Kaas (Maharashtra) -The Plateau of flowers

genesis · 7th October 2009, 08:00

On a wet and foggy morning, two roads diverged in the yellow woods and I took the one less travelled...

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Welcome to an unguided tour of Kaas, the plateau of flowers, world famous in Maharashtra...

prince_pervez · 7th October 2009, 08:01

Good teasers! Keep em coming.

privin · 7th October 2009, 09:11

The valley is surely getting popular. You will find tiny flowers that carpet the whole scene, and the whole area looks very beautiful. It will last only for few more weeks. Those interested in macro photography will find this very delighting.

Also, be sure to park your vehicles on the road, and not on plant bed on the sides. The area has some really rare plant species. For e.g. the second photo I have attached is a tiny carnivorous plant that traps insects and eats plants - called Drosera Brumanii - Drosera burmannii - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. There was a local nature guide who pointed this to us. We could find it only on road side.

privin · 7th October 2009, 09:16

Some more photographs. Thosegar waterfall is also in same region (but you have to come back to satara and take different route).

ASHISHPALLOD · 7th October 2009, 09:21

Aha, the kaas lake, Auli of Maharashtra, valley..err..plateau of flowers.

Had you visited Bamnoli also?

Remember, kaas area is the site for New Mahabaleshwar.

Rudra Sen · 7th October 2009, 09:27

Excellent location and tons of photography opportunity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by privin

It will last only for few more weeks.

How many more weeks? What's the best time? What's the travel time from Bombay?

frequentflyer · 7th October 2009, 09:31

Kaas is combined with the Lake and the Thosegar waterfall. For the spiritually inclined Sajjangad is on the way. Thosegar I hear has some barricades now. When I went five years back it was slippery and one had to keep one's distance to see the falls.

privin · 7th October 2009, 09:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

How many more weeks? What's the best time? What's the travel time from Bombay?

From Pune, Satara is about 100 kms on NH4. You should enter Satara city, and ask for directions for "tunnel" - towards road to Sajjangarh/Kas. These are narrow town roads. Just before tunnel, you turn right towards Kas. Kas valley is about 25kms from this place.

About 12-15kms further from Kas, the road winds down to a small village called Bumnoli - on backwaters of koyna dam. You can enjoy boating facility there. Most of this route was full of fog, with visibility of only 50 meters.

The people told that the flowers bloom only during Sept/Oct period.

dkhatau · 7th October 2009, 09:35

really nice pics. how do you get to kaas from mumbai?

ASHISHPALLOD · 7th October 2009, 09:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Excellent location and tons of photography opportunity. How many more weeks? What's the best time? What's the travel time from Bombay?

Quote:

Originally Posted by frequentflyer

Kaas is combined with the Lake and the Thosegar waterfall. For the spiritually inclined Sajjangad is on the way. Thosegar I hear has some barricades now. When I went five years back it was slippery and one had to keep one's distance to see the falls.

Kaas lake is near satara off nh4.
it is about 25 km from satara on bamnoli road.
the flower show of karvi [ name of bush] is in sept and last long for 7 weeks.
those yellow and purple colored flowers bloom once in seven years on each bush.

from city tunnel at satara, if you go straight avoiding tunnel, you will be on bamnoli road, if you pass through tunnel, you will be on thoseghar waterfall road. you can combine sajjangad fort, thoseghar waterfall and chalkewadi wind farm in one go.

genesis · 7th October 2009, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Excellent location and tons of photography opportunity. How many more weeks? What's the best time? What's the travel time from Bombay?

Kaas is 24 km odd from Satara which in turn is 250km from Mumbai.
We are now at the end of the season...which is mid sept to early oct. the flowers are slowly fading out. Maybe a week at most. Best done as an overnight stay in Satara or combined with Mahabaleshwar.

If you push it, it can be done as a day trip from Mumbai as I did but it can get a wee bit taxing.

For the travel time, you will have to continue reading the travelog.

genesis · 7th October 2009, 11:58

As a wise man once remarked, "The main function of the human body is to work as a tea/coffee filter!"

A 5.30 am start from Mumbai and empty roads, saw us in Lonavala in one hour, a pit stop at the highway plaza for exchange of fluids and we were outside Pune by 7.30am. The expressway ended but the good roads continued through the Khambatki ghats from where we descended onto the final stretch for Satara. A leisurely breakfast at a Maharashtrian place called Virangula (around 10 mins from Khambatki ghats and highly recommended) for some hardcore thalipeeth, kanda pohe, upma, some more fluid exchange and we sped on turning off the highway into Satara just past 9 am.

Asking around for the Kaas/Bamnoli road, we navigated some narrow town lanes and reached a 'tunnel', a right turn before which would lead us to Kaas.

(Directions are pretty straightforward. In Satara, ask for Powai Naka from where 'seedha' (with the arm pointed left) leads one to the Kaas/Bamnoli road and the tunnel turnoff)

Weaving through some parked trucks we made the right and followed the snaking mountain road where the lush green mountains, roadside waterfalls and some simian friends beckoned us into their abode..

