Torna Fort Trek: A Historical and Scenic Adventure in Pune

Torna Fort, also known as Prachandagad, is one of the oldest and highest forts in Maharashtra. Located about 60 km from Pune, it is a popular destination for trekkers and history lovers. The fort offers a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, forests, and other forts in the region. It also has a rich history and significance, as it was the first fort captured by Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire.

Photo of Torna Fort 1/2 by — (C) What's Hot

If you are looking for a historical and scenic adventure in Pune, then Torna Fort Trek is the perfect choice for you. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about Torna Fort Pune, including its history, architecture, trekking route, views, and nearby places to visit.

History of Torna Fort

Torna Fort has a long and fascinating history that dates back to the 13th century. The fort was originally built by the Shaiva Panth followers of Lord Shiva under the name of Prachandagad. The name means “massive fort” or “fierce fort” in Marathi.

The fort was later captured by various dynasties, such as the Bahmani Sultanate, the Nizam Shahi Sultanate, and the Adil Shahi Sultanate. In 1646, at the age of 16, Shivaji Maharaj conquered the fort from the Adil Shahi ruler with the help of his loyal followers. This was his first victory and a turning point in his career as a warrior and king. He renamed the fort as Torna, which means “break” or “tear” in Marathi.

Shivaji Maharaj also renovated and fortified the fort with new walls, bastions, gates, temples, water tanks, and caves. He also built a ridge connecting Torna Fort to Rajgad Fort, his capital. The fort became a strategic base for Shivaji Maharaj and his army to launch attacks on the enemies.

The fort witnessed many battles and sieges over the years. In 1704, Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor, attacked and captured the fort after a long struggle. He renamed it as Futulgaib, which means “divine victory” in Persian. However, his son Azam Shah returned the fort to the Marathas as a tribute to Shivaji Maharaj.

The fort remained under the Maratha rule until 1818, when it was surrendered to the British East India Company after the Third Anglo-Maratha War. The British used the fort as a prison and a military station until 1947.

After India’s independence in 1947, the fort was declared as a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction and a heritage site that attracts thousands of visitors every year.

Also Read: This range trek in Maharashtra will give you a real feel of rustic Western Ghat

Architecture and Features of Torna Fort

Torna Fort is an impressive example of medieval Indian architecture and engineering. The fort covers an area of about 3 sq km and stands at an altitude of about 1400 m above sea level. It is surrounded by steep cliffs and deep valleys on all sides.

The fort has two main entrances: Bini Darwaja (north) and Konnur Darwaja (south). Both are massive stone gates with iron spikes and carvings. The Bini Darwaja leads to the upper part of the fort, while the Konnur Darwaja leads to the lower part.

The upper part of the fort consists of several structures and features, such as:

Budhla Machi: This is a huge rock projection on the western side of the fort that resembles a giant whale’s back. It offers a breathtaking view of the valley below and the Rajgad Fort in front.

Zunjar Machi: This is another rock projection on the eastern side of the fort that resembles an elephant’s trunk. It offers a panoramic view of the Velhe village and Panshet Dam.

Menghai Devi Temple: This is an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Menghai Devi, who is believed to be the patron deity of Torna Fort. The temple has a stone idol of Menghai Devi with four arms holding different weapons.

Toranjai Temple: This is another temple dedicated to Goddess Toranjai, who is believed to be another form of Menghai Devi. The temple has a stone idol of Toranjai with two arms holding a lotus and a sword.

Water Tanks: There are several water tanks on the fort that store rainwater for drinking and other purposes. Some of the water tanks are named after Shivaji Maharaj’s mother Jijabai, his wife Saibai, and his generals Tanaji Malusare and Suryaji Pisal.

Caves: There are several caves on the fort that were used as shelters and storages by the soldiers and the locals. Some of the caves have carvings and inscriptions on their walls.

The lower part of the fort consists of a plateau that is covered with grass and flowers. It is also known as Velhe Pathar or Budhla Pathar. It is a popular camping site for trekkers and nature lovers.

Trekking to Torna Fort

Trekking to Torna Fort is a thrilling and rewarding experience for adventure seekers and history buffs. The trek offers a challenging and varied terrain, with steep ascents, descents, rocky patches, slippery slopes, and narrow ridges. The trek also offers a glimpse of the rich flora and fauna of the region, such as wildflowers, butterflies, birds, monkeys, and snakes.

