#junnar

Only 5 days old! This tiny, tiny leopard cub was recently rescued when villagers scared mum away during a harvest. In a joint effort, Wildlife SOS and the Maharashtra Forest Department examined the cub and successfully reunited the wee male leopard with his mother [WATCH] near Junnar, Maharashtra.

India is host to nearly 1,300 different bird species, including the iconic peafowl, India's national bird. Many of these birds are migratory guests from 29 countries and fly to India every year. This threatened paradise flycatcher was spotted near our Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar.

This photo was taken by staff photographer Akash.

1st monsoon trek on 28th June 2026 with a group of 26 members. It was 18 km long and took 9 hours to complete.

↑ Pic courtesy: my friend, PT. ↑

The blog post is divided into 4 parts:

Experience.

Photos.

Timeline.

Expenses.

EXPERIENCE:

It is said that if you take the darshan of Hatkeshwar Mahadev thrice, then the blessings of Kashi yatra are received! That ancient and pure is this trek and pilgrimage. I call this trek a pilgrimage because it covers AshtaVinayak Ganpati at Lenyadri - the Girijaatmaj. This is the only Ashtavinayak Ganpati which has to be climbed as it is in a cave on a mountain. But we climbed down from Hatkeshwar to Lenyadri and instead of climbing 350 steps up, we descended those steps.

↑ Left: Hatkeshwar temple & Right: Lenyadri temple. ↑

The lunch needs a special mention. It was delicious without any doubt. But the setting, ambience and the serving elevated it to the next level. We completed the trek and stepped down from the bus at the restaurant. We were guided to a farm with seating mats and under the trees in a clean place. The cutlery was steel and they served us when we were sitting (like it happens at home or in a traditional Hindu marriage)

The lunch had the traditional dish called MASWADI. It is a vegetarian dish and it is called so because the shape resembles a fish. It contains besan or gram flour, coconut, ginger, garlic, chilli and spices and is steamed and served cut in half. Maswadi is mixed in with the curry and the jowar bhakri is broken into pieces and dipped in the bow of curry-maswadi. Mix it well (Like Lord Krishna's gopal-kala) and eat it. Indrayani rice is fragrant and a bit sticky and goes well with the curry and maswadi. Pickle and laddoo completed the meal.

PHOTOS:

↑ The flowers and fruits of this AGAVE AMERICANA - century plant - may be used by the bats to feed and indirectly help in pollinating them. ↓

↑ Drops on beard moss - this beard moss becomes a water reservoir. ↑

TIMELINE: Day 1 - Saturday. 22:30 - meet at pick up point.

Day 2 - Sunday. 03:15 – Reached Kshanbhar Vishranti restaurant at Junnar. 05.30 – Freshen up and have a Healthy Breakfast. 06:45 – Bus journey to trailhead. 07:15 - Trek (ascend) to Natural Bridge of Hatkeshwar from Base village Godre. 11:00 – Reached Hatkeshwar temple. 11:30 - 12:00 - explored the needle's eye & crossed over the natural bridge of Hatkeshwar. Packed Lunch. 12:15 – Descent trek along the range to reach Lenyadri started. 16:00 – Reached Lenyadri temple and Darshan of Girijaatamaj AshtaVinayak Ganpati. 16:30 - reached the Kshanbhar Visharnati restaurant for lunch. 18:15 - return journey in bus started from Junnar. 23:25 – Home sweet home.

EXPENSES: Rs. 1100/-

Includes Transport by non-AC Bus from Mumbai to trekking point in Junnar & pick up from Lenyadri and drop back at Mumbai. 2-time Tea, 1-time Breakfast & 1-time Lunch (Veg). Basic First Aid.

THE YOUTUBE VIDEO OF ENTIRE TREK IS A BONUS!

From 24-26th October 2025 (Friday to Sunday) weekend, I trekked to these 5 forts in Junnar area of Nagar in MH.

Route:

Friday > second last train to Kasara > hired non-AC Omni van from Asangaon > 8 people (2 group leaders & 6 participants) > drop at Khandyachi wadi near Nimgiri at 4:30 am.

Saturday > sleep off at 4:30 am > trek started at 6 am > Nimgiri > Hanumantgad > descend & lunch at Khandyachi wadi > drop in van to base of Hadsar > descend & return to Khandyachi wadi for dinner & sleep.

Sunday > 6 am > van dropped to Chavand base > trek & descend > proceeded in van to Shivneri base > trek & descend > proceed in the van to hotel for lunch > van dropped us at Kasara railway station > train to home > 8 pm reached home.

Expenses: 2400/- per head from Kasara to Kasara in a hired non-AC vehicle (Omni van, which was uncomfortable in the back seats) + 2 breakfasts + 2 lunch + 1 dinner.

Hadsar = Parvatgad & Chavand = Prasannagad.

Enjoy the short video of some scenes from the trek.

On 20-08-2023 Sunday, we 3 friends decided to trek to a new place, that had never been visited by any one of us.

The blog post is divided into 4 parts:

How did we go?

Time line.

Experience in photos & videos.

Expenses.

HOW DID WE GO?

