Sunday, January 31, 2010

Travel Diary : Tungareshwar, Vasai


Tungareshwar, Vasai, originally uploaded by atanu.maity.

Tungareshwar is at an altitude of about 2177 feet, one of the highest mountain plateaus in Vasai. Green Forest, water way, rock, perfect palce for day picnic, near Mumbai.

For most trekkers the starting point is the western highway junction, which is about a kilometer from the base. At the base there is a forest check post. From this point onward starts the actual trek of Tungareshwar. After about a 3 km hike and walking through two streams, you reach the Lord Shiva temple. his place is frequented by pilgrims and at times can be crowded so it is preferable to avoid weekends. For many picnickers this is the destination for enjoyment. A visit to the temple and a swim in the overflowing water pond is all they want out of this outing.

For the real trekker to Tungareshwar this is the first halt. From this point there are two options:
1. A trek right up to the top that is 8 km long (2 hours for average person one way)
2. A jungle trek to the Chinchoti waterfall (1 hour for an average person one way)
Both these treks are enjoyable and have their own charm. No amount of written words can describe this wonderful experience.