HARISHCHANDRAGAD TREK VIA NALICHI VAAT

Information

• Trip Name: Harishchandra gad trek via Nalichi Vaat
• Difficulty: Hard
• Time: 3 days 2 nights
• Base: Bailpada

If you are a nature lover and are interested in ancient Indian cultures, you can certainly come for the Harishchandragad trek via Nalichi Vaat. Essentially, there are three routes that one can take to go to Harishchandragad. The shortest route is from Pachnai village, the second one is from Khireshwar village, and the last one is from Walhiware, a remote village located 10 km inside from the Malshej Ghar road, also known as Nalichi Vaat.

Harishchandragad trek via Nalichi Vaat is highly technical and challenging but equally thrilling. There are no water spots in between, increasing the difficulty in trekking through the route as it requires precise management of time and water.

This route is not suited for beginners. It is advisable to go on this trek if you are a seasoned trekker or at least if you have some experience in trekking through such challenging terrains.

The route is named Nalichi Vaat because “nal” stands for tap in Marathi and this route is essentially a river that brings down all the water on the fort in the monsoon and dries up in winter. You would be climbing up the route of the river to get to your destination.

The trek to Harishchandragad via Nalichi Vaat is fairly popular amongst seasoned trekkers and adventure lovers. The challenging route involves an almost 80-degree climb that requires immense precision, balance, and control over one’s body. The trek begins at a stream bed filled with large rocks and leads you to the foot of the gorge.

Although you will find slits in the rock and niches carved out for support, some sections of the trek are highly challenging and require you to make use of climbing gear to get through. It is important to note that the steady uphill climbing can get exhausting for the most part of the day, making it important to rest from time to time. This is what makes this a two-day trek.

However, all the effort would be worth it once you reach your destination. The Harishchandragad fort is immensely beautiful with extremely scenic surroundings. One of the most interesting spots throughout the trek is Konkan Kada. It is an overhanging cliff that faces west and gives you a bird’s eye view of Konkan.

If you are lucky, you can witness some of the most captivating natural phenomena from Konkan Kada, including vertical cloud bursts and circular rainbows. Apart from Konkan Kada, you will get to see the marvellous Harishchandreshwar temple once you have successfully made your climb. This temple has been carved out of a single rock and is a beautiful symbol of ancient Indian architecture.

You will also get to visit the Kedareshwar cave that is located to the right of the temple. The cave contains a Shiva Linga surrounded by water that always remains cold.

Highlights Of The Trek

• 80-degree steep climb
• Harishchandreshwar temple
• Harishchandragad fort
• Konkan Kada