Top 10 Cannot Miss Monsoon Destinations by Bhramar Travel Group Founder - Anup Malandkar #TravelTips - The Happy Getaway 2017

Top 10 Cannot Miss Monsoon Destinations by Bhramar Travel Group Founder - Anup Malandkar #TravelTips

It's a new rainy weekend. And I'm sure you are looking for new reasons to get out of your skin and do something you've never pushed yourself to do before. And we got you covered like always. 

For this weekend's edition I reached out to my dear friend Anup Malandkar who is the founder of the Bhramar Travel group. He is a great leader and travel enthusiast. Organizing trips, doing recces and leading the troops you'll always find him smiling, sharing history and antidote's of how to become an ideal traveler. After a lot of pestering and convincing he has finally given me his personalised and suggestive top 10 Monsoon Destinations that he thinks you should visit these monsoon's. 

So without any further a due, here are Anup Malandkar's Top 10 Monsoon Destinations that you cannot miss visiting during this monsoons:

1) Korigad

Korigad can be visited in any season. The best time to see fort is from October to May. There are heavy rains in this region; however this fort attracts many people in rainy season, but due to fog and rains you may not be able to see the beauty around this fort.

2) Rajmachi

Rajmachi Fort is a popular destination for nature lovers, trekkers and for outdoor campers. In rainy season from mid-June to mid-October, this region is all the more beautiful with clouds, sparkling silvery water falls, streams, lush green forests and meadows.

3) Naneghat

Malshej was at its best in the Monsoon you can enjoy all the 3 seasons in one day at Malshej. It goes from Sunny - Cold - Raining in no time there are hundreds of waterfall adjoined the ghat were a lot of people are picnicking. MTDC resort has the best location

to stay.

4) Kothaligad - Peth

There is a small temple and large cave at the base and a chimney like tunnel to the top of the fort. This pinnacle is carved from inside forming a staircase reaching the top. There is a tank of water(rock cut water cistern) at some distance from the cave and another one at the top of the fort[1]. The stone is a single black expanse reaching till the Peth village standing on the fertile soil with abundant natural resources for water and farming.

5) Peb - Vikatgad

Trekking near Mumbai to Peb Fort or Vikatgad around 4 km from Neral Station a very enjoyable trek in Monsoon season passing through a local village, waterfalls this trek offers all ladders, rock patches, caves, dense forest, ridge walking. Trek can be combined with Matheran visit or you can trek till Panorama point Matheran till here. Excellent for new trekkers a village guide or guided tour will make the trek more enjoyable.

6) TIKONA

The fort is a trekking destination noted for the large doors, the temple of 'Trimbakeshwar Mahadev', a water tanks (seven water tanks) and some Satvahan caves. Trek organisers also commend the views of Pawna dam and the nearby forts of Tung, Lohagad and Visapur. There is Pawana lake at the summit. 

7) Sudhagad

Sudhagad is just approximately 10 kms from Pali village, where another fort Sarasgad is situated. Existence of this fort is since 2nd century BC. Thanale Caves and Khadsamble caves are also nearby. Fort was known as Bhorapgad after the presiding deity Bhorai Devi. Actual rulers were Bhor dynasty. Bhamani Sultanate captured it in 1436 and then Marathas in 1657 who named it to “Sudhagad”. Very large plateau on top with numerous lakes and ponds in rainy season. Places that can be visited on fort are Bhorai Devi Mandir, Pant Sachiv Wada, Chor Darwaja, Takmak Tok, Shiv Mandir. Places that can be seen around Tail Baila, Sarasgad, Korigad.

8) Lohgad

Lohagad is part of the Western Ghats. It rises to an elevation of 1,033 m (3,389 ft) above sea level, and is located to the southwest of the larger Visapur fort. The range divides the basins of the Indrayani and Pavana rivers. Lohagad overlooks the Pavana reservoir, located to the south of the mountain. The hill extends to the northwest to a fortified spur, called Vinchukata (Scorpion's tail) because of its resembling shape. The four large gates of Lohagad are still in good condition and reasonably intact.

The fort as seen from its base during monsoon

During the monsoon, the top of the fort is covered with mist and clouds and becomes particularly wet with growing moss. The roads and trails leading to the hill are quite slippery at this time of the year and precautions are necessary to be taken while venturing the routes.

9) Harishchandra Gad

 Harishchandragad is a beautiful hill fort in the Ahmednagar region and a very popular trekking destination in the western ghats. The fort mountain along with, TOLAR KHIND, MALSHEJ GHAT offers a lot for trekkers. The main attraction here is the KONKAN KADA which offers a spectacular view of Konkan. During the rainy season you'd be walking in the clouds on this fort.

10) Avchitgad

The southern part of Konkan is adorned by natural beauty. The city of Roha is situated on the banks of Kundalika River. Avchitgad is situated in the mountain ranges around Roha. This region is beautiful, and the fort is one of the rich forts of Maharashtra. Dense woods along the mountain have made it bit difficult to ascend the top.

All excited to go? So pack your bags and get exploring. The monsoon's don't last all year. So don't waste time. 

Here is a big shout out to Bhramar Travel group.                                                                            Do visit their page: https://www.facebook.com/bhramar.org/

And give them some love as they have many trips planned for the coming months that I can assure you, that you will enjoy. And thank you once again Anup, this write up would have not been possible without you. 

