Part 1: Pune - Nashik - Hatgad - Saputara.
DAY 1: June 17, 2018; Sunday. Pune – Nashik.
We left home at 9 am and went by Jail Road to reach Alandi Road near Vishrantwadi. After crossing the temple town we carried on along the Chakan-Alandi Road to emerge on the Pune - Nashik Highway (NH60) somewhere between Moshi and Chakan. This route avoids the heavy traffic up to Moshi. Being a Sunday there was less traffic even after Chakan and up to Narayangaon. After passing Narayangaon the road widened out to become a 4 lane highway all the way from Khed to Sinnar.
After Sinnar the traffic increased, due to vehicles from Shirdi joining us, and the highway also became narrower. We took a left turn at Deolali to proceed towards Pathardi Phata, as we had booked our night stay at a homestay, 'Teerth Villa'. We stopped at Hotel Garwa for lunch as it was already 2.30 pm.
We checked in to Teerth Villa at 3.15 pm. After resting for a while we decided to visit the Regiment of Artillery Musuem which we had passed near Deolalil. It is closed in the afternoon so we had to come back in the evening for a visit.
You can read my TripAdvisor review of 'Teerth Villa' here.
To enter the gates of the Artillery Museum we had to deposit our ID card at the security cabin and proceed to the car park. We also had to pay an entry fee of ₹25 each to enter the museum building, but it was definitely worth it. Read more about Museum of our Brave Soldiers.
We got back to Teerth Villa at 6.30 pm and relaxed till dinner, which we had pre-ordered before going to the museum. We made use of the free wi-fi provided by them.
Some data from my Trip Log.
After Sinnar the traffic increased, due to vehicles from Shirdi joining us, and the highway also became narrower. We took a left turn at Deolali to proceed towards Pathardi Phata, as we had booked our night stay at a homestay, 'Teerth Villa'. We stopped at Hotel Garwa for lunch as it was already 2.30 pm.
We checked in to Teerth Villa at 3.15 pm. After resting for a while we decided to visit the Regiment of Artillery Musuem which we had passed near Deolalil. It is closed in the afternoon so we had to come back in the evening for a visit.
You can read my TripAdvisor review of 'Teerth Villa' here.
To enter the gates of the Artillery Museum we had to deposit our ID card at the security cabin and proceed to the car park. We also had to pay an entry fee of ₹25 each to enter the museum building, but it was definitely worth it. Read more about Museum of our Brave Soldiers.
We got back to Teerth Villa at 6.30 pm and relaxed till dinner, which we had pre-ordered before going to the museum. We made use of the free wi-fi provided by them.
 |
| Our room at Teerth Villa, Nashik. |
- Start from home:.................................0 km.
- Alandi:...............................................17 km.
- Join NH60 near Moshi:......................22 km.
- Chakan:..............................................31 km.
- Narayangaon:.....................................77 km.
- Alephata:............................................93 km.
- Sangamner:.......................................150 km.
- Sinnar:...............................................181 km.
- Deolali Gaon:....................................210 km.
- Pathardi Phata:...................................221 km.
- Teerth Villa:........................................222 km.
DAY 2: June 18, 2018; Monday. Nashik - Hatgad.
We got up at 7 am and had room tea with toast before going out for a 30 min walk around the home stay. It is a congested area with small one and two storey bungalows. Teerth Villa itself hardly has any grounds around it and cars have to be parked in the narrow streets. They had enclosed one corner of the compound with a wire cage and kept about 10 budgerigars.
We had breakfast of poha and tea served by Amol. I settled the bill with our host, Mrs. Hemangi Shinde and we left at 11 am.
We first went to the Pandav Leni Buddhist caves about 3 kms from Pathardi Phata. The Phalke Smarak is also located here but I didn’t visit that. There is a small garden and memorial called Buddha Vihar and the caves are on the hill behind.
