The spectacle of Holi – our festival of colors – thrilled me during my school days! We celebrated it on the day of the full moon in late February or March. It always coincided with final exams. This meant we’d sneak out or falsely promise extra hours of revision, all with the singular goal of getting soaked and splattered in every outrageous hue imaginable.
Over a decade later, the charm has somewhat worn off. But as any seasoned corporate worker will tell you, the satisfaction of a long weekend thanks to Holi is always something to look forward to! For me, a long weekend translates to an opportunity to hike in the beautiful Western Ghats!
Trekking in the Sahyadris
For Punekars and residents of Maharashtra, the Sahyadris provide an endless playground to explore. The countless forts and age-old trails—some faint, some fresh—offer a portal into the glory days of the Maratha Empire. They also satisfy the urge for adventure. Within a couple of hours’ drive from Pune, one can enjoy a variety of hikes and treks. You can visit historically significant forts like Sinhagad, Torna, Rajgad, Tikona, and Visapur. Or take scenic walks immersed in the forests of Andharban.
For endurance enthusiasts, plenty of challenges await, such as the tiring yet gratifying range treks like Katraj-to-Sinhagad and Lonavala-to-Bhimashankar.
Despite it all, a few offbeat and rarely frequented trails still offer that elusive feeling of solitude and contentment. They cut through the noise of everyday life. So, when I discovered that Adventure Pulse was hosting a night trek from Katraj to Bopdev Ghat in Pune over the Holi long weekend, I didn’t need a second invitation. The full moon would keep us company. And the route was one I had never traced before.
Pune to Katraj & Onwards
On an uncharacteristically sultry Saturday evening in March, we set course toward the outskirts of Pune. We pooled into a cozy minibus from various hotspots in the city. As is typical on most treks, excitement broke the ice between like-minded strangers. But of course, Murphy’s Law took precedence. The ever-increasing traffic stretched the 25-odd-kilometer drive to the exit of the old Katraj tunnel, where the trail eventually began.
The delay turned out to be a blessing in disguise. A cool breeze greeted us on the tiny saddle where the old Waghjai Temple marks the start of two quaint trails. One leads to a famous 15-km jaunt due west towards Sinhagad, while our relatively secluded walk took us toward Bopdev Ghat.
Standing under a potentially centuries-old banyan tree, whose arching aerial roots had formed a rustic canopy, I listened to Sam talk about the ancient trade route between Poona and Satara. One could easily imagine stepping into the shoes of Maratha soldiers who may have garrisoned here. They would have kept watch for miles on end! An intriguing notion to dwell upon!
Katraj to Bopdev Trek – Overview
The trek is about over 7 kilometers. The trail heads east, traversing two to three major hills. Plenty of rolling and flatter terrain connects the summits. With a mix of moderately steep ascents, a few tricky descents, and a peaceful forest section where the trail disappears in bits and pieces, the Katraj to Bopdev trek in Pune beautifully encapsulates everything one could desire from a quick getaway into the mountains.
Ascending roughly 700 feet from the temple to the top of the first hill, we looked back and found that, though the sun had long dipped below the horizon, the sky was still ablaze with hues of orange and violet. The final tinges of blue began fading into the silence of the night—an unorthodox celebration of the festival of colors!
In a group of 15 or more trekkers, the pace inevitably varied from person to person. Soon enough, the dark ridgeline ahead illuminated with tiny headlamps in several bunches. They resembled larger-than-life fireflies, slowly climbing upwards and onward. The infinite city lights acted as invisible guardrails on either side, ushering us forward!
Every now and then, I’d catch the silhouettes of my companions consciously pausing to take in the vista around us from this unique vantage point. The soft hum of distant traffic, the occasional whistle of the wind, muffled laughter from trail mates a few steps ahead and behind, and the shimmering lights of a bustling metropolis lined the horizon.
Friendships, Old and New
Despite the wonder all around, amidst the darkness of the trail, it’s always the conversations we share and the tales we tell that shine the brightest. The great outdoors strips away our inhibitions. Well, the shared “struggle” might play a part :), but the sheer simplicity of being out in the wild allows us to truly bond.
Where else, in the daily routines of life, will you find such a diverse group coming together for a common purpose?
