About an hour and a half drive from Pune is a beautiful lesser explored ancient fort - Sinhagad Fort. Perched on an isolated cliff of the Bhuleswar range in the Sahyadri Mountains, historically ruled by almighty Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, this fort had been the site of several battles and has played a significant role in our country's history.
It was a beautiful 45-minute trek to this hilltop fort which was surrounded by clouds when I visited it early morning in the month of June. You'll see nothing but mesmerising views and lush greenery as you climb up. You can grab jamun and raw mango from the local vendors to nibble on along the way.
The fort is in shambles with just a few gates, walls, and parts left to explore and know about, like the Tauffkhana, horse stable etc. I kept walking and clicking photographs while fresh hilly breeze gently touched my face. As I reached the top end, an old figure sang the history of the fort in the traditional language making it even more interesting to learn about the place and it made the trip more fruitful.
All that I needed by the end of this trek and exploration was a plate full of sumptuous items for lunch. My wish came true when I saw this lady {affectionately called mausiji} who serves the most delicious Maharashtrian traditional food on the hilltop inside the fort. With that breeze and view, I sat down on the mat where she brought giant size chapatis and sabzi {called bhakri and pitla respectively in local language} along with Kanda Bhaji and curd in a kulhad. We were a group of five people and it just cost INR 400. It was the best lunch I had throughout my entire trip.
A scenic route and destination, amazing history, a little bit of adventure, and sumptuous food - what else does one on a vacation?
It was a beautiful 45-minute trek to this hilltop fort which was surrounded by clouds when I visited it early morning in the month of June. You'll see nothing but mesmerising views and lush greenery as you climb up. You can grab jamun and raw mango from the local vendors to nibble on along the way.
The fort is in shambles with just a few gates, walls, and parts left to explore and know about, like the Tauffkhana, horse stable etc. I kept walking and clicking photographs while fresh hilly breeze gently touched my face. As I reached the top end, an old figure sang the history of the fort in the traditional language making it even more interesting to learn about the place and it made the trip more fruitful.
All that I needed by the end of this trek and exploration was a plate full of sumptuous items for lunch. My wish came true when I saw this lady {affectionately called mausiji} who serves the most delicious Maharashtrian traditional food on the hilltop inside the fort. With that breeze and view, I sat down on the mat where she brought giant size chapatis and sabzi {called bhakri and pitla respectively in local language} along with Kanda Bhaji and curd in a kulhad. We were a group of five people and it just cost INR 400. It was the best lunch I had throughout my entire trip.
A scenic route and destination, amazing history, a little bit of adventure, and sumptuous food - what else does one on a vacation?