Introduction:
Popularly known as the Valley of Shadows, the Sandhan Valley is so named because the deep ravines of the valley are full of sunlight. The valley is exquisite but rocky and this rugged beauty of the place makes it a great spot for trekking. A challenging trek for all, specially for the beginners as it definitely gives one a feeling of accomplishment after completing the trek. If you want to go for a less travelled trail which is not full of people, then this is the one for you. Do not forget to carry your camera to capture all the beautiful and elegant scenery and have some great photos.
Best Time For the Trek
You can go to do the trek at Sandhan Valley at any time throughout the year but try to avoid the summer time because it can get very hot and humid. But especially trekking in winter, autumn and even during monsoons are the best time to do this trek and can be very enjoyable.
The Route Of Sandhan Valley Trek
The trek route starts from Samrad. You will be walking through water bodies in the first few hours of your journey. Through this entire path, you will reach Tarzan Swing Point. You can avoid this point if you want to and can carry on if you want to do your Sandhan Valley trek without rappelling. You can also use a rope ladder for climbing and then there is some cave crawling waiting for you. After this, you will be going on a hike among the rock paths. Here you will find some deep water pools which you will have to go through.
There will be two paths for your return journey. For the first path, you can take the same route that you took while coming here. For the second one, you have to keep moving forward and then coming through the gentle slopes and keep trekking through the river bed. Then you’ll reach the Dhene village from where you can take a bus to Asangaon station.
Quick facts
- Location: Samrad village, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra.
- Altitude: The trek is around 200 feet deep and 2 kilometres long
- Trek Time: 5 hours
- Difficulty level: Moderate to difficult
How to reach
- By Road: Book yourself a self-drive car and drive down to Samrad village. It takes around 4 to 5 hours from Mumbai to Sandhan Valley. Or else, from Mumbai or Pune, you can take a transport bus to Igatpuri-Ghoti from where buses are available to Bhandardara and take a jeep from there to Samrad village.
- By Rail: Take a Kasara Fast train and get down at Kasara and book a jeep ride to Samrad. Plenty of shared jeep rides are available here. You can also take a long distance train which stops at Igatpuri.
- By Flight: There isn’t any flight system to Sandhan or nearby villages.
Expenses
- Travel: A self-drive car would cost you from Rs 5000 to Rs. 8000. Train tickets will cost Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1200 (return fare).
- Shared jeep: It will cost Rs 50 per person. Bus tickets to Bhandardara from Mumbai will cost Rs. 600 to Rs. 800. (Approx)
- Accommodation: Home stay in Samrad village can cost about Rs. 500 to Rs. 800 per night. The minimum rates of Bhandardara budget starts from Rs. 1000 onwards.
- Food: Food will cost anywhere from Rs. 200 to Rs 600 during the journey. And if you are opting for 5 star hotels and expensive cafes then it will cost you much more.
Safety Tips
- This trek is quite difficult for first time trekkers so if they are going then they must not go on the trail without a trekking operator.
- Avoid the trek if you have serious medical problems like high blood pressure, heart ailment or asthma as this trek is quite physically taxing.
- Always carry energy bars, mosquito repellants and windbreakers with you.
- Try to carry a light backpack or just a small pouch like bag with only the essentials. Do not forget your power bank and some extra cash.
- You must also carry enough water for drinking from Sandhan village as the trail water is not very pure to drink and can also cause you several diseases.
- There are no restrooms attached here so check before going for a trek, if the tour operator has provisions for a portable toilet.
- This trek has had very great reviews from seasoned trekkers so head for this trail on your next expedition.
