In month of September this valley in the Sahyadri mountains gets covered by millions of beautiful wild flowers which live only for a 2–3 weeks and look like beautiful carpets of various colors spread across the hill top. I had been waiting for a year to visit this place and the timing had to be perfect, otherwise the flowers will still not be in bloom or would have washed away in the rains or it will be too hot and sunny for them to survive longer.
The Kaas valley is 25 kms from Satara and declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, thus inviting lot of people from everywhere to view this spectacle happening since years. We left on 15th Sept morning, which is the best time to visit as per Travel websites. And it was indeed. The weather was pleasant with cool breeze and foggy skies. Lush green carpet of freshly sprung grass was everywhere where the eyes could see. We took the Mumbai - Pune - NH4 - Satara highway. The journey through tunnels and ghats of Lonavala Khandala during monsoons is always a enlivening experience out of the city hustle bustle.
Day1: (Sinhagad - Thosegar water falls - Satara)
Our first pit stop was the Sinhagad fort just outside Pune city. Enroute via khadkavasla dam we stopped at Singhad, mighty fort near Pune. The climb up the ghat was scenic with mountains on all sides. The dam was right in the middle of the mountains and shades of green grass covering them shone in the sunlight which played hide and seek in the clouds. Wild flowers of beautiful purple pink and yellow grew freely across the ghat sections.. This was mini valley of flowers on its own right here.
While climbing the steps on the fort I relished eating salt and chilli sprinkled Amla which I used to buy outside small vendors while in school..After taking a few pictures, we sat down under a tree at one of the hundred food stalls selling Jhunka Bhakar and Kanda Bhaji. We stuck to eating just the Jhunka Bhakar with onions and spicy onions mixed in chilli powder chatni. The over fried kanda bhaji was not our taste.
Next stop was 20 kms from Satara @ Thosegar water falls. These were a magnificent water fall with 500 feet drop. Sound and sight of gushing white water was enchanting. We could have stood and watched at it for rest of the day. It is inaccessible except from the place government has built as it is surrounded by a ravine in a horse-shoe shaped valley. However, there is one point for watching the source of the waterfall, the climb is painful for my parents. But the view is much more serene. People climbed over the barrier for taking pictures risking lives and kids. Accidental deaths have been reported here by forest officials, but some choose to ignore.
Our driver being a native of a village in one of those tiny sleepy looking hamlets in the mountains near Satara, he took us to to see the windmills on top of the mountains. The sun had set already and fog covered all the mountains. We could see a magnificent sight of the windmill though standing there in its solitude at the edge of a small lake was enchanting yet scary. For there was no one else apart from us on that mountain and with each passing moment darkness was creeping in, sound of the swoosh of the windmill making it a little scary for comfort. The driver told us that there is at least one guard per mill but he seems to be missing duty today.
As we started climbing down the windmill disappeared into the fog..We met a friend of the driver's who was waiting at the village exit to catch a bus to Satara for Mumbai. Our driver's village has around 250 houses and a small school. They get fresh water all the year round from a nearby waterfall. His house was the one I had never been to and only saw in movies. The hand made hut with wooden planks, portions kept open in the walls for storage of items, it was a typical farmers cottage ! The wind was so strong and cool that there was no fan required any time of the year. They grew rice, peanuts, wheat, corn and chu chu vangi, a type of eggplant in their tiny field. We relished the meal of jowar-rice bhakar, garlic junkha, chili thecha, rice and udad dal curry all cooked on the traditional Indian wooden fire stove which made the food even more tasty..One bhakar was size of 7/8 chapatis and Aai(his mother) kept insisting on us eating more ! We realized how simple those people live amongst meager amenities and how honest and welcoming they are in their hearts.. As we said our byes and wishes we saw the friend still waiting for a bus to Mumbai even after 3 hours on that lonely stretch of a mountain road.. Again I thought how blessed we all are who enjoy life and don't know what real hardships are.. Waiting for 3 mins at a signal can cause so much irritation in our minds and waiting for 3 mins more to catch a train to Churchgate causes anxiety..
That night I saw some of the best and largest Ganpati idols ever, in Satara city. Surprisingly all the pandals keep the curtain open for everyone unlike Mumbai where you must stand in hour long queues to see the diety. Here every small street and corner had their own Ganpati idol standing at least 10 feet tall. The night decoration was illuminating the whole experience and we were in awe all over again with this small city ! We picked a hotel on the New Radhika Road in Satara for the night stay.
Day 2: Kaas Valley of Flowers - Kaas Lake
Next morning we left for the valley of flowers - Kaas Pathar or Kaas Plateau. It's 25 Kms from the city and the route up is scenic at its best. I enjoyed the rain drops falling on my face and felt if I could just capture a little of the sunshine, the breeze, the smell of fresh leaves and moist soil and take home some..
Kaas is declared as a protected zone so it was fenced for 90% of the region. However, there is enough of the mountain left for visitors to enjoy. The moment we reached, we saw the pink and yellow carpet of flowers. The flowers were in pink, purple, yellow, white, dark blue mainly. I read that these flowers change colors each week. The sight was really breath taking as you can see from the pictures below. The whole stretch of the mountain was covered in pink flowers. Small streams of water running, swallows flying, humming bees, dragonflies and butterflies. Sounds of peace and tranquil. Cool breeze and swaying of flowers remain in my memory.
We stopped by for some time to enjoy the tranquility at the Kaas Lake and listen to the gurgling of fresh water from the mountains as the waves reached the shore.
