Last drive was 6 months back!
And this happens in July...
My friend returns from UK & wants an adventurous trip!
Another friend from Pune was also eager to join us!
And i needed no more reasons to plan a long drive :)
This time to
Malshej Ghat, where green carpeted hills date with clouds! Yaaaaaaayyyyy :)
Day 1: Drive from Hyderabad to Pune
Started the journey with lots of ecstasy and cheerful music @ 6:15 AM
After 80 kms from Hyderabad, we found this Ghar Dhaba which had fuel point, wash rooms and place to eat.
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| BP Ghar Dhaba, 80 kms from Hyderabad, At Left side of the road towards Pune |
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| BP Ghar Dhaba |
The road conditions from Hyderabad to Sholapur is very much the same, as i observed six months back. We reached Sholapur in 6 hours, which includes a 30 minute stop for breakfast.
For status of roads between Hyderabad to Sholapur, refer to the post <
http://hiwaysoul.blogspot.in/2012/01/hyderabad-to-shirdi-drive-by-car.html>
Between Sholapur and Tembhurni, the road stretch is too narrow for NH, with lot of trucks plying.
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| Sholapur to Tembhurni, NH9 |
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| Sholapur to Tembhurni, NH9 |
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| Sholapur to Tembhurni, NH9 |
To make things worse, after 80 ~ 100 km from Sholapur, there is a level crossing which acts as a bottle neck for traffic. We reached this zone by 1:30 pm. The traffic in our lane were clearing very very slowly. On looking at the other lane of road (traffic towards Sholapur), we felt lucky. Coz the traffic there, had come to a grinding halt, with no signs of movement.
We then took a pledge that, while returning from Pune to Hyderabad, we should cross this zone as early as possible.
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| Traffic Bottleneck at 80 km from Sholapur, towards Pune, NH9 |
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| Let god be with you to escape this traffic bottleneck :) |
After crossing Tembhurni, the road condition gets better. 4 Lane roads are almost ready, but partially used. For few kms, we will have to use the left part of 4 Lane and for next few kms we will be cruising in the right part. Between them, there are diversion alert boards. One has to be watchful about the diversion alerts.
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| Tembhurni to Pune, NH9 Road Condition |
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| Construction work going on. Tembhurni to Pune, NH9 Road Condition |
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| Only one side of the road is operational. Tembhurni to Pune, NH9 Road Condition |
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| Tembhurni to Pune, NH9 Road Condition |
Rains are so wild & beautiful in this stretch. We could see people stopping the car at sides of road, to get drenched & have fun.
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We wanted a Car wash & Nature sent us Rain :) Thank you :)
Tembhurni to Pune, NH9 |
The Rains were so heavy that we had to drive with Hazard lights ON!
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| Merry Rain! Tembhurni to Pune, NH9 |
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| Tembhurni to Pune, NH9 Road Condition |
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| Tembhurni to Pune, NH9 Road Condition |
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| Entering in to Pune City |
We were trekking the next day and we wanted to buy trekking gear and food stuffs. So we headed straight to Inorbit mall @ Pune. The PND came very handy and navigated us to the mall. It was a Saturday evening, prime time, and the mall was a happening place..very colorful. School kids were presenting a dance event , as a demonstration against child labor. We cheered them up along with other folks. So lively crowd there.
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| Inorbit Mall, Pune |
We then moved to Lifestyle, where we purchased Wind cheater. Then headed to SPAR to load ourselves with required trek drink & food. Each one of us carried 2 liter water bottle, 1 Red Bull Energy drink, 1 Gatorade Blue Bolt, Plum Cakes.
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| Our Trekking fuel :) |
While shopping we felt, we were too cautious and buying lot many drinks.. But later during the trek we realized, each drop of fluid carried, is worth it. Some other items i found helpful for trekking: Swiss Knife, Woodland Shoes (Item Code - # GC 0466107A), Quechua Unisex Ultralight 16 Ltr Green Backpack (purchased at hypercity, Hyderabad), Volini Cream (for sprains if any) and towel
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| My Trekking Gear !! |
The Food court at Inorbit mall had very less options. We managed our dinner @ McDonald's. That night, we packed up things for the next day trek, prior to sleep.We took care that our trekking bag contains all essential stuff at the same time does not become too heavy.