The trek starts from the base village of Velhe, which is about 60 km from Pune. You can reach Velhe by bus, car, or bike from Pune. The trekking route from Velhe to Torna Fort is about 8 km long and takes about 4 hours to complete. The route is well marked with signboards and arrows.

The trekking route can be divided into three stages:

Stage 1: Velhe to Budhla Machi: This is the most difficult stage of the trek, as it involves a steep climb of about 3 km through dense forest and rocky terrain. You will encounter some iron ladders and chains to help you cross some tricky sections. You will also pass by some water tanks and caves on the way. The stage ends at Budhla Machi, where you can enjoy the view of the valley and Rajgad Fort.

Stage 2: Budhla Machi to Bini Darwaja: This is a relatively easy stage of the trek, as it involves a flat walk of about 2 km along the ridge of the fort. You will encounter some fortifications, bastions, and gates on the way. The stage ends at Bini Darwaja, which is the main entrance to the upper part of the fort.

Stage 3: Bini Darwaja to Zunjar Machi: This is the final stage of the trek, as it involves a gentle climb of about 3 km through grassy meadows and flower beds. You will encounter some temples, water tanks, and caves on the way. The stage ends at Zunjar Machi, where you can enjoy the view of Velhe village and Panshet Dam.

You can either return from Zunjar Machi or explore the upper part of the fort further. You can also camp on the lower part of the fort if you have permission from the forest department.

The best time to do Torna Fort Trek is from October to February, when the weather is pleasant and clear. You can also do the trek in monsoon season from June to September, when the fort is covered with greenery and mist. However, you should be careful of slippery trails and leeches.

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Some tips and precautions for Torna Fort Trek are:

- Carry enough water and snacks for the trek.

- Wear comfortable shoes and clothes for the trek.

- Carry a raincoat or an umbrella in monsoon season.

- Carry a torch or a headlamp for night camping.

- Carry a first aid kit and some medicines for emergencies.

- Do not litter or damage the fort or its surroundings.

- Do not venture into restricted or dangerous areas of the fort.

- Do not disturb or harm any animals or plants on the fort.

Views from Torna Fort

Torna Fort offers some of the most stunning views in Maharashtra. From the top of the fort, you can see the majestic landscape of the Western Ghats, the serene waters of Panshet Dam, the imposing structure of Rajgad Fort, and the quaint village of Velhe.

The views from Torna Fort are especially beautiful during sunrise and sunset, when the sky is painted with different colors, the sun rays are reflected on the water, and the shadows are casted on the mountains.

The views from Torna Fort are also amazing during night time, when the stars are twinkling in the sky, the moonlight is shining on the fort, and the lights are glowing in the village.

You can enjoy the views from Torna Fort from different spots and angles. Some of the best spots are:

Budhla Machi: This is the highest point of the fort, where you can see the entire fort and its surroundings. You can also see the ridge that connects Torna Fort to Rajgad Fort.

Zunjar Machi: This is the easternmost point of the fort, where you can see the Velhe village and Panshet Dam. You can also see the sunrise from this spot.

Menghai Devi Temple: This is the central point of the fort, where you can see the main entrance and the lower part of the fort. You can also see the sunset from this spot.

Toranjai Temple: This is the southernmost point of the fort, where you can see the Konnur Darwaja and the valley below. You can also see the moonrise from this spot.

You can also capture the views from Torna Fort with a camera or a drone. However, you should be careful of the wind and the birds that may interfere with your shots. You should also respect the privacy and safety of other trekkers and locals.

Photo of Torna Fort 2/2 by — (C) Explore Our India

Nearby Places to Visit from Torna Fort

Torna Fort is not only a historical and scenic attraction, but also a gateway to many other places to visit in Pune. After completing your trek to Torna Fort, you can explore some of these nearby places that offer more attractions and activities for tourists. Some of these places are:

Sinhagad Fort: This is another famous fort in Pune that was captured by Shivaji Maharaj with the help of his brave general Tanaji Malusare. The fort is about 35 km from Torna Fort and can be reached by road or by trekking. The fort has a museum, a memorial, a temple, and a restaurant. You can also enjoy paragliding, rappelling, and rock climbing at Sinhagad Fort.

Rajgad Fort: This is another magnificent fort in Pune that was the capital of Shivaji Maharaj for 26 years. The fort is about 15 km from Torna Fort and can be reached by road or by trekking along the ridge. The fort has three parts: Balekilla, Suvela Machi, and Sanjeevani Machi. You can also see the tomb of Shivaji Maharaj’s loyal dog Waghya at Rajgad Fort.

