Visit Salher Fort (Nashik): The Beginning of the Maratha Fight for Freedom (2024)
The Salher Fort is in Nashik, Maharashtra. It is a famous tourist location, and trekkers all over the country make it a point to visit Salher Fort whenever opportunity knocks. The historic Salher Fort has a mythological connection as well. It is the highest fort in the Sahyadri region and the second highest peak. If you are planning to visit Salher Fort, take out some time to read this article and find out if it is worth your time.
Historical Importance of the Salher Fort in Nashik
The Salher fort was the location for the first fight between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Mughals. Experts believe that almost one lakh soldiers fought on both sides during this battle. Mythologically, experts believe that the Lord Parashuram did penance here to create the Planet Earth.
Structures in the Salher Fort
The way to the Salher Fort is a medium trek, which means that though the cliff is not very steep, it is a long, meandering path all through.
Throughout your journey, you see caves, water tanks, and lakes, and other structures from the bygone era. There are three pathways to the Salher fort, one with three doorways and another with six doorways. The third path is one of the longest.
The entrance to the Salher Fort has steps, with some of them broken. Salher Fort is the tallest in Maharashtra, so you will see a mesmerizing view as you travel upwards. The beautiful, eagle eye’s views start from the entrance of the fort itself, so gear up for some great photo opportunities. Once you cross the entrance, the trek becomes steeper, and the railings are no longer present.
You see the Ganga Sagar water tank as you reach up, which is near a Renuka Mata temple. Along the way, a Parshuram Temple exists as well. The view from the very top of the Salher Fort is bewitchingly beautiful and something that every trekker should experience at least once in their lifetime. As you venture higher, you will see the Salheri Fort Cave and the Maruti Mandir. The cave formation is ideal for camping if you plan to stay overnight at the fort. From the very top, you get an incredible view of the Baglaan mountain range.
Tourist Experience of Salher Fort
The Salher Fort is a medium trek, and you will be around greenery and hilltops all the time. Therefore, make sure that you wear the right type of clothes covering your arms and your leg. You will also need trekking shoes or sports shoes to travel to the top. The travel is not difficult but is long and winding. So, plan to take a rest stop at least once during the entire journey from the base to the top of the Salher Fort.
There is no commercial activity once you reach the base village. So, you should pack at least four liters of water for your trekking experience. There are no restaurants or hotels, so plan to cook food or carry cooked food for the entire day, as the return journey from the top of the Salher Fort is more than 5 hours. If you plan to stay overnight, you can either stay at the top of the fort or at the village.
Salher Fort is one of the few in Maharashtra that offer you something you rarely get in this state – silence. Salher Fort offers the right vibes of being away from the humdrum of city life and being one with nature, making it a part of the fort tourism of Maharashtra.
The temperature in Nashik at these altitudes drops low and fast. As evenings progress, the temperature may drop to even 10 degrees, so you should be ready for such an occurrence.
Places to Visit Near Salher Fort
Salher Fort is a place in the very lap of nature, so there are not many places nearby for you to explore. The Salher Fort trek itself takes a whole day. However, if you do have a weekend on your hands, you can always visit Nashik, which is about 80 km away from the Salher fort. Nashik has several places that you can visit and further enjoy your weekend outing.
Panchvati
Panchvati is one of the most famous tourist locations for those with a religious bent of mind. The legend says that Lord Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana made Panchvati their home during their exile. In this area, you will see the Sita Caves as well. There are several temples here that you can visit and have a calm and serene feeling. The various temples are the Kalaram Temple, The Ganga Godavari Temple, the
Talkuteshwar Temple, the Murlidhar Temple, so on and so forth. Panchvati is so religiously important that experts call it the Benaras of the West. This is also the place where Lakshmana had cut off the nose of Shoorpanaka.
Sula Vineyards
Another famous place in Nashik is the Sula Vineyard. Nashik has become the place for the best Indian wines, and Sula is a prominent brand name. Every year, they have the Sulafest, where people can visit the vineyards and return home with some of the best quality wines, right from the vineyard.
Nashik Caves
The Nashik Caves are one of the oldest structures in the Maharashtra state, dating back to 1 and 2 BC. These are 24 caves carved out together and have several characteristics of Buddhist carving. The caves are the last remaining examples of the rock cut architecture that was prevent before the 5th Century.
How to Reach Salher Fort?
Salher Fort is on the outskirts of Nashik, a city that is well connected to Mumbai and Pune. If you are traveling from Mumbai, you can board a bus or take a train, or drive down the four hours. State Transport, as well as private buses, ply on this route. The total time to travel from Pune to Nashik is about 4 hours as well. From Nashik to Salher, it is an 80 KM journey. You get buses from Nashik to Salher.
