Also known as the Valley of Shadows, the Sandhan Valley is so named because the deep ravines of the valley are bereft of sunlight. The valley is beautiful but rocky and the rugged beauty of the place makes it is a great spot for trekking. Adventure lovers throng in huge numbers to the Sandhan Valley which is located in the Sahyadri Mountains. A challenging trek for all, it definitely gives one a feeling of accomplishment after completing the trek.

The Sandhan Valley location is at Bhandardara near Igatpuri. Apart from trekking, there are plenty of other activities which one can try here like rappelling, rock climbing, and camping of course. Light bonfires and spend the night under the stars with your group of friends and it will be a most memorable experience to last you a lifetime. The natural gorge of the Valley is located between AMK forts- Alang, Madan and Kulang. Although this trek is quite famous it is a unique location and largely unexplored. If you want to go for an uncommon and less travelled trail, then this is the one for you. Do not forget to carry your camera for some great photos.

Some Facts

To be precise, the location of the gorge is near Samrad Village, Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. The trek will make you descent 200 feet deep into the gorge and it is about 2 kilometers long. The entire trek will take about 5 hours to complete. The trek has a difficulty level of moderate to difficult and so should not be tried by absolute novices.

Best Time For the Trek

You can go for the trek at Sandhan Valley at any time of the year but try to avoid the summers because it can get very hot and humid and will only tire you out. Trekking in winter, autumn and even during monsoons can be very enjoyable.

How to Reach

To get to the Valley, one first has to get to Samrad Village and to get there one first needs to get to Kasara or Igatpuri. It is best to book a self drive car and drive down to the village. The distance from Mumbai to the Valley is about 200 kilometers and it can be reached within 5 hours. You may also take a state transport bus from Mumbai or Pune and go to Igatpuri- Ghoti from where more buses are available to take you to Bhandardar and from there you may take a shared jeep to Samrad village.

If you are traveling by train then take a train from Mumbai to Kasara by the Kasara fast Train. From Kasara, take a jeep to Samrad or you can also take a train directly to Igatpuri and a jeep from there.

The Trek

You have to start your trek at Samrad and for the first few hours, you will find yourself walking through shallow water bodies which are about 2 to 4 feet deep, so be sure to carry adequate footwear. While descending, you will come across Tarzan Swing Point from where you have to rappel and use a rope ladder to get down.

Once down, you have to go for cave crawling and you will be hiking among rock patches. You will also find some deep water pools which you have to wade through. After walking through some wide rocks you will reach the camping spot and from here you will be able to see the Bann pinnacle and the Ajoba Hill. Spend the night under the open sky and if you have never done that before, then it will be a most memorable experience. Or you may start the return journey immediately.

Next, you have to keep descending from the pond through gentle slopes and a trek through a river bed to Dehne Village. From here, you will be get buses to Asangaon station. Or, if you still have not got enough of the adventure, then you may take the same trail back to Samrad and then stay over at Bhandardara for the weekend.

Expenses

A self drive car from Mumbai to Bhandardara, return trip, will cost around INR 5000 to 8000. Costs of train tickets will be around INR 1000. Shared jeep would be INR 50 per head approximately and bus tickets from Mumbai will be about INR 600 to 800.

For overnight camping in your own tent, there are no expenses but if you want to stay at a homestay in Samrad then it will cost about INR 500 to 800 per night. There are some budget stays in Bhandardara which will start from INR 1000 or so.

Food expenses will be around INR 200 to 600 but depends on whether you are carrying your own dry food packages. Trek operators usually charge around INR 1600 to 2000.

Accommodations

You can camp overnight at the Gorge and it will be a splendid experience. There are no hotels or lodges nearby but there are plenty of homestays which are quite comfortable and offer enough for a night. You can try MTDC resort in Bhandardara for a more comfortable stay. There are some high end hotels here as well like Anandvan which is perfect for a night of relaxation after a challenging day.

It is important to remember that there is no food to be found en route and there is also no habitation in the vicinity. However, home cooked meals are offered by Samrad locals who cook Marathi local cuisine like bhakri, pham bhaji and dal- chawal. You have to go to the Samrad village to get it. Hence, you can have a good and filling breakfast before you start your trek and you can also carry food for the night. And if you are traveling with a tour operator, they will have provision for your food.

Places of Interest

If you have still some left energy left, then you must trek uphill from here and discover the three ancient forts in the region- Alang, Madan and Kulang. However, trying these forts directly after the trek can be very exhausting so it is best to wait one day at Bhandardara and then start the trek again.

Another fascinating fort in the region is the Ratangad Fort, which is a moderately steep ascent. You must also visit the Nanhe Ghat Falls which is a few kilometers from Ratawadi. There are plenty of attractions at Bhandardara as well like Umbrella Falls, Kalsubai Peak and the Randha Falls. You must also visit the Wilson Dam, Arthur Lake and just enjoy a walk through the beautiful village of Ratanwadi. You can also travel to Igatpuri and explore the Myanmar Gate, the Ashoka Waterfall and the Thal Ghat, along with Tringalwadi. All of these are very picaresque and less travelled locations and great spots to indulge in photography.

Safety Tips

• This trek is quite difficult so first time trekkers, if they must, must not go on the trail without a trekking operator.
• Avoid the trek if you have a serious medical condition like high blood pressure of heart ailment as this trek is quite physically taxing.
• Carry, energy bars, mosquito repellants and windbreakers with you.
• Try to carry a light backpack with only the essentials. Do not forget your power bank.
• You must also carry enough drinking water from Sandhan village as the trail water is not very pure to drink. There are no restrooms here so check if the tour operator has provisions for a portable toilet.

This trek has had great reviews from seasoned trekkers so do head for this trail on your next expedition.