Introduction
The Sandhan Valley is a beautiful carved valley (about 200 feet deep) nestled in the pristine Sahyadri Mountains. Sandhan is located near the beautiful Bhandardara area in a village called Samrad. The Sandhan Valley trek, known as the Valley of Shadows, consists of a deep, narrow, rock-bottom gorge between two high walls of a mountain range. Book this exciting trekking experience where you can indulge in adventurous activities like rappelling and rock climbing, after which you will reach the bottom of the valley. See spectacular views of high cliffs and deep valleys.
Join this exciting camping trip with 2 days 1 night experience every Saturday from Kasara Railway Station.
You must reach Kasara station where you will be picked up and taken to the base village (Samradi).
Stay in camps and enjoy your stay in three-person tents by the lake. Sit around a warm fire and socialize with fellow travelers.
Wake up the next morning and start your journey to the Sandhan Valley. Enjoy activities like rappelling and rock climbing.
An experienced guide will guide you during the trek and help you with basic things and safety precautions which are especially necessary for Rappelling.
How to reach?
The base village of Sandhan Valley is Samrad village which is easily accessible by public or private transport. The main village can be reached in the following ways.
By Train:
The best way to reach Sandhan Valley from Mumbai is by Central Railway train to Kasara. The train journey takes approximately two hours. Regarding the trains leaving for Kasara, it is worth checking the train schedules in advance. Another option would be to take a train to Igatpur but Kasara would be a better option as there are many local trains to choose from as compared to Igatpur where only outbound trains are available.
By Jeep:
From Kasara, it is more convenient to go by jeep to Samrad village, which is 80 km away and it would take around 2.5-3 hours to reach the base village. As the train arrives early in the morning, a private car should be pre-arranged to reach Samrad village. You can also take ST bus from Kasara or Igatpuri station but you must be fully aware of ST bus schedules as you have to reach the village early in the morning to start the trek to Sandhan valley.
The Sandhan Valley, also known as the Valley of Suspense or the Valley of the Shadow, is one of the largest canyons in the stunning setting of the Sahyadri Western Ghats. The valley carved into the water is 200 feet deep and approximately 1.5 km long. The Sandhan Valley is located on the western side of the beautiful Bhandardara Range near the village of Samrad.
Alang Madan Kulang Trek
The valley is surrounded by the mighty Alang. Madan and Kulang (known as toughest trek in Sahyadri as per AMK classification) Ratangad, Ajoba and Kalsubai 500 feet. The highest peak of the Maharashtra range. A magnificent and deep narrow gorge with a rocky floor lies between two walls of high mountain ranges. Sometimes it is less than 3 feet wide and sometimes the sun’s rays do not reach the ground. What gives it its name: Valley of Shadows.
The essence of adventure is to do something unique, unprecedented and irregular. While a trek up the hill becomes common, we bring you the throat-lowering Sandhan valley. Sounds exciting, right?
Also known as the Valley of Shadows or the Grand Canyon, it is a gorge in the Sahyadri Mountains in the Western Ghats. This canyon is 2 kilometers long and 200 feet deep, with amazingly large rocks on both sides. This trek, which also includes camping and rappelling experience, starts with a descent from Samrad village and ends with an ascent to Dehene village. The distance includes wading in refreshing streams, climbing under giant rocks and camping under a spectacular night sky.
Sandhan Valley Trek
One of the best experiences of the Sandhan valley trek is the “Reverse Waterfall”. Yes, you read that right – a waterfall that flows from the bottom up. This is due to high pressure winds that push water entering the valley back up during the monsoon season, bringing this unique phenomenon to life.
The reason it is also called the Valley of Shadows is because the deep gorges of this gorge receive very little or no sunlight. Only around noon does the canyon light up, which makes the journey in the dark so far even more exciting.
Moreover, camping is an experience that you simply cannot miss. Since the terrain in this canyon is mostly rocky, finding a level surface is usually the first step to setting up camp and enjoying a happy night in this valley. Camping with rappelling completes the healing experience this trek aims to provide.
Samrad Village, Sandhan Valley Base Camp Surrounded by the magnificent Alang-Kulang-Madan Forts, Ratangad Fort and Kalsubai Peak (the highest peak of Maharashtra) offers truly breathtaking views at every stage of the day.
There is no particular time of the year that is best for this trip, but from experience we can say that it is definitely the most exciting during the monsoon season. Located in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, Sandhan Valley is very easily accessible from major destinations like Pune and Mumbai.
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