Kailasgad Fort

Type: Hill forts
Grade: Medium
Base Village: Vaduste Village, Near Tamhini ghat, 85 Kms from Pune
Time to climb: 1.5 Hours
Best time to visit: When it’s raining cats and dogs!
Time visited: June 2010

Kailasgad is an unknown fort probably with no famous history at all though I read on internet that Shivaji raje had once visited this fort.

It was raining all the day before and Kailashgad seemed to be a best place to explore in rains. We started early from Pune had a breakfast- Pohe and Vadpav in Pirangut. The drive was extremely pleasant, lush greenery everywhere, drizzling rains and the beautiful Mulshi back waters added to the charm. As we started to cross Mulshi it started to get foggy.Before Tamhini ghat you have to take right turn to and drive to Pimpri Village. The drive was awesome once you turn towards Mulshi-Lonavala road. There was so much fog that we could barely see few meters ahead.

On the way there’s a gorgeous view of huge mountain wall with hundreds of waterfall emptying tons of joyous water in the deep valley.

The fog ensures that mystic view creates the romance in the cold air. Government has put railings and created a nice place where one could spend hours watching the clouds lingering on the cliffs and listening to tingling music of gushing water. The spot seems to be familiar with lot bikers who unfortunately create unruly atmosphere with loud music and dance with open drinking. But if you go to this place early morning then its a heaven on earth.

Further few meters away there’s a small dam and the overflowing water created beautiful mini-waterfall. Definitely we had to stop and admire the eerie beauty with a huge mountain behind the water and waterfall adding to charm.

Once we reached Vaduste village leaving behind the turn for lonavala on the left, the awesome view of huge mountains, green rice farms below and rains playing hode and seek enthrill you.

The grand Kailsgad seemed to be right infront of us. A helpful farmer- Mr Pawar arranged two boys to show us the road to the top. 2 kms ahead of Vaduste village there a sharp turn with a water tank barely visible on left. You need to park your car there and then start climbing the adjacent hill.

There’s a hardly trail and it was extremely slippery. Once you reach to the top of that hill the view is awesome. Faraway you can see a small island in the calm waters of mulshi. On onside you would see the lsuh green rice farms and filled with muddy waters.

A clear trail leads from there onwards through thick bushes of man-height of Karvy. A wild pig dashed in font of us at great speed and left us flabbergasted for few minutes.




It started to rain very heavily. It was picturesque sight and we could see swaying white lines of rain from gray clouds on back drop of green mountains. Unfortunately due to rains we could hardly take out cameras.

The trail goes up and down from the reverse side of the fort crossing few streams and extremely slipper rock patches. But its mostly easy walk rather than a climb. On the top we could barely stand due to severe wind and see 2-3 very small lakes where rain water had collected.


We decided not to venture more as were soaking and shivering. The boys told us there was a cave and remains of some construction/plinth kind of thing further ahead on the top.


Once back we went to Pawar’s hut and we had yummy meal. Had a stomach full of Nachnichi Bhakri, Pithla with hot steaming local Indrayani rice all prepared with warmth and care by the ajji.


This was place that I would definitely love to visit again and again.