Sometimes maybe all you need is a weekend getaway with your friends to some place that you’ve never even heard of. Just to free yourself from the shackles of everyday strains, hindrances and so on. For me, and most of my fellow writers, those shackles were restraining us for almost a month or more. Yes, our 12th boards were in progress and trust me that unforgettable Tuesday on which it ended was the beginning of days of eternal bliss and peace. Well, not exactly. But yeah, I was dying to leave for this place on the upcoming Thursday.
Oh, the place. So it’s a small town, called Wai in Maharashtra. Most of us must have heard of the evergreen Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra (Who hasn’t?). So Wai, is just 32 kms before Mahabaleshwar and almost an hour's drive from Mahabaleshwar.
A bit of an introduction first and then we’ll proceed to the further details of Wai.
Wai is a small town in the Satara district of Maharashtra situated on the banks of Krishna River and is surrounded by the stunted Sahyadri range. Wai is known to most Mumbaikars for its ghats on the banks of the Krishna River and the famous Dholya Ganapati temple.
Oh, the place. So it’s a small town, called Wai in Maharashtra. Most of us must have heard of the evergreen Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra (Who hasn’t?). So Wai, is just 32 kms before Mahabaleshwar and almost an hour's drive from Mahabaleshwar.
A bit of an introduction first and then we’ll proceed to the further details of Wai.
Wai is a small town in the Satara district of Maharashtra situated on the banks of Krishna River and is surrounded by the stunted Sahyadri range. Wai is known to most Mumbaikars for its ghats on the banks of the Krishna River and the famous Dholya Ganapati temple.
Wai is also very famous in the film industry. Movies like Swades, Singham, Chennai Express, Ishqiya, Omkara have scenes which have been shot in Wai.
How to Reach
· Satara: 35 kms (Approximately an hour's drive because of the ghat sections through which one has to drive to reach Wai.
· Pune: 90 kms (Approx. a 2 to 3 hours’ drive, again due to the various ghat sections on the route)
· Mumbai: 230 kms (Approx 4 to 5 hours’ drive, frequent short breaks during the journey are recommended)
You can also book buses which ply daily, originating from Borivali. A comfortable 6-7 hours journey but do check your source of booking properly as general buses aren’t as comfortable to travel compared to the AC Volvo buses.
Weather
If you want your mom to recognize you after the trip, then I would not advise you to visit Wai in the summer. The day temperatures are over the roof but the nights are pleasant. Monsoons can be fun too but the risk of the river overflowing is always going to be there. So the best time for anyone to visit Wai is of course during the winter.
Where to Stay
If you are looking for an adventurous experience during your visit to Wai, then I would strongly recommend you book your tents in Krishna River Camp.
How to Reach
· Satara: 35 kms (Approximately an hour's drive because of the ghat sections through which one has to drive to reach Wai.
· Pune: 90 kms (Approx. a 2 to 3 hours’ drive, again due to the various ghat sections on the route)
· Mumbai: 230 kms (Approx 4 to 5 hours’ drive, frequent short breaks during the journey are recommended)
You can also book buses which ply daily, originating from Borivali. A comfortable 6-7 hours journey but do check your source of booking properly as general buses aren’t as comfortable to travel compared to the AC Volvo buses.
Weather
If you want your mom to recognize you after the trip, then I would not advise you to visit Wai in the summer. The day temperatures are over the roof but the nights are pleasant. Monsoons can be fun too but the risk of the river overflowing is always going to be there. So the best time for anyone to visit Wai is of course during the winter.
Where to Stay
If you are looking for an adventurous experience during your visit to Wai, then I would strongly recommend you book your tents in Krishna River Camp.
This camp is literally located on the banks of the Krishna River with comfortable and well ventilated tents. Although the flies are a bit annoying and the sight of an occasional golden cobra near the river will keep you alarmed during your stay in the camp, I can guarantee that this is the perfect place for an offbeat experience. The camp organisers will have a packed, fun filled schedule consisting of various activities such as trekking, swimming in the river (Trust me, this is something you don’t want to miss, and if you are planning to visit Wai in summer, then it would be tough for others to bring you out of the water.), local sightseeing, stargazing, setting up campfires and so on. Oh, the food. Can anything be better than Barbequed chicken and Paneer with a campfire to keep you warm in the night? The delicious, rustic Maharshtrian food is what I would recommend everyone to try out in Wai. For people who don’t want to stay in a rustic camp, there are other small, affordable resorts and hotels inside the town too.
Again, my sincere apologies for writing after almost seven months but now that I’m completely jobless for the next three and a half months, do stay tuned for articles exploring more awesome destinations in our country.
Keep exploring :)
-Riku
Again, my sincere apologies for writing after almost seven months but now that I’m completely jobless for the next three and a half months, do stay tuned for articles exploring more awesome destinations in our country.
Keep exploring :)
-Riku