Purandar Fort: This is another important fort in Pune that was the birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj’s son Sambhaji Maharaj. The fort is about 45 km from Torna Fort and can be reached by road. The fort has two levels: Balekilla and Machi. You can also see a statue of Murarbaji Deshpande, who defended the fort against Diler Khan, a Mughal general.

Panshet Dam: This is a beautiful dam on the Ambi River that provides water and electricity to Pune. The dam is about 20 km from Torna Fort and can be reached by road. The dam has a park, a garden, and a boating facility. You can also enjoy water sports, such as kayaking, jet skiing, and banana boat ride at Panshet Dam.

Lavasa City: This is a planned hill city near Pune that is inspired by the Italian town of Portofino. The city is about 65 km from Torna Fort and can be reached by road. The city has a lake, a promenade, a golf course, and a hotel. You can also enjoy cycling, hiking, camping, and zip lining at Lavasa City.

Mulshi Lake: This is a scenic lake formed by the Mulshi Dam on the Mula River. The lake is about 80 km from Torna Fort and can be reached by road. The lake has a resort, a spa, and a restaurant. You can also enjoy fishing, bird watching, and photography at Mulshi Lake.

Lonavala: This is a popular hill station near Pune that is known for its natural beauty and charm. The hill station is about 100 km from Torna Fort and can be reached by road or by train. The hill station has many attractions, such as Bhaja Caves, Karla Caves, Lohagad Fort, Visapur Fort, Tiger’s Leap, Lion’s Point, Bushi Dam, Rajmachi Point, Kune Falls, and Imagica Theme Park.

Conclusion

Torna Fort Pune is a must-visit place for anyone who loves history, culture, adventure, and beauty. The fort is a testimony to the glory and valor of Shivaji Maharaj and his Maratha Empire. The fort also offers a spectacular view of the surrounding nature and other forts in the region. The fort also provides a thrilling and rewarding trekking experience for adventure seekers and history buffs.

If you are looking for a historical and scenic adventure in Pune, then Torna Fort Trek is the perfect choice for you. You can also explore some of the nearby places that offer more attractions and activities for tourists.

