The statue is definitely, a modern marvel as it is the tallest statue in the world!

The actual proud moment for every Indian is when you witness this beauty is real.

Everyone has been to beach with the golden sand amidst the toes, but have you ever wondered about a beach with black sand?

Yes, there is a beach that has black sand! So here we are ready to explore yet another hidden treasure around Mumbai.

 Earth is full of mysterious and astonishing places and one of them is – Naneghat’s Reverse Waterfall!

Everyone has seen a waterfall go from up to down but have you ever seen a waterfall go all the way from down to up?

The Breath-taking mysteries of Lonar Lake!

Believe it or not, Lonar Lake has to be one of the most intriguing places on Earth. While the formation is still a mystery, the lake does hold great geological facts about meteors and our planet.

Lonar Lake or better known as the Lonar Crater Lake is one of the three greatest high impact velocity lakes of the planet. It is a notified national geo-heritage monument and also a renowned trekking spot. It was discovered by a British officer, J.E. Alexander, in 1823.

The Valley Of Aroma

Ever dreamt of having the perfect cinematic experience where you can amidst a blanket of flowers?

We heard you and also want to help you fulfil your dream!

Kaas Plateau a basalt based plateau situated west of Satara is a place to fulfil your Bollywood scenic dream!

How to get there?

To reach this beautiful location, you can either drive all the way long from your places.

Satara: 25 KM

Mumbai: 279 KM

Pune: 136 KM

Kolhapur: 142 KM

Railways: Nearest Railway station is the Satara Railway Station

When you get down at the Satara Train station, head to Satara Bus Stand, there you need to catch a Bus that takes you to Bamnauli or Tetli. The bus usually leaves at 6 AM in the morning and can drop you off at Kaas Plateau around 6:30 AM.

Bus: You can take a bus all the way to Satara too. Then one more bus to Kaas Plateau like mentioned above.

The Valley of Colors

Back in 2012, Kaas Plateau was declared as a ‘World Heritage Site’ by UNESCO. UNESCO only declares the places with rich biodiversity as a heritage site.

A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area, selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for having cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance, which is legally protected by international treaties. The sites are judged to be important for the collective and preservative interests of humanity.

The plateau is full of flora and fauna. It has a rich biodiversity that includes numerous species of wild and monsoon flowers. 850 species of flowering plants are reported on the plateau. 624 species have entered in the Red Data Book. Out of these 624 species, 39 are found only in Kaas Region.

The fragrance of flowers covers the entire plateau and makes it a delight for the tourists. The plateau got a major recognition after it was declared as a ‘World Heritage Site’. The crowds tend to flock in all year around and majorly on weekends the plateau can be seen full of tourists having their fill of nature.

 The aroma that blends into the gorgeous ambience is a feast to the senses. Adding to it is the feelings of freshness. Situated at an altitude of about 1200 mts., the weather up there is extremely cool despite having the sun directly up on our heads.

The management of the officials or the forest guards is simply commendable. They do an amazing job of preventing people from loitering all around the place and also manage the traffic in the most efficient way making way for every vehicle in the most comfortable manner. They try to maintain as much safety as possible on the roads and make sure none of the flora is affected by the continuously strolling traffic.

One thing that really startles us, is the barricade that is being put across yards of open spaces. These barricades or huge tall fences are built to maintain a safe distance. The tourists tend to unknowingly destroy the rich biodiversity and hence to prevent that from happening the officials have restricted entry to a few places by building several barricades/fences.

Though, the visitors get to roam around in not more than one-third of the plateau but this small portion is enough to witness the enormously vibrant scenario.

Surprising Fact:

Karvi Flower (Strobilanthes callosa) – A rare flower that blooms every eight years is also found on Kaas Plateau!

Karvi Flower (Strobilanthes callosa)

Best Time to Visit

The flowers completely blossom from August to September. Many different varieties of species can be seen during this period. Usually, during monsoons, the plateau looks heavenly, so try backpacking around here during monsoons.

Tickets

There are two ways to buy the tickets: Online & Offline.

Online – you can log on to the official website of Kaas Plateau and can book the tickets.

https://www.kas.ind.in/booking.php

Offline – the tickets can be bought even when you reach there, much like over the counter ticketing system.

Price: Rs. 100 per person. (No tickets to be purchased for Children below 12 years and elderly above 65 years)

Guide

We highly recommend hiring a guide as the guide will perfectly educate you about the different flowers blooming around the area. The type of flowers, the time of blooming, the character everything will be informed to you at a nominal rate of Rs. 100.

What you need to know?

The most important thing to know about Kaas Plateau is that since it is ‘World Heritage Site’ the management out here is quite strict and they won’t tolerate any nuisance happening. The main aim of those officials is to preserve the diversity at any cost and they won’t mind taking strict actions against or even fining you a lump sum amount for any wrongdoings.

Secondly, the flowers have a specific blooming time and the plateau might even feel deserted on some parts of the year so be careful about planning your trip.

Moreover do not try to cross the barricades or encroach into a restricted as it can have adverse consequences.

Instead of showing your smartness by finding out ways to cross the barricades, use it to buy tickets online, as there is no guarantee of you getting tickets when you reach there. There are chances that all the tickets are already sold out!

In conclusion, with lots of flowers all around you, your profound love for nature escalates to a whole new level. The feeling of oneness with nature is something you definitely need to experience. The feeling is eternal and you feel refresh. The purity that nature has for you is something really special and everyone once in their life, at least, should experience something so magical!

Image Courtesy: Google Maps & Wikipedia

*All the photos belong to their respective owners. The Cyclones do not own any photos.

Kaas Plateau – The Valley of Flowers The Cyclones Thursday, May 28, 2020

A weekend ride to an unforgettably appealing lake just a few miles away from Mumbai!

Mumbaikars are always looking for some weekend getaways. We want to go on a long ride but also want the place to be close to our houses.