On the Edge of Sahyadris: 2013

The area from Ahupe to Kondhwal is an area which comes under core area of Bhimashankar wild life sanctuary and mountains like Ahupe,Damdamia,Ghonemal are located in this area and are not much accessible.Dense forests and no human settlements for miles makes this trek a very challenging
Ahupe to Kondhwal is a 9 kms walk and further 4 kms is Bhimashankar whereas Bhorgiri is a 7 kms walk further from Bhimashankar so this total area of forest is more than 200 sq kms

We planned a trek from Ahupe to Damdamia and further to Ghonemal and hence from Pune, We started around 6:30 am and reached Ahupe till 12:30 pm.It was a journey beyond Dimbhe dam backwaters.Ahupe is 48 kms from Dimbhe dam but takes too much time
We were 4 people I with Anirban,Kiran and Sudarshan.

How to reach Ahupe
From Pune
From Manchar, take the road towards Bhimashankar, you will reach Ghodegaon(12 kms) further 10 kms is Dimbhe colony.From here you will see wall of Dimbhe dam to your right.From here you will see a small road going towards right and left towards Bhimashankar.From here, leave the Bhimashankar road and turn right towards Dimbhe dam wall. From here,Ahupe is 48 kms

From Konkan(You have to climb 600 meters trek )
Reach Dehri/Khopivali(Base villages of Gorakhgad).From here climb the plateau between Gorakhgad and Ahupe ghat. You will reach Der Maata temple just below pinnacle of Gorakhgad.From here , climb down into the valley and a steep route in dense forests and through the waterfall will lead you to Devrai of Ahupe after 2.5 hours climb approx

From Bhimashankar
Take a bus from Manchar towards Bhimashankar and just 5 kms before Bhimashankar, get down at Kondhwal Fata.You will see a Tar road going towards your right and a board written Ahupe 15 kms.
Follow this Tar road (After 2 kms, this is not a Tar road and this is a normal bullock cart road in the forests)
6 kms after walking, you will reach Kondhwal village.Further walking on this road, you will reach Ahupe which is 9 kms .Our Trek route was exactly reverse of this.From Ahupe, we were following the route towards Bhimashankar and reach Damdamia

आहुपे कडून दमदम्या /भीमाशंकर कडे कसे जायचे ?

आहुपे गावात आल्यावर आपल्याला डावीकडे एक आश्रमशाळा दिसेल , त्या शाळे पासून डावीकडे एक बैल गाडी ची वाट तुम्हाला जंगलात गेलेली दिसेल . हीच वाट आहुपे -> कोंढवळ -> भीमाशंकर पर्यंत जाते (१५ कि मी ). या वाटेने जंगलातून कधी उतार तर कधी चढ करत तुम्हाला खाली साधारण ३०० फुट खोल दरी  दिसेल आणि दाट आणि भले मोठे पठार त्या दरीत दिसेल . या पठाराला साखर माची म्हणतात
हे पठार ओलांडून पुन्हा कोंढवळ कडे निघाल्यास पुढे "भट्टीचे रान " हे ठिकाण दिसेल . या ठिकाणी Forest check post आहे आणि सुदैवाने कोणी माणूस येथे असला तर तुम्ही दमदम्या ला जाणारी वाट विचारू शकतात . या check post पासून उजवीकडे जंगलात गेलात कि दमदम्या आणि खाली कोकणात सिद्धगड कडे उतरणारी वाट ज्याला बैल घाट म्हणतात त्या वाटेने जावे लागते आणि सरळ गेलात कि कोंढवळ-घोनेमाळ -भीमाशंकर   पर्यंत पोहोचता येते

But instead of Damdamia, we reached a different mountain
How???

It is a total different story
"चालती का नाम गाडी " या चित्रपटात एक किशोर कुमार ने  गाणे गायलेले  आठवते का ज्याच्यात शब्द असे पण आहेत " हम थे वो थे और समा रंगीन समझ गये ना , जाते थे  जापान पोहोच गये चिन समझ गये ना  "
या जंगलांनी , तिथल्या वातावरणाने इतकी भुरळ पडली कि आम्हाला जायचे होते  दमदम्या ला पण पोहोचलो खेतोबा ला
पण जे होते ते चांगल्या साठीच होते

साखर माची पर्यंत पोहोचल्यावर जंगलात खूप आत आलो होतो आणि तीन डोंगर एकदम एक सारखे दिसत होते ,आणि सगळे आमच्या उजवीकडे होते जिथे आम्हाला जायचे होते  आणि या मध्ये दमदम्या नक्की कोणता हे ओळखता येत नव्हते कारण विचारायला कोणाच नव्हते , भट्टीचे रान दिसत नव्हते  तसेच सिद्धगड पण दिसत नव्हता ज़र सिद्धगड दिसला असता तर दमदम्या ओळखता आला असता कारण सिद्धगड आणि दमदम्या हे एकमेकांच्या शेजारी आहेत त्यामुळे आम्ही असे ठिकाण शोधत होतो कि जिथून सिद्धगड पण दिसू शकतो
त्यामुळे आमच्या उजवीकडे असलेल्या पहिल्या डोंगर कडे निघालो . अर्धा तास झाल्यावर आम्हाला खाली दरीत साखर माची आणि लांब सिद्धगड दिसला आणि तेव्हा कळले कि त्या तीन एक सारख्या दिसणाऱ्या डोंगरांमध्ये सर्वात शेवटी व लांब असलेले डोंगर म्हणजे दमदम्या पण तिथे जायचे म्हणजे ती दरी उतरून साखर माची च्या पलीकडे जायचे आणि त्या जंगलात कुठे तरी उजवीकडे वळणारी वाट धरायची पण विचारण्या साठी कोणी माणूस दिसत नव्हता. आम्ही पुन्हा साखर माची कडे निघालो
दूर लांब  वर त्या जंगलात आम्हाला एक मावशी येताना दिसल्या .आम्ही लगेच धावत तिकडे पोहोचलो . त्या मावशी कोंढवळ येथून आहुपे कडे चालल्या होत्या त्यांना आम्ही दमदम्या बद्दल  विचारले पण दमदम्या खूप लांब होता कारण आता दुपारचे तीन वाजले आणि मग परत यायला रात्र होईल असे त्या मावशींचे म्हणणे होते
त्यामुळे आम्ही ठरवले कि पुढच्या वेळेला रात्री एस टी ने आहुपे ला यायचे आणि मुक्काम करायचा आणि पहाटे भीमाशंकर कडे याच वाटेने निघून  दमदम्या-घोनेमाळ चा ट्रेक करत भीमाशंकर कडे यायचे

आता आमच्या कडे  ३ तास शिल्लक होते त्यामुळे दुसरे काही ठिकाण पण आम्ही बघत होतो कारण आम्हाला आहुपे गावात संध्याकाळी ५:३० पर्यंत पोहोचायचे होते
त्या मावशींकडून आम्ही दुसऱ्या वाटेची माहिती करून घेतली जी आहुपे च्या सर्वात उंच ठिकाणी(११५० मीटर ) जाते ज्याला स्थानिक लोक खेतोबा म्हणतात . त्या वाटेने आम्ही निघालो

We walked almost 6 kms in forests from Ahupe and there were 3 mountains which were looking same and all were on our right side it was not possible for us to identify which is Damdamia.There was nobody in this forest to tell us hence we decided to search from all possible directions.We explored first mountain towards right and after climbing it,we realized that we were very far away from Damdamia.After climbing this mountain, we were able to see Siddhagad far away and since Siddhagad and Damdamia is close, we realized that we were diverted to a different direction.In the meantime, very far away,we saw one lady in forest whom we asked and confirmed about Damdamia.But now it was very late because it was almost 3:00 pm we had to descend down towards a plateau and then climb Damdamia thus it will be almost night time to reach Ahupe so we decided to do it next time by coming early in morning to Ahupe
Now we started our journey back and then we saw a small route going towards left in the dense forests.We asked the lady once again.She told that this route is towards Khetoba temple and it is used by people to descend into Konkan via Sakhar Maachi Plateau and since it can be reached in around 1 hour hence we decided to go here and then come back to Ahupe.So the lady going to Ahupe went ahead and we took left into the dense forests and after climbing and walking through the huge plateau filled with igneous volcanic rocks , we reached the Khetoba temple in around 45 minutes and that to without panicking on a huge plateau with many confusing routes in dense forests and nobody to guide us.
We reached this place which is the topmost point(1150 meters) in Ahupe-Bhimashankar region