Day 2: Drive from Pune to Malshej Ghat
We started by 5:30am sharp. The city was total asleep by then.
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| 5:30 AM, Streets of Pune asleep |
The plan was to reach Tokawade, a village near Malshej ghat. Here i have to acknowledge the help offered by WILD ESCAPES team, for they made our trekking dream come true.
After trying several trekking sites for help, it was WILD ESCAPES who coordinated us with the team trekking to Naneghat. They networked us with the trek lead Pratik, who suggested us to come to Tokawade by 9:30am. So we were speeding up to reach there.
Scan the below QR code from your mobile, to add Wild Escapes to your contact
From there the condition of road turns from bad to worse.
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| Pune to Malshej Ghat, Road condition |
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| Remember your Car Insurer. Road condition: Pune to Malshej Ghat |
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| Road Condition between Pune to Malshej Ghat |
By the time, we are so fed up with the road condition, the ghat stretch begins. Started playing a soothing track and enjoyed the scenary on the sides. This road is quite narrow and one has to be careful.
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| Pune to Malshej, Ghat Section begins |
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| Pune to Malshej |
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| We entered in to Malshej Ghat Highway! Better part of our lives start here :) |
We were nearing the Great Malshej Ghat. As if somebody switched on a button, the scenery turned from pleasant to Exotic.
Lake View, Malshej Ghat |
As if someone has spread a green carpet, the sides of road were lush & moist grassy green. The road tarmac is smooth in dark pitch black. The air so pure and chill. We couldn't ask for more. The clouds were just lazing on the roads, which reduced the visibility to 3 mtrs. We couldn't proceed further without photo shoots.
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| Land of Clouds, Welcome to Malshej Ghat |
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| Valley covered in dense mist, Malshej Ghat |
The road ahead of us was not visible. We made use of the maps in PND to guess the road ahead of us. Of course its not gonna show the vehicle approaching, but altleast we could know if there is a straight road or hair pin bend ahead.
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| Misty roads in Malshej Ghat. Never want to leave this place |
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| 700m from sea level. From GPS maps we guessed the road curves ahead |
The magical journey continued. More pictures of the scenery below:
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| Malshej Ghat Highway |
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| Malshej Ghat Highway |
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| Malshej Ghat Highway |
We reached Tokawade village by 9:15pm. Click this link to locate Tokawade in Google maps. Our trek team had already reached the spot. In absence of cell phone signal, it was a challenge to identify our trek team. Airtel had lost its battle with no signal, while Vodafone had won the war already with good signal strength in that remote village. Thanks to Trek Lead Pratik, who searched & located us. From there we headed to Naneghat base.
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| Tokawade Village, Malshej Ghat Highway |
Tokawade village seems to be a R&R place for many trekking teams. When we were waiting for our team, we could find several other teams gathered here for refreshment, before heading to Naneghat base.
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| Tokawade Village, Malshej Ghat Highway |
The trek team were around 20 folks, including us. Before start, we took a pledge that we would not drop any plastic all the way during trek.
Here comes the famous phrase, which all travelers to Malshej has to remember and follow:
Leave nothing but foot prints;
Take nothing but memories;
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| Naneghat Base, Malshej Ghat |
We left the machine at the base, for it needs some rest while we gotta challenge ourselves scaling the peak.
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| Trek Route, Naneghat |
The trek was adventurous, calls for all our will & might. Proper shoes with good grip are a must, which makes the journey less tiring. However we found expert trekkers effortlessly scaling the mountain with slippers.
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| Trek Route, Naneghat |
This is how a 2300 ft peak looks like! We gonna reach this peak!
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| Naneghat Peak |
We took frequent rests in between, sipping Red Bull, Gatorade & Water. Malshej ghat is a humid place. We climbing the steep hill and we were sweating like rain.
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| Trek Route, Naneghat |
If the weather had not been pleasant that day, we are so scared to imagine our condition. The energetic trek team who accompanied us, was a motivation.Working as a team towards a common goal really helps.
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| Trek Team challenging the terrain |
Some pictures of the terrain will help you chose proper trekking shoes.
