Achal Dhruva /Mumbai

Vibrant shades of green interspersed with numerous silver streaks cascading down the cliff face and the cool mist laden atmosphere is a sure fire stress buster. Emerging into this mist covered world from the tunnel at the top of the ghat, with glimpses of tall rugged mountains towering all around and breathtaking sight of a flock of flamingoes rising from monsoon lakes has you convinced of having stumbled upon Mumbai’s very own Shangri-La but a highly accessible one.

The nearest hamlet with a population of 300 people is five kilometers away, perfect for a far from the madding crowd holiday. Besides the abundance of ‘dhabdhabas’(waterfalls) and abundance of natural beauty there are a number of attractions within 50 kilometers, radius of Malshej Ghat for those who love to explore. The base of Harishchandraghad (1424 meters), a dream peak for trekkers is just eight kilometers from Flamingo Hill Resort. Konkan Kada, a semi-circular massif with with a sheer drop of more than 1000 meters, is an unique feature of the peak. The view from Konkan Kada is worth the four hours ardorous climb. There is a 1000-year old, Shiva Temple and caves which are used by trekkers for camping. Shivneri Fort, the birth place of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Junnar district is 40 kilometers away. Perched on a small hill, the rather small fort offers a birds eye view of the entire Junnar district. Shivaji stayed here till the age of five after which the Mughals captured it as indicated by the Persian inscriptions on the wall. Among the ruins is a one-storied- structure where Shivaji Maharaj was born which has withstood the ravages of time. Remains of ‘Badam Talao’ and the bath house provide company to this otherwise solitary edifice. Within the fort is the Shivabai Devi temple of goddess Bhavani, the family goddess of Shivaji Maharaja.

On the way to Shivneri one can make a stop over at the famous Lenadari Temple. Located on a hill filled with Buddhist caves (dating back to third century), eight kilometers before Junnar, the idol was placed in what was formerly a prayer hall during the reign of the Peshwas. It is one of the eight designated Ganpati shrines on the Ashtavinayak list.

Getting There

The route to Malshej Ghat is through Kalyan, via Murbad and Saralgaon and the road from Kalyan is excellent with light traffic.