RATANGAD TREK

Information

• Trip Name: Ratangad trek
• Time: 2 days 1 night
• Difficulty: Medium
• Maximum Altitude: 4,255 ft
• Base: Ratanwadi

If you are looking for a perfect forest trail and a thrilling adventure for your weekend getaway, the Ratangad fort trek is an ideal option for you. You can easily opt to go for Ratangad trek from Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, and other locations nearby.

The Ratangad fort is a part of the famous Kalsubai range which contains some of the highest mountain peaks in the state of Maharashtra. The fort provides you with an interrupted view of nearby hills, forts, and reservoirs once you reach your destination, including the mesmerizing Bhandardara dam. The trek would provide you with the thrill of visiting caves and passing through lush green forests in a day’s time.

The Ratangad fort trek would begin at the base village of Ratanwadi, making its way to Amruteshwar temple, which is a 1,200 years old Hemadpanti temple. You would witness beautifully artistic stone carvings on the walls of the temples signifying the rich cultural heritage of the country.

From the temple, the trek would take you towards the Bhandardara dam from where you can see the majestic Ratangad right in front of you. On the right-hand side of the fort, you will see a thumb-shaped pinnacle known as Ratangad Khutta. The entire route of the trek is marked by white arrows on stoned after every 5 to 10 minutes. However, it is important to keep as track of your journey as there are many off-shoots that might confuse you.  However, you can rest assured that we would guide you all the way to the top.

You will be walking on a fairly flat terrain until you reach the cross a dam built on the river Pravara. From here, you would climb the dam wall and walk along the edge of the water body with a scenic view of the dam water and lush green forest on the way. You can spend some time taking pictures with a highly aesthetic background.

Once you hit the base of the hill, you will head for an uphill and rocky climb that would lead you to a small clearing. The clearing would lead you to a dense forest from where the climb would get steeper. Here, you will encounter a shack run by villagers where you can stop for tea, snacks, and some delicious lemonade.

Once you clear the forest, you will come across a huge rock patch. There are three steel ladders that would help you get to the top of the patch. Here, it is important to be extremely careful, slow, and precise while making the climb as some steps would be loose and broken.

Finally, after climbing the ladders, you would reach the first gate of the Ratangad fort. If you walk a little more, you will come across the fourth ladder that would take you to a large cave. You can choose to stay and take shelter at the cave.