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Torna
Situated about 60 km southwest of Pune at a height
of 1400 mts, is one of the highest Sahyadri forts,
Torna. Access to it is challenging and trekkers
find it difficult to climb. The fort has two entrances
and houses the Tornajai and Torneshwar temples,
besides two reservoirs called the Toran and the
Khokad. Buses ply from the Swargate bus stop to
the Velhe village. From there you can go up the
hill by foot.
Lohgad-Visapur
The two connected forts are clubbed together
by trekkers.  Lohgad
has two 'kothis' or houses, which at one time
were supplied with water from the reservoir situated
on the hill. On either side of the hill there
is an entrance. The easiest way to get there is
through Malavali either by road or by train. The
Malavali railway station is on the Pune-Mumbai
route. From there it is a stretch of 4km till
the Bhaja caves. The road bifurcates at Gayamukh.
One road leads to Visapur and the other to Lohgad.
The distance from Pune to Malavali is 64 kms.
Rajgad
40 km away from Pune, at a height of 1376 mts
above sea level, stands the Rajgad fort, surrounded
by other forts like Makarandgad, Rajgad, Torna,
Sinhgad and Purandhar. What remains today is the
commanding 'Bale Killa', which very aesthetically
centres the top of  the
hill. Huge reservoirs and several temples in the
vicinity demonstrate the affluence and prosperity
of the people during the era. The fort can be
entered through any of the three gates located
on three different sides of the fort.
It was here that Shivaji crowned himself a 'Chhatrapati'.
Rajgad is very popular with trekkers, more so
because of its proximity to other forts. Trekkers
usually prefer to use the approach from Sawan
village because it is very steep. The most convenient
way to the fort is by road. Buses ply between
the Swargate bus stop in Pune and the village
Sawan.
Shivneri
Just 93 kms from Pune lies Shivneri, the
birthplace of Shivaji. The well preserved fort
is situated about 5 kms from Junnar in Pune district.
There are 135 caves here. The numerous inscriptions
in and around Shivneri reveal that it was a Buddhist
centre during the first three centuries AD.
Shivneri is 93 kms from Pune. The nearest railway
station is Pune.
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