A Day of Adventure: Unveiling the Splendor of Karnala Fort for Beginners

Thinking of trying something new?  Why don’t you try trekking?  Always remember to take small steps if you are trying something new. Always start with an easy trek. Karnala Fort was my first solo trek. Karnala fort falls under Raigad district. Karnala Bird sanctuary is at the base of the fort.

How to Reach:

By Road:

• From Mumbai it is 61 kms.
  
• From Pune its 120 kms.

Best Time to Visit:

For bird lover the Best time is from October to April as most of the birds migrate during this period.

About Karnala Fort:

Karnala fort located in Raigad district and its height is 439 m. It is 10 kms away from Panvel. This fort was built in 14^th century under the rule of Yadavs and Tuglaq.  This fort has a strategic importance as it over looked the Bhor poss. This Bhor pass connected the Coastal Kokan to the Vidharba region of Maharashtra This fort was conquered by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1670 from Mughals.

Trek Details:

Try to start the trek as early as possible, because once you reach at the top you will find very less vegetation and you might suffer with the scorching heat. There is ample of parking space at outside the Karnala bird sanctuary. Kindly carry ID proof as it is required at the entry gate. The forest officials make the entry of each and every person entering the sanctuary. At the entry booth you have to pay entry fee and this fee is usually used for the maintenance purpose and also the forest officials check your bags for safety purpose.

There is road made of cement till the base. While moving towards base you will come across some huge cages. In these cages you could see birds like peacocks, parrot, kite, rabbits etc.

At the base you there is a canteen where you can have your breakfast, separate toilets for gents and ladies where you can freshen up and start your trek. There are 2 routes to reach Karnala, first route is behind the toilet there is board which will show you the direction of Karnala fort and the second route is currently been temporarily closed as bit risky and there had been some accidents in the past. I will advise you to please go with the first route, as it is well defined route and you could see the sign boards and sheds at a certain distance.

If you are a beginner and you feel that it’s going to be tuff, then no need to worry. It is a decent climb and the path is covered with lush green trees.  The structure of the patch is identical to stairs; at first glance you can notice it. But be careful of while steeping on stones, there might be small serpents and the rocks are bit wobble and slippery during monsoon. While ascending you will come across a point called “Nagesh point”. You could clearly see the sign board. From here you can view Rasayani MIDC, Apta, Kokan railway track and Patalganga River.

The condition of the fort is bit rough. All you can find are the ruins of the fort. Once you reach at the top you could see the pinnacle of the fort. The wooden door at the entrance has been restored and it’s given the old rustic look with spikes, the restoration work is done step by step with the help of forest officers, government officials and trekking groups. 

 

At the top there are remains of the fort, some water tanks and the pinnacle in the center of the fort could be ascended with the help of proper hiking gears and equipment. When you pass by the water tanks there steps which you have climb down to a flat ground and there you can see the walls of the fort. From here you can view the Mumbai goa highway at one side and Apta, Rasayani MIDC on the other side.

This trek can be easily completed in 4hrs. So no need to hurry while trekking and enjoy the beauty of the nature.

Note: 

Do not litter while trekking and also see if anyone is doing so please request them not to litter. Do not throw wrappers or plastic, kindly carry it in down your backpack and throw it in dustbin.

Things to carry:  

• 2-3 liter Water  
• Wear full pants and full sleeves t-shirts
• Wear Trekking shoes as they provide a good grip
• Cap / Sun cream / Glares
• Dry fruits / Energy bars / Dry snacks (Glucos Biscuits)
• Glucon-D / Tang
• Napkin
• ID proof