It was a stiff climb of about 200 steps, and I was quite out of breath when I reached the top. There was an entry fee of Rs.15 for Indians. There were quite a few local visitors climbing up to see the caves. There are 24 caves cut into the hillside with carvings of various Buddhist monks, though the Buddha himself is not supposedly there, though many of the idols looked like him. The caves are supposed to date back to between the 1st and 4th centuries CE. I took many photos, some of them with flash on Auto mode. I got some fantastic views of Nashik city as well. Geeta remained in the car and I was up there from 11.20 to 12.20 pm.
Read more about the caves in my TripAdvisor review Ancient Buddhist Caves with Beautiful Stone Carvings.
We then drove back to Pathardi phata and then got on to NH-160 (earlier NH3) or the Mumbai-Agra Freeway as it now called. It was an elevated road running right through Nashik city. Ultimately we had to turn off it and take a left turn to get on to SH-17 going to Saputara and Gujarat. We stopped at a nice garden restaurant called ‘Curry Leaves’ for lunch at 1 pm. There was a marriage party in progress (we passed many more garden restaurants later too, and many of them were hosting marriages, which was surprising being a Monday). Anyway, we sat in the a/c section and had Veg Handi with roti and naan, as well as buttermilk.
We then drove on past Dindori, where Geeta got down to buy a huge loaf of bread. Next town was Vani from where we could see the Saptashrungi hill (a Shakti peeth dedicated to Mata Saptashrungi). We took the left turn going to Saputara as we didn’t want to climb another hill to the Shakti peeth. We stopped again at Borgaon to buy dahi and some snacks. After Borgaon Club Mahindra was just 5 km just after the turn going to the Hatgad village. We reached at 3.30 and checked in by 4 pm.
After resting for some time I went down to take an orientation tour of the resort. There are about 11 blocks of rooms, apart from the main reception block where we were allotted our room. I checked out a 2BR apartment which was a duplex, with one bedroom on the ground floor and one on the first floor; quite spacious and almost like a large flat of around 1100 sq.ft. The swimming pool was very small and not suitable for exercise swimming. It was just big enough for kids and families to play around in. There is a nice garden with a lawn and flowering trees in the centre. The souvenir store was located behind a Warli painted wall and there was a small kids’ play area.
Read more about Club Mahindra, Hatgad, an Excellent Getaway in the Middle of Nowhere.
The hotel's BSNL wi-fi had not been working for the last 3 days so we had to go down to the reception and talk to Komal on Mr. Chintamani’s Idea phone.
Back in our room, we heated a ready-to-eat MTR's channa masala packet in the microwave oven, and had it with bread for dinner, and finished one small pack (200 gm) of dahi. We went to sleep early, quite tired after a long day.
Some data from my Trip Log.
We had breakfast of poha and tea served by Amol. I settled the bill with our host, Mrs. Hemangi Shinde and we left at 11 am.
We first went to the Pandav Leni Buddhist caves about 3 kms from Pathardi Phata. The Phalke Smarak is also located here but I didn’t visit that. There is a small garden and memorial called Buddha Vihar and the caves are on the hill behind.
It was a stiff climb of about 200 steps, and I was quite out of breath when I reached the top. There was an entry fee of Rs.15 for Indians. There were quite a few local visitors climbing up to see the caves. There are 24 caves cut into the hillside with carvings of various Buddhist monks, though the Buddha himself is not supposedly there, though many of the idols looked like him. The caves are supposed to date back to between the 1st and 4th centuries CE. I took many photos, some of them with flash on Auto mode. I got some fantastic views of Nashik city as well. Geeta remained in the car and I was up there from 11.20 to 12.20 pm.
Read more about the caves in my TripAdvisor review Ancient Buddhist Caves with Beautiful Stone Carvings.
 |
| Bird's Eye View of Nashik from Pandavleni Caves. |
We then drove back to Pathardi phata and then got on to NH-160 (earlier NH3) or the Mumbai-Agra Freeway as it now called. It was an elevated road running right through Nashik city. Ultimately we had to turn off it and take a left turn to get on to SH-17 going to Saputara and Gujarat. We stopped at a nice garden restaurant called ‘Curry Leaves’ for lunch at 1 pm. There was a marriage party in progress (we passed many more garden restaurants later too, and many of them were hosting marriages, which was surprising being a Monday). Anyway, we sat in the a/c section and had Veg Handi with roti and naan, as well as buttermilk.
