Lohagad is the best day's walking within easy reach of Pune, and the train takes you almost to the foot of it. The whole thing works as a day trip from Pune Junction without a vehicle at any point.
Getting there
Take a Lonavala local to Malavli — one stop before Lonavala. This is the part people get wrong: riding on to Lonavala and coming back by road wastes roughly an hour and a good deal of money.
The 06:30 or 08:05 from Pune Junction both give you a comfortable day. Malavli is about 66 minutes from Pune.
The walk from the station
From Malavli, cross to the south side and follow the road towards Bhaja. It is a little under 2 km to Bhaja village, on a quiet road through fields, and pleasant walking in itself.
From Bhaja the route continues towards Lohagadwadi, the village at the base of the fort. In total it is roughly 6 km from the station to the start of the climb. Autos are usually available at Malavli for the morning arrivals if you would rather skip the approach walk — but the walk is part of the appeal, particularly in the monsoon when the whole valley is green.
The climb
From Lohagadwadi the ascent is on a stepped path, well made and unambiguous. It is a steady climb rather than a difficult one — no scrambling, no exposure — and most reasonably fit people manage it in forty-five minutes to an hour.
You pass through a series of fortified gateways on the way up. These are the real thing: Lohagad was held by the Marathas, taken and retaken over the centuries, and used by Shivaji to store treasury. The gateways are substantial pieces of military architecture and worth stopping at rather than walking straight through.
At the top
The summit plateau is broad and grassy, with water cisterns cut into the rock and the remains of buildings scattered across it. The view takes in Visapur fort across the valley, the Pawna catchment, and on a clear day a long stretch of the ghats.
The feature most people come for is Vinchu Kata — the "scorpion's sting" — a long fortified spur running out from the main plateau. It takes an extra twenty minutes or so and it is the most dramatic part of the fort. In high wind or heavy rain, give it a miss.
Timing your day
| Time | |
|---|---|
| 06:30 | Depart Pune Junction |
| 07:40 | Arrive Malavli, start walking |
| 08:15 | Bhaja Caves — worth an hour |
| 10:00 | Reach Lohagadwadi, begin the climb |
| 11:00 | On the fort; Vinchu Kata |
| 13:00 | Start down |
| 15:00 | Back at Malavli |
Check live times on the Lonavala to Pune time table before you set out — the afternoon gaps are long.
Combine it with the caves
Bhaja Caves sit directly on the route and cost you almost no detour. They date from around the second century BCE, and the waterfalls beside them are spectacular in the monsoon. Karla Caves are on the other side of the highway, about 5 km from Malavli, and contain the largest chaitya hall in India — but doing Karla and Lohagad in the same day is ambitious. Pick one.
What to carry
- Shoes with grip. The single most important item. Wet basalt is treacherous.
- Water — at least two litres per person. There are stalls at Lohagadwadi and on the fort in season, but do not count on them.
- Cash. Signal is poor and the small stalls are cash only.
- A rain jacket rather than an umbrella — the wind on the plateau makes umbrellas useless.
- Sun protection outside the monsoon; the plateau has no shade at all.
Safety, briefly
Lohagad is a straightforward walk, not a climb, and thousands of people do it every weekend. The things that actually cause trouble are slipping on wet rock, running out of water, and misjudging the last train. All three are avoidable.
In heavy monsoon conditions the exposed sections — Vinchu Kata above all — get strong wind and poor visibility. The fort will still be there next month.
Going in the monsoon? Read the monsoon travel guide for this line first.