Andharban – A Beloved Trail Near Pune

Departing Pune in the Early Hours Before Dawn

Last Thursday, I embarked on the Andharban trek—an experience that has become an unforgettable memory, vivid with rain, green plants, and the thrill of walking through a waterfall. The day began long before sunrise. I woke up at 3:30 a.m., groggy to great depths. After quickly getting ready, I hopped on the back of a bike and cruised through the silent streets of Pune to reach our first pickup point.

The bus ride was long, stretching over several stops as we picked up fellow trekkers along the way. Slowly, our group of 21 assembled – some familiars, some strangers, but all of us linked by a yearning to escape into nature. As we drove deeper into the Sahyadris, the sun began to rise behind grey clouds, and by the time we reached the base, around 7:15 a.m., it had already started to drizzle. The rain was light but steady, so we were forced to put on our raincoats. We then formed a circle of sorts and quickly introduced ourselves, eager to leave before it started raining, completely unaware of what awaited us.

Setting Off from Pimpari – Base Village for the Andharban Trek

The trek began with a few open meadows dotted with tree patches and large puddles that we tried, and failed, to avoid. Very soon, we encountered our first few streams and made futile attempts to keep our shoes dry. Eventually, we reached the official trailhead of Andharban. The rain had grown heavier by then, falling fast and heavy. The jungle here was different, dripping with life (and water!). The rain was speeding up now, turning the muddy trail into a slough. Some parts of the trail were so waterlogged that we were essentially walking through ankle-deep flowing streams.

We took our time, pausing often for pictures. As we made our way deeper into the trail, we even caught a glimpse of Plus Valley through the mist. Even shrouded, the view was awe-inspiring.

Hidden Waterfalls of Andharban – An Exciting Surprise! 

We then reached a small waterfall. We pondered for a bit, but couldn’t help ourselves. We took off our raincoats, and plunged into the fresh water. There was an initial sting of cold, which soon gave way to joyous splashing and a fun time. I even ventured upstream to the source of the waterfall, feeling the tug of the water and the thrill of standing in the center of a waterfall. By then, of course, we were drenched beyond rescue, and our initial fear of getting wet had completely disappeared.

We pressed on, taking a beautiful detour to another, much bigger waterfall. The wind here was ferocious, blowing the water in all directions. Standing under this waterfall was a shock, the water hammering down on my shoulders and back, but it was also exhilarating. Keeping on going back under again and again.

Kundalika Valley Viewpoint – The Charm of Andharban!

After not even trying to dry ourselves off, we continued to the main viewpoint. Here, one of the best surprises of the day awaited us. Since we had started the trek early, there weren’t many people at the viewpoint yet. In a place as popular as Andharban, this amount of people is rare, especially during monsoon. From the edge, we could see the Sahyadris stretch out in front of us in a panorama, valleys dipping into one another, waterfalls cascading down cliffs, and the mist rolling from one hill to another. Soon, the fog began to clear and sunlight started filtering through clouds.

We lingered for a while before turning back. The return was faster, the path now familiar. We didn’t pause as much. Though the trail was muddier and wetter, our legs had adapted, and the trek back felt easier than ever.

A Sumptuous Maharashtrian Lunch – Fitting End to the Andharban Trek!

Back at the base, we changed into dry clothes. We had lunch soon after. It was amazing, the Maharashtrian cuisine tasting even better because of the misty monsoon environment. The entire trek had taken us about five and a half hours, much longer than usual because of all the splashing, fun, and photo breaks along the way.

On the bus ride home, the early morning wake up call finally caught up to us. One by one, we drifted off to sleep. The low chatter faded away and we were all well asleep.

Looking back, the Andharban trek was more than just a walk through a jungle – It was a plunge into the monsoon. Being someone who doesn’t like the rain at all, I’d expected the trek to go bad the moment it started raining (It started raining before we got off the bus). But this time the rain didn’t dampen the experience – it was the experience. I returned home soaked to the bone, but content with another wonderful day spent in the Sahyadris.

Author:

This blog was written by 14 year old Shaan Shah during his summer internship at Adventure Pulse where he trekked as part of the Adventure Pulse team through the beautiful forests of Andharban! You can also follow Shaan’s work on his personal substack!