Igatpuri is located in Maharashtra, in Western India. This is one of the best places to be visited in Maharashtra in monsoon season. Igatpuri is a slope station on occupied Mumbai-Agra NH-3 just 45 km from Nashik and 130 km from Mumbai.
The Igatpuri Railway Station is a major railway station which connects Igatpuri to Mumbai and the exit of Igatpuri railroad station flags the vicinity of Mumbai on a down course.
Igatpuri is surrounded by many peaks in Sahyadri, Western Ghats, a place heavenly for trekkers and hikers.There are many places to visit in Igatpuri, like Bhatsa River Valley, Arthur Lake, Kalsubai Peak, Girisagar Waterfall, Ghantadevi Temple, The Five Waterfalls, Tringalwadi Fort, Sandhan Valley Trek and so on.
Igatpuri is a position of importance regarding Vipassana contemplation. The International Center for Vipassana contemplation called Dhammagiri, probably the biggest Vipassana Center, is situated here.To reach Igatpuri, one has to take a train to Kasara and then take a bus uphill.Tourism is one of the most important source of Igatpuri’s economy.
There are some places which are must, when someone visits Igatpuri. Some of them are:-
Sandhan Valley Trek
Sandhan valley is situated on the western side of the wonderful Bhandardara area, close to Samrad village. Sandhan Valley, otherwise also called Valley of Shadow, is perhaps one of the best gorge in the wonderful setting of Sahyadri Western Ghats. The t valley is 200 feet down and around 1.5 km long, also giving it one of the unique features.
The Sandhan Valley Trek takes around a duration of 3 days. It is located in the Ghatghar region. The trek is a bit difficult, not suitable for beginners. Sandhan Valley Trek is good to trek at any time of the year, except Summer. It is very hot and humid, and will drain out all of your energy, thus becoming less enjoyable. During Winter, autumn and even monsoon,the trek turns out to be enjoyable and the weather is also pleasant.
The valley is surrounded by beautiful forts and gives a memory of a lifetime. One needs to rapple at max level 45 feet and the renowned Sandhan Valley rock patches.Valley has insignificant night light contamination. One new moon night, it is great for stargazing, capturing the Milkyway, and can easily spot and recognise the constellation shapes.
Sandhan Valley is that piece of the wonderful Sahyadri mountain ranges which offers a difficult journey, which is a delight for a trekker.
Tringalwadi Fort
Tringalwadi Fort is situated at an elevation of 3000 meters. It is considered to be one of the best places to visit in Igatpuri. Through hiking and trekking, one can reach the top of the fort which looks like a turban. The climb to the top is easy and it takes around one and a half hours to climb on one side.
It is 10 kilometers from Igatpuri. The fort is located near the Tringalwadi village. There is an idol of Lord Hanuman at the entrance gate and two sharabha idols carved on the top of the entrance gate, which makes the fort look more magnificent.
Vihigaon Waterfall
Vihigaon Waterfall is the best holiday gateway. Monsoon season is the best time to visit Vihigaon Waterfall. To see the slope of waterfalls that falls from 1000 feet,seems so heavenly and worth staring at it. There are some activities which can be done here like water rappelling and other sports to have fun with. It offers a mesmerizing sight for water as well as nature lovers.
Kalsubai Peak
Kalsubai Peak stands at a height of 1646 meters, it is also one of the highest peaks in Maharashtra. It is around 30 kilometers away from Igatpuri. As the pinnacle is incredibly well known, the Kalsubai journeying trail has been made somewhat simple for most travel and nature lovers to follow.
The mountain lies in the Sahyadri range falling under Kalsubai Harishchandragad wildlife sanctuary and it offers great views, best for the trekkers who also are fascinated by photography.
Ghantadevi Temple
Ghantadevi Temple dedicated to Ghanta Devi, also considered to be the protector of hills.The temple is situated in a ravishing valley with the magnificent pinnacles of Harihar, Durbar Utvad and Trimbak shaping a striking setting. It is a very peaceful place, one of the major reasons for the attraction of tourists, like you can even hear a bird chirping, such is the environment there.
Conclusion
Igatpuri is a perfect place for a holiday, it has a lot of places to visit and adventures to do,free from the hustle of urban lifestyle. It also offers a lot of treks, waterfalls and their scenic beauty and many forts.
Checkout: More Awesome Content
