[CaAT]

"Kamalini Kutir should be the perfect place you are looking out for."

My friend said in a 'matter of factly' tone.

We were searching for good weekend getaways around Pune. The usual suspect like the Orchard Resort, on the Pune Satara highway, was discussed and so were some private resorts/villas alongside the Panshet Road. The Ekant Lodge at Lavasa city was fully booked. While these places were fairly good and satisfied our basic requirement of not having to travel a distance, what we really needed was a good place to unwire and unwind from the Concrete Jungle, nay, the Human Zoo, as Desmond Morris would call it! Or some 'hatke' destination, as we called it.

Ofcourse, we could always fall back on Panchgani and/or Mahableshwar, in case things did not work out till the last minute. One can never get too tired of visiting these beautiful twin places, can they?

But here was my friend, putting a 'strong buy' on 'Kamalini Kutir', in the midst of what was turning out to be a very bearish hotel hunt for us.

Kamalini Kutir?

Far from generating any enthusiatic response from the group, it evoked instant apprehension.....and even some snide remarks. Didn't it sound more like a Vipashyana Kendra?

To make matters worse for the first time visitors, there was no information of this place on internet. We had to reach out to the owner for a few photographs of the place. Fortunately, the first impression was very good.

But having finalised upon the destination, we also decided not to set the pointer on the 'Expectation Scale' to the extreme right, for, sometimes, images could be very deceptive.

So Saturday afternoon (27th September, 2008) it was. Ten of us, with 5 kids in tow, set out to an unknown destination, on a weekend trip we had been planning for long. Hoping as much to spend some good time together, as also to take a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of a busy city life.

The cars which did honours: The grand old OHC, the shinning black Indigo and the cute little Spark.

[mjothi]

Good begining. More to come?

OT: Looks like both indica & Spark has same lower grills except for the number of fins.

[CaAT]

Kamalini Kutir is situated on the banks of river Kanindi and at the foothills of Fort Rajgad, the erstwhile (and the first) capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji. If you are traveling from Pune, the total distance is either 60 kms or 50 kms (both approximations), depending on the route that you take.

The first route takes you along the Pune Satara road upto Cheladi Naka (about 10 kms from Khed Shivapur), from where you take a right turn towards Nasrapur / Ambavne and drive for 26 kms more. A left turn at 26 kms milestone and a further drive of 1 km, lands you straight into Kamalini Kutir.

The other route is not only shorter, but also more picturesque. This one finds its way along the Sinhagad Road, Khadakwasla Dam, Donje Phata, and Khanapur, Ranjne, Paabe and Velhe villages.

No prizes for guessing which one we took.

I will let the pictures talk a thousand words for me.

As our car weaved its way through the numerous turns in the scenic 'Ghats', first at Khanapur and then just before Paabe, I could not help but wonder, how much more enjoyable this drive would be, in the monsoons or even in a peak winter afternoon…...

[ASHISHPALLOD]

HI caAT,
nice start. I wonder, i had not noticed this resort during my visit to Rajgad and Torna forts. There are some good resorts at the foot of Rajgad but never saw this one. Eagerly waiting for more.

[midlifecrisis]

Some more on the awesome good resorts at the foot of rajgadh please? It's my fave hike and I want to do it very soon

[ASHISHPALLOD]

HI VINAYAK,
where are rest of pics?
waiting for more.