So after this, we reached the topmost point of Ahupe in next 10 minutes and further around 4:30 pm , we again started our journey back to Ahupe , we reached back to village around 6:00 pm and started back to Pune around 6:30 pm

Trek Map of Ahupe Region

Just Before reaching Ahupe.Flowers like Kass Pathar on our way

Trek Route to Bhimashankar from Ahupe village

Plateau of Ahupe and the village seen below

This was the topmost point where we reached instead of Damdamia

Inside the Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary.We spotted a Giant Indian Squirrel here

Far to our front the Damdamia mountain.This Place is towards Sakhar Maachi siddhagad having a huge plateau and very rarely with any human settlements for miles.This is the core area of Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary

Towards Sakhar Maachi into the core area of Bhimashankar

Our route to the Ahupe topmost point after dropping idea of Damdamia

Ahupe topmost point

A view of Siddhagad to front

Siddhagad (Front) and Damdamia(Left) where we intended to go initially

Khetoba temple on top of Ahupe

A view of Sakhar Machi village below Ahupe

View of Ahupe Plateau till Dhakoba-Nane Ghat area

The small hill to front from where, we left the Bhimashankar route and entered the forests to come at this place

View of Konkan from Ahupe. This is one route to descend down in Konkan

Damdamia(Left 1003 m) the mountain from where britishers fired cannons on Siddhagad(982 m) in 1821 because from Konkan, britishers were not able to capture sidhagad hence they brought cannons on top of Damdamia

Gorakhgad and Siddhagad from Ahupe.We reached here till 6:00 pm evening

Ahupe Ghat a place behind Bhimashankar-Ghonemal(घोनेमाळ )-Damdamia(दमदम्या ) situated between Bhimashankar and Durg-Dhakoba very much behind the Dimbhe Dam backwaters
A Heavenly place to have a joy walk over the clouds from a small tribal village till the topmost point

From Pune side, the trek is not much climb.it is hardly a climb of 100 to 150 meters and around 2 kms walk whereas from Konkan, it is a extensive trek of around 800 meters of steep straight climb with around 10 kms walking behind Gorakhgad in Konkan

Base villages :
Dehri/Khopivali in Murbad Taluka Dist Thane
Ahupe village , Ambegaon(Ghodegaon) Taluka Dist Pune

How to Go to Ahupe
1) From Pune

Reach Manchar on Pune-Nasik Highway, take left towards Bhimashankar
Ghodegaon(घोडेगाव ) is 13 kms on that road.Further from Ghodegaon , reach Dimbhe(डिंभे) colony which is 10 kms from Ghodegaon
Further approx 1 km ahead from Dimbhe colony, the bhimashankar road takes sharp left turn towards the ghat (पोखरी घाट ) just from this point, you will see Dimbhe dam wall to your right and one small road going towards Dimbhe dam wall
Follow this road , this is the road going to Ahupe(आहुपे) village which is 48 kms from Dimbhe dam wall
The road is throughought the hilly regions behind the backwaters of Dimbhe dam
After 2 hours , you can reach Ahupe village

From Ahupe village, the topmost point is hardly 100 to 150 meters.Little bit higher than Parvati(पर्वती) in Pune hence anyone with family can also come here(Only beware of final point because it is very narrow strip with valley from 3 sides just like Arthur seat point of Mahabaleshwar)

From Pune,you need to have your own vehicle because beyond Dimbhe Dam, chances of getting vehicles is very less.There are jeeps from Ghodegaon till Ahupe but very few hardly 2 to 3 in a day and buses only in Morning.
After the afternoon 12:30 pm, there is no bus to return back(The Ahupe-Shivajinagar 12:30 pm bus via Pimpri Chinchwad is the last bus from here)

