Vasota Fort Jungle Trek — A trek in the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary

My friend stated, “When summer begins in India, it almost kills my desire to travel.” Is it true? I was skeptical. Is it too bright to keep me from following my dreams? The answer was in my quest. To my delight, I organized a group trip. People who signed up for the new adventure were just as excited as me. A group of 15 adventurers began their trek to ” Vasota Fort jungle trekking” while the city lay dormant in summer’s restlessness.

Where exactly is the Vasota Fort Jungle trek? Vasota Fort is located around 140 km south of Pune in the Satara District. It is near the Bamnoli Village. Vyaghragad is also known as Vasota Fort. It is part of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and is one of the most sought-after jungle treks in and around Maharashtra. Vasota, at 3800 feet elevation, offers breathtaking views of the Koyna Backwaters and the wildlife sanctuary.

How do I reach Vasota Fortjungle Trek?

Vasota Fort’s base Village, Bamnoli, can be found around 160 km from Pune and 300 km from Mumbai. Mumbai and Pune have excellent connections to other parts of India via roads and railways. You can take a bus to Satara, located 40 km from Bamnoli. Direct buses run between Satara village and Bamnoli village (INR50) at 6 am, 8 am, 9 am, and so forth. This route runs through the Kaas Plateau. To reach the Vasota Fortjungle Trek’s start point, one must take a boat from Bamnoli.

You can also hire a bike in Pune (INR 300-400) to explore Vasota Fort. You can compare prices on websites that rent bikes, such as Royal Brothers and wheel street. You will need to leave Pune early to reach Pune by 8–9 am.

Boat ride details for Vasota Fort

To cross the Koyna River from Bamnoli, you must take a boat ride. Once at the base of Vasota Fortress, the boat ride will take you to the village. INR 3540 is the standard rate for 1-12 people. Make sure to go with a larger group. If you don’t have a large group, you can look for another group booking at the office and inquire if they can accommodate you. You can also make reservations at the hotel Jai Bhiravnath in Bamnoli.

The boat at Koyna River Bamnoli

You will also have to pay INR 30 entry fees to the sanctuary. Boat parking Fee: INR 150 (for the whole group), Guide Fee: INR 200 for the entire group, Tiger Fee (INR 100), and Camera Fee (INR50 per camera). Vasota’s last boat will depart at 11:00 am, so get there early.

Boat rides are available at regular intervals starting at 7:30 am and taking around one hour to reach Vasota Fort’s base. The Helmsman will also guide you on your trek.

Vasota Fort Jungle Trek difficulty level

Vasota Fort Jungle Trek would be rated medium to challenging trek. The Vasota Fort trek takes approximately. It takes about 6km one-way to get to the top and around 2 hours. It is easy to climb and gradual through dense forest. This makes trekking in the summers easy. The trek is recommended for beginners.

Supporting each other at Vasota For Jungle Trek

Isn’t it exciting to hear about a jungle trek? For many, walking in a dense jungle is a lifelong dream. Isn’t it? It is for me. It’s always a pleasure to see the Bear Grylls wandering through the lush jungles, finding ways of survival. It is always a question of the possibility that I can experience something like this.

Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary

After my similar experience in the jungle trek to Andharban, I was eager to find other jungle treks. Although I had heard about the Vasota Fort Jungle Trek, I could not visit it during my Explore Satara trip. When I reached the base village, it was clear that I would need to book an entire boat myself, as there were no other trekkers that day.

Koyna River

My dreamy nights still evoked the desire to visit Vasota Fort. I was trying to understand why I didn’t organize a trek up to the Vasota Fortress. The journey of the 15 enthusiastic people began at 3:00 am in the middle of the hot summer night of 23 March. We drove from Pune in a private car and arrived at Bamnoli village around 7:30 am.

Trekkers for Vasota Fort Jungle Trek

Bats fly at Bamnoli Vata Fort Jungle trek base village

After some refreshments, we began our boat ride at 8:30 am. I enjoyed getting my hands in the Koyna River’s water. It was amazing to see the surrounding greenery at this time of year. We played dumb charades during the boat ride of one hour. It was almost as if we were not strangers but friends who had known each other for a long time.

Enjoy a boat ride in beautiful surroundings.

The trek began at 10:00 am. You will find a forest office at the beginning where you can pay all fees (boat parking, a forest guide, a camera, etc.). A security deposit and plastic count will be performed. The deposit will be refunded if the plastic count on your return equals the warranty. This initiative was a great idea. It’s sad to see people dumping so much plastic on other treks.

Vasota

It is through dense jungles that the trek takes you through. The dense forest canopy made it difficult for sunlight to penetrate. We enjoyed each other’s company and shared our experiences from previous tours. We reached the top in just 2 hours.

Trekking at Vasota Fort Jungle Trek

Vasota Jungle

It is mostly in ruin. It consists of three major sections: the Old Fort, New Fort, and Nageshwar cave Temple. The entrance has a temple to Lord Hanuman. Babu Kada, another point of interest, is a massive U-shaped cliff located next to Vasota Fort. The Old Vasota Fort, which is not accessible to trekkers because of the presence of wild animals, can be seen from this point.

View of the surrounding areas from the top

You can combine the trekking to Vasota Fort Top with the Nageshwar cave hike. It is located at the pinnacle and has a Mahadev temple within. It can be seen from the Vasota Fortress. To trek to Nageshwar Cave takes approximately 2 hours. I needed help to cover both because of the large group.

Boating on Navasota Trek

We took in the stunning views from the top and then shared our refreshments. We were ready to begin the descent as we had to return to the base by 4:00 pm. I almost rode the boat the entire distance back. I enjoyed a refreshing dip in the Koyna backwaters, which was an excellent way to finish another exciting trip.

Stay options and food on Vasota For jungle Trek.

Vasota Fort doesn’t have any food options. You should bring enough water and food items with you. Very few hotels offer basic food and refreshments in the village. Hotel Jai Bhiravnath is a good option.

It is prohibited to camp at Vasota. Camping at Vasota is not permitted. You can also check with Hotel Jai Bhiravnath for accommodation options (Contact number: Sri Dhanaji, 9421216232, 8390716232).

Best time for Vasota Fort Jungle Trek

From mid-June through mid-October, the trek is closed. Although I was able to visit the Vasota Trek during the summer months, it is hard not to imagine how incredible it would be if I trekked just after the monsoon (i.e., October to December. Vasota fort is also open in summer, as the surrounding area remains green all year.

Vasota Fort Jungle Trek start point

Finally, my dream of trekking through the dense forests of Koyna wildlife refuge was realized. It is still amazing to imagine how beautiful it would look after the monsoon season. It is a place I will be returning to later in the year. Comment below if you would like to join me.