1-day Sunday WanderLust to SONDAI FORT, Karjat
25th June, 2017 - 5 friends - TTMM - set out to explore the untrodden path and trek the fort of Sondai.
Grade: Easy - As Sondewadi, the base village is itself located at a height, The rest of the climb is relatively easy. There are rock patches that don’t need ropes and can be climbed by the fixed ladders.
TTMM is a mindset. It means Tu tera, mein mera. All expenses and responsibilities on our own. It is compulsory to wear trekking shoes and carry minimum of 2 litres of water.
The blog post is divided as follows:
1) How to go?
2) Experience with photos.
3) Time frame of the trek.
4) Expenses.
5) Feedback.
1) HOW TO GO?
Sondai fort is marked here on google maps.
Base village: Sondewadi on google maps.
Base railway station: Karjat.
Hire a 6-seater vehicle from Karjat railway station and get down at Sondewadi.
OR
Take a bus from Karjat bus depot and get down at Borgaon phata and walk by the Morbe dam and lake and reach Sondewadi. The distance between Borgaon phata and Sondewadi is quite long though the road is tarred.
Take the first right for the muddy path, after you start walking from Sondewadi on the tarred road.
2) EXPERIENCE WITH PHOTOS:
The photos with tips in captions are in a sequence as you would cross them.
↑ The beauty of the mountains ↑
↑ At the base village of Sondewadi ↑
↑ The plastic banner on the tree doesn’t mention the way, but you can see Sondai to the left of it ↑
↑ A man-made stone arrow pointing to the path to Sondai ↑
↑ Stone steps carved in the rocky mountains en route to Sondai ↑
↑ 2 orange colored ladders placed firmly on the rock patches allow safe passage for the trekkers ↓
THE VIEW FROM THE TOP OF SONDAI
↑ Irshalgad is shrouded in the clouds ↓
Above image courtesy - The Creativity Engine by JS.
↑ The temple of Goddess Sondai at the top of the small plateau of Sondai fort ↑
3) TIME FRAME OF THE TREK:
04:30 Wake up alarm.
05:30 leave house.
07:04 train to Karjat from Dadar.
08:41 reach Karjat.
09:00 to 09:30 breakfast of vada pav & tea.
09:30 to 10:00 travel in 6-seater (tum tum) from Karjat to Sondewadi.
10:30 to 12:30 trek from Sondewadi to Sondai at a very slow and steady pace with rest halts in between.
12:30 to 13:30 lunch break at the top of the fort.
13:30 to 15:00 descend and reach Sondewadi again.
15:15 to 15:45 hired car from 1 km ahead of Sondewadi till Karjat railway station.
16:16 to 17:45 CST train from Karjat to Dadar.
19:00 home sweet home.
4) EXPENSES (in INR):
25/- Rickshaw from home to station.
60/- return train ticket.
25/- breakfast at Karjat (15/- poha, 10/- vada pav & 5/- tea).
100/- shared 6-seater vehicle from Karjat to Sondewadi (500/- divided among 5 friends).
30/- Sondewadi to Karjat in shared Tavera car.
15/- Snacks (tea and chips).
30/- rickshaw to home from railway station.
285/- Total.
Scenery from the top - priceless!
↑ Lake created by the Morbe dam as seen from the bird’s eye view from the top of Sondai fort ↑
For 360 degree view of Sondai trek, do read my friends’ - JN and AS blogs too.
FEEDBACK:
The 5 friends who did this trek together gave their feedback after the trek was over. It is interesting to see the results below:
↑ Grading the trek: 1 is easiest and 5 is toughest ↑
