Ratangad Fort Ratanwadi | Ratangad Fort timings, history, images, best time

Ratangad Fort Trek, Ratanwadi Overview

Ratangad is a 400 year old fort, captured by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in his time. It is situated in Ratanwadi which is it's base village and overlooks the Bhandardara.

The natural rock formation has an emerging tip at the top known as 'Nedhe' or 'the eye of the needle'. There are many wells on the top each near the four gates of the fort - Ganesh, Hanuman, Konkan, Trimbak. The Fort at the top of hill provides its spectators a view of the Sahyadri range that can be compared to no other, a true paradise of the photographer. The trek is a stimulating one and will keep you on your toes throughout the journey while the surrounding scenes mesemerize you.

Food availability

Food stalls are present on the top of the fort as well as easily available in the base village of Ratanwadi.

Accommodation

The caves on the Fort offer excellent accommodation. The largest cave can easily hold up to 30 - 40 people. The smaller caves can also be used for camping.

Tips and Tricks

1. Hire a guide, no matter how confident you are. They will keep you on track and protect you from the almost deadly monkeys. 2. Remember to wear a windsheater for protection from fog and rains.

Trek Routes

The first thing you need to do when you reach Ratanwadi, before starting the trek, is pay a visit to the Amruteshwar temple, without visiting which your trip is sure to remain incomplete. Stating on the trek route, the beginning is a terrain of a pretty steep uphill climb which will test your endurance, but reward comes in the form of exotic fauna which you will see nowhere else. The rote is rather jagged and if you go in a season of fog, it's really easy to miss your route and get lost, therefore it's suggested that a guide be hired for a safe and fast climb to the fort. River Pravara graces you from the start of the route and most of the trek is alongside this river. The climb through the jungle is grueling but relief presents itself as two plateaus that fall in the middle of the trek, plateaus which will surely be monumental for catching your breath and rejuvenating yourself. The Ladders that you find in the last leg of the trek will be a piece of cake to climb on, which will lead you to the Tryambak darwaja, the official entrance to the Fort. The Fort is lined with a number of caves that make the place even more intriguing and mysterious along with the structure of the Fort. Importantly, beware of the monkeys that tend to attack in gangs! This is an all round experience that you should not miss for the world.

How to reach Ratangad Fort Trek

Rail: Kasara or Igatpuri house railway stations that are well connected by the trains network will all major cities. Once you reach any of these of these towns, DT buses are available that will take you till Shendi, which is 20 kms away from the base camp. From Shendi, you will have to hire a private vehicle that will take you to Ratanwadi as the road from there can't be expected to tolerate a heavy vehicle like a bus.
Road: Ratanwadi is about a distance of 220 kms from Pune and 150 kms from Mumbai. A road trip from these major cities is pretty plausible and an option well exhausted by many. Hiring a vehicle and reaching Ratanwadi from any major city of Maharashtra is convenient as the village is well connected because of its popularity as a trekking destination.