Sinhagad Fort Trek Guide 2026: Routes From Pune, History and What Has Changed

01Sinhagad at a Glance

• Height: about 1,312 m
• Distance from Pune: about 30-35 km south-west of the city centre
• Main trails: Atkarwadi (Donje side) and Kondhanpur
• Climb time: 1.5 to 2 hours by either trail
• Difficulty: easy to moderate; steady and steep in parts
• Best season: September to February; sunrise climbs year-round outside heavy rain

02The 1670 Battle and Tanaji Malusare

The fort was earlier called Kondhana. In 1670 Shivaji Maharaj's commander Tanaji Malusare led a night attack up the cliffs to retake it from the Mughal garrison. The fort was won, but Tanaji was killed in the fighting, and Shivaji Maharaj is remembered as saying 'Gad aala, pan Simha gela', the fort is won but the lion is lost. The fort has been known as Sinhagad, the lion's fort, ever since.

On top you will find a memorial to Tanaji, the Kalyan Darwaja and Pune Darwaja gateways, the Dev Taake water tank, an old ammunition store, the samadhi of Rajaram Maharaj, and the bastions along the cliff edge known as the Tanaji Kada.

03The Trails

The Atkarwadi trail, from the village below the fort on the Donje side, is the one most Pune trekkers use. It climbs steadily through scrub on a well-worn path with some rocky steps, reaching the road near the top in about 1.5 to 2 hours. It is busy early on weekend mornings, which makes it reassuring for first-timers.

The Kondhanpur trail climbs from the other side, from Kondhanpur village near the Kalyan Darwaja. It is quieter and similar in effort, and has the advantage of entering the fort through the historic Kalyan Darwaja. Climbing up one side and down the other works well if you arrange transport at both ends.

04What Changed in 2025

In January 2025 the Maharashtra government passed a resolution directing the removal of encroachments from forts across the state, and the Pune Forest Department cleared unauthorised structures from protected forest land on Sinhagad, including many of the stalls that had long served food on top. At the end of May 2025 the department also closed the fort completely for a period, citing heavy rain, poor visibility and landslide risk.

Vehicle access to the top has also changed more than once since 2022, when private vehicles were stopped at the base for an electric bus service that was then suspended. The practical upshot: before you go, check whether the fort is open, what food is available on top, and how vehicles are being handled, rather than relying on how it was a few years ago.

05A Sunrise Climb

Sinhagad's classic plan is to start from Atkarwadi in the dark and reach the top for sunrise. In winter the valleys below fill with mist and the Khadakwasla and Panshet reservoirs catch the first light. You need a headlamp for the first hour and a warm layer for waiting on top. Walk down once the sun is up and you can be back in Pune for breakfast.

06Getting There

• By bike or car: via Khadakwasla and Donje to Atkarwadi, about 45 minutes to an hour from central Pune
• By bus: PMPML runs services towards Sinhagad Paytha (the base); check early-morning timings
• From Mumbai: drive to Pune, or plan an overnight start

07Tips

• Start before 6:30 am on weekends to beat the crowd and the heat
• Two litres of water even for a short climb; it gets hot quickly
• Shoes with grip for the rocky steps on the descent
• Respect the memorials and samadhi; this is a place of real significance
• Avoid the cliff edges in fog, which rolls in suddenly in the monsoon