Harishchandragad Trek

There are a lot of weekend trips you can do from Mumbai, and one of them is Harishchandragad in the Western Ghaats. You have to camp out in ancient caves midway before continuing the trek to the top. It's beautiful but tiring, especially for someone like me who doesn't trek too often :) On the way to the starting point we stopped by a lake:

The view as we just begin the 2 to 3 hour trek to the base.

A small temple at the first point at the base. Several other trekers were already camped here, and we got chai and misal, absolutely yummy after the trek, and a relief from the freezing cold. We are now more than 4000 ft. above sea level.

The main temple looks like its still in use for worship, but completely forgotten by the government or any authority responsible for maintaining it. Why am I not surprised?

We camped out in ancient caves that were carved out of the rock face. We went with an organized trekking group which arranged for our food and shelter. But if you're planning the trip on your own, you can also rent a tent once you reach the point for about 150 Rs. Do not camp here without a tent or cave because it is absolutely freezing and windy once the sun goes down.

One of the views from the second day:

Near the top:

An ancient shiv ling at the top of the ghaat: