#talao

परिक्रमा / प्रदक्षिणा of the Lohape तलाव Lake.

WanderLust on 2/12/2018, 1-day Sunday.

Lohape lake ← is found here on Google Maps.

How to go?: Virar west ST bus depot (near platform number 2) > ST bus to Ambadi Naka > Omni van taxi accommodating 8 passengers > Dakivali police chowki > Dakivali Phata > Lohape > Lohape Talao & same way return.

We trekked along the edge of the lake with Mandakini Mountain towering us on one side. Gumtara fort can be glimpsed far at the horizon. The overall walk was of 10 km around and is on flat land with not much gradient. It was easy in winter.

This is a good camping location at the base of the Mandakini mountain if one wishes to trek to this mountain. We had our lunch here. We also passed by a tribal’s home, who welcomed us in his cool shaded place.

Expenses:

10/- Home to station by bus. 10/- train ticket. 55/- Virar to Ambadi Phata in ST bus. 95/- snacks. 45/- Ambadi Phata to Virar in VVMT bus. 25/- Station to home by rickshaw.

Total = 240/-.

Experience in video & photos:

Video covering 10 km of our walk & sightseeing in 2 minutes.

The scenes in the video are different from those in the photos. Watch both of them.

Photos:

↑ Panorama of Lohape lake, with Mandakini mountain on the left. ↑

↑ The dam & Mandakini mountain behind. ↑

↑ Hole made by carpenter bee in the forest ↑

↑ Morpankhi flower ↑

↑ Home of the kind villager who welcomed us in and showed us the right path. ↑

↑ Ambadi ↓

↑ a faint border of Gumtara fort at horizon is seen behind the lake. ↑

↑ Home of the insect known as ant-lion. ↑

↑ A chameleon ↑

↑ Fragrant Mogra flower ↑

↑ Tamarind tree ↑

↑ Virar east skywalk that goes over a huge clean pond! ↑

Many thanks to my friend Dr JT who guided us even in his absence. All the best for his exams as he could not join us.

We did this in our usual TTMM way.