Vasota Fort - It Is Surrounded By Water On Three Sides

VASOTA FORT

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SATARA

Vasota is to the south of Pune near Satara. Vasota Fort is an ancient hill fort situated at an altitude of 1171 m near Bamnoli in Satara district of Maharashtra. The fort is situated in the deep forests and valleys of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary. It is one of the best places to visit in Satara and also one of the popular places of trekking in Maharashtra apart from being an ideal picnic spots near Pune for one day trip.

Situated on the banks of the Shivsagar Lake, Vasota Fort is surrounded by water on three sides. The Fort was built by King Bhojraj II of Shilhara dynasty in 1178-1193 AD. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj captured the fort in 1655 AD and renamed it as Vyagragad. In 1818 AD along with other forts of Marathas this fort also came under British control.

Vasota Fort, now in ruins, is famous for its traditional Maharashtrian architectural style. The fort comprises of three main sections - Old Fort, New Fort and Nageshwar. The bastions of the fort are still in well condition. There are two temples on the fort, the Mahadev temple and the Nageshwar temple. The temple of Lord Hanuman is placed at the entrance. Babu Kada is a huge U shaped cliff lies next to the Vasota Fort. From this point one can view the Old Vasota Fort which is closed for trekkers due to the presence of wild animals. Nageshwar is a cave carved in the pinnacle with Mahadev temple inside. It is clearly visible from Vasota Fort and needs 2 more hours trek to reach the Nageshwar Cave from the fort. 

Vasota is an ideal destination for adventure lovers. The fort offers trekking, mountaineering, and rock climbing. One can see the backwaters of Shivsagar Dam and the mountain range of Kas Mahabaleshwar from the top of the fort.

Bamnoli is the nearest station for Vasota which is 38 km away from Satara. Vasota Fort is under Sahyadri Tiger Reserve so visitors need to take permission from forest office of Bamnoli before commencing the trek. Backwater of Koyna Dam has interrupted direct connection between Bamnoli and Vasota Fort. From Bamnoli one needs to travel to base village Met Indavali by boat which takes around 1.5 hrs. There is a check point of Forest Department at Met Indavali. From here the forest path leads to the top of Vasota which takes about 3 hours to reach. It is a gradual climb through dense forest. 

Bamnoli Forest office opens at 8 AM and the first boat from Bamnoli to Met Indavali starts at 8.30 AM. Visitors need to complete their trek before 5.30 PM, because it is not allowed to stay in the forest after 5.30 PM. The trek remains closed from June to October.

.It is at a distance of 110 kms from Pune Station. The State Bus Transport has many buses plying on this route, so the bus frequency to Satara from Pune is high.  Once you reach Satara bus station, you need to reach the village Bamnoli which is the base village and at a distance of approx 40 kms from Satara.

From Bamnoli there are boats which will take you to the base of the fort.  1 to 1.5 hrs boat ride from Bamnoli, in the SHIVSAGAR LAKE water will take you the fort base to start your trek. The boat ride will cost you Rs. 3000 [+taxes] [1-12 persons]. Get a larger group for trekking as Rs.3000 is the default rate for 1 to 12 persons. Along the way you would get some breath taking views of the mountains surrounding the lake.

Catherine Falls - It Is Surrounded By Beautiful Views Of Forest

CATHERINE FALLS

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NILGIRIS

Catherine Falls is a beautiful waterfall situated near Kotagiri in Nilgiris district of Tamilnadu. It is the second largest waterfalls in Nilgiris and also one of the best waterfalls in Ooty. This water fall has both lower and upper falls. The upper fall is the second highest in the region and is known to take a leap of about 250 feet.

The stunning Catherine Falls is a double-cascaded waterfall located at Aravenu. The River Kallar descends down the rocks as Geddhehaada Halla stream, to form the Catherine Falls. Also known as Geddhehaada Halla by locals, this waterfall is named after Catherine Cocburn, the wife of M.D. Cocburn, who had introduced coffee plantation to the areas of Kotagiri and Yercaud. 

Catherine Falls is surrounded by beautiful views of forest, tea plantations and the Mettupalayam plains. The falls is clearly visible from the top of Dolphin's Nose and this is the only place where you can get to full view of the falls. Though it's not possible to reach the foot of this waterfall, one can go to top of the falls for a truly spectacular view. From a small town called Aravenu on the Kotagiri/Mettupalayam Road, one has to go via Moon Road to reach the falls. About 2-3 km trek is required from the nearest road to reach the falls. The journey to Catherine Falls itself is an unforgettable experience as one has to drive through the pine forests and lush green tea gardens of Nilgiri Hills.

Many trekking lovers trek to this place from Kotagiri & Aravenu as well. Kotagiri is well connected by buses with Ooty & Coonoor. Prior permission has to be taken from the District Forest Officer. Nearest road to Catherine Falls can be reached from Kotagiri by private vehicles.

Apart from the St. Catherine Water Falls, tourists can visit the nearby Uyilatty Falls or Elk Falls, which is around 8 km from Kotagiri. Moreover, Kotagiri is home to the Rangaswamy Peak, which is around 1785 metres high. This biconical peak is a sacred hill among the residents of Nilgiri. It is believed that Lord Rangaswamy, who lived in Karamadai in Coimbatore, came here after a quarrel with his wife.

Best time to visit Catherine Falls is from October to May, right after the monsoons, when the falls is in full flow.