The best time to visit the Amboli Ghat is during the monsoon during this period the hill station is very charming, there are a thousand waterfalls gushing down the hills. This is an idyllic place to relax, unwind and go for long walks. Spend your days meandering through scenic hill capes and misty forests, pack a picnic and wander up un-trodden paths. Go fishing at Hiranya Keshi, picnic at Nagatta Falls, Mahadev Gad and Narayan Gad, sightseeing at the Bauxite Mines, Sea View and Shirgaonkar point. Amboli peers over the tree lined sandy ribbon of the Konkan coast; on the other three sides, you are rewarded by a magnificent panorama of the sweeping valley. So when you just want to get away from daily humdrum come to Amboli. The chances are that you will lose track of time in this quiet retreat with its rejuvenating climate and charming mountain scenery. This article will take you around amboli to its most impotant tourist spots…..
[su_highlight background=”#1c4deb” color=”#fafcfc”]Hiranyakeshi: [/su_highlight]Art deco temple, irreligiously tawdry, with manmade stream fed out of manmade pond routed through art deco cow’s open mouth. The rivulet flows from beneath a huge boulder sitting in the mountainside. Temple with strategically placed deities are palced right next to the stream outlet. Deep inside another boulder,a dark cave that one can one enter crouching, rumored to be 70 feet deep. The meaning of “Hiranyakeshi” is the the one with golden hair in Sanskrit though it hardly resembles the deity whose rudimentary stone idol guards the cave entrance. Natives have demarcated the region as ‘Devrai’ or ‘sacred grove,’ a place where human beings are debarred from entering. Irrespective of precipitation, radiation or climatic conditions, water flows out of the cave incessantly for 365 days a year. Once a year on Shivratri, about hundred thousand people gather here to take a dip in the holy water, believed to possess curing properties. The place itself is quiet, except for the sound of flowing water and occasional cries of peahens, is filled with a distinct sanctity. Beyond its spiritual manifestation, Hiranyakeshi is a scientists’ delight. The beginning of this perennial river from a cave is neither mysterious, nor even incidental. Geologists will tell you that it is the natural course taken by running water along a predominantly limestone drainage basin. The Hiranyakeshi River originates in the Kaldagi group of the Sahayadri range, which mainly consists of quartzite, sandstones, minor conglomerates, shales and limestone. Its flow eastward (unlike other rivers in the region which flow southwest) is natural as it follows along the limestone and quartzite terrain extending southeast into the Kolhapur district.
[su_highlight background=”#1c4deb” color=”#fafcfc”]Sunset Point:[/su_highlight] On your way drive to Amboli, you can’t afford to miss the spectacular view-points like the Sunset Point which besides offering great sunset views also presents lovely views of the surrounding forests and sometimes it’s also possible to see deers or catch a glimpse of a rare leopard, try and plan your arrival for the dramatic colours and clouds at the evening hour at Sunset Point. At 690 Meter above sea level, this is a lovely place to halt.
Mahadevgad Point: Mahadevgad point, 2.5 km from main amboli junction, mostly uphill, though varying degrees of vegetation, from lush, to deforest. Been there thrice and had we stayed an extra day, we’d go there again. it was the old allure of “lets see where his trail leads” that took us there, first trudging step after step on an eccentric well used trail, and then onwards, on to its connection with a tar road.
[su_highlight background=”#1c4deb” color=”#fafcfc”]KAVLESHET – ECO VALLEY: [/su_highlight]This at over 10 km, is the furthermost of all our trips so far. Just off the highway and the road is transformed into a red rough track, there are unseasonal clouds and faraway thunder, it may just rain. The track is a kaccha rasta, twists, turns and goes every which way, goes up slopes and down, twice we had to wait for sugarcane and paddy laden trucks to pass. By the side of the road, green fields, lush with paddy, sugarcane and nachnee, on the other side black completely burnt out fields, an exercise in contrasts, desolate black and abundant fresh greens.
[su_highlight background=”#1c4deb” color=”#fafcfc”]SHIRGAONKAR POINT: [/su_highlight]Welcomed us strangers on the mostly upward trail to shirgaonkar point.after truding 3 km , all one sees is a milestone proclaiming shirgaonkar point zero- but no benches, no steps to anywhere, no railing -just a yellow grass, boulder strewn incline on one side, a sheer stone wall on the other .
[su_highlight background=”#1c4deb” color=”#fafcfc”]Green Valley Resort (Amboli)[/su_highlight]: Green Valley Resorts is located at Amboli, a hill station near Sawantwadi . It is quite but pleasant hill resort. It is 690 mtrs above sea level. The area is surrounded with dense forest and sea view point offers you panoramic view of a good part of konkan coast. It is just 26 k.m away from Sawantwadi and 539 k.m from Mumbai. There is a big Marvelous Water-fall (30 Mtrs Hight) 1.5 K.m. away from Amboli. Most of the young lot takes bathe under pouring water. In summer, weather condition is pleasant and cool.
[su_highlight background=”#eb1c22″ color=”#fafcfc”]Imp. Features:[/su_highlight]
• Just 32 km from Swantwadi, 60kms from Belgaum.
• Small hilltop town in the sahyadris 2,264 ft above the sea level.
• 20 well appointed guest rooms.
• South Indian & Veg/Non Veg Multi Cusine Restaurant.
• Conference facility available upto 60 guest.
[su_highlight background=”#eb1c22″ color=”#fafcfc”]How to Get there[/su_highlight]
By Air : Nearest airport is Goa.
By Rail : Nearest railhead is Savantwadi
By Road : Mumbai – Panvel – Pen – Chiplun – Savantwadi – Amboli 600 kms., Pune – Satara – Kolhapur – Nipani – Ajra – Amboli 495 Kms. Mumbai – Amboli 538 km, Amboli – Belgaum 68 km., Dabolim Airport – Amboli 100 km., Amboli – Kolhapur 118 km., Swantwadi – Amboli 32 km., Amboli – Pune 395 km.
