Harihar Fort Nashik – Maharashtra is one of those states in India which boasts of their hill forts. You can discover every single region of this wonderful state favored with such forts. Let’st start with Harihar Fort (Nashik)- History, How To Reach, And Best Time To Visit
Harihar Fort is one of those beautiful forts that is located in the Nashik district of Maharashtra at a distance of about 40km from the main city. The fort is one of the important watchtowers constructed to look at the trade route through Gonda Ghat.
Harihar Fort Nashik
The history of Harihar Fort stretches back to the period of the Yadava dynasty between the 9th and 14th centuries. Harihar is a syncretism deity in Hinduism, combining the two major gods Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara). The Vishnu and Shiva came together in a new avatar called HariHara and killed demon Guhasura.
Harihar Fort was constructed to guard the trade route. Later on, it was caught by a few different invaders and local rulers until it went under the control of the British Army.
If you would love a perfect mix of history, pleasant nature, and adventure then you must head towards Harihar Fort. On one hand, you get the chance to enjoy the historical backdrop of Yadava line and other leaders of Maharashtra through the remains of the forts and then again, you can savor the magnificence of nature as you trek up the hill.
How to Reach Harihar Fort from Mumbai?
There are some best and simple approaches to reach Harihar Fort.
Reach Harihar Fort by Air
The closest Airport to Harihar Fort is situated in Mumbai at a distance of around 165 km. From the air terminal, you can get an immediate taxi to Harihar Fort. You can also catch a bus from Mumbai to Nashik and then from there, a cab to Harihar Fort. The distance between Nashik and Harihar Fort is almost 40km.
Reach Harihar Fort by Train
Nashik is the nearest rail-head from Harihar Fort. You can take a direct train to Nashik junction and then from there a cab to the base of Harihar fort and also there is a local train station named Dhanawala Wada Railway Station (DHVR) nearby but with limited railway connectivity.
You can take a train from Mumbai to Harihar Fort by means of Kalyan Junction and Kasara is around 3h 50min. This is also the cheapest way to get from Mumbai to Harihar Fort which normally costs Rs 550 to Rs 950.
Reach Harihar Fort by road
The distance between Mumbai and Harihar Fort is 169km. As Harihar Fort is situated on a hill, it can’t be gotten to by road.
You can arrive at its base by hiring a taxi or getting transport and afterward from that point; you have to trek up the hill by finding a way to arrive at the summit of the fort.
The Purple bus operates a Bus from Mumbai to Harihar Fort every 15 minutes. The journey takes 5h 30 min. The quickest way to get from Mumbai to Harihar Fort is to taxi which costs Rs 3800 to Rs 4,600 and takes 2h 30min.
Trip to Harihar Fort
On this trek to Harihar Fort, you will climb up to an elevation of 3,600 feet as you hike through shrub forests and farms on mountain slopes.
Yet, the feature of this outing is the last stretch of the path when you’re confronted with a steep staircase cut into the stones of the fort.
A steep and adventurous climb, you will take the rock-cut stairs for over 200 feet to reach the Harihar Fort.
Upon reaching the fort after a 3-hour trek, you will catch spectacular views of the Phani Hill, Brahma Parvat and the mountains near Trimbakeshwar and views of Vaitrana.
This trek will lead you over a well-defined trail of relatively moderate to easy difficulty, making it perfect for fit beginners as well as experienced trekkers.
Tourists require more precautions to visit Harihar Fort in the monsoon as the stairs become slippery and it is too risky.
Recommended:
Important things to carry in Harihar Fort
- Identity Proof
- A bottle of water
- Some ready to eat food – biscuits, plum cakes, etc.
- Glucose, ORS, personal care medicines.
- A good trekking shoes and an extra pair of socks
- Windcheater
- A haversack to put in all the things to be carried, so that one has one’s hand free while trekking.
- Camera
- Avoid wearing ornaments.
Best Time to visit Harihar Fort
The trek of Harihar Fort is tiring due to stiff climbing. The last 250 feet of the climbing is an amazing experience.
through soak rock-cut stairs slanted at 80 degrees. However, the best time to visit is the point at which the atmosphere is positive, and the temperature conditions are optimum i.e., from October to February.