Hope you enjoyed the read don't forget to share it with your friends and leave us some feedback and suggestions as to which places you think are the top 10 cannot be missed monsoon destinations. We would love to know.

Hope you have a safe, adventurous and memorable weekend!

Edited & Currated by Alvin Anthony

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Disclaimer: All images used are property of Bhramar Travel group and are used for representational purposes only. Please do check with your guide and weather updates before planning a trip to any of the above locations. Be safe.

Top 10 Ways to Be an Eco-Friendly Traveler #TravelTips - The Happy Getaway 2017

Top 10 Ways to Be an Eco-Friendly Traveler #TravelTips - THG 2017

If you’ve ever been a bag packer or traveler, you may have realized how united and singular the tune to the environment and travel is. Each step on to a new mountain or experience is always wrapped around the bliss of the never ending fragrance of green. But it’s been quite upsetting though to see many a times, the disregard and lack of care shown by travelers during trips and treks towards the environment.

The distance from being eco-friendly and taking the environment for granted arises through the feeling of “someone else will clean it” or that “me alone being environment friendly won’t change the world” that makes a traveler seem more like an outsider, even though that is exact opposite of what we stand for. I believe if each of us does out part we could live in a much more happier and greener society. And down below you will find my Top 10 ways of being a more responsible and environment friendly traveler.

10. Don’t be a Plucker

We all know you love plucking flowers and making art from leaves, but the environment is alive and vibrant. And if all of us begin to pluck everything that blossoms then we would not have a lifeline that goes beyond a few days.

So unless they have already had their time and have made their way down, it is not advisable to be a plucker, which will make your quite a sucker!

09. Carry a Garbage Bag

We often complain that Oh, I would have thrown it in the right place if I would see a dustbin. But let’s be fair to find a Dustbin in the middle of nowhere or on a mountain is close to impossible. So do your part, always make sure you carry a garbage or a waste bag which you, or someone who wasn’t as responsible as you could use.

 08. Report Unlawful Environmental Activities

Many a times on our trips or journeys we may come across an illegal or not so environment friendly activity. Like hunting, cutting of trees or burning of crops but we often hesitate to get ourselves involved or take a step. Well, or we don’t know how we could. The 8^th tip is top take the effort to find out, or try. This maybe something that the environment can’t fight against (Well, cause they can’t speak) but we can, and if we don’t try to notify the authorities or do what’s right. Then who will?

07. Avoid Trespassing into Reserved Greenland’s

It may seem like a cool idea or story to tell when you went past those fences into that reserved forest or territory and did some exploring. But sadly it may cost you or the Greenland some amount of life in return. As most reserved lands are protection shields to wildlife and plant’s that are at risk. Therefore at that point human intervention may not be the most advisable without prior consent or permission. So please, don’t let your need to do something unlawful cost the environment, something it needs.

06. Refrain from Smoking & Liquor Consumption

I know, a cigarette in the middle of nowhere with a bottle of beer may seem like a scene from a movie. But it could lead to throwing of bottle’s leading to littering and starting of a fire due to improper putting of the cigarette. So please be vigilant and try to avoid any unfavorable occurrences.

05. Respect the Environment & Surrounding While Travelling

We often just stamp over plants or smash over ant hills. There is sense of responsibility or respect shown to nature or the life that it pays shelter too. There is a need as a top 5 reason to be humble and more caring of the surrounding to insure that you are a protector and well wisher instead of being a threat and careless bad doer. So respect the environment and it will respect you.

04. Lift All the Waste on Your Way of Other Travelers

You may feel if you do well and carry a waste bag and collect your own waste that should give you a clean chit. But to be fair, that sadly is not enough. There is a need for picking up other travelers waste as well on your way. To ensure that you being responsible can hopefully cover up for all the lack of responsibility your co-travelers and explorers show.

03. Avoid Using Plastic Bottle’s & Disposable Items

It may seem easier to just carry a plastic bag or an old Pepsi bottle instead of taking the effort to take a paper bag or a non disposable bottle. But it is quite the strain when it comes to carrying disposable items that you will soon need to be disposed into the open because it will add to your back weight and sooner or later you may take the convenient option of littering which would not help the environment in any way.

02. Support Plantation Drives & Animal Welfare Programs by NGOs

One way of being an Eco-Friendly Traveler is by supporting others that are doing good work in this space. Few organizations that have frequent campaigns and initiatives to help the environment are . Do support, donate, volunteer and be involved as their cause is to protect our home. An as an Eco-friendly traveler that must be our duty and agenda as well.

01. Initiate Clean Up’s & Cleanliness Drives as Part of Your Trip Itinerary

It is great to see other NGOs take initiatives but the change will only begin if each one of us begins to take the initiative to do our part. To start to incorporate nature friendly activities and drives as part of our trips to ensure that we are not just enjoying the beauty of travelling but are also helping preserve its beauty.

I hope you enjoyed this read, please do share inputs and suggestions if you feel there is something I have missed out and could add to this list. I love volunteering and giving back to the society and this write up is an effort to connect it to a passion of mine that is to travel. Please do, do your parts and share this write up with as many people as you can so that they can become more responsible travelers.

Hope you have a safe, adventurous and eco-friendly weekend!

Edited & Written by Alvin Anthony

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Disclaimer: All images used are Stalk/Borrowed images and do not belong to the blog, they are used for representation purposes only and belong to the rightful owners.