About a 1000 feet above sea level, you are sitting on the ledge of a fort facing the just rising Sun. what you see spread out below you is a town shrouded in green cover.  The fort shows palpable signs of Mughal design, Portuguese art and even Maratha footsteps.  If you’re wondering where you’d find this rich mesh of history and nature, you should head to Karnala, a sought-after destination for trekkers around Pune and Mumbai.

The Bygone Eras

The fort’s early years saw the reigns of theYadavs from the 11^th to12^th century followed by the Sultan of Gujarat and the Nizam of Ahmednagar.  The fort had next been under the Shivaji who ceded it to the Mughals after losing to Maharaja Jaisingh.  The Mughals lost it to the Portuguese only to regain it from them in a fierce battle.  The British then left their colonial footprints after which Vasudeo Balwant Phadke, one of the foremost revolutionaries of the Indian freedom struggle used the fort as his domain for planning revolts. 

The Greens  

Although only an eighth of the original forest around Karnala exists today. It is spread across an area of 4.5 square metres. A Bird Sanctuary was established in 1979 to prohibit further damage to the forests. Situated about 63km from Mumbai on the Mumbai – Goa highway, this Bird Sanctuary is home to about thirty species of birds.

The Climb Uphill

The climb up to the fort includes three steep inclines punctuated by reasonably short stretches of flat land.  Midway through the climb, you can spot the font, a remnant of a volcanic eruption (which is called the Thumb owing to its shape) that had occurred 65 million years ago.  It’s because of this thumb that Karnala got its name (Karn means thumb in the local dialect). Irrespective of being a small fort, it held a great deal of strategic importance in its days. 

Creatures of the Forest

During the one and half hour climb, you will surely witness some forms of wildlife.  Langurs and bonnet macaques are some of the most common mammals that can be spotted in the park. Karnala is a haven for bird lovers. You are most likely to spot Drongos, Ioras, and Crow pheasants in the canopies.  If you have keen eyes, you’ll even find interesting insect life. For instance, the Spittle Bug that encapsulates itself in a saliva-like foamy fluid during the larval stages of its life. 

Grab your bags and …

The best way to reach Karnala from Mumbai is by road.  It is a 30-minute ride from Panvel which marks the borders of Navi Mumbai. You can board a local train for Panvel from Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and get off at the last stop – Panvel, almost a two hour-long journey. The State Transport buses will then take you from the railway station to the Karnala Bird Sanctuary.