For Photos see link below and if you have time to spare do
read the write-up:
I travel more the line between trekking / biking becomes thinner and then it’s just the fun of travelling with whatever mode is available. This is what the Ride / Trek toEast Chandoli
was all about. There was no hardcore off roading neither the trek was very
difficult but the thrill of seeing a new area, villages and the thick Chandoli
jungles from the Sada top was all very much worth it.
I travel more the line between trekking / biking becomes thinner and then it’s just the fun of travelling with whatever mode is available. This is what the Ride / Trek to
Myself and Anup left on my bike on 26 Jan morning for Karad
and there onto Dhebewadi and Valmiki temple. It almost took the whole day to
reach and finally we settled by our campsite besides Valmiki temple by 6 PM.
The temple is at a very nice location surrounded by jungles
just at the periphery of the Chandoli Wildlife sanctuary. After good nights
sleep next day was a long trek to Valmiki Sada, Satar Khind, Zolambi Sada and
back to Valmiki temple. (Sada for those who don’t know is a huge plateau made
of volcanic rock where pretty much nothing grows but it’s a magical sight to be
on top of a Sada and see the vast endless plateau sometimes full of black stones.)
It was because of our GPS mapping that we did not get lost
on the huge Sada of Valmiki and Zolambi and were able to see the view points as
planned albeit by getting stuck in the thicket on the way to Zolambi Sada top.
We had to wriggle through a narrow rock chimney with tree support to reach the
top. The endless jungle views from Valmiki and Zolambi Sada top was just
amazing.
Next day we took the dirt road from Valmiki temple to
Pandrepani village. (Later we came to know that the road is only till Humbarna
and we had to walk for an hour to reach Pandrepani.)
It was a nice dirt track through the jungles and then on a
mountain plateau top before the steep and dangerous descent to the valley from
where it climbed up again to Humbarna. After getting comfortable in the village
and putting our extra luggage there we started the trek to Pandrepani village.
We could see the thick jungles of Chandoli reserve from the
trek route. After seeking possibilities to explore around Pandrepani village we
decided to see the Sada on top besides the village. We found a nice route to
the top via a water stream and thick jungles. On top we found one of the most
amazing sights of a typical Sada, nothing but black rocks till our eyes could
see. We traversed to the other end to see the thick Chandoli jungles on Valmiki
Side. After a small break we descended
down and reached back to Humbarna just before complete darkness set in.
We had an amazing dinner at a villagers place at Humbarna
and slept in the school classroom for the night. The next day we left early
from Humbarna and decided to go to Mumbai via Satara Raj Marg dirt road
originating from Kaas and then onto Mahableshwar, Wai and Mumbai from NH-4. It
was a tiring ride back home but I saw the best sunset view I have ever seen
from Khandala ghats – with all the mountains clearly visible till Karnala,
Chanderi etc.. and a pinkish tinge in the sky. That took away all my tiredness
and I reached home fresh at 9 PM.
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