Wind your way through dense forests to Vasota Fort

As temperatures reach their peak and Pune reels at 40 °C plus, most people would think it madness to go trekking, and refuse to even consider it. But not if you're headed for Vasota Fort (height 3850 ft), situated on the Koyna backwaters. A lovely launch ride and the climb through dense forests, make it a trek worth venturing on.

The entire outing is a two-day affair: On day 1, you go from Pune to Satara, and on to the charming, sleepy Bamnoli village (35 kms via Kaas) by afternoon. Here you arrange for Forest Department permission (the office is in Bamnoli itself and the people are very co-operative, charges are Rs. 20 per person), and book your launch for the next day. You stay the night at Banmoli - there are no hotels to speak of; you can pitch tents near the backwaters or sleep in the temple courtyard or the village school. Rudimentary food is available at various houses/hotels in the village. From here you take a launch early next morning to Met Indoli, the starting point of the trek. This way, you leave early in the morning when it's less sunny and can return to Pune the next day. Ensure that you pack food for lunch in Bamnoli, as there is none available at the fort.

On Day 2, pack some food and water for the day at Bamnoli and leave early (this is important as the midday sun can get very hot) by launch to Met Indoli (note that 1 launch carries only 15 people and the charge is Rs.1, 050 per launch regardless of the number of people travelling). The 1½-hour journey takes you along the tranquil backwaters of the Koyna Dam. Be sure to inform the launch operator what time you expect him back at Met Indoli to pick you up.

Once you reach Met Indoli, a 2-3 km walk through the fields takes you to Hanuman Katta. The real trek and the forest start from here. Remember to take the path behind the Hanuman Katta going into the forest and not the one going up the river. The forest is very rich in flora and fauna - bears, hyenas, deer and even the occasional "bibtya"- leopard. For first timers it makes sense to take a guide along (ask at Bamnoli) as the forests are dense and if you get lost it's very difficult to find the track again (I speak from personal experience!).

The next 45 mins to 1 hr is a fairly steep uphill climb (quite easy for anyone who doesn't have a problem climbing Sinhagad) through very dense forest, above which you will come to the fort. The fort itself is not in very good shape, with only a few bastions left. Be sure to see Old Vasota fort and the cliff, Babu Kada from the southern side and the Mahadev Temple and Nageshwar from the northern side of the fort.

Walk down the same way you walked up, catch the return launch from Met Indoli to Bamnoli, onward to Satara and return to Pune by night.

There are at least 3 other routes to get to Vasota but this one is the easiest. The perfect time to visit, of course, is post rains, when the backwaters are full. But a summer trek is an experience in itself.

Sameer Barde

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