Visapur Fort Trek

The Visapur Fort Trek is a monsoon trek located amidst the hills of the Western Ghats, approximately 63 kilometers from Pune and 98 kilometers from Mumbai in Maharashtra. It is easily accessible by road. This trek involves reaching the Visapur Fort, which was built by the Maratha Empire, situated atop the hills.

Five of us friends set out from Pune at 8 a.m. for the Visapur Fort Trek in our car. It was the month of July, and the monsoon rains were at their peak, especially in the hills of the Western Ghats. Singing along to energetic songs playing on the car’s music system, we drove along the beautiful roads. After about a 3-hour drive, we reached the point where the hilly path begins.

The road ahead was quite steep and winding, making it very difficult to drive. Somehow, we managed to drive our car quite a bit further up the hill, but since the road ahead was not suitable, we decided to park the car and proceed on foot, just like others were doing.

Trekking in the lush green hills of the Western Ghats during heavy rainfall is incredibly thrilling and pleasant. Traversing the rugged path, we reached a spot where the mountain with the Visapur Fort became visible. It was a very tall mountain with a steep climb. Covered in green trees and adorned with numerous waterfalls, the view was breathtaking. Nearby, local people had set up small temporary stalls by the roadside where they were selling tea, Maggi, omelets, and roasted corn. The combination of the excellent weather, beautiful scenery, and the hunger from walking made the Maggi and tea taste extraordinarily delicious like never before.

Energized after eating and drinking, we moved ahead with renewed enthusiasm. The path was muddy and damaged due to the rain, which is very common in monsoon trekking. Dense forests flanked both sides of the trail. Within the forest, away from the main path, numerous waterfalls cascaded down the hills, creating a soothing sound. As we continued, we spotted a stunning waterfall nestled within the dense jungle, far from the main trail where people usually don’t venture. Mesmerized by its beauty, we couldn’t resist and made our way through the forest towards it.

Navigating through thorny trees, heavy rain, and a challenging rocky path, we reached the waterfall in about 15 minutes. The sight of the pristine, cold water cascading between the rocks and green trees, accompanied by the soothing sound of the water hitting the ground, was absolutely breathtaking. Such beautiful scenes were either seen in pictures adorning walls or imagined while drawing nature as a child. We enjoyed a refreshing bath in the waterfall, playing and having fun for about 30 minutes. Afterward, we returned to the main path and continued our trek.

After a while, we reached the point where the steep ascent to the fort began. We were astonished to see the path ahead because it wasn’t a path in the usual sense but a space between two mountains filled with large boulders and a waterfall created by the water flowing down from the mountains above. This trek is renowned for this very route. We began our ascent slowly, carefully placing our feet on each rock. Despite the heavy rain and the water rushing down the falls, we pushed forward with determination, supporting each other along the way.

The entire path was extremely challenging. A significant difficulty in monsoon trekking is the slipperiness caused by moss on the rocks due to the rain. A small misstep could lead to injury, but navigating these paths has its own thrill. After about 1.5 hours of strenuous climbing, we reached the top of the mountain. Because of the fort, the surface at the top was flat. The view of the cliffs and valleys from above was mesmerizing. Greenery and waterfalls were visible all around. Due to the heavy rain and the altitude, clouds occasionally enveloped the mountain.