In the Shirala taluka of Sangli district in western Maharashtra, Chandoli is an extremely beautiful and serene town. Chandoli is filled with natural beauty amidst the beautiful hills and forests of the Western Ghats, providing visitors with a sense of tranquility. During the monsoon season in western Maharashtra, the weather and the colors of nature become particularly vibrant. This is the best time to explore the surrounding hills and forests.
Due to our workplace being in Sangli district, we planned a weekend trip to Chandoli. At 8 AM on a beautiful monsoon morning, we set off for Chandoli, which is approximately 95 kilometers from Sangli city. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had packed enough food and drinks from home to avoid contact with others. The road from Sangli to Chandoli was very good and surrounded by lush greenery. While the entire region is filled with enchanting sights, based on our experiences, I’ll now describe in detail some specific places worth seeing-
➥ Warna Dam
The Warna River is a tributary of the Krishna River, and numerous irrigation projects have been developed along this river. Visiting the Warna Dam, situated at the origin of the Warna River, was quite enjoyable. We drove up to the dam in our car. Due to the monsoon season, the dam was filled with water. Photography and videography were prohibited here.
On the other side of the dam, there are hydro-electric projects related to harnessing water power. It was a great experience to visit here. The clash of the water against the dam’s structure felt as though nature and humanity had joined hands for the welfare of human life.
➥ Chandoli National Park & Sahyadri Tiger Reserve
Chandoli National Park is situated amidst the Sahyadri hills and is included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. Within the national park lies the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve as well. Upon our arrival, we found that entry to the national park was closed due to the mating season of the tigers. It opens for tourists after October 15th and remains open until the beginning of the monsoon.
At the park gate, forest officials informed us that there are 4 tigers in the tiger reserve. Other prominent wildlife found here include bison, deer, gaur, sambar, Indian python, among others. The main entrance of the park has been made very attractive. We took photos here and spent some quality time enjoying the surroundings.
➥ Chandoli Dharan View Point
This point, located on the way to the national park, is incredibly beautiful. The distant view of the Warna Dam from here is enchanting. When we arrived, it was raining heavily, so we had our breakfast inside the car. Once the rain stopped, the view was worth seeing.
On one side, there were hills covered with trees, and on the other, the picturesque valley of the Warna River. In the distance, a small village was visible with a temple. This sight was very soothing to the eyes. The water of the Warna Dam was shimmering in the sunlight near the distant hills. We explored the nearby areas on foot and took videos and photos.
➥ Beautiful Rice Fields & Ambewadi Village
After visiting Chandoli National Park, our next stop was Ambewadi Village. Passing through mountainous roads, we reached the village of Ukhlu, from where the road leads to Ambewadi Village. When we arrived at Ambewadi Village, our hearts were delighted seeing the lush greenery there. The village is situated right beside the road. After crossing the village, we walked towards the beautiful green rice fields. We had never seen such beautiful and lush green fields before.
The terraced fields on the slopes of the hills looked truly magnificent. We also spotted a beautiful Green Vine Snake here, adding to the beauty of these fields. Walking among these beautiful fields with thin, scattered footpaths was quite adventurous. To protect the crops from monkeys and birds, the villagers had placed scarecrows amidst these beautiful rice fields. Being here made us very happy.
➥ Beautiful Waterfall
Ahead of the fields near Ambewadi Village, we saw two very beautiful waterfalls cascading from the lush jungles. The milky white water falling from the rocky slopes mesmerized us. I had only seen such a sight in movies and books before. As we were admiring these waterfalls, a farmer from the village who was tending to his fields came up to us. He told us that mosquitoes do not bother here, the weather remains pleasant throughout the year, and people always stay healthy. He also informed us that besides the two waterfalls in front of us, there is a larger and most beautiful waterfall slightly below the hill.
We were not familiar with the routes and were advised not to venture onto any trekking paths without guidance. We asked him to guide us to that waterfall, and he agreed. The path was somewhat challenging and slippery in places. At times, we had to sit down to avoid slipping.
It took us about 45 minutes to descend into the valley of the hill. Upon reaching there, it felt like our journey had been successful. The waterfall cascading from above the hill looked magnificent. We were all very happy to witness this sight. The sound of the waterfall felt like music to our ears.
After spending approximately 15-20 minutes near the waterfall, we returned while trekking back to Ambewadi Village and also thanked the farmer for showing us the waterfall. We had a wonderful day altogether. Experiencing the dam, river, mountains, forests, waterfall, and beautiful rice fields all in one day was a great experience. Visiting this area of Maharashtra during the monsoon can be a truly beautiful experience. Take out some time and make sure to visit here.
*******************
➜ Don’t forget to do in Chandoli: Trekking, visiting the Tiger Reserve, seeing the waterfall, photography.
➜ How to reach Chandoli: The nearest airport is 75 kilometers away in Kolhapur. It is connected by railway to major cities like Pune, Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore via Sangli. Additionally, Chandoli is easily accessible by road from all major cities across the country.
➜ Best time to visit Chandoli: July to October (during the monsoon season).
➜ Recommended duration for visiting Chandoli: 2 days / 1 night
