Night trek to Prabhalmachi and Kalavantin Durg with MPA

Kalavantin durg 

      What started off as an attempt to get rid of my vertigo , soon transformed into love for the terrains . I grew up respecting nature and loving it more and more each time I set out to explore the woods.Having said that I am extra lucky to have a hubby who is equally passionate about travel and exploring new places . This leads me to my latest blog which is being penned down after ages !
A night trek has been on my bucket list for long and I wanted to cross it off asap . So we decided on this particular trek as it seemed enjoyable and we weren't wrong! I LOVED each and every minute of the trek !!!

            The trek was flagged off by all the participants meeting up at Panvel station , from wherein we proceeded by private transport to the base of Prabhalmachi village and started our ascent in pitch darkness . The trek leader Swapnil of Mumbai Pune Adventures and the co leader Khilti did a fabulous job of ensuring us safely reaching the midway base village. The ascent was fun for 2 reasons ,the first being it was pitch dark and I was excited to use my head torch ( Childlike I know! ) and the second being I could barely see beyond a few feet and it kind of scared me in a good way ! Like I literally did not know what was coming up and thanks to all those Hollywood movies I have seen ,my mind wasn't short of any options !! 😜😜😜 Mercifully all I had to endure was my husband trying to scare the shit outta me ! ( Did not succeed one bit in it !! *triumphant emoji* )

Head torches rock!

It took us 2.5 hours to get to the midway camp site where we had to pitch our tents . Here was the fun part ! The demo by Swapnil looked like a child's play , however when we set off to do the same we struggled for a good 20 minutes to erect our tent! Gusty winds too lent a hand in creating confusion and thwarting our attempts to pitch the tents safely ! Amidst all the laughter and ruckus we all successfully managed to build our nesting place for the night and set off to enjoy a sumptuous dinner .It was post midnight and needless to say we were famished !!

The campsite at Prabhalmachi

     








Post an authentic Maharashtrian thali ; our stomach content ;we huddled around the bonfire for some warmth and sought to gaze at the sky over us . It was surreal . We saw a few shooting stars and were spell bound by the twinkling stars. We can hardly see any stars in the city and it is so soothing to just lie down on the grass and gaze at the beautiful stars!!! The weather was getting chillier by each passing minute and the bonfire added warmth to our hearts as well . Well they say no bonfire is complete without games,selfies and horror stories and we adhered to this saying to the T ! So there went on an absolute cracker of a DUMB CHARADES session followed by spooky encounters narrated by some participants post which we all retired for the day .

Trek leader Swapnil preparing the bonfire        

Selfie maine leli aaj ;)

         A few hours of rest in the tent and it was time to set out for Kalavantin Durg . It being optional few decided to stay back whilst the rest set toward their conquest . In a nutshell Kalavantin comprises of 3 phases with each passing phase becoming trickier and steeper . A few chose to retire and rest post 2 patches whilst the rest made it to the pinnacle. All we need is the determination to keep going ahead no matter what and a pair of good shoes!! 😉 😉

   

The final frontier conquered!

Break time :) 

           Having said this let me tell you , I chose to stay back as I wanted to be in solitude with nature and take a few tough decisions which shall be determining the course of my near future . It paid off as I was able to prioritise and clear my mind for the better ! Also I felt so invigorated and at peace as I sat and meditated atop with no distractions .Sometimes all we need is a little ME time !!!  Once the remaining trekkers joined us post their descent , we all gorged on breakfast , Things seem extra delicious when had atop a mountain amidst a panoramic view , don't they ?😊😊

Blissful!

            Pretty soon post some photos, it was time for us to push off from this beautiful place leaving no trace of us behind ( What I liked the most about MPA ). I hate it when people litter and this was such a refreshing change to see everyone keep their surroundings spic and span! All in all this was a memorable outing for me as I was able to both chill as well make certain important decisions and recharge my batteries for the new year which is around the corner.

         

               Here's to the New Year 2018. May it usher in happiness for all of us ! CHEERS !

THE TREKKING GROUP