Torna Fort Reviews

Amey Ambekar

72 Followers

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"Torna Moonlight Trek" Elevation - 1,403 meters Difficulty level - Tough Trek time - 3 hours I wrote it like a story. Hi there, my name is Amey Ambekar (there is another guy who's named similar to me as ameya in this story please ignore him and keep your whole attention towards me, just kidding enjoy the story) . Lets start the story, it was 4th june, the start of monsoon, i went to pune for some business meets, after being done with the meets and stuff, i had the weekends free. I have always imagined how thrilling the treks would be and even more curious about the night treks. I was at pune at the movement, later that day around 6pm i met my friends manthan and utkarsh, after some chats i threw up a idea, if they are free tonight and shall we go for a moonlight trek tonight. So it was decided, manthan lived in the college hostel he also asked his friends if they wanna join apparently 6 of them agreed. Manthan and utkarsh were my friends from amravati and so was sahil. I called sahil and told him we have to go to the trek tonight he immediately replied with a yes. There were this other two friends of mine from akola Ameya and gaurav, i was staying at ameya's as i was in pune. So me, sahil, manthan, utkarsh, ameya, gaurav and manthan's 6 hostel mates were on for the trek, so we were 12 guys in total. We decided to go to torna fortfor the trek, we packed essentials charged our phones, took out the bikes and at 11pm we started out for the location. Torna was close from pune, 60 kilometers from where we stayed. On the way to torna you will encounter ghats through the journey, i had a clue that if we were lucky we would be able to see fireflies on the way, afterwards at one spot on the way along the ghats we stopped to stretch our legs but as soon as we turned our heads towards the valley we saw fireflies, it felt amazing watching them, nobody talked everybody was just staring at them. In the complete silence, the golden twinkling light that the magical bugs emitted really calmed my mind, the pleasant soft wind and watching fireflies was just a perfect combination, we stayed there for about 15-20 mins and then we moved towards torna (i could hear, torna was calling me towards it ) (1. look at the first picture down there). We reach at the trekking point at 1am, there is parking space available so we parked our bikes there. I suggested that we should take some petrol with us, as it rained the day before so i assumed everything must be wet and we could use the petrol to burn the bonfire. Then at the start point everyone gathered, everyone introduced each other and i gave some cautions before we started the trek although i was also a first timer but still I wanted to lead them and encourage them also the best thing they followed my lead, as we were trekking at night so i told them there might be snakes or other animals so be aware, always stay close. We started at 2:15 am, it was all blacked out as there were clouds so no moonlight. And as i told you we were first timers we didn't even took torches with us, we were dependent on our mobile phone's flash, so our one hand had the Mobile flash and the other had courage and backpack on the back which had water bottles and snacks. While I was leading the trek, i had sahil right next to me (sahil is a very skinny guy, like 6" feet tall and weighed 48 kg only, at first i thought he would be scared and everything but he turned out to be brave and was right next to me), other were following us. As i waved the flash to the right and left to have a view, on the right there were these dense bushes and on the left deep dark valley, my mind had mixed feelings thrill, joy, excitement and peace. It was not even 300 meters we had crossed and we had a thrilling encounter, i was walking holding flash taking heavy breadths and saw something crossing our path what i saw had me goosebumps (now here's my opinion about snakes, i fear them the most and i really mean it), i think it was a cobra crossing our path ( cobra because it was long, dark black, his skin reflected the flashlight which had fall upon him by the Mobile which i was holding. It was thrilling as well as it felt beautiful to watch cobra pass by). I immediately stopped everyone by a shout "thamba" which is a Marathi word for 'stop', told them not to make a move, the cobra crossed peacefully and we took a breath after that, that really scared the soul out of me. After we caught a breath we moved again even after the cobra incident i was still leading, then after some other mountain creatures also made appearance one of them was the orange back and White stripped frogs i think they were poisonous too but they didn't bother us too much we kept moving. We kept moving along with trek talks and shouting our slangs, it felt to be alive more than that i felt to be alive after long time, the cold wind, heavy breaths, that feeling in my heart made me feel complete. After walking for about 35-40mins we took a halt at safe spot where we could all sit ,rest up and drink water. While rehydrating at that spot, we all enjoyed the view we were not on the top but still the view was great, ranges of mountain, on oneside beautiful lake view and on the other side ranges of mountain, we could see sinhagad from there, the red light from the tower on sinhagad caught our attention, sinhagad looked mesmarizing, like a black big shadow behind the dark clouds ( i have been to sinhagad but at daytime, along with its thrilling and devotional history sinhagad had a great view too but its very crowded at times, people have ruined its natural beauty, we all nearly chugged half a bottle of water, at that spot cold heavy winds were passing we started to feel a little bit cold, i was wearing my tracks,a full sleeve t-shirt and on it a shirt, Ameya came to me and said i don't feel