Lohagad Fort Lonavala-A Historical Fort and Best Trekking destination

Lohagad Fort

The Lohagad Fort is a historical fort situated along the Sahyadri hills in the Lonavala region of Maharashtra. In Marathi Loha means Iron. Perched atop a hillock at an altitude of 1050 m, the Lohagad Fort is a popular trekking place to visit near Pune. The Fort is designed in the shape of the tail of a scorpion and can be reached from any of its four entrances, namely Maha Darwaja, Ganesh Darwaja, Hanuman Darwaja, and Narayan Darwaja. There is a small cave at the third gate which was initially used for the storage of food material. All four gates of the fort are still compact. Lohagad Fort is a UNESCO world heritage site, situated about 52 kilometers away from Pune.

Lohagad Fort history

The Lohgad fort was built by Guru Govind Singh in 1564 CE to serve as a prison. Shivaji Maharaj captured this fort in 1648 CE, but he was forced to surrender it to the Mughals in 1665 CE by the Treaty of Purandar. Shivaji Maharaj again captured the fort in 1670 CE and used it for keeping his treasury. Later in Peshwa’s time, Nana Phadnavis used this fort for living and built several structures in the fort such as a big tank and a step-well. Now the fort has been declared a protected monument by the government. Lohagad fort map- Lohgad map showing the route from Lonavala and Major towns around the Lohgad Fort.

Lohagad fort trek

Lohagad Fort is the most popular trekking destination for trekkers from Pune and Mumbai because of its accessibility, ease of trek, and lush green atmosphere. The Lohagad trek is the best hiking destination, especially during monsoons. Malavli is the base of the trek, which is around 7 km from Lohagad. The trek is very scenic, and pleasant and the distance from Malavli and Lohagad can be covered in two hours. The trek to the fort is easy and perfect for first-timers, making it a favorite haunt for hiking and thrilling trek route.

Also, Read- Bhavani Island- A Weekend family Destination near Vijayawada

Lohagad Fort is also connected to its twin Visapur Fort. There are stone steps all the way up to the top of the fort and there is a steady flow of water on these steps during monsoon, so avoid stepping on moss. A well-paved road has been built to the base of the fort and a lot of people visit Lohagad during monsoon weekends, making it a crowded place.

The place to see in Lohgad fort

Lohgad fort Lonawala offers aerial views of Karla, Bhaja caves, and Pawna Lake. The highlight of the Lohagad fort trek is the ‘Vinchu Kata’ fortification that resembles a scorpion’s tail. This structure is situated outside of the main fortification and requires an additional 15-20 minutes of walking to reach the edge. The Dargah is another major place within Lohagad Fort which is located near Maha Darwaja.

How to Reach the Fort

Lohgad Fort Lonawala is located at a distance of 11 km from Lonavala, 52 km from Pune & 114 km from Mumbai,  It is one of the best tourist places to visit in Lonavala. The best way to reach Fort is by Cab near the base point-Lohagadwadi village and then trek all the way up to the fort.