roads are tarred for most part with potholes a plenty and the last patch of 5kms was a dirt track.
The campsite location!
After all the adventurous 'off roading' we finally reached our campsite- Kinara lakeside camping. We reached around 4pm which is an ideal time to reach to take in the beauty of nature in daytime and as the lights fade away. And you can get the boating done too. Also when we reached we realised that ours was the only booking at that time and another large group was expected late at night. So we had all the time till then, just the two of us.
This location provides a stunning view of the lake, and the mountains in the distance. You could just sit there gazing at the rippling blue waters beneath the clear blue skies all day long. We asked the camp guys to pitch our tent right n front of the lake, so we could take in the scenic lake the moment we opened the tent. He even offered to put us a seperate table for dinner there too.
The tents were good, with a soft matting inside it and we were provided with blankets and pillows to brave the chill of the night. Washroom facilities were pretty basic but clean.
What to do?
There is not much in the sense of exploring around, so you can just take a stroll along the lakeside and enjoy the view.
For those with more time on their hands, there are some forts nearby you can trek to.
We did the boat ride there, where they take you a little inside the lake and then back.
In the evening we were served with some pakodas and piping hot tea. After a lengthy photo session we were indeed hungry. Post the snacks we played some games like badminton, archery and then carrom till dinner time.
For dinner we were served barbecued chicken and then later it was a simple buffet dinner consisting of chicken and paneer gravy dish, chapatis, dal, rice, salad and some sweet. All this combined with the quietness of the night beside the lake made it something memorable.
After sitting and chatting for a long time we retired to our tent around 1am.
The rising Sun!
We had to leave back for Pune early so we got up at 6am while it was still a little dark. By the time we had finished packing, nature decided to make us stay a little longer.
As the rays started emerging over the horizon, the sky lit up in shades of pink and purple. It was a sight to behold and we stayed a little while longer enjoying the rising sun and the artwork it created over nature's canvas. It blended in perfectly with the slight morning chill, and the camp guy offered another cup of steamy tea for us to enjoy.
What to take on your trip?
Pack light clothes and a sweater because it tends to be cooler at night and in the morning. Munchies are your best friend here, to snack on during mid meals. Carry drinking water, atleast a litre per head. You can carry alcohol too for more fun. Make sure you take all your stuff before you cross kamshet, as there are literally no shops around where you are going.
Carrying a tripod and camera is a good idea as there is plenty of time to click photos at leisure. Make sure to carry a portable charger as there are no charging points inside the tent, but you can ask the hosts to use their charging points at the main area. And if you want to explore around after dark carry a torch too!
All in all!
It was indeed a fun experience for us at this camping trip, considering technically it was the first time for us at camping. The arrangements were good and it is definitely recommended if you want to do nothing and relax amidst nature.
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