We then drove on past Dindori, where Geeta got down to buy a huge loaf of bread. Next town was Vani from where we could see the Saptashrungi hill (a Shakti peeth dedicated to Mata Saptashrungi). We took the left turn going to Saputara as we didn’t want to climb another hill to the Shakti peeth. We stopped again at Borgaon to buy dahi and some snacks. After Borgaon Club Mahindra was just 5 km just after the turn going to the Hatgad village. We reached at 3.30 and checked in by 4 pm.
After resting for some time I went down to take an orientation tour of the resort. There are about 11 blocks of rooms, apart from the main reception block where we were allotted our room. I checked out a 2BR apartment which was a duplex, with one bedroom on the ground floor and one on the first floor; quite spacious and almost like a large flat of around 1100 sq.ft. The swimming pool was very small and not suitable for exercise swimming. It was just big enough for kids and families to play around in. There is a nice garden with a lawn and flowering trees in the centre. The souvenir store was located behind a Warli painted wall and there was a small kids’ play area.
Read more about Club Mahindra, Hatgad, an Excellent Getaway in the Middle of Nowhere.
 |
| Club Mahindra Hatgad. |
The hotel's BSNL wi-fi had not been working for the last 3 days so we had to go down to the reception and talk to Komal on Mr. Chintamani’s Idea phone.
Back in our room, we heated a ready-to-eat MTR's channa masala packet in the microwave oven, and had it with bread for dinner, and finished one small pack (200 gm) of dahi. We went to sleep early, quite tired after a long day.
Some data from my Trip Log.
- Start from Teerth Villa:...................................0 km.
- Pandav Leni Caves:........................................3 km.
- Left turn off Expressway:..............................15 km.
- Right turn to Saputara road:..........................18 km.
- Hotel Curry Leaves:......................................22 km.
- Dindori:.........................................................39 km.
- Vani:..............................................................56 km.
- Borgaon:........................................................86 km.
- Hatgad:..........................................................89 km.
DAY 3: June 19, 2018; Tuesday. Hatgad - Saputara.
I got out of bed at 6.20 am and went for a walk at 7 am. I walked into Hatgad village, thinking that I was walking towards the fort. I walked for about a km and a half before I asked a local if this was the way to the fort. He told me that I have to walk on the Saputara road itself and turn right to the fort near the telecom tower. One can drive up to the parking lot about half way up and walk the rest of the way up to the fort. So I walked back to ClubM and decided to do the fort next morning. Hatgad village itself was quite a dirty village, with garbage strewn all around.
We had breakfast of MTR Poha packets made by soaking the rice flakes in boiling water for 3 minutes. I got ready by 10 am. We left our room at 11.30 am to go to Saputara, leaving the room to be cleaned in our absence.
We passed the border check post to enter Gujarat and then immediately entered Saputara by paying an entry fee of Rs.30. There was no one manning the border check post which I found weird as Gujarat is supposed to be a dry state. We first reached the lake and took a left turn to go to Sunset Point and the Adventure Park. It was also the road to the Vaity Hill Resort which runs the ropeway. The ropeway seems to be the most popular attraction of Saputara as there was an hour long Q of people standing in the stalls to book the ticket costing Rs.62 per head. Instead we went right up to the Saputara Table Land and Adventure Park. We had to pay a parking fee of Rs.30. It looked like the Table Land of Panchgani, though not so flat, but there were good views of the hills all around. The Sunset Point is also located here. There were a lot of food stalls selling snacks. We had a plate of onion bhajjis for Rs.50 and it was quite substantial. There were also horse and camel rides, as well as tandem bicycles and mini motorbikes available for joy rides for kids and learners. I had forgotten to bring my Canon so I took snaps with my MotoG.
Around 1 pm we left from there and drove down towards the Sunrise Point. We stopped mid-way where we got good network connectivity and saw all our messages.