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| Before chosing your trekking shoes, take a look at this terrain |
By 2:00 pm, we reached Naneghat trader route. In ancient days, merchants used this route to trade goods, in exchange of a gold coin for using this route. That would have been the first kinda toll collected in India. The ruling kings used to guard this trade route as this is considered as main source of revenue.
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| Trader Pass, Naneghat |
You could notice there is a hemispherical stone on the right side of the picture. Its the pot where traders drop the toll fee.We were surprised to know there were well laid roads in the past,which people used to take their horses & goods to reach this trader pass. Then the invading kings had demolished those roads in a motive to spoil the flourishing trade & hence the kingdom.
When we reached this pass,we had another surprise too. We were expecting a steep downhill at this juncture. But we found a huge plain land which is part of village. We had our lunch in these plains.
Then we scaled the hill down. Sounds easy, but without shoes of good grip it will be real challenge. Woodland Shoe proved worthy of its purchase.
The trek team did a moving thing here. All the folks volunteered to collect plastic stuff left by some other teams who visited in past. We too joined the activity. Let Long live the beauty of these hills.
Reached the base camp by 6:00pm. It was a fantastic day we had.
We checked in MTDC resort. We had booked the room, a month before, through Online.
Click this link that takes to MTDC website for Malshej Ghat Resort
Click this link for Tariff Chart
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| Welcome to MTDC Resort, Malshej Ghat |
The room was OK kinda but looked very inviting as we were damn tired & hungry. After having a stress relieving hot water bath, we ordered food to our room. We enjoyed the dinner Menu which was Chicken curry, Roti , Dhal fry & Jeera rice. The food tasted twice good as we were hungry too. Happily retired in bed
Day 3: Archery & Camping
It happens in Malshej that clouds walk across your room. We kept the windows open & the clouds invited themselves to the room & filled with mist. So pleasant to view it.
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| View from window, MTDC resort, Malshej Ghat |
We explored the neighborhood of MTDC resort. There is a film shooting spot, which in the cover of mist is perfect place where one can do soul searching. The beauty of Malshej Ghat could do unexpected things to you. It may evoke the poet or philosopher sleeping inside you.
And you already know what it has done to me.. LOL :)
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| View from Hotel Room, Parking Bay, MTDC Resort, Malshej Ghat |
There was no signal reception for mobile phone. However Vodafone had a faint signal strength. The only place we could get signal reception is the place opposite to MTDC office. Of course, you don't need one.
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| Only place where you get signal reception in mobile, Opposite to MTDC Resort office |
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| MTDC Resort, Neighborhood |
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| MTDC Resort Neighborhood, Malshej Ghat |
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| Film Shooting Spot, MTDC Resort, Malshej Ghat |
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| Search your Soul here! |
Backyard of the resort is home for many crabs. A localite catches them & sells it.
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| View from Hotel Room. This backyard is home for native crabs!! |
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| Meet our Meal!! Tasty Crabs on the Run !! |
We had this idea to have some crabs for dinner. We got 6 of them from him. MTDC resort kitchen won't cook it.
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| Our Dinner is alive yet :) |
When we enquired about place to cook this crabs, we came to know about a nearby resort called Su-Shant Holiday Resorts. Seems they have rooms available for stay. This resort is neighbourhood of a lake. The manager was very friendly & helpful compared to the one at MTDC. He agreed to get the crabs cooked & keep it ready for dinner, of course for cooking charges.
Thanks to the staff, for making our crab dinner come true..and that too in a spicy way :)
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| Sushant Resort, Malshej Ghat |
We were Airtel subscribers and we could get signal reception at this place, where the above foto is taken.
Contact details of Sushant Holiday Resort at Malshej Ghat:
T.S.Shah, Contact#: 09527007374, 09860146030, 09527007475
This resort is located 3~4 kms from MTDC resort towards Nagar, on the left side of highway.
Alternatively you could scan the below QR code from your mobile, to add details to your contact:
With ingredients for dinner well planned, we started our camping activity.
I thought it would be a cool idea to practice archery in green valleys of Malshej. So i did bring an archery kit with me. The previous day while passing this stretch we had earmarked few places in PND maps, which seemed good spot for archery. This spot is around 18 km from MTDC Resort, towards Kalyan
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| At Peak Season, Waterfalls would be across this road!! |
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| Malshej Ghat Highway towards Kalyan |
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| Feel like renting extra pair of eyes to watch all these beauty!! |
Raising the toast for NH department!! Thanks for giving such wonderful road!!