well its very cold out here although he was wearing a sweater so i took off my shirt and gave him to wear it ( that was illogical because i was feeling cold too but still i wanted him to get rid of the excuses and encourage him so i did that). After relaxing for a while we moved again everyone wanted to rest more but me, sahil and two other friends wanted to move forward, so i told others that we are moving, i thought they might also get up watching us go, so i went froward with the other three with zeal but that's where i went imprecise, after walking for 15-20 mins we discern that the rest of the group were not following us, as it was no network zone so we were not able to contact them so we four decided to wait for the rest to reach us. There's a quote by "Mountains have there way to deal with overconfidence" Nemann Buhl i will take you through this quote literally going, So as i said the rest of the group showed no sign of reaching us, we shouted, tried waving the flash light but nothing worked as we were far away from them, one person among us four suggest that we should head back and bring them with us but i told him don't worry they will get to us in a short time, just wait. The spot where we stopped was good enough to burn a Bonfire, as we had the collected petrol with us, we gathered together bunch of sticks, tree branches, pored a small amount of petrol on it and boom burnt the bonfire and as we all know along with bonfire comes awesome stories, rahul (one of the guy) knew the history of torna and the story of torna came up. Torna has a amazing story, It was called "Prachandagad" ( 'prachanda' is a marathi word for 'Huge', massive) It was built by Shaiva panth around 13 century. How did torna got the name 'torna' from 'prachandagad' is a great story, it was the first fort captured by the great Shivaji Maharaj in 1646 at the age of 16 and because when you climb torna you will find this flowers which looks like Torans (Torans are used to decorate the doors in Maharashtra) so Shivaji Maharaj renamed it as "Torna" (This is all i remember rahul telling me, how does he knows all this well he took a picture of a rock which had all this written on it before we started). Well having done with the stories, do you still remember that quote, right? After a few movements rest of our crew arrived, well not all of them yeah that's right not all of them, three of us were missing actually.i asked them what happened where are they ?, didn't you instsit them to come ?, why did they stay ? (Actually three guys stayed were Utkarsh , manthan, and kamlesh). (2. look at the second photograph, i have to do this because tripodo doesn't have a feature that would allow me to upload these pictures here, so please coordinate with me and whenever i tell you to look at the picture please do so as you can connect more through this, although its a nice platform i hope they provide this feature in future). They replied that utkarsh was not able to continue he told them that he thinks his Blood pressure levels are increased ( he weighs 115kg so i might consider it true) and manthan didn't wanted to continue as well ( i think manthan stayed because of Utkarsh, i think he didn't want to leave Utkarsh behind ) and kamlesh had a problem with his hand he said his hand was shivering too much ( well i personally think he was faking it because he is a fit guy i think he just needed a reason to stay ). I heard all of this, i couldn't handle it and i told the rest of the crew that i am going back and i am gonna get them if not at least i am gonna get them supplies and settle them to a safe place ( as it was a windy there and trust me it seemed like the winds had a intention to freeze us ). I took the petrol bottle with me and a extra t-shit from sahil and a blanket from gaurav and some snaks, one guy druv agreed to come with me, rest of the crew told us we will wait here until you come. So me and druv started to go down towards them, while the downward trail i realised that druv is actually fast, faster than me ( I think he was into some kind of sports, i don't really know him that much as he was hostel mate of manthan). We reached the spot but they were not there, we looked at each other's faces as what did they, then we shouted there names, they shouted back, you won't believe these brats went to a peak near that spot which had the greatest exposure to the winds. We went to them, i tried to convince them really hard especially to Utkarsh but nothing worked, then after that i told them at least take this supplies so they took it and i told them not to stay at that full exposure spot instead i found them a place behind a big gaint rock which was covering the winds, checked if there were any creatures or anything, druv collected some sticks and then i use the petrol and we burned them a fire near that place. And also one another good thing happened they were going to stay there until we reach them back from the trek, so i told them not to wait for us as soon as the sun arrives get to the village and get yourself something to eat. Funny thing, Utkarsh had a knife and he made a spear out of it, how you ask, well he took a hard and long stick and at the top it he kinda fix it there with the help a knot with his handkerchief. Then after waving hand to them, me and druv went back to the rest of the group, on the way back druv was really fast i don't know why was he in such a hurry, and so while coping up with him i got myself a deep cut on my right hand (i think it happened while crawling, i guess it was a sharp rock) , i sucked the blood and split it, i was not knowing that its that deep but when we arrived to the team i realised that the blood is dropping everywhere from the cut, it was bleeding continuously, sahil put some cold water on the wound, the dirt surely went away but the bleeding continued. And then again rahul came into play, luckily he was the guy who