Setting the Scene – Forts of the North Konkan
Maharashtra is home to more than 350+ forts. Each of them are steeped in history.
The ruins and fortifications atop countless hills of the Sahyadris, each tell a tale of their own.
Tales that are interwoven and interlinked. Together they speak of an Empire long gone.
That of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Towards the North Konkan region, lie the areas of Kalyan & Panvel. Centuries ago, these were critical centers on the trade routes between the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan Coast. Several forts were built here on adjoining hills of the Western Ghats. Forts familiar to residents between Pune and Mumbai.
Prabalgad, Irshalgad, Chanderi, Peb and Karnala to simply name a few.
In those times, they held strategic importance to monitor trade. They were also crucial from a military standpoint.
In the 21st Century, these now serve as an escape. A portal, from the overly stimulated urban landscape to a quieter, peaceful existence amidst nature.
Picking an Objective – Prabalgad to Irshalgad!
Approximately 60 kilometers from Mumbai and 120 kilometers from Pune lie two beautiful forts.
Prabalgad and Irshalgad.
While the former is a a typical hill fort with a plateau below that housed villagers, the latter is a ship-shaped pinnacle famous for it’s nedhe (needle-like hole carved into rock due to erosion).
Hikes to each encompass the best of what the Sahyadris have to offer. Silent forests. Panoramic vistas of hillsides. Epic views of Morbe Dam.
And exposure on certain sections of the trail to get your adrenaline pumping.
Given I lived in Pune, the trip to the base of either of these forts meant a 3 to 4 hour road-trip each way.
Owing to the challenge of these logistics, I hadn’t yet been able to experience the trail that led to either.
By the end of 2023 though, I had had the pleasure of visiting Kalavantin Durg (a stunning pinnacle near Prabalgad) a few times with friend.
As winter rolled around, I was looking for a challenging multi-day hike that would involve camping out in the wild.
I’d come across a handful of videos where trekkers had traversed from the base of Prabalgad and ended their hike at Irshalgad.
It was an extremely obscure trail that descended into a gorge, snaked along an overgrown ridge and connected the two neighboring forts.
I would later find out that barely 5-10 people attempted it each year. Even villagers had no reason to use it as roads now connected the region well.
It sounded and looked just like the adventure I lived for.
What is a Range Trek in the Sahyadris?
Prabalgad to Irshalgad was not an ordinary hike. It was a trail that was known as a ‘range trek‘ in these parts.
In the Sahyadris, a range trek is one that traverses an entire mountain ridge or a certain section of the Western Ghats, connecting either a series of peaks, forts or villages rather than ascending or descending a single mountain.
These treks are usually longer than most fort hikes.
Span a lot more elevation gain and loss.
And hence, inherently require endurance, a familiarity and comfort with your surroundings and a good amount of hiking experience before they’re attempted.
What makes them special is that you’re experiencing the geography of an entire mountain region, rather than an individual fort or peak as an isolated destination.
You are quite literally travelling through the folds of a landscape.
November 2023 – The Journey Begins!
Prabalmachi (the village plateau halfway up).
Muranjan – Prabalgad
