TIKONA FORT

Tikona Fort is a dominant hill fortress of Konkan’s Pawan Maval region. This is Maharashtra’s popular one-day trekking spot. Locally, it is famous by the name Vitandgad. Situated on top of the Tikona peak, this fort has an altitude of 3633 feet from the sea level.

If you take a look at its present-day geography, it resembles a triangle and thus named as Tikona. Large fortifications, seven water tanks filled with crystal clear water, large doorways, and spectacular surrounding views from its bastion sums up the beauty of this place. Sahyadri’s green hillocks are just like cherries on the cake!

Many Maratha dynasties have marked their presence here in the past and also, Tikona Fort was known as the centre for Pauna Mawal’s primary activities. Tikona Fort’s entrance itself represents beauty with sophistication. As soon as you pass through it, you will witness the presence of Buddhist and Satavahana Caves within.

Both types of caves have great significance in Indian history. Besides, there’s a small Trimbakeshwar Mahadev temple inside which revives the spiritual beliefs of the first residents of this fort.

With no wonders, Tikona Fort is blessed with some stunning landscapes attracting heaps of trekking enthusiasts and those who love Mother Nature. The moment you trek to the topmost summit of this fort, you have the liberty to enjoy the panoramic view of the vastly stretched Maval region. Tung Fort, Bhatrashi Hill, Jambhul Hill, Lohagad, Fagne dam, and Visapur are some sightseeing delights from the topmost position of this Tikona Fort.

How To Reach

By Train: 

From Mumbai: Tikona Fort is situated at a distance of 120 km from Mumbai. To travel here by train, you can catch a Pune train and get down at Lonavala. Once you do that, inquire either for a local train or bus and get down at Kamshet. From Kamshet, you need to catch a bus to drop you at Tikona Peth. After that, you may inquire about the Tikona Fort Trekking route.

From Pune: The distance between Pune and Tikona Fort is 60 km. If you are coming from Pune, you need to catch a local train to drop you at Lonavala. From there, you can either opt for a train or bus to Kamshet. From Kamshet, you need to catch a bus for Tikona Peth. After that, you may inquire about the Tikona Fort Trekking route.

From Lonavala: Lonavala has regular buses to take you to Kamshet. From Kamshet, you need to catch a bus to drop you at Tikona Peth. After that, you may inquire about the Tikona Fort Trekking route.

By Bus:

Several buses are running between Mumbai or Pune and Tikona Fort. In case you are travelling here in your private car or bike, you may opt for NH48 and then redirect yourself on Pavana Nagar Kamshet Road. This road will drive you to the Tikona Peth. A bus from Mumbai will consume around 2 hours and 45 minutes to drop you to the Tikona Peth while a bus from Pune will consume 1 hour and 45 minutes. 

By Air: 

Lohegaon is the nearest airport to reach Tikona Fort. After that, you can opt either for the local bus or rental cab service to drop you to the Tikona Peth.

Best Time To Visit

Tikona Fort is an all-season tourist attraction in India. You can plan your visit at any point of time; as every season here portrays a different beauty of the landscape.

Tikona in Summers:

Summers are hot and humid here. You can expect the temperature to range from 25 to 35 degrees. Locals plan night trekking here to beat the heat of summer. This being an off-season for tourist activities, you will easily find the best affordable stay options here.

Tikona in Monsoons:

The period between June to September is reserved for the showers. The weather remains pleasant, and the region gets covered with lush green forest stretch. Although it is not advisable to trek at Tikona during monsoons, the natural beauty here in this season is truly outstanding.

Tikona in Winters:

The months between October to March mark the winter season in Tikona. Winter temperature ranges from 11 to 25 degrees. As the monsoon clouds start fading away, what remains behind is the lush green hills covered with a blanket of dew. This is the reason why you get to see more of trekking and hiking activities during the winters.

Other Essential Information

Mobile Connectivity: 

Tikona Fort has limited mobile connectivity for the most popular cellular network service providers. However, once you reach the top summit, even those networks seem to be defunct.

ATMs: 

There are no ATM facilities at the top of Tikona Fort. It is better to withdraw the necessary amount at Lonavala or Kamshet itself.

Food Points:

Neither there are any restaurants nor food points throughout your Tikona Fort’s trekking route. If you feel hungry, you need to march your way back to the Tikona Upahargruha, which is situated in Tikona Peth.

Minimum Duration for Tikona Fort:

2 to 3 hours are sufficient enough to explore the entire Tikona Fort unless you want to spend some more time at relaxation or photography.