Andharban - A trail through the thicket forest and endless trudge.

A Jungle trail which passes through the thicket forest where sun rays barely touch the ground at some places, Trail which provides the magnificent and breathtaking views of mountain ranges of Tamhini ghat and Plus valley, known as source of Kundalika river. Trail which is truly a garden of purple flowers called Karvy which blooms once in 7 years and we were lucky enough to get purple Karvy carpet welcome in the forest. Trail passes through numerous waterfalls and streams and which covers you with shade in the first 6-8 kms of the trek and then a complete descend for another 3-4 kms which finally ends at Bhira dam. That's ANDHARBAN, A complete descend trek of 13 kms and one of the most beautiful and must do trek in lap of Sahyadris. Andharban as name itself means Andhar - dark, ban- forest, a dark forest.

Andharban is a ancient Sahyadri pass which joins the ghat with Konkan area.

Type : Jungle trail 

Endurance level : Medium

Trek distance : 13 kms

Landmark start point: GMCKS Ashram (www.gmcksashram.org), near Nive village, Mulshi

Landmark endpoint : Bhira reservoir dam

My Visit: Andharban was on my bucket list ever since I read about it last year. Didn't get opportunity in 2014 and almost missed it in 2015 monsoon also... well almost !!. It's almost end of monsoon and October heat wave had been dampening trek spirit. But seeing Tattva adventures doing their 2nd batch to Andharban on extended weekend due to Gandhi Jayanti, I decided to join them ignoring the Oct heat and hoping against all hopes that weather to turn cooler on the trek day. Our journey started at 11 pm from Dadar by bus with a group of 23 like minded souls. It was bus journey which would take almost 5 hrs to reach Hotel Sunrise which is situated 36 kms ahead of Pali towards Pune. Hotel Sunrise is the preferred halt for all the groups going to Andharban as you can freshen up at the hotel early morning and have sumptuous breakfast before starting the trek. Worth mentioning here was our breakfast of hot puri and potato bhaji - An early morning sumptuous brunch.

This landmark is at Hotel Sunrise towards Mumbai

This is the route to be taken from Hotel Sunrise

From here we have to travel another 8 kms to the start point of trek, passing the TATA power sub station at Mulshi and taking a left on narrow road towards Pathare farms. The important landmark is the GMCKS Ashram which is situated very close to a small lake and check dam which is the start point of the trek.

As we reached the start point, the sunlight was perfect for us to take some beautiful pictures of the landscape and the mountains covered with green forest. A quick introduction round and we started our journey of 13 kms around 9.30 am.

This is TATTVA POSE !!! I dont know how to twist my hand in that fashion 

Passing through a small lake and a dam built over it, immediately we entered the forest which grew denser as we moved deeper inside.

Initial 6-8 kms of the trek is a flat ridge walk through forest cover, passing through some deep valleys, few streams and waterfalls which were loosing steam as it was nearing the end of monsoon season. But it surely would be more worth to visit in the middle of monsoon season if one wants to see and experience more gushing waterfalls.

HAPPY POSERS ON THE TREK

Soon as we reached a point called connection point, a point which offers magnanimous view of Independence point on the left, Bhira reservoir at the farthest and Andharban forest mountain range on the right. Its like we walk from the mountain range on the left and cross over to the mountain range on the right and then move further into the dense forest and only to descend to the endpoint of the trek at Bhira reservoir.

Such a precious sight to behold

Connection point with Andharban forest on the right

As we were on a height of almost 2100 feet, the breathtaking view of clouds enveloping the mountain range, deep valley below, Bhira reservoir at the farthest was nothing short of feeling of being in heaven. The forest had something more and exclusive to offer to us. The Karvy flowers which bloom once in 7 years were in full bloom during our visit. We literally got a purple carpet welcome by Karvy throughout our journey. It seems like the forest was nothing short of a garden full of Karvy flowers.

Moving further, the forest cover was getting denser and thicker but I didn't find much diversion on the way, it seemed there was only one way and that was what we followed, enjoying the beauty and pure bliss that the place had to offer.

On our way we came across couple of deep valleys, gorges, few waterfalls and streams. The temptation of taking a dip soon overpowered few of our group members who took a plunge to get relief from the heat. We had all the time in the world and had come here to enjoy in the lap of mother nature.

On the 2nd stream, water had created a natural pool in the rocks from where it further flowed in the valley as a waterfall. It was wonderful place in middle of forest to sit and relax, most in our group enjoyed a dip yet again before we moved into adjoining mountain range, landscape started to change. Forest cover became more thicker, it seems the sun light was barely managing to illuminate the whole area. This was the main Andharban forest cover. I am sure in the middle of full monsoon season it would surely be difficult to navigate unless we know the exact route.

As we moved further, on a slight left diversion from main route we came to a plateau covered with waist height grass, The plateau offered the magnificent view of the valley below and mountain range as far as we could see. This was the plus valley - yet another wonderful trek which is on my bucket list. The valley is in a shape of plus sign and hence the name PLUS VALLEY.

We were now almost half way through our trek but were still an hour away from a village where we had planned for our lunch break. Moving on we came to a forest patch which was nothing short of a Karvy garden. Karvy flowers blooming everywhere, It was such a amazing sight.

The forest cover slowly started to dwindle as we moved further on a plateau which was covered with white flowers overlooked by hatchback shaped mountain on our right and mountain range above the plus valley nearby on the left. Till now we had just walked and walked, sometimes in the dense forest cover and at times on the mountain ridges. The weather had turned pleasant again and it had started to drizzle.

We were moving closer to the village of Hirdi now as the landscape changed from forest cover to the paddy fields. Among the thicket and nicely camouflaged we saw one trap set up by the villagers to catch wild hogs.

The trap 

Village temple outside Hirdi village

Village of Hirdi is a small hamlet comprising of the few houses and a school. We decided to take shelter in a small temple close to the village which also had a potable water tank and a pond. As soon as we had just settled in the temple shelter it started to pour and it poured heavily. We had walked for almost 6 hours since morning and removing the shoes was such a relief. Our lunch was nothing short of picnic with variety of snacks on offer from bread butter, to sandwiches, to chips, to biscuits and even bhel. But every trek is incomplete without eating "Theplas" and we had no exception this time also. There is hardly any excess food on a trek for it gets gulped down by all the hungry souls, We all had a lighter bags to carry after our lunch break.

From Hirdi village the trek route is a complete descend of almost 3-4 kms. The path is quite slippery as the route is less frequented so the rocks were covered with moss and almost everyone in the group had a slip at least once while descending. Again on the way the view of cloud covered mountain range was breath taking and we couldn't help adore the heaven in the Sahyadris.

We started our descend from Hirdi village at 3.30 pm and by 5 pm we had completed our descend and reached a stream close to Bhira reservoir. The water current was normal and with time in our hand, We couldn't resist taking a dip one last time before we reach the endpoint of the trek.

The last stream and the bamboo bridge over it

The man made bamboo bridge over the stream used by the villagers when the water current is in too strong to cross during monsoon season. From here we walked for another 10-15 minutes to reach Bhira reservoir and the dam over it. The view of the mountain range covering the 3 sides of Bhira reservoir continued to mesmerise.

The walk through the forest cover, changing landscape during the entire trek, magnanimous views was the best part about this trek. We had all successfully completed the trek by 6 pm and after having a light evening snack at the small shop in the vicinity of the Bhira reservoir we started our journey back home with happy memories.

A special mention about Jaal, RD Global, Manish - the Tattva Gang for the wonderfully organised trek.