A 60-year-old mother who hikes each weekend, reigniting the outdoor bug in her 35-year-old son. A doctor who’s trekked across India’s ranges since before I was born. A seventh-grader choosing an unconventional weekend outing. Decades-old friends who turned up solely because they were promised an adventure. And those who mustered up the courage to embark on a night trek as their first foray into the mountains!
At every rest stop, as the group bunched back up, the ease of our interactions became palpable. The loudest cheers erupted as the tail end of the group arrived!
From the darwazas of Sinhagad to the campsites on Mt. Everest, we chatted about everything in between. Career arcs and personal passions, the benefits of headlamps and the inadequacies of our cell phone cameras, the variations of yoga from traditional to aerial, and even the quirks of our favorite snacks on the trail.
Blood Moon Rising
Across four-plus hours of cresting two large hills and traversing the ghats bordering Pune, we slowly realized that we were the only humans on this beautiful trail. To find such stillness and serenity just ninety minutes from the city was truly an unexpected boon!
To top it off, as we emerged from the jungle’s foliage, we were fortunate enough to witness the most gorgeous moon—bloodshot orange—rising nonchalantly. The full moon had coincided with a lunar eclipse. The light reflecting off the craters of Earth’s eternal satellite took on shades more commonly associated with the massive ball of fire at the center of our solar system.
Most of us settled for the in-person viewing experience, but one talented individual, Dr Shailendra—with a little help from technology—captured this mesmerizing snapshot. It was easily the best of the night!
Bidding Adieu
As we navigated the final descent, a concrete road near Bopdev Temple came into sight. Sam stowed away the ropes he had set up to aid the group down. Watching me glance back and forth, reflecting on the excursion, he inquired, “So, what do you think? Lovely trail, right?”
My smile was answer enough!
On flatter ground and just minutes away from where our bus awaited, I caught up with Sam’s old friends, Elaine and Chandrashekar. They had sat down in a playful, self-contained mini-rebellion, resisting the inevitable return to civilization.
Sharing a quiche and a few slices of ‘rich’ plum cake (which could easily be labeled just rum cake), while trying to identify what looked like half a Ferris wheel in the middle of the concrete jungle we called home, was the perfect way to close a night worth writing about. So, I did.
Concise Overview of the Katraj to Bopdev Trek in Pune
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Distance: 6 to 7 km
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Duration: 3 to 4.5 hours (based on your pace)
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Roadhead/Start Point: Old Katraj Tunnel Exit (roughly 20-35 km from Pune based on where you’re located in the city)
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Ends at: Bopdev Temple
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Maximum Elevation: 1110m/3650ft
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Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (A small forest section without a well-marked trail and a few tricky descents, but manageable with guidance or support)
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Best time to do Katraj to Bopdev trek: Full moon night, early morning, or late evening (to catch the sunrise/sunset) during any month except summer to avoid excessive heat. Certain sections can be tricky during the monsoons (due to slippery descents) and post-monsoon (overgrown forest may obscure the trail).
How to get there:
The Katraj to Bopdev Ghat trek is not an out-and-back trail, so the start and end points are different. The trail begins near the old Katraj Tunnel, located on the Pune-Satara Highway (NH48). You can take a private vehicle, cab, or bus heading toward Katraj Ghat and get down near the tunnel exit.
For the terminus at Bopdev Ghat, it’s best to pre-arrange a pickup or use local transport from Bopdev Village to Pune, as public transport options are limited. Alternatively, park at Bopdev and arrange transport to Katraj before starting the trek.
Water & Nutrition:
Note that there are no water sources along the trail, nor are there small snack stalls, which are typically set up by local villagers on popular trekking routes and near forts. It’s recommended that each person carry 2 liters of water and high-energy snacks like dry fruits, trail mix, granola bars, or a small packed meal like sandwiches or rolls.
Clothing & Footwear:
With varying terrain from loose gravel, dry grass, rocky patches, and forest sections, it’s best to wear at least basic hiking shoes with good grip/tread to avoid slips and falls. For a night trek, it’s also recommended to wear full pants to avoid scratches from thorns and shrubbery, as well as insect encounters.
For more such stories from treks around the Sahyadris, the Himalayas, and mountains across the globe, check out our Blog Page.
Blog Credits – Ayush Kanitkar
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