Rajmachi fire flies Trek and Camping

Trek Information:

• ‘Rajmachi trek and Camping’- the name itself tells what this trek is most famous for in Maharashtra. One of the wonders you will witness on this trek is watching Fireflies at night. The environment here in Sahyadri hills is very favorable for fireflies to live and flourish. During Rajmachi camping at night, you can easily enjoy nature's light show by playing with them while the little creatures will amuse you, the whole night. Stargazing during the night while camping on this fort would nurture the astronomical interest in one. The Rajmachi trek will be a lifetime experience for you.
• Rajmachi fort is one of the many forts that has been cuddled by Sahyadri mountains with its rugged and lush green arms in western ghats which is the world biodiversity heritage site. The fort is 2700 ft. above the sea which promises the most scenic view of western ghats and their flora-fauna along with the backwaters of the Shirota dam. Rajmachi fortification comprises two forts- Shrivardhan fort and Manaranjan fort. Shrivardhan fort was used as a watchtower due to its height (3000 ft.) while Manaranjan fort is comparatively low in height but one can enjoy views of Karnala fort from here.
• From the roots of Indian history, it is found that the Rajmachi fort was built as a defensive fort to have a lookout on Bor Ghats since this is a significant route for traders to reach Mumbai, an important trade center in the west. Because of its significant importance, it has a very interesting history. This fort was built by Satavahana who established their kingdom after the decline of the Mourya Empire. The fort came to light when Shivaji became the king of Marathas. In the year 1657, Shivaji fought with Adilshaha and brought this fort under his control. In 1704, after the death of Sambhaji Maharaj (son of Shivaji Maharaj), the Mughals attacked the fort and took it under control only to lose it again to Marathas when they attacked it in the following year. In the 19th century, the Maratha dynasty started declining, and finally, in the year 1818, this fort was under British-India rule.
• After India’s independence, this fort was announced as an ancient heritage place and a protected monument in Maharashtra. Different Buddhist caves, manmade water storage tanks, temples, ruined complexes, and walls of forts attract a lot of archeological, architectural, and historical enthusiasts. Apart from the historical and architectural brilliance, one would surely fall in love with the beauty of nature and the surrounding in which this fort has perched. As Rajmachi fort is situated midway between Pune and Mumbai, and just a few km away from the all-time favorite Lonavala hill station, it’s one of the best trekking places in Mumbai. In short, the Rajmachi fort fireflies trek and Camping is the all-in-one package to get one step closer to nature and experience it thoroughly.
• With time, the fort has developed its identity and came up with the new identity as 'Rajmachi Trek’. It attracts trekkers from all around the world to enjoy the trails that are an indivisible part of the Western Ghats. It also excites the novice trekkers more because of its easy to moderate difficulty level but an exhausting trail at the same time. Generally, it takes two days to completely explore this trek as a result 'Rajmachi camping’ becomes a synergistic part of this trek. After getting exhausted by exploring the trek on day 1, camping at night encourages your energy level to explore unexplored parts of this trek on day 2. Rajmachi trek and Rajmachi camping together make a complete package which you are looking for to spend your valuable holidays in nature's surroundings.
• Witnessing the sunrise and the sunset from the fort during Rajmachi camping is a mesmerizing memory that can be preserved for the years to come. It also helps you to experience the fascinating night at Sahyadri hills by witnessing the fireflies during Rajmachi camping. The fort has witnessed a lot of mesmerizing treks and campings but still waiting for you to come and enjoy its glorious legacy. 
  
  Trek Details : 
• Fort Elevation: Jungle trail 
• Difficulty: Easy
• Endurance: Moderate
• Length: Approx. 17 km one way
• Height of fort: 2710 feet approx.
• Nearest City: Lonavala
• Stay: Tent stay
• Washrooms: Limited basic village toilets
• Sightseeings: Shrivardhan Fort Exploration
• Meals: Local village food
• Separate stay for females
  
  Date Batches :
• May: 5th, 6th, 12th,13th, 19th, 20th, 26th, 27th
• June: 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th 
  
  Event Fees:
  Saturday Batch: Rs 1199/-
  
  Inclusion :
• Return Transportation from Base Village to Lonavala by Jeep/ Tempo
• Breakfast & Tea
• Dinner( Veg Thali)
• Camping
• Forest Entry Charges.
• Trekleaders and Expertise Charges.
• First Aid Cahrges
  
  Exclusion :
• 5% Gst
• Travel till pickup points
• Lunch for second day
• Mineral water/lime water/ purchased for personal consumption
• All kinds of Extra Meals / soft drinks ordered
• Any kind of personal expenses
• Any kind of cost which is not mentioned in the cost including above
• All expenses incurred due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances like roadblocks, bad weather
• Any medical / Emergency evacuations if required
• Insurance
  
    Reporting Point :
• 05:00 PM: Lonavala Railway Station, Gate Number 01.   
  