used to eat tabaco (is it me or it really feels like its indeed a different kind of rahul, usually guys named as rahul are not likely to do such stuff i mean eat tabaco) so he had chuna, i don't know its safe or not but he applied chuna on my cut and it stopped bleeding and i knot a handkerchief around my hand. Thus, this explains the quote. (3. look at the 3rd picture) After that we continued, the trek got stiffer and stiffer, at several points it felt like the peak is near, but the trail continued we took halts, i gave up the lead for 20 minutes and gained back my stamina and started to lead again and i also went shirtless thereafter as i was sweating too much, i kinda loved leading rather than following from behind, i guess following was not really thrilling enough for me. We had amazing trek talks, halts at remote spots, "I believe that if you don't derive a deep sense of purpose from what you do, if you don't come radiantly alive several times a day, if you don't feel deeply grateful at the tremendous good fortune that has been bestowed on you, then you are wasting your life. And life is too short to waste." Srikumar Rao (It felt real, i mean doing the trek, passing through the remote paths, the winds, getting hurt, trek talks and everything else as well, this made me feel real, made me feel alive after so long ). After a trek that last for 2 hours 45 minutes we reached the peak at 5am. It felt so cool out there, looking at the view from the wall that covered the entire fort was amazing. (4. again go for the 4th picture) At 5am it looked kinda scary as it was still dark, we climbed at a wall watched the view for a bit, after that everyone went to the right side of the fort, but i stayed there, I needed some me time, it was great. The sun was about to show up, i went to the left, stayed near a coner the view was mesmarizing, the cold winds made me put on my shirt, it was so cold out the. It sat at a spot, the cold and speedy winds were piercing through me and view we could literally see clouds, at that time it was complete silence and peace, i closed my eyes, spread my hands like Leonardo DiCaprio does in titanic and suddenly i was in a different place far away from all the urban stress away from the people, i felt the air, the winds, the aura of that, it was just amazing. Then sahil came to me and gave the worse news of the century he said the snaks are all gone they ate them all while i was having my alone time anyways the time was worth it, afterwards we took pictures and everything there, from around the peak's corner, we shouted our names and heard the eco. (5. look at the 5th pictures) Then something amazing happened, we heard a little sound something soon we realized that it was Utkarsh manthan and kamlesh shouting and we shouted back but we were not sure, so i asked sahil to turn on the flash and wave it and Utkarsh and others waved back, it was so cool to do that ( we thought the ancient people must also use to do this but only back then there were no flashes so they must have used firetorch. Then the movement arrived for which everyone was waiting for, the "sunrise", trust me it was breathtaking, one of the best that i have ever seen in my life and we were literally in clouds. (6. look at the pictures from 6th series) It was so cold out there, then everyone gathered and collected some burnable things but everything was a little moist but with the help of petrol we burnt a born fire there and got ourselves warm, indeed my prediction was right and finally carrying petrol paid off. After that we explored the fort, its interesting, the fort covers a very vast area and also has a route to rajgad. The fort has temple namely "Menghai Devi Mandir" also know as "Tornaji temple" some pictures after sunrise, the the sun was not so clear as it was cloudy, (7. look at the 7th picture) visiting this temple was really helpful for me and interesting fact about this temple there is a elder couple (aaji aajoba) who visits the temple at weekends to provide the tourists with poha and black tea, having a hot black tea at that clod place really helped and also the poha that helped with my apatite. Trust me at such height and extreme weather its the best thing you will ever get and also there was kaaya (the dog), as i am a dog person i really adore kaaya (picture of kaaya). After that we roamed around for a while and took pictures. Here are some pictures of me enjoying the view and faking candids and also some real candids are there and also selfies. (8. look at the pictures from 8th series ) Then after everything wrapped up, we started the down trail, it only took 1 hour 30 minutes to reach to the start-point. After that we reached our home at 12 pm, and I don't about others but i slept till 6pm. Now, i will tell you the budget, it only cost 300 rupees maximum as the only charges were the petrol charges, and the snaks, poha charge 30 rupees and tea charged 10 rupees, don't travel with those online groups they will charge you unnecessarily around 1200-1500 inr, go with them unless you are new to the city or anything like that, i prefer traveling through bikes. Tips - carry this one thing for sure when you travel, that is "excitement". And also carry torches with extra batteries, lots of snaks and water bottles, also bring a camera if you are a fan of photography, trekking shoes ( i will not recommend it but i hiked with my casual shoes ) also carry some flammable fluids like petrol or kerosene and just be aware and be safe. So that was it, i hope you like what i wrote, stay tuned for more. And incase if you wanna reach me then this is the number to call on +91-9130649833 . And also give me a follow on my Instagram id- @i_amey_ Let me know how you feel about torna, drop a comment. at last i have two statements to make, 1) vanilla is a flavor and 2) climate change is a real thing. and as they say in Spanish Hasta pronto(see you soon).