Sunrise Point was at the top of another hill and the area was quite well laid out with paved pathways as well as jogging tracks and stone benches. The only thing lacking was the greenery. Maybe they had not yet planted any saplings, and the area seemed quite like a ruined village from the top, though the view all around was quite good. One could get a 360 degree view of the whole of Saputara, including the lake and the ropeway in the distance with the tiny cabins. At that moment I saw that there were 4 sets of 3 cable cars operating, 2 sets going in each direction, all dangling on the slender ropeway.
To read more about the attractions of Saputara go to my TripAdvisor reviews: Saputara Adventure Park., Sunrise Point., Ropeway Cable Car., Sunset Point., Table Point., Saputara Lake., Lake Garden., Nageshwar Mahadev Temple.,
After that we tried to find a suitable place for lunch. One hotel ‘Chitrakoot’ was advertising Gujarati thali for Rs.139, but we had already left it behind on Sunset Point road. So we drove back towards the lake. Hotel Lake View had a very glass and concrete look about it and already seemed overcrowded. So we went to Shilpi Hill Resort which was located just behind Lake View. The resort seemed quite good and even had a small swimming pool. We went to the restaurant in the basement called ‘Mazzale’. It was nice and ac with glass windows covered by shades to prevent glare. We wanted to order Gujarati Thali but it was priced quite high at Rs.275. it must have been a buffet type with starter snacks and sweet dish. So we settled for a ‘Chinese Sizzler’ which was priced at Rs.300. We had buttermilk and masala papad as starters. The waiter also took a snap of us while we were waiting. The sizzler was quite good with stuffed tomato and capsicum, French fries, a veg cutlet, some Manchurian gravy with mushrooms, carrots and other vegetables mixed with rice and noodles. One dish was sufficient for both of us.
Read more about this restaurant here.
We got back to our room at 3 pm, and Geeta went to the curio shop while I caught up with the TOI newspaper. We rested for another hour and then had coffee. I went for a stroll to Anando Palms restaurant and had a short chat with their manager. He told me that ClubM had taken the resort on a 10 year lease from Anando about 2 years back. Now they were only running the restaurant which has a nice garden surrounded by bottle palms.
I watched the TV news till dinner time. Then we had MTR Paneer Peas with bread, and dahi.
Hatgad to Saputara distance is only 6 km by road.
We had breakfast of MTR Poha packets made by soaking the rice flakes in boiling water for 3 minutes. I got ready by 10 am. We left our room at 11.30 am to go to Saputara, leaving the room to be cleaned in our absence.
We passed the border check post to enter Gujarat and then immediately entered Saputara by paying an entry fee of Rs.30. There was no one manning the border check post which I found weird as Gujarat is supposed to be a dry state. We first reached the lake and took a left turn to go to Sunset Point and the Adventure Park. It was also the road to the Vaity Hill Resort which runs the ropeway. The ropeway seems to be the most popular attraction of Saputara as there was an hour long Q of people standing in the stalls to book the ticket costing Rs.62 per head. Instead we went right up to the Saputara Table Land and Adventure Park. We had to pay a parking fee of Rs.30. It looked like the Table Land of Panchgani, though not so flat, but there were good views of the hills all around. The Sunset Point is also located here. There were a lot of food stalls selling snacks. We had a plate of onion bhajjis for Rs.50 and it was quite substantial. There were also horse and camel rides, as well as tandem bicycles and mini motorbikes available for joy rides for kids and learners. I had forgotten to bring my Canon so I took snaps with my MotoG.
 |
| Table Point. |
Around 1 pm we left from there and drove down towards the Sunrise Point. We stopped mid-way where we got good network connectivity and saw all our messages.
 |
| Sunrise Point. |
Sunrise Point was at the top of another hill and the area was quite well laid out with paved pathways as well as jogging tracks and stone benches. The only thing lacking was the greenery. Maybe they had not yet planted any saplings, and the area seemed quite like a ruined village from the top, though the view all around was quite good. One could get a 360 degree view of the whole of Saputara, including the lake and the ropeway in the distance with the tiny cabins. At that moment I saw that there were 4 sets of 3 cable cars operating, 2 sets going in each direction, all dangling on the slender ropeway.
