Rajgad: The king of forts
The Rajgad Safarnama is a 9.2 km round trip across 7 stops, from Gunjavane up to Balekilla summit and back, part of the Sahyadri Forts Trail. See the whole trail.
Gunjavane
Gunjavane is one of the villages at the foot of Rajgad, which stands about 60 km southwest of Pune. The fort's base is so wide, around 40 km across, that besieging it was very hard.
Gunjavane Darwaja
The Gunjavane Darwaja is the gate where the Gunjavane path meets the walls. Shivaji Maharaj captured the fort in 1647 and named it Rajgad, the king's fort.
Maha Darwaja
The Maha Darwaja is one of Rajgad's main gates. Inside the fort, the Padmavati temple can shelter around fifty people, a welcome roof for trekkers caught by the rain.
Rajwada
The ruins here are of the Rajwada, the royal residence. Maharani Saibai died at Rajgad in 1659, and Rajaram, Shivaji Maharaj's son, was born here in 1670.
Balekilla gate
The Balekilla is the citadel at the very top of Rajgad, reached through its own gate.
Balekilla summit
Rajgad's summit stands at 1,376 metres. After 1689 it passed to the Mughals, was retaken in 1692, and came under British control in 1818. In July 2025 it was inscribed as part of the Maratha Military Landscapes UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Back at Gunjavane
Back in the village, Rajgad fills the sky behind you.