Overnight staying in Ahupe

For overnight stay , there is a bus from Manchar around 4:00 pm which reaches Ahupe around 7:00 pm
Stay can be made at many places Just before Ahupe village, there is an old temple in thick forests called Gram daivat (ग्राम दैवत मंदिर ) of Ahupe
One can stay here overnight
Also in Ahupe village, there is an School , where one can stay
Bhimashankar is 15 kms walk from from here through the sanctuary and circumventing Damdamia mountain

2) Reaching Ahupe From Konkan Mumbai/Kalyan

From Kalyan, take bus to Murbad and get bus to reach Dehri(देहरी ) /khopavli(खोपावली ) the base villages of Gorakhgad in Konkan

Ahupe and Gorakhgad are having common trek routes.
Climb Half the Gorakhgad till Der Mata Mandir(देर माता मंदिर ) and from there , follow the steep route going down in forests overlooking Gorakhgad , you will join one route coming from Khopivali and then the route becomes very steep and ferocious.After 3 to 4 hours of climb, you will reach the topmost point of Ahupe and further to Ahupe village

About Ahupe ghat
Ahupe ghat is having 16 points as per the local people.It is the Mahabaleshwar of Tribal area

Ahupe ghat is a route used by tribals to descend to konkan
There are many ghat routes to descend in Konkan nearby Ahupe

1) From Ahupe village, there is Ahupe Ghat
2) Further, between Ahupe and Damdamia , there is another ghat route called as bail ghat( बैल घाट ) which is a route of animals(गुरांची वाट) to descend down in Konkan
3) Also from Ahupe, there is a route behind Damdamia(दमदम्या डोंगर ) ->Sakhar Maachi( साखर माची पठार ) to Siddhagad and to descend in Konkan
4) From Ahupe, Done(डोणे ) village is around 6 kms .From Doni village, there is one ghat route to descend in Konkan called as Done Daar(डोणे दार ) which is also known as Trigundara ghat(त्रिगुणदरां घाट ) and further the trek route goes to Durg Dhakoba to Amboli in Junnar

The whole region between Durg Dhakoba till Bhimashankar is a flat plateau of height between 800 to 1200 meters with mountain peaks on top of the plateau and thick forests in between and small tribal hamlets situated in these forests

Livelihood of local people
The local tribal people grow rice in fields and usually collect honey, medicinal herbs from forests for selling in markets at konkan and at Bhimashankar and they hunt for food.They usually catch fish,crabs and hunt wild pigs , rabbits etc

Places to see in Ahupe
As said earlier, Ahupe is having 16 points showing different views from Bhimashankar, Siddhagad,Gorakhgad , Durg Dhakoba , There is a big flat plateau everywhere on the edge of konkan with steep rock faces everywhere

Trek Combinations to and From Ahupe

1) Gorakhgad trek can be associated with Ahupe Ghat since Gorakhgad and Ahupe has common routes
2) Ahupe-Damdamia-Kondhwal-Bhimashankar(15 kms walk through dense bhimashankar sanctuary)
3) Siddhagad-Bail ghat(बैल घाट)-Damdamia-Ahupe
4) Ahupe-Doni-Durg-Dhakoba-Amboli

Here are some photos along with Map

Myself at top with Gorakhgad and Machhindragad pinnacles seen down in the valley

Dimbhe dam backwaters

Roads along with backwaters of Dimbhe in the ghat

Myself

Mahesh

Nearby Ahupe Village

Deep valley below not seen because of fog and dense trees below

Ashramshala in Ahupe Village.This is a school till 10th Standard

On way to Ahupe ghat top point

Approaching topmost point of Ahupe ghat

Huge waterfalls everywhere

Steep Rock Faces and deep valleys with huge waterfalls

A view of Gorge with huge waterfall in valleys.This is just half.This much part only was fitting in Camera

Still not got full picture.Half of this waterfall is still falling in valley which could not be picturized due to fog.Just dared to look below on the edge and take photograph