Written by: Bhushan
Ajinkyatara Fort
The fort is located in Satara district in Maharashtra atop the massive Ajinkyatara Mountain, 3,300 ft above sea level. One of the most remarkable features of this fort is the ready availability of fresh water even at such heights. You can also get a panoramic view of Satara town from the ramparts of this fort. The fort was wrested by the Maratha emperor Shahu Maharaj in 1708. It is located within Satara city.
Weather
Like most forts in the Sahyadri mountain range, the best time to visit is the monsoons, winter and summer in the given order. Monsoons really add splendour to this colossal beauty of a fort. The best months are June through to February.
Getting there / Route Information
Distances from major cities:
| From Pune: | 115 Km |
| From Mumbai: | 285 km |
| By Bus | Satara is well connected by a state government and private bus service either from Pune, Mumbai or the adjoining district of Kolhapur. It falls on the golden quadrilateral road network; hence the quality of roads is excellent. |
| By Train | The Satara railway station is a prominent station and is well served by trains starting from Mumbai as well as the Pune. |
| By Air | The closest airports are at Kolhapur and Pune. |
Pictures of Ajinkyatara
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Shopping information
Satara is a well-known wholesale trade centre for cereals, oil, sugar, turmeric, jaggery etc. It is also famous for its leather goods, which includes the trademark and rough-and-tough chappals and other items.
Major attractions
Some of sites which attract tourists here are the Natraj mandir, Sangam mahuli (a confluence of rivers), Sajjangarh (another splendid fort). There is in fact a string of dams namely Koyna, Kanher and the Dhom dam, which are worth making a fascinating diversion in your travel plans. If you want the tranquil or the roar of the water, there’s the Kas Talav, or the Priti Sangam and the Thosegar waterfall. The popular hill station of Mahabaleshwar is less than 50 km off and is definitely worth a few days outing.
Nightlife
Since the fort overlooks Satara town, it has a lot of holidayers and townsfolk driving to it, to view the town below in all its glory, once darkness descends. The distance from the top of the fort to Satara town is 5 km.
Vital tourist information
Things to carry
The food in this region is spicy. So folks with weak stomachs should exercise caution. For the rest, carry the usual first aid kit and bottled water if you wish to. The summers very harsh so you would need appropriate headgear.
Hotel/Resort availability
No dearth of hotels and lodges in Satara, being a prominent business town. The town also has its share of two and three starred resorts dotting its landscape,
Local transport
You cannot rely on the city bus service. Autos do not ply by meter. The most popular mode of transport here is one of those big-shared autos.
Contingency contacts
| Hospitals | M/S BHARATI HOSPITAL, PUNE-SATARA Tel: (020) 24369561 Krishna Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Satara. Tel: (02164) 41555 |
| Police | Satara District Superintendent of Police. Tel: (02162) 2232225 |
Hi,
Is there a resort/hotel onthe Ajinkyatara fort? Would like to book for 9th/10th.
No accomodation on fort. But, the hill is very near to Satara. In Satara there are so many hotels (both budget & executive) such as Mahindra, Hem Executive Hotel , Sai Palace & Rajtara to name a few.
So,please well come in Hotel Dreamland Inn beach Resort &enjoy a great happiness kokan tour with great location.
so,preservation of natural beauty in the kokan region,full of facilities & happiness giving experience which is one & only tourist center.
http://www.dreamlandinn.com
9423296526
To view pics of Ajinkyatara fort, click on the link.
http://picasaweb.google.com/sudarshan.multimedia/Ajinkyatara#
Can you please include some good resonable shopping places?