To read more about the attractions of Saputara go to my TripAdvisor reviews: Saputara Adventure Park., Sunrise Point., Ropeway Cable Car., Sunset Point., Table Point., Saputara Lake., Lake Garden., Nageshwar Mahadev Temple.,
After that we tried to find a suitable place for lunch. One hotel ‘Chitrakoot’ was advertising Gujarati thali for Rs.139, but we had already left it behind on Sunset Point road. So we drove back towards the lake. Hotel Lake View had a very glass and concrete look about it and already seemed overcrowded. So we went to Shilpi Hill Resort which was located just behind Lake View. The resort seemed quite good and even had a small swimming pool. We went to the restaurant in the basement called ‘Mazzale’. It was nice and ac with glass windows covered by shades to prevent glare. We wanted to order Gujarati Thali but it was priced quite high at Rs.275. it must have been a buffet type with starter snacks and sweet dish. So we settled for a ‘Chinese Sizzler’ which was priced at Rs.300. We had buttermilk and masala papad as starters. The waiter also took a snap of us while we were waiting. The sizzler was quite good with stuffed tomato and capsicum, French fries, a veg cutlet, some Manchurian gravy with mushrooms, carrots and other vegetables mixed with rice and noodles. One dish was sufficient for both of us.
Read more about this restaurant here.
 |
| Mazzale Restaurant at Shilpi Hill Resort. |
We got back to our room at 3 pm, and Geeta went to the curio shop while I caught up with the TOI newspaper. We rested for another hour and then had coffee. I went for a stroll to Anando Palms restaurant and had a short chat with their manager. He told me that ClubM had taken the resort on a 10 year lease from Anando about 2 years back. Now they were only running the restaurant which has a nice garden surrounded by bottle palms.
I watched the TV news till dinner time. Then we had MTR Paneer Peas with bread, and dahi.
Hatgad to Saputara distance is only 6 km by road.
DAY 4: June 20, 2018; Wednesday. Hatgad - Saputara.
I got up at 6.45 am and was about to leave for my walk when I saw that Geeta was also awake and ready to come for a walk with me. So I suggested that we have a cup of tea, then drive to Saputara for breakfast. We did that and reached Saputara at 8.15 am. I first filled petrol at the IOC pump (Vaibhav Laxmi Petroleum). Petrol is about R.6 cheaper than in Maharashtra so I filled the full tank, 19.01 litres for Rs.1450.
We then stopped near the lake to check our messages. We then went and parked in the parking lot and walked to the food stalls opposite the lake. We had a double omelet with 2 paos for Rs.60 each, then we went to Hotel Lake View for coffee. Coffee was Rs.50 each cup but it was good Nescafe with an extra coffee sachet and sugar sachets provided. The restaurant was air-con but the prices were on the higher side. Chinese sizzler, which we had for Rs.300 at Shilpi was Rs.410 here.
We then walked to Artist’s Village, but it turned out to be a lodge, and we couldn’t find the entrance to the art gallery. So we walked back to the car and went to the shopping centre to pick up dahi, milk and cheese slices. While returning we saw some boys selling strawberries and kala jamun by the roadside. We picked up a wati of strawberries, around 400 gms for Rs.50; they were small and not as juicy as the Mahabaleshwar variety.
We returned to ClubM by 10.45 am and had our bath, and then relaxed in the room till lunchtime. We went down for lunch at 1.30 pm. The restaurant was nice and air-conditioned. They were offering Gujarati thali for Rs.375 per person, and buffet lunch for senior citizens was priced at 446. Instead we ordered methi chicken with one naan each. The methi chicken was quite good, not too oily or spicy.
I rested in the room and slept for half an hour while Geeta went down to the curio shop. We went out again after a cup of tea and eating some peanuts and strawberries.
We wanted to drive up and then climb up to the fort but there was a barricade. The timing to enter the fort road is from 8.30 am to 5 pm. As the gate was closed, instead we drove towards Saputara to the point where I had seen a watch-tower by the side of the road. I got out of the car and trekked up the side of the hill next to the watchtower (which was in a broken down condition) and took some snaps of the Hatgad hill and Saputara in the distance, about 1 km away. Then we drove back without entering Saputara and I went for a half hour walk in the resort. We had dinner at around 9 pm. We opened a packet of Gits Veg biryani, and MTR’s Paneer Makhani.