Trip accomplished. (All pictures courtesy @ iPhone 5) !
Tips:
The Kaas valley is 25 kms from Satara and declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, thus inviting lot of people from everywhere to view this spectacle happening since years. We left on 15th Sept morning, which is the best time to visit as per Travel websites. And it was indeed. The weather was pleasant with cool breeze and foggy skies. Lush green carpet of freshly sprung grass was everywhere where the eyes could see. We took the Mumbai - Pune - NH4 - Satara highway. The journey through tunnels and ghats of Lonavala Khandala during monsoons is always a enlivening experience out of the city hustle bustle.
Day1: (Sinhagad - Thosegar water falls - Satara)
Our first pit stop was the Sinhagad fort just outside Pune city. Enroute via khadkavasla dam we stopped at Singhad, mighty fort near Pune. The climb up the ghat was scenic with mountains on all sides. The dam was right in the middle of the mountains and shades of green grass covering them shone in the sunlight which played hide and seek in the clouds. Wild flowers of beautiful purple pink and yellow grew freely across the ghat sections.. This was mini valley of flowers on its own right here.
While climbing the steps on the fort I relished eating salt and chilli sprinkled Amla which I used to buy outside small vendors while in school..After taking a few pictures, we sat down under a tree at one of the hundred food stalls selling Jhunka Bhakar and Kanda Bhaji. We stuck to eating just the Jhunka Bhakar with onions and spicy onions mixed in chilli powder chatni. The over fried kanda bhaji was not our taste.
Next stop was 20 kms from Satara @ Thosegar water falls. These were a magnificent water fall with 500 feet drop. Sound and sight of gushing white water was enchanting. We could have stood and watched at it for rest of the day. It is inaccessible except from the place government has built as it is surrounded by a ravine in a horse-shoe shaped valley. However, there is one point for watching the source of the waterfall, the climb is painful for my parents. But the view is much more serene. People climbed over the barrier for taking pictures risking lives and kids. Accidental deaths have been reported here by forest officials, but some choose to ignore.
Our driver being a native of a village in one of those tiny sleepy looking hamlets in the mountains near Satara, he took us to to see the windmills on top of the mountains. The sun had set already and fog covered all the mountains. We could see a magnificent sight of the windmill though standing there in its solitude at the edge of a small lake was enchanting yet scary. For there was no one else apart from us on that mountain and with each passing moment darkness was creeping in, sound of the swoosh of the windmill making it a little scary for comfort. The driver told us that there is at least one guard per mill but he seems to be missing duty today.
As we started climbing down the windmill disappeared into the fog..We met a friend of the driver's who was waiting at the village exit to catch a bus to Satara for Mumbai. Our driver's village has around 250 houses and a small school. They get fresh water all the year round from a nearby waterfall. His house was the one I had never been to and only saw in movies. The hand made hut with wooden planks, portions kept open in the walls for storage of items, it was a typical farmers cottage ! The wind was so strong and cool that there was no fan required any time of the year. They grew rice, peanuts, wheat, corn and chu chu vangi, a type of eggplant in their tiny field. We relished the meal of jowar-rice bhakar, garlic junkha, chili thecha, rice and udad dal curry all cooked on the traditional Indian wooden fire stove which made the food even more tasty..One bhakar was size of 7/8 chapatis and Aai(his mother) kept insisting on us eating more ! We realized how simple those people live amongst meager amenities and how honest and welcoming they are in their hearts.. As we said our byes and wishes we saw the friend still waiting for a bus to Mumbai even after 3 hours on that lonely stretch of a mountain road.. Again I thought how blessed we all are who enjoy life and don't know what real hardships are.. Waiting for 3 mins at a signal can cause so much irritation in our minds and waiting for 3 mins more to catch a train to Churchgate causes anxiety..
That night I saw some of the best and largest Ganpati idols ever, in Satara city. Surprisingly all the pandals keep the curtain open for everyone unlike Mumbai where you must stand in hour long queues to see the diety. Here every small street and corner had their own Ganpati idol standing at least 10 feet tall. The night decoration was illuminating the whole experience and we were in awe all over again with this small city ! We picked a hotel on the New Radhika Road in Satara for the night stay.
Day 2: Kaas Valley of Flowers - Kaas Lake
Next morning we left for the valley of flowers - Kaas Pathar or Kaas Plateau. It's 25 Kms from the city and the route up is scenic at its best. I enjoyed the rain drops falling on my face and felt if I could just capture a little of the sunshine, the breeze, the smell of fresh leaves and moist soil and take home some..
Kaas is declared as a protected zone so it was fenced for 90% of the region. However, there is enough of the mountain left for visitors to enjoy. The moment we reached, we saw the pink and yellow carpet of flowers. The flowers were in pink, purple, yellow, white, dark blue mainly. I read that these flowers change colors each week. The sight was really breath taking as you can see from the pictures below. The whole stretch of the mountain was covered in pink flowers. Small streams of water running, swallows flying, humming bees, dragonflies and butterflies. Sounds of peace and tranquil. Cool breeze and swaying of flowers remain in my memory.
We stopped by for some time to enjoy the tranquility at the Kaas Lake and listen to the gurgling of fresh water from the mountains as the waves reached the shore.
Trip accomplished. (All pictures courtesy @ iPhone 5) !
Tips:
- During the peak blooming season, avoid visit on weekends to the valley, as you will only get thousands of people, noise, exorbitant hotel rates and trouble finding a parking.
- Keep following the travel forums in Sept for latest updates on the valley from other visitors
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