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Start of road to Kaas

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Beauty treatment

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A family matter

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Lush greenery

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Within reach

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8k m from Kaas the road flattened and we started noticing the green grass being accentuated by splashes of yellow...

gigy · 7th October 2009, 16:45

Beautiful photos and place. let me see if i can make it this week

udaydesai · 7th October 2009, 17:16

Good pic. Have been to kaas when is was smal kid, My uncle did some rabbit hunting. do not remember much. will make it next time when we go to satara.

kiren · 7th October 2009, 18:30

A leisurely breakfast at a Maharashtrian place called Virangula (around 10 mins from Khambatki ghats and highly recommended) for some hardcore thalipeeth, kanda pohe, upma,

Never seen this place Virangula. Is it immediately after Khambatki? Mouth watering stuff. Infact it will be the ideal stop joint on NH4 for Mumbai - Blore guys.

Kaas never heard of this place, but Thank you for showing it to us. Now i will have to look at when to go. How is this place during off season?.

I just came back from Sangola off Karad would have loved to take a diversion for such a lovely spot.

7th October 2009, 08:00	#1
genesis BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 774 Thanked: 661 Times	Kaas (Maharashtra) -The Plateau of flowers On a wet and foggy morning, two roads diverged in the yellow woods and I took the one less travelled... Welcome to an unguided tour of Kaas, the plateau of flowers, world famous in Maharashtra...
	(5) Thanks

7th October 2009, 08:01	#2
prince_pervez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Redwood shores, CA, USA Posts: 4,211 Thanked: 53 Times View My Garage	Good teasers! Keep em coming.
	() Thanks

7th October 2009, 09:11	#3
privin BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 63 Thanked: 149 Times	The valley is surely getting popular. You will find tiny flowers that carpet the whole scene, and the whole area looks very beautiful. It will last only for few more weeks. Those interested in macro photography will find this very delighting. Also, be sure to park your vehicles on the road, and not on plant bed on the sides. The area has some really rare plant species. For e.g. the second photo I have attached is a tiny carnivorous plant that traps insects and eats plants - called Drosera Brumanii - Drosera burmannii - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. There was a local nature guide who pointed this to us. We could find it only on road side. Attached Thumbnails
	(2) Thanks

7th October 2009, 09:16	#4
privin BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 63 Thanked: 149 Times	Some more photographs. Thosegar waterfall is also in same region (but you have to come back to satara and take different route). Attached Thumbnails
	(3) Thanks

7th October 2009, 09:21	#5
ASHISHPALLOD Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: MH42 Posts: 2,014 Thanked: 346 Times View My Garage	Aha, the kaas lake, Auli of Maharashtra, valley..err..plateau of flowers. Had you visited Bamnoli also? Remember, kaas area is the site for New Mahabaleshwar. Last edited by ASHISHPALLOD : 7th October 2009 at 09:26.
	() Thanks

7th October 2009, 09:31	#7
frequentflyer BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Pune Posts: 223 Thanked: 34 Times	Kaas is combined with the Lake and the Thosegar waterfall. For the spiritually inclined Sajjangad is on the way. Thosegar I hear has some barricades now. When I went five years back it was slippery and one had to keep one's distance to see the falls.
	() Thanks

7th October 2009, 09:35	#9
dkhatau BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: mumbai Posts: 162 Thanked: 43 Times	really nice pics. how do you get to kaas from mumbai?
	() Thanks

7th October 2009, 11:58	#12
genesis BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 774 Thanked: 661 Times	As a wise man once remarked, "The main function of the human body is to work as a tea/coffee filter!" A 5.30 am start from Mumbai and empty roads, saw us in Lonavala in one hour, a pit stop at the highway plaza for exchange of fluids and we were outside Pune by 7.30am. The expressway ended but the good roads continued through the Khambatki ghats from where we descended onto the final stretch for Satara. A leisurely breakfast at a Maharashtrian place called Virangula (around 10 mins from Khambatki ghats and highly recommended) for some hardcore thalipeeth, kanda pohe, upma, some more fluid exchange and we sped on turning off the highway into Satara just past 9 am. Asking around for the Kaas/Bamnoli road, we navigated some narrow town lanes and reached a 'tunnel', a right turn before which would lead us to Kaas. (Directions are pretty straightforward. In Satara, ask for Powai Naka from where 'seedha' (with the arm pointed left) leads one to the Kaas/Bamnoli road and the tunnel turnoff) Weaving through some parked trucks we made the right and followed the snaking mountain road where the lush green mountains, roadside waterfalls and some simian friends beckoned us into their abode.. Start of road to Kaas Beauty treatment A family matter Lush greenery Within reach 8k m from Kaas the road flattened and we started noticing the green grass being accentuated by splashes of yellow...
	(2) Thanks

7th October 2009, 16:45	#13
gigy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 1,321 Thanked: 47 Times	Beautiful photos and place. let me see if i can make it this week
	() Thanks

7th October 2009, 17:16	#14
udaydesai BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: mumbai Posts: 296 Thanked: 27 Times	Good pic. Have been to kaas when is was smal kid, My uncle did some rabbit hunting. do not remember much. will make it next time when we go to satara.
	(1) Thanks

7th October 2009, 18:30	#15
kiren BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: mumbai Posts: 454 Thanked: 33 Times	A leisurely breakfast at a Maharashtrian place called Virangula (around 10 mins from Khambatki ghats and highly recommended) for some hardcore thalipeeth, kanda pohe, upma, Never seen this place Virangula. Is it immediately after Khambatki? Mouth watering stuff. Infact it will be the ideal stop joint on NH4 for Mumbai - Blore guys. Kaas never heard of this place, but Thank you for showing it to us. Now i will have to look at when to go. How is this place during off season?. I just came back from Sangola off Karad would have loved to take a diversion for such a lovely spot.
	() Thanks