We then stopped near the lake to check our messages. We then went and parked in the parking lot and walked to the food stalls opposite the lake. We had a double omelet with 2 paos for Rs.60 each, then we went to Hotel Lake View for coffee. Coffee was Rs.50 each cup but it was good Nescafe with an extra coffee sachet and sugar sachets provided. The restaurant was air-con but the prices were on the higher side. Chinese sizzler, which we had for Rs.300 at Shilpi was Rs.410 here.
 |
| At Saputara Lake Parking area. |
We then walked to Artist’s Village, but it turned out to be a lodge, and we couldn’t find the entrance to the art gallery. So we walked back to the car and went to the shopping centre to pick up dahi, milk and cheese slices. While returning we saw some boys selling strawberries and kala jamun by the roadside. We picked up a wati of strawberries, around 400 gms for Rs.50; they were small and not as juicy as the Mahabaleshwar variety.
We returned to ClubM by 10.45 am and had our bath, and then relaxed in the room till lunchtime. We went down for lunch at 1.30 pm. The restaurant was nice and air-conditioned. They were offering Gujarati thali for Rs.375 per person, and buffet lunch for senior citizens was priced at 446. Instead we ordered methi chicken with one naan each. The methi chicken was quite good, not too oily or spicy.
I rested in the room and slept for half an hour while Geeta went down to the curio shop. We went out again after a cup of tea and eating some peanuts and strawberries.
We wanted to drive up and then climb up to the fort but there was a barricade. The timing to enter the fort road is from 8.30 am to 5 pm. As the gate was closed, instead we drove towards Saputara to the point where I had seen a watch-tower by the side of the road. I got out of the car and trekked up the side of the hill next to the watchtower (which was in a broken down condition) and took some snaps of the Hatgad hill and Saputara in the distance, about 1 km away. Then we drove back without entering Saputara and I went for a half hour walk in the resort. We had dinner at around 9 pm. We opened a packet of Gits Veg biryani, and MTR’s Paneer Makhani.
 |
| Watchtower between Hatgad and Saputara |
DAY 5: June 21, 2018; Thursday. Hatgad - Saputara.
We got up at 6.30 am and after having tea with rusk I went for a walk around to the fort. The road leading up to the fort opens for vehicles at 8.30 am, but I was walking up. At first I thought that I may not be able to climb all the way up, but then I reached the end of the road within 15 minutes, and that was almost half way up. The rest of the way up was by ascending a steep flight of steps cut between the rocks. It took me another fifteen minutes to climb up the steps as they were quite high. I think the vertical climb up must have been about 400 feet from ClubM level, and the distance walked must have been about a km and a half. I left ClubM at 7.05 am and reached the fort plateau at 7.45 am.
I walked around the fort precincts for about half an hour taking pics. There was a good breeze blowing clouds of vapour upwards but the clouds were not very dense. There were some water tanks filled with brackish water and most of the structures were in ruins. Many of the steps between the ramparts and the interiors of the fort were also broken and strewn with rubble and stones, and I had to step very carefully lest I slip.
It took only about 20 minutes to descend down and get back to ClubM, but it was a great sense of achievement to have reached the top of the fort where the flagpole, which is visible from the resort, is seen standing. Looking at the hill fort from below it seems unbelievable that I had climbed to the top and back in one and a half hours. I did not pass a soul all through the trek.
Read more about the Hatgad Village Fort in TripAdvisor.
We relaxed after having a breakfast of MTR ‘khatti meethi poha’ and Amul flavoured milk. We got the room cleaned and then left for some sight-seeing and lunch at 1 pm. We first went to the Lake-View Garden, where I took a 10 minute stroll and some pics. Then we visited the Nageshwar Mahadev temple, which is a nice small temple, surrounded by some peepul trees, and nestled in a sacred grove. There was a Nandi bull at the entrance and a couple of cows standing nearby, but there was no pujari inside and the temple seemed deserted. I took some snaps.
