[VivOverland]

A few friends got together to splash around Tungareshwar recently. This is a section of the Tungareshwar National Park, and is best experienced during the monsoon months. The route is simple, just 45 minutes from Thane, or about 2-3 hours depending where you claim a foothold in the rat race that is Mumbai.

Be aware that the trail is better suited to high clearance vehicles, and some water fording is a rite of passage when the streams are full. We were lucky to have the right cars at our disposal, and we went well equipped - as shall be seen in this travelogue. We did see some brave souls in sedans, and also an Ola hired for the day! They did not get to complete the trail and had to forgo the aforementioned rite.

This is what we saw on in June 2018. Lots of land crabs, no pictures of those unfortunately.







The McDonald's at Decathlon Thane is a good grouping point - for the mandatory rest stop and general dilly dallying. The chances of a timely departure are inversely proportionate to
1) The number of people travelling.
2) The number of vehicles involved.
3) Children of all ages.
4) The lowest common denominator (there is always that 1 dude!)
5) Shopping! (while waiting for the rest to collect)

Anyway, we did anticipate all this - and finally hit the road around at nearly 12 noon. My usually punctual self had long since suffered a lonely death by then, luckily the trail is under an hour away from Decathlon. Since we had kids with us, supplies were well stocked between the 2 trucks -
- lunch for all
- juices and water for all
- jackets, umbrellas, towels, change of clothes (we planned to enjoy the waterfalls)
Having seen recent YouTube videos of the river crossings, we decided to leave behind the XUV and Hexa, both 2x4. Their owners seemed only too happy to hop into the VCrosses. That's our usual line up



The trail is easy to find, just enter Tungareshwar Waterfall into Google Maps or whatever GPS you prefer. Keep going, don't let the Kathiawad and other dhabas tempt you with their kitschy names - there's even a 'Selfie Dhaba' en route. Once you turn right, you won't miss the arch proclaiming you're on a divine path to the Tungareshwar Mandir. The road quickly degrades to gravel and then delicious, oozing mud

Barely 100 metres into the trail, we came to our first obstacle. The usually dormant stream was swollen and with as much momentum as a 'fully loaded' Mumbai local bearing down the track. After the important walk through, I decided to go for it. Lots of free useless advice was dished out by random geniuses, of course. Made for some dramatic shots, and with cheers from said geniuses - the Isuzus were easily across. Despite their pleas, the children were made to dismount for their own safety. The owners did the crossing alone.

My trusty VCross made it easily, the number plate - not so much.


Having made it across, we left the traffic behind and had the trail to ourselves. Plenty of hikers around, this is a fantastic place to enjoy nature in the monsoon. Paid the Rs. 35/- per person entry fee, and were given access into the temple complex. The trail trails up (sorry, couldn't resist) and around the hill, peaking at an Ashram - and is blessed with lots of nice picnic spots. As you climb higher, the air gets cooler and more misty. My Bengali friend had heard my misty doi jokes before, so he was spared to enjoy the view.



We crossed a couple more streams (does that mean we double crossed them ), and decided to keep climbing towards the Ashram and the anticipated cooler air. That's when we reached our next obstacle - a large tree had collapsed over the trail, blocking off the road. Quite common in the monsoon, trees tend to get top heavy in hilly areas with limited soil, and the canopy outgrows the root system's ability to keep them grounded. A clear case of a rootless individual losing its head in the clouds, eh.

Not to worry, Emma (my 2017 Vcross) is usually well equipped. After having no luck with pulling the tree aside (using my 2 ton truck + tow rope), we decided to use brute force, like our ancestors did. 3 brutes from the group volunteered their services, while 1 took pictures. (if cavemen had Instagram, archaeologists would be under employed).



Seeing this slippery snake slither inside, scared supporters scientifically spurned said serpent away.



The axe made especially light work of the tree, and we soon re-opened the road. With a bit of help from our spotter, the trucks squeezed past to continue the drive.



We found a nice waterfall - safe enough for the kids to splash around in - while the adults could enjoy a self assembled lunch of railway cutlet burgers and salad.

Post lunch, continued onward to crest the hill and drive down the opposite side, emerging near Usgaon and the Tansa river. Skipped through the highway quickly, and luckily did not get stuck at the infamous Bhayander Creek bridge. Reached home by 6, a great way to spend the day. GAFIA (getting away from it all) was certainly achieved!