The Place: Siddhagad (Hill fort)
Altitude: 2750 feet (Base Village – Narivali or Borwadi Village)
Location: Malshej Region (Between Bhimashankar and Gorakhgad).
Duration: One Day trek
Camp Fee: Rs.950/- (Village Lunch Food if ordered will cost extra on actual cost).
Includes Transport, Road Tolls, Packed Breakfast, Evening Dhaba Tea / Biscuits and Trekking Support.
Schedule:
5:45am Start from Andheri West (SV Road, Near Merwans Bakery, Near Bus Depot)
06:00 am Santacruz (Western Express highway); Bandra (Bandra-Kalanagar Junction Bus Stop at end of Sky Walk Bridge
06:15 am (Outside Sion Station)
06:30 am Vikroli / Ghatkopar along East Express Highway
06:45 am (Thane/Mulund) Toll Naka along Eastern Express Highway
8:00 am Washroom and Tea break after Kalyan ..
9:45 am Start of trek
Expected to reach the Summit 1:30 / 2:00 pm
Start back for base 2:30 pm from Summit
Tea and tribal delicacy at Village
Expected to be back at Mumbai 10:30 pm
Attire:
Full Sleeves t-shirt; tights or track pants (no jeans please), Cap or Hat, (Optional) Sun Glasses; apply Sun Screen.
Replenishment Checklist:
Things to carry to keep your event cool and pleasant
1) 2 Water Bottles (Kept overnight in Deep Freezer). Wrap in thin towel and plastic before keeping it in bag
2) Carry Electrol / Glucose-D / Chocolates for replenishment of salts and sugar
3) Chocolates
4) Seasonal Fruits (2 or 3 of them).
5) Eggs, Sprouts or similar items with Bread / Thepla or Parathas
6) Wear Hat or Cap with good shade to protect yourself from sun.
7) Sun Screen
8) Thin Cotton Full Sleeves t-shirts are a good idea or Dry Fits for Winter and Monsoon.
9) Wear a wet handkerchief around neck that helps in cooling your body.
10) Wearing (Tights or Shorts or three fourth shorts) of material that has a little stretch helps. If you are wearing shorts make sure wear a socks that is long enough to cover most of your exposed skin below your knee on you legs.
11) Always keep a Pocket Knife, and Flash light handy (Head Lamp). (Mandatory)
More information about the trek / fort
Siddhagad is situated in between two know trekking destination Bhimashankar and Gorakhgad, Sidhhagad is known for its wonderful forest and a bit of thrilling patch towards the end. And if you are travelling in monsoon few river crossings and half a dozen waterfalls. So get ready for a all-round monsoon adventure and thrill
Kalyan is the nearest convenient railway station. S.T. buses from Kalyan to Murbad (about 30 Km.) are available every after 1/2 hour. From Murbad, catch S.T. bus to base village Narivali (about 15 Km.). 21/ 2 hours walk through dense forest will take you to Siddhagad Wadi (Village) and a temple. Further walk of 1 hour is through barren land. Be careful towards the end.
There isn't much to see on the fort except few remnants. However, the trek as such is very much enjoyable, especially in the months of October and November, when few waterfalls are still alive. Some 1/2 hr before the top, there is a nice cave made into a home place of "Sadhu Baba". View of the Gorakhgad and adjacent hills from the entrance of this cave is just wonderful (see the snap). Nice small courtyard in front of a cave could be a great place to sit and have a lunch.More about Borwadi Borwadi - 30 mins from Borwadi village is Kotwal Smarak, which is dedicated to two freedom fighters Bhai Kotwal & Hiraji Patil who were shot dead at this place by a Britisher on 2nd Jan 1943.
Siddhgad – Nothing much has been mentioned about Shivaji Maharaj and Siddhgad. But this fort was in Swarajya till year 1690. The cave on the fort looks 1000 years old. It was taken by the British in 1818. Siddhgad was at a difficult location and cannons fired by Britishers could not reach Siddhgad hence cannons were brought up till Damdamia plateau slightly higher than Siddhgad via Pune – Bhimashankar route. Cannon shells were then fired to destroy Siddhgad in year 1819. The villagers mention that these cannons are still there in dense forests of Damdamia.
