KHADAKWASLA DAM

Known as one of the most renowned places for group outings in Pune, Khadakwasla Dam offers a relaxing getaway. It draws in a number of tourists who wish to indulge in some adventurous activities or just relax and unwind in the company of nature. The place boasts of great vibes and always packed with crowds. It is built across the Mutha river and one of the integral sources of water supplied to the city of Pune. Some of the other famous attractions near Khadakwasla Dam are Kudje Village, Peacock Bay and Neelkanteshwar Hill. 

People here come with their loved ones to enjoy the natural scenery and indulge in some gastronomy with the help of food chowpaty serving lip-smacking bhelpuri and bhutta here. The monsoons offer the best experience at Khadakwasla Dam as it makes the landscape look mesmerising.  The place boasts of many interesting activities and keeps the tourists abuzz with its exuberant ambience.

• Location: Khadakwasla Dam, near Khadakwasla Village, off Sinhagad Road, Pune, Maharashtra

• Best Time to visit: Monsoon season is the best time to visit the dam.

• Entry fee: No entry fees are required to visit here

• Timings: The timings for tourists at Khadakwasla Dam is from 6 am to 6 pm

An eminent tourist attraction, Khadakwasla Dam is a pleasant sight to behold. Built with state-of-the-art engineering, it is located on the outskirts of Pune. The dam is constructed on River Mutha which is the source of water supply in Pune and its suburban regions. Khadakwasla forms a reservoir, called Khadakwasla Lake which is a perfect spot for a pleasant getaway. The reservoir occupies around 22,000 square kilometres area and runs 35 metres deep. As the stream runs down the cliff, it resembles a heavy rush of water flowing effortlessly down the dam.

In the nearby region, the well-known National Defence Academy and Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) are situated. You’ll find Sinhagad Fort and Karla Caves which are known as one of the ancient places to explore artefacts from a thousand years ago.

The dam remains crowded with nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts for pleasant weekends and getaways. It is also a featured spot for photography to capture the vividness of nature. There, you can observe nesting birds near the mighty cascade.

How To Reach

By road – Khadakwasla dam is around 20 kilometres away from the centre of Pune. The road connectivity is in a better position and it's quite convenient for tourists to visit Khadakwasla Dam. Ola and Uber cabs can be a decent option in comparison with self-owned vehicles. You can easily book a day trip.

By rail – If one wishes to take a train for Pune, that’s also a perfect option. Pune is connected to every major city of India – Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Kolkata, Chennai etc. After reaching Pune, you would have to cover a distance of approximately 18.5 kilometres to reach Khadakwasla dam by bus or cab. Most of the tourists hail a cab and travel to Khadakwasla Kudje Road to reach the dam or take a bus to Khadakwasla bus stands.

By bus – To reach Khadakwasla Dam by bus, you can take a bus from anywhere in the city. The closest bus station would be Khadakwasla Dharan bus stop and Khadakwasla Gaon bus stop. Amidst the canopy trees, the bus route ensures a majestic ride.

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit Khadakwasla Dam is during the monsoon season. Monsoon here is the peak season, and with good reason: mists and breezes from the falls can make the area feel cooler. It will allow tourists to take full advantage of the weather and attractions.

Spring and fall welcome fewer tourists because of the variation in temperature. Winter sees freezing temperatures which may make this area cooler than Pune. However, summers are usually avoided, due to the increased temperature of Maharashtra.

Other Essential Information

Timings – Khadakwasla dam opens around 10:00 AM and closes around 6:00 PM. Also, many tourists would suggest visiting during sunrise or sunset.

Entry Fee – No entry fee.

Height – Khadakwasla Dam is an undoubtedly impressive dam with an astounding width of 250 m (820.2 ft) and a drop of 31.71 m (around 104 ft). The water plunges deeper than that, as the Khadakwasla River’s depth is another 36 m (around 118 ft) on average.

Location – The dam is almost 20 kilometres away from the centre of the city of Pune in Maharashtra. A few kilometres away the twin dams of Panshet and Varasgaon are situated. In the southern direction, the mighty Sinhagad Fort is located.

Traveller tips for visiting Khadakwasla Dam:

-Stroll around the dam for a mesmerizing experience. But take care of your surroundings and move safely.

-Wear comfortable shoes because the surface can be slippery and you might hurt yourself. If you’re visiting during monsoon season, take care of the places you’re stepping on. The surface can get slippery or worse, water can clog and you would have to walk into that.

-Prepare an itinerary for visiting Khadakwasla dam. Most likely you can get stuck in a traffic jam, so if you don’t want to ruin your day, plan accordingly.

-Stay within the limits of Khadakwasla dam. If you try to go through another route then it might turn hazardous.

-Keep a medical kit with yourself to treat the injuries.

-Keep an extra pair of clothes with you for backup.

Transportation:

The transportation services to reach Khadakwasla is at its best. Pune’s connectivity with almost every major city makes it convenient and feasible for tourists to visit these places. You can take a car or bus to reach Khadakwasla. From the city, you can hail a cab and book it for a day trip. Or, you can take a bus to reach the Khadakwasla Gaon bus station and then travel further to reach the Khadakwasla dam. Also, many places like Sinhagad fort, Taljai hills, Lonavala, Lavasa, are a few tourist attractions to spend some more time with nature. The commute to these places is easy and convenient.

Medical facilities:

There are medical stores available near Khadakwasla dam to save you. These medical stores have almost every essential medicine available and can help you with the basic safety kits. Moreover, Khadakwasla has many government hospitals and nursing homes for proper and quick treatment. The doctors and staff are well aware of the knowledge and skills to treat people.

Network connectivity:

The network connectivity is in a favourable condition. You can easily connect and contact people without any disturbances. Although, the internet might work slowly but normal calls are possible.