Rajmachi – All you need to know

About Rajmachi:

Rajmachi is a small village situated in the Sahyadri mountain range of the Konkan region of Maharashtra. Rajmachi has two fortified peaks – Shrivardhan and Manaranjan forts, located near two famous hills of Lonavala and Khandala.

At the base of the fort is the village Udhewadi which is another name for Rajmachi. Rajmachi has seen many change of hands from Shivaji Maharaj, Emperor Aurangzeb, Shahu Maharaj and eventually the British reign.

The fort of Rajmachi is famous among trekkers and adventure enthusiasts. If you want to experience a full-fledged trek, you can start from the Kondhane caves side which will take 3-4 hours of climbing.
Otherwise you can drive right upto Udhewadi village (from the Lonavala side) and then trek for hardly 20-30 minutes to the top of the fort.
The simple and clearly marked trail on both the paths make Rajmachi a very popular beginner’s trek.

Trek to Rajmachi from Mumbai/Karjat

If you are coming from Mumbai side, you can start the trek from the Kondhane Caves side.
Kondhane (Kondhivade) village is situated on the bank of Ulhas river. Its perfect starting point for the trek.
Please note that this is the longer approach to Rajmachi and the trek will easily take you around 3 – 4 hours depending on how fast you walk. We have seen people getting lost. So Always avail local guide for safety.

From Karjat, there are local ST buses and shared 6-seater rickshaw available still the base.

Trek Rajmachi from Pune/Lonavala Side

From the Pune side, the trek is much shorter. You can drive your car all the way up to Udhewadi village. However, be warned – the 15 km route from Lonavala to Udhewadi is extremely bad and we would recommend you only take this route on an SUV or a car with high ground clearance.
From there, the route to the top of the forts is hardly 30 minutes, and the tourism department has built new steps on almost half the way.

This is by far the more convenient way to reach the top of the forts – however, this route wouldn’t really give you much feel of “trekking”. 

From there, the route to the top of the forts is hardly 30 minutes, and the tourism department has built new steps on almost half the way. This is by far the more convenient way to reach the top of the forts – however, this route wouldn’t really give you much feel of “trekking”. 

How to reach: There are constant bus and train services from Mumbai and Pune. You can get a shared Jeep from Lonavala Depo till Rajmachi. But during monsoon they are available till JhumbuliPhata. From there the trek is hardly 1.5hr.

Fireflies at Rajamachi

You would find millions of fireflies giving you the feeling of moving stars. You can see fireflies which are concentrated on a few trees. Watching them glowing together on trees, feels like huge Christmas trees.

It’s Difficult to capture them on camera, its something one should experience first hand. Rajmachi is ideal for people of all ages.

Food and Stay Options

Tents are available for rent at Rajmachi if you don’t have one. The locals also offer home-stays; you can stay at their home if you are not comfortable camping.

Please note that the facilities the locals provide in these rooms are pretty basic, so do not expect anything fancy over here. Spending 1 night, however, should not be an issue in these rooms. The villagers will also serve Pitla Bhakri and a few other local delicacies.

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Planning your First trek:
https://www.keenventurers.in/planning-for-your-first-trek/