The sanctuary is
located in the northern part of the Western Ghats. It is spread over the
three districts Pune , Thane and Raigad covering an area of
130.78-sq-km. There is a shrine in the forest with the Jyotirlinga,
temple of Lord Shiva. Two major tributaries of river Krishna namely
Bhima and Ghod originate from this area. The valley is a splendid
combination of plant and animal life.
Flora
The main forest
of this sanctuary is the southern tropical semi evergreen forest.
Tourists can find wide range of plant life, magical herbs, and shrubs.
Dominant species are Mango, Jamun, Hirda, Behda, Bamboo, Shrub, Herbs,
Climber, Grass, and Fern.
Fauna
The area is rich
in fauna since there is variety of forest types in the sanctuary. The
wild life found here includes Leopards, Barking Deer, Sambar, Wild Boar,
Langur, and Hyena. Among the birds one will be able to find Malabar Grey
Hornbill, Quaker Babbler, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Green Pigeon, Black
Eagle, Grey Jungle Fowl and many, many more. One might get to see the
great butterfly brigade and Malabar Giant Squirrel, one of the largest
of tree squirrels found over here, well over threefeet long.
Best Time To
Visit
The best time to
visit this place is from October to May. The climate is pleasant
throughout the year and is cool between mid-November to end-February.
There are heavy monsoon rains between June-end to September and for
those who are romantics at heart the most magical time to enjoy the
wilderness is the rainy season.
OTHER
ATTRACTIONS
There is a temple
of Lord Shiva. Devotees of Lord Shiva visit this temple in thousands on
the day of Maha Shivaratri and on every Monday in the Shravan month
(July-August). Other important tourist attractions within the sanctuary
are Bombay Point, Nagphani Point, Hanuman Tank, Vanaspati Point, and
Gupt Bhimashankar.
NEARBY
ATTRACTIONS
Dimbhe dam is a
picnic spot 40-kms from sanctuary on Manchar-Bhimashnakar road. Along
with the Bhimashanker temple trek one can also trek up to Hanuman Khada
for a superb view of the plains below and the surrounding Western Ghats.
HOW TO GET
THERE
Air: The nearest
airport is at Pune .
Rail: Pune,
happens to be the nearest railway station.
Road: The road
distance from Mumbai is 265-km via Pune. The best way to travel is to
drive down from Pune.
WHERE TO STAY
MTDC has rooms,
which have to be booked in advance. There are a few Dharamshala's and
local homes offering accommodation as well as camping equipment. The
Forest Department has some accommodation but permission is required from
the Dy. Conservator's Office, Pune.