Durg & Dhakoba are two separate places marked on Google maps. They both can be trekked separately or together (as we did). It is type of a range trek, where the mountains connect the 2 places. Here the two places are on the top of the mountain and are connected by an undulating plateau.

Area: Junnar.

Base villages: Ambe for Durg & Amboli for Dhakoba. Villages near Ambe are Ambe Hatwij and Bhivade Khurd.

Since the base villages of Durg and Dhakoba are different and on opposite sides, the start and end points of our route is different. Thus the coming & going journey are different and trek route seems complicated.

Route: Kalyan - Malshej Ghat - Junnar - Ambe - Durg - Dhakoba - Darya Ghat - Amboli - Junnar - Banker Phata - Malshej Ghat - Ambernath.

Kalyan railway station - Kalyan ST bus depot - Bus going to Akola dropped us at Madh - tumtum or tempo ride from Madh to Junnar - Junnar ST bus depot - Bus to Sukal Wadhe - Alight from this bus going to Ingloon village. The bus will go to Pimparwadi.

Now you are already on the top of the mountain once you alight from the bus. The steep ascent from Bhivade Khurd village was not needed to be climbed due to the bus journey.

TREK ROUTE:

The shape of the GPS route is like a table. You start at one of th e legs and then cross the flatness, to reach the opposite leg of the table, because base villages of Durg and Dhakoba are separate and on opposite sides of each other.

Trailhead: Namdevwadi in AMBE village > Durga mandir - base of Durg - Dhakoba base - Dhakeshwar (Dhakoba) temple - Darya Ghat - Bhivade Budruk (trek ended) - Amboli.

Return route: Bus from Amboli to ST Junnar bus depot - jeep hired - to Bankar Phata - car hired - to Ambernath - rickshaw to Ambernath railway station - train - Dadar - home.

Grade: moderate to difficult, because of its length. Almost 14 km walk through the plateau on the mountain top, which has gentle uphills and downhills. The plateau was shrouded in clouds and visibility was low in the monsoon season. The descent from Darya Ghat to Amboli is steep and slippery, riddled with caves and waterfalls.

Guide is a must, as the forest is dense and covered in fog. The route is long. There are many trails, which may mislead the trekker. A villager knowing the path can be the best and safest company.

TIME LINE:

19-08-2023, Saturday.

Second-last train from Dadar to Kalyan.

Spend the night at Kalyan.

20-08-2023, Sunday.

05:00 Kalyan ST bus depot to Madh by Akola bus.

07:30 breakfast at Madh.

08:30 reach Junnar ST depot by tempo from Madh.

10:00 reach Ambe by bus to Sukal Wadhe near Inglun.

10:30 - trek starts from Ambe Hatwij/ Namdevwadi.

16:15 - trek ends near Amboli via Darya Ghat.

16:30 - ST bus from Amboli to Junnar.

17:15 reach Junnar ST bus depot.

17:45-18:00 - jeep drops us at Bankar Phata.

18:15-18:30 to 20:30 - car ride from Bankar Phata to Ambernath.

20:50 - train to Dadar from Ambernath.

23:00 home sweet home.

EXPERIENCE IN PHOTOS & VIDEO:

Nandi at Dhakoba or Shri Dhakeshwar Temple.

VIDEO is here!

EXPENSES:

70/- rickshaw from home to railway station & back.

35/- train tickets.

150/- ST bus ticket from Kalyan to Madh.

70/- breakfast at Madh.

33/- tempo ride from Madh to Junnar (Rs. 100/- for 3 passengers).

35/- ST bus ticket from Junnar ST bus depot to Pimparwadi.

200/- guide fees (Rs. 600/- for 3 of us) from Ambe Hatwij till Dhakoba temple.

Our guide arranged another villager who dropped us from Dhakoba temple till start of Darya Ghat.

30/- ST bus ticket from Amboli to Junnar (last bus is at 16:30 from Amboli).

100/- jeep from Junnar St bus depot to Bankar Phata (Rs.30/- is per head seat in shared jeep, which accomodates 14 passengers, crushed).

200/- car ride from Bankar Phata to Ambernath (600/- for 3 of us).

20/- rickshaw from Ambernath to Ambernath railway station.

30/- ice cream.

Junnar Rain Video : बघता-बघता ओढ्यात वाहून केला व्यक्ती, घटनेचे थरारक दृष्य कॅमेऱ्यात कैद

Junnar Rain Video : बघता-बघता ओढ्यात वाहून केला व्यक्ती, घटनेचे थरारक दृष्य कॅमेऱ्यात कैद Junnar Rain News Today : पावसाचा जोर वाढत असल्यामुळे सर्व नदी-नाले दुथडीभरून वाहत आहेत. अशात जुन्नर तालुक्यातील एक व्हिडिओ सध्या सोशल मीडियावर व्हायरल होत आहे. यामध्ये ओढ्याच्या पाण्यात एक माणूस वाहून गेला आहे. याचे थरारक दृश्य कॅमेऱ्यात कैद झाले आहेत. Junnar Rain News Today : पावसाचा जोर वाढत असल्यामुळे…