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| Malshej Ghat Highway towards Kalyan |
It would be a good idea to spend a day, just roaming back & forth in this stretch!! Awesome Drive. Plan for it!
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| Malshej Ghat Highway towards Kalyan |
Every inch is so scenic!! You may want to stop at all places & get lost in nature!! You will get your own private scenic spot!!
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| Malshej Ghat Highway towards Kalyan |
Reached the earmarked place. We parked the car & settled in nearby plain meadows. I had bought bunch of cardboard sheets for target. Lucky i dint invest in a professional one (costs 6 grands), as none of arrows that we shot, went close to the cardboard target. LOL :)
After 2 hours of archery, this was the closest one we got :)
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| Our Humble target board!! Presenting you, our best shot :) |
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| Our Camping Kit |
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| Archery Kit and Camping Spot |
Malshej Ghat is a humid place. On a sunny day, you will feel steaming with sweat. With 2 hours of archery, we were sweating like rain.
We were so pleased & surprised to find this waterfall near to our archery point. Awesome is the word. We had a refreshing bath in this natural waters, followed by lunch that we had packed from MTDC resort already. It was a perfect camping that day.
We had adventurous archery, bath in natural falls, followed by a feast. It was perfect Camping.
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| Landmark for the Archery Spot, Malshej Ghat Highway towards Nagar. |
Then we reached back our room to have a good rest. At evening, when we went to collect the cooked crabs, we had a perfect view of clouds playing the curtain show.
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| Clouds playing curtain raiser, Malshej Ghat |
That night we feasted on the crab & other dishes from MTDC restaurant.
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| Tasty Crabs for Dinner.!! |
Day 4: Drive to Bhimashankar from Malshej Ghat
Had Poha & Omlette & coffee for breakfast. Sadly the restaurant is infested with lot of flies. You must keep your other hand busy chasing flies, to have a clean meal. Its better to order the food to room. They deliver the piping hot food well in time.
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| Breakfast at MTDC Resort, Malshej Ghat |
As it was a weekday, the number of tourists staying in resort dwindled & only one or two families were there. Only problem is the power goes often & the operator wont switch on the generator unless you go and tell him in person
We reached Bhimashankar temple by 2pm. Its a small temple. Being a weekday, the crowd was less.
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| Bhimashankar Temple, Maharashtra |
We had darshan within 20 minutes. Tasted milk sweets sold at the temple entrance. Then headed back to Pune. In Sahayadri range, the there is no rain fall.. only Heavy down pour, or Water falls we can say; we enjoyed one of them during descent.
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| Downpour in Sahayadri Range |
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| Back to Pune |
We reached Pune by 6 pm. Visited the famous Chitale Bandhu & bought packets of Bakarwadi for friends. Also tasted Peda Poli.
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| Peda Poli from Chitale Bandhu, Pune |
Then in a road side fast food shop, tasted Dabeli. Did some shopping in Tulsi Baug.
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| Dabeli, Near Deccan Gymkhana, Pune |
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| Ganesh Idol at Tulsi Baug, Pune |
Had dinner at popular Vaishali Restaurant. This place is so crowded but worth a visit.
Day 5: Drive from Pune to Hyderabad
We started at Pune by 6am. Stopped at a Hotel by 8:30 am for breakfast. We tasted Misal Pav.
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| Misal Pav |
Crossed Sholapur by 12:00 PM. For lunch we stopped near Humnabad at a Dhaba. Tasted omlette and half boil. Then throttled all along the highway to reach Hyderabad by 5:30 PM
All through this trip, we made the Honda to do things, what a SUV is supposed to do. But still the machine is so forgiving and accommodated all the harm on its way.
We had taken him in through rural roads filled with gravel;
Routes that had only seen lorries so far;
Places where people had never seen a car in rural roads;
This machine is a Warrior Reborn. Should have been a Greek Warrior who reincarnated as Honda City :)
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| The Warrior |
We love Cars! They do show their love back, by safely cruising us through any damn stretch!! Long Live this Men - Car Relation !!!