Kaivan Bhayani

306 Followers

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My trip started with a group of friends leaving Pune at 7am to reach the Velhe village around 9am after a quick breakfast on the way. The cab dropped us at a point on the foothills of the fort, beyond which vehicles were not permitted. The weather was clear when we started the trek. We had taken extra clothes, some snacks, a camera and water along with us. The trek seemed easy at the beginning as the path was smooth terrain meandering amidst the shrubbery with a hill on one side and a valley on the other side. It took us around 45 minutes to reach a viewpoint midway, where we took a brief stopover for resting and taking some pictures. That viewpoint offered a wonderful view-the fort atop a hill ahead, valley and villages on one side and a dam and lake on the other side. It is from this viewpoint that the actual trek on the hill to the fort actually begins and gets steeper with a rocky terrain. It took us quite some time to negotiate the steep terrain until we reached a waterfall for another short break. After soaking in some water, we resumed our trek to proceed on to the steepest part, which at a place had railings provided to assist the trekkers. Finally, we reached one of the entry gates to the fort and took a short refreshment break, treating ourselves to lemonade sold by a local woman there. Entering into the fort, we wandered around the massive fort and walked along the walls of the fort till we reached a viewpoint from where the entire surrounding region was visible along with another nearby fort. The view was simply spectacular with lush greenery almost everywhere because of the peak monsoon season. After having taking enough pictures and having toured enough of the fort, we had some snacks at an under-construction building in the fort and then relaxed for a while. Meanwhile, the weather had also slowly turned cloudy and it was around lunchtime. We soon started the descend and found it equally challenging. We reached our vehicle around 4pm and then headed back to Velhe village for some snacks before commencing our return journey to Pune.

Kinjal Gala

168 Followers

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You need to start very early in the morning if you want to ditch the crowds and have the entire place to yourself. 7am is an ideal time to start so that you can get back down by lunchtime. The trail can be divided into three phases for ease of remembrance. Phase 1- The initial trail is a concrete road with a mild slope until almost an hour. This can easily serve as a warm up for the coming phases. Cars and two wheeler vehicles are allowed upto a certainpointwhere you will also see a small shack. Early in the morning you will not see many vehicles here but you will notice that the place is jam packed by almost 9am. Light drizzling is the most favourable climate for this trek. Phase 2- Once the concrete road comes to an end, you will see a small narrow path carved from mud which will be the trail for the next 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on your speed. This path will lead you to the top of a plateau and is not very steep. Most of the trail is quite straightforward. At short intervals, you will come across small plains from where you can get a birds eye view of the entire village. Make sure all your belongings are secured safely as the wind is extremely strong and difficult to resist. You will notice that the village and it's surrounded areas are covered with tall mountain ranges for the entire circumference. The best part about this phase is the waterfall!! A lot of waterfalls would be visible from a distance. But there is one huge waterfall that will come in your way while moving up. It's quite beautiful in itself if you wish to just enjoy the sight of it. You can also get drenched in its naturally refreshing water.

Vachana Shetty

3375 Followers

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Torna is a beautiful mountain. Though the route to Torna Peak is simple as far as directions are concerned the mountain is quite steep at certain parts and one needs to be careful to not miss the foot trail. The Torna trek route can be divided in three parts – an initial climb up the hill, a plateau and the final rock patch to enter the Torna fort via the Bini Darwaja. The height of Torna from sea level is 1405 metres and offers spectacular views of Sahyadri Mountains. Once you reach the top there’s a lot more to discover. TORNA was the first fort conquered by Shivaji Maharaj after he vowed for Swaraj at Raireshwar. He put the garland (Called Toran in Marathi) of his first victory on this fort and therefore the name –TORNA. TORNA is also called prachandgadh because of it vastness. The huge waterfall on your side, a well carved out path, beautiful plateaus and gorgeous shrubs push you towards the peak. Just before you reach the pinnacle, you come across yet another beautiful waterfall and this one is the most beautiful of all. The rocks are wet by the not so ferocious waterfall and covered with pink flowers. It is gorgeous. I can do Torna again just to see this waterfall again.

Midhun Sankar

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Torna Fort was the first fort captured by Shivaji Maharaj in 1643, making it the nucleus of the Maratha Empire. After centuries, it has now become a popular destination for adventure lovers.The fort is also known as ‘Prachandagad’, located in Pune district, Maharastra. Trek Date:24th November,2019 Trek Level:Moderate Elevation:1,403m(4,603 ft) Location:Torna Fort, Pune We started from Pune railway station at 7am and reached base village velhe at 9am.Started hiking by 9:30am,with slow pace enjoying dam beside and fort view.The gradient is easy in the initial going but quickly becomes very steep,there are iron railings built at the risky spots.You will find many huts occupied by villagers selling lemon juice, butter milk, etc. After crossing the midway there are few steep climbs,almost vertical.We reached top by 11:45am,after reaching the top, there is a Devi temple from there, you can go left to Zunjar machi and right to Budhla machi.After spending almost 1 hour at the top relaxing and photoshoot we started descending and reached back base by 2:30pm. Trip Cost No of persons: 3 Ola outstation round trip(150km,9 hours):1,850₹ Toll:90₹ Food:200₹ Parking:Free