  Important Notes:
• The visibility of fireflies is an absolutely natural phenomenon depending upon climatic conditions and Atmosphere on that particular day.
• These events are happening in pre-monsoon time and thus it may rain on the day of the event during our camping stay. In such a situation, we will try to provide available homestay in the village but considering the huge rush of trekkers, there might be a shortage of the stay facility, so trekkers are expected to adjust accordingly. 
• The village is very secluded and doesn't have proper washrooms, stays, networks, or hotels.
• Due to the huge amount of rush to watch fireflies, there might be a long queue for transportation from the base village to Lonavala.
• Similarly, due to rains, roads may not be accessible for vehicles till the base village. In these circumstances, trekkers may have to take a walk to the point from where the road is accessible for vehicles.
• Above mentioned circumstances absolutely depend upon climatic conditions and are not in our control hence the alterations that we have to make in our scheduled itinerary, camping stay, transport, etc. are not liable to claim for any sort of refund. 
   
  Things to do at Rajmachi:
• Trekking:
•  Trekking up to Rajmachi point is the only way you are going to reach the top. Surrounded by lush tall grasses, with the flitting butterflies and the chirping birds, a trek to Rajmachi is what any urban trekker would ask for.
•  Off-Roading:
• If you have your bike then there is a patch of about 16 km from Lonavala to the base of the hill, full of pebbles and slippery mud, where you can enjoy off-roading.
• Bird watching:
• The Rajmachi Wildlife Sanctuary has several endemic and migratory birds that fly in for the winter. So if you go at right time, you will get a chance to watch different birds and enjoy their chirping while climbing the trek.
• Photography:
• 
  
• Caves, Temples, westerns Ghats, Birds, and Flourished nature are some of the many reasons why one should carry a camera on the trek.
• Vlogging:
• 
  
• If you want quality rich content and gain some subscribers to your channel, vlogging is the best option to do here.
• Camping:
• Camping is another favorite thing trekkers like to do here. Camping on the fort in caves with alike minded people and sharing experiences with each other would help you to lose all the trekking fatigue. There is another option of camping out in Udhewadi- the base village where you can get some good food and the best hospitality from the villagers.
• Fireflies Spotting:
• The most important thing to do while night camping is to watch fireflies. Come early monsoons and late summers, you will find a hoard of these little creatures, illuminating the night sky like millions of stars.
• Stargazing:
• Stargazing is yet another favorite thing people come to do. Due to the lack of any artificial light during the night, one can easily take the fun stargazing.
• ​Site seeing:
• Carrying a telescope will surely give a feast to your eyes as the view of Pune- Mumbai expressway, Karnala fort, Shirota dam backwater, and a lot more waterfalls is a way different experience.
  
  How to reach Rajmachi:
• Rajmachi Fort is located midway between Pune and Mumbai so you can choose either to come from any of the cities. There are two ways one can take to reach the fort, one is from the Karjat side and the other is from the Lonavala side. If you are planning to visit Rajmachi on local transport then take any local train which travels between Pune- Mumbai. Get down at Karjat from where you can hire an auto to reach Kondhana village. It is the base of the Rajmachi trek from where you have to trek for around 3-4 hours to reach the top.
• Another way to reach Rajmachi is to take a local train from either of the city to reach Lonavala from where you can hire an auto to reach the Tungarli dam which is 4 km from Lonavala station. The rest 16 km from Tungarli to Udhewadi base village has to be covered on foot. It hardly takes 30 mins to reach the top from Udhewadi base village. If you are planning to drive by road, then the distance of the Rajmachi trek from Pune is 82 km and from Mumbai, it is 94 km. after reaching Lonavala which is about 75km from either of the cities you will have to reach Udhewadi- the base village of the trek. If it’s not the rainy season, you are lucky enough to get local transport to cover that 16 km phase from Lonavala to Udhewadi. If you have your transport you can directly reach the base in your car/bike but please make sure your vehicle has enough ground clearance to cover that off-road patch.
  
  
• Things to carry:
  
• A photograph.
• Good grip shoes.
• Torch with extra batteries.
• Sleeping bag / Mat with blankets
• Extra Pair of clothes.
• Water bottles 2-3 liters.
• Ready to eat food, like plum cakes, chocolate bar, some snacks & biscuits, etc.
• Electoral or Glucon D powder.
• Personal medicines. Sun protection cap, goggles.
  
  COVID Guidelines :
• Mask and maintaining social distance with others are mandatory throughout the trip.
• Buses will be fully sanitized before use.
• Carrying your own sanitizers, gloves, face shield and mask is compulsory.
• Food will be freshly cooked and packed as per WHO guidelines.
• Cancellation Policy:
• 75% refund if notified via phone conversation 8 or more days before the event date.
• 50 % refund if notified via phone conversation 4 to 7 days before the event date.
• No refund if the cancellation requested is less than 3 days before the event date
• No show No Refund.
• Event Tickets cannot be transferred to another date against cancellation.
• Event Tickets cannot be transferred to another person against cancellation.
• If Trek gets canceled we will refund "Trek Amount" only.
• Trekhievers Policies:
• Seats will be reserved only after full payment.
• The detailed schedule of the trek will be given later to registered participants on the WhatsApp group.
• Organizers have all the right to modify or change the schedule if required.
• Organizers hold the right to cancel any event and refund with prior notice.
• We strictly follow a no alcohol, no drugs, and no litter policy.
  
  
• Contact details:
•  | Pravin - 7208620046 | MUKESH-7378642734 | VRUTTI-7304236273 | Akshay - 7397823876 |