We then proceeded towards Hotel Chitrakoot which had put up signboards advertising their Gujarati thali (Rs.139), and Punjabi thali (169). We opted for the Gujju thali. There was unlimited potato and cabbage vegetables, watana gravy, chapattis, white and yellow dahi curries to be taken with rice, and papad, pickle, chutney and salad. We took also some farsan (pakoras) and sweet dish (gulab jamun) too, which was chargeable (Rs.220) with the extras. The food was quite tasty and wholesome and we enjoyed eating an unlimited meal which tasted like 'ghar ka khana'.
Hotel Chitrakoot was a nicely laid out resort on the hillside with a lot of greenery, gardens, playgrounds, and models of animals like elephant and deer. I took many snaps at the resort and their restaurant. The room tariff was Rs.5000 for an ac, and Rs.4400 for a non ac room.
You can read more about Hotel Chitrakoot restaurant in my TripAdvisor review Excellent Gujarati Thali.
We caught up with our messages before returning to ClubM at 3 pm. Then we rested till 5 pm.
I went for an evening walk towards Nashik side and passed Madhav Hotel, Hotel Kesar, and another which had nice greenery as well as a swimming pool, and serving Gujarati and Kathiawadi thalis.
Tomorrow we head back to Nashik and Trimbakeshwar, so we hit the sack early at 10 pm.
Route map from Pune to Saputara:
 |
| Ascent to Hatgad Fort. |
I walked around the fort precincts for about half an hour taking pics. There was a good breeze blowing clouds of vapour upwards but the clouds were not very dense. There were some water tanks filled with brackish water and most of the structures were in ruins. Many of the steps between the ramparts and the interiors of the fort were also broken and strewn with rubble and stones, and I had to step very carefully lest I slip.
It took only about 20 minutes to descend down and get back to ClubM, but it was a great sense of achievement to have reached the top of the fort where the flagpole, which is visible from the resort, is seen standing. Looking at the hill fort from below it seems unbelievable that I had climbed to the top and back in one and a half hours. I did not pass a soul all through the trek.
Read more about the Hatgad Village Fort in TripAdvisor.
We relaxed after having a breakfast of MTR ‘khatti meethi poha’ and Amul flavoured milk. We got the room cleaned and then left for some sight-seeing and lunch at 1 pm. We first went to the Lake-View Garden, where I took a 10 minute stroll and some pics. Then we visited the Nageshwar Mahadev temple, which is a nice small temple, surrounded by some peepul trees, and nestled in a sacred grove. There was a Nandi bull at the entrance and a couple of cows standing nearby, but there was no pujari inside and the temple seemed deserted. I took some snaps.
 |
| Lake Garden Saputara |
 |
| Nageshwar Mahadev Temple |
We then proceeded towards Hotel Chitrakoot which had put up signboards advertising their Gujarati thali (Rs.139), and Punjabi thali (169). We opted for the Gujju thali. There was unlimited potato and cabbage vegetables, watana gravy, chapattis, white and yellow dahi curries to be taken with rice, and papad, pickle, chutney and salad. We took also some farsan (pakoras) and sweet dish (gulab jamun) too, which was chargeable (Rs.220) with the extras. The food was quite tasty and wholesome and we enjoyed eating an unlimited meal which tasted like 'ghar ka khana'.
Hotel Chitrakoot was a nicely laid out resort on the hillside with a lot of greenery, gardens, playgrounds, and models of animals like elephant and deer. I took many snaps at the resort and their restaurant. The room tariff was Rs.5000 for an ac, and Rs.4400 for a non ac room.
 |
| Lunch at Hotel Chitrakoot, Saputara |
You can read more about Hotel Chitrakoot restaurant in my TripAdvisor review Excellent Gujarati Thali.
We caught up with our messages before returning to ClubM at 3 pm. Then we rested till 5 pm.
I went for an evening walk towards Nashik side and passed Madhav Hotel, Hotel Kesar, and another which had nice greenery as well as a swimming pool, and serving Gujarati and Kathiawadi thalis.
Tomorrow we head back to Nashik and Trimbakeshwar, so we hit the sack early at 10 pm.
Route map from Pune to Saputara:
