15:00Overview
Bhandardara is a hill village on Arthur Lake (Bhandardara Dam) in the Sahyadri range of Maharashtra. It is close enough to Mumbai for a two-day road trip, and it is at its best during the monsoon and just after, when the ghats are green and the lake is full.
Getting there
From Mumbai it is about 180 km and takes 4 to 5 hours. Take the Mumbai–Nashik highway through Thane and Kasara to Igatpuri, turn off at Ghoti, and follow the Ghoti–Bari road under the Kalsubai range to Bhandardara.
For the drive home we went the other way round: out through Sinnar and back along the Samruddhi Mahamarg, which passes through the Igatpuri tunnel.
When to go
July to October. The hills are greenest then and Arthur Lake is full. We went on 2 and 3 October, right at the end of the monsoon.
Day one
- Ghoti to Bari. The road runs along the Kalsubai range; Kalsubai is the highest peak in Maharashtra at 1,646 m. Bari is the village at its foot.
- Arthur Lake at sunset. Reach Bhandardara in time for golden hour on the lake.
Day two
- Dawn on Arthur Lake. The water is mirror-still at first light.
- Ratanwadi and the road to Ratangad Fort. Ratanwadi is the base village for the Ratangad trek. The road and causeway along the backwaters is the most scenic stretch of the trip.
- The submerged forest. In the Ratanwadi backwaters, trees stand in the water where the lake has risen around them.
- Samrad and Sandhan Valley. Samrad is the village above Sandhan Valley; the clifftop here looks down into it.
- Windmills near Sinnar. On the way home, a dirt track leads up to the wind turbines on the plateau. We reached it at sunset.
Watch before you go
The film at the top of this page is the full trip. The Bhandardara trip page has both films and every short, in route order.
Common questions
How far is Bhandardara from Mumbai?
About 180 km, which takes 4 to 5 hours by road via the Mumbai–Nashik highway, Igatpuri and Ghoti.
What is the best time to visit Bhandardara?
July to October, during the monsoon and just after, when the ghats are green and Arthur Lake is full.
How many days do you need for Bhandardara?
Two days is enough for Arthur Lake, the Ratanwadi backwaters, the road to Ratangad Fort and the Sandhan Valley clifftop at Samrad.
Which village is the base for the Ratangad Fort trek?
Ratanwadi, on the backwaters of Arthur Lake.
Where is Sandhan Valley?
Next to Samrad village, a short drive from Bhandardara. The clifftop at Samrad looks down into the valley.