HARIHAR FORT

OVERVIEW

District : Nashik
Hill Range: Trimbakeshwar
Height above sea level : 3500 feet
Difficulty rating : Medium
Base village : Harshewadi, Harihar
Nearest City : Trimbakeshwar
Approx. time to reach the top : Approximately 2 hours via Harihar. 1 hour via Harshewadi.
Google Map Co-ordinate :

How To Reach

Via Igatpuri - Trimbakeshwar - Khodala : Ahead of Nirgudpada lies the village of Kasurli. One can alight here by boarding the bus of Igatpuri - Trimbakeshwar - Khodala. From this village one has to climb a small hill where Harshewadi is located. From Harshewadi the way to the fort is easy and can be climbed within an hour.

Via Kasara or Nasik : One has reach Igatpuri via Kasara or Nasik. From Igatpuri board in a bus for Trimbakeshwar and alight at Nirgudpada, the base village of Harihar. From here a route leads us up to the rock-sheet from where the steps begin. One can reach the fort-top within about two hours via this route.

Place To Stay / Eat

Water availability : The cisterns on the fort provide perennial source of drinking water. Food : One has to make arrangement for his own food. Shelter : 10 - 12 persons can stay in the palace on the fort.

Places Of Interest

While climbing the fort, we come across a rock-sheet, which has got steps carved in it. Also many grooves have been carved here for additional support. After climbing these steps, we get upto the entrance door. There is a cavern ahead of this door. Again we come across few steps after a short distance walk from this cavern. On climbing these steps we reach to the main entrance door of this fort. The fort has got a tapering plateau with a raised level in the middle.

One secret door is located at the edge of this fort, but the way to this door has now got blocked. There is a small temple of Lord Hanumana and Lord Shiva on the plateau. A small pond is there in front of this temple. Water from this pond can be used for drinking. Making headway from here we come across a palace having two rooms in it. 10 to 12 persons can be accommodated in this palace. There are five cisterns along one side of the palace, one of which has water suitable for drinking.

One of the vertical drops of the fort facing the Nirgudpada village is called 'Scottish kada', perhaps because it was climbed for the first time in November 1986 by Doug Scott, the legendary himalayan mountaineer & took him two days to do the climb. This cliff is about 170 meters in height. Looking at the cliff from any angle gives one a gulp down the throat! The trek to Harihar takes about 2.5 hrs one way.