Height of the Fort: 2710 ft.
Type of the Fort: Hill Fort
Difficulty: Medium
This is a one day trek. General brief itinerary:
What You Should Carry:
Rajmachi Fort Trek: All You Need To Know
Ever visited Lonavala? The place is a beauty in itself during the monsoon season. The gorgeous sight of the rain and beautiful trees! You can’t even describe in words what mother nature has in store for you and your friends and family. And if you are looking for a trekking experience in Lonavala itself, then our best suggestion might be the Rajmachi fort. It's one of the most famous forts in the Lonavala region. This fort is located at an altitude of about 2,710ft from the sea level, and that alone speaks for itself. You will be able to bless yourself with a spectacular view of the Sahyadri mountains as well as backwaters of Shirota Dam.
Two Balekillas are situated in the fort itself. These are the main attractions right here. If you want to know when's the best time to visit, then we might suggest you go for trekking in the monsoon or the winter season. You will be able to bless yourself with the spectacular view of the amazing waterfalls and green bushes and trees on your way to the top. The people who live in this place will greet you with warm hands, and you can spend time with them if you want to.
How To Go To Rajmachi Fort Trek?
If you live in Pune, you can catch a local train from Pune to Lonavala. Lonavala is the last stop. You will observe a diversion from the Khandala Ghat itself. This diversion will lead you to Kunhe Gaon. It’s a village that will lead you to Rajmachi. Be careful! This road is in bad condition and is filled with a lot of obstacles. You will be finding yourself crossing mountains with some valley on a side and on the other side, there will be a stone wall. If you don't know much about the route and are totally confused, then we might suggest you ask the Lonavala locals out there. They will be more than happy to guide you in the right way. Make sure you ask them for the RAJMACHI fort as there's a place with a similar name "Rahmachi.” Don’t confuse them Rahmachi instead of Rajmachi.
Is There A Landmark?
The best landmark for Rajmachi Fort is “Della Adventure Park.” The approximate distance between the two places is about 11.6kms. You will observe a diversion in the shape of Y between Rajmachi and Della. Now, you must go left. If you take a right, it will lead you to Valvand. It’s totally opposite of Rajmachi.
You’ll be required to park your vehicle someplace near the diversion itself as the road is really bad. If you want to understand what’s the road like, then you might compare it with a dirtbike racing trek.
Trekking Guide
A total of 2 routes will take you to the place. After you read this trekking guide, you will not require any guide or some kinds of permissions from anybody to reach this place. However, we will advise you to use Google Maps on your smartphone in order to have a better understanding of the routes.
Note: No public transport services will take you to the Rajmachi Fort.
Kondhane Side:
All you need to do is to search “ Rajmachi Trek, Kondhane” on Google Maps and you will be provided with a driving route to the place. People coming from the route of Mumbai to Pune usually prefer this route.
Udhewadi Side:
All you need to do is to search “Rajmachi Trek, Udhewadi ” and you will be provided with a proper driving route. However, we advise you to stay cautious as the road can get pretty bad from Lonavala, especially during the monsoon season. We recommend you to come by car as bringing bikes will create more problems.
What’s The Difficulty Level?
You won't be facing many problems. It will take you only a matter of 40 minutes at tops to reach to the top. After you reach the top, you will be observing the best view of your life. If you want to know about the construction of the Rajmachi fort, then we have no words for it.
Camping Information
You can easily camp for a day or two at the fort itself. There are a total of 2 caves where you can spend your nights. Almost 40 people can fit in a single place.
If you don’t want to spend your night on the fort, then there’s a second option for you. You can head over to Kalbhairavnath temple. It’s situated at the fort’s base.
If you ask the locals to cook you some amazing hot food, then they will have a pleasure to serve you. They will provide you with some Bhakris, or you can prepare some amazing delicious Maggi for yourself. And that's why to I recommend you to bring with yourself enough water and wood for the trip.
Are There Any Accommodation Facilities?
The locals will be more than happy to provide you with some accommodation facilities. They will help you by providing you with a room to stay with themselves. You can stay with them if you don't want to camp on the fort itself. However, the facilities provided by the locals are not so top-class, and you must not expect too much from them. You won't be finding any fancy stuff from them. However, you should not be facing any problems as it will just be a matter of a night or two. You can ask for them some local cuisines that they prepare for themselves or they will definitely provide you with some Pitla Bhakri.
Places To Visit Around Rajmachi Fort: