KAAS-VALLEY OF FLOWERS( MAHARASHTRA).

" KAAS VALLEY OF FLOWERS"---(SATARA,MAHARASHTRA).-----UNCESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE...

 UNCESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE OF KAAS-VALLEY OF FLOWERS.

 SHIVSAGAR LAKE VIEW FROM TOP OF THE KAAS MEADOWS....

                          KOYNA DAM VIEW FROM THE KAAS PLATEAU.....................................  

Mostly with the name"Maharashtra",we can relate with cities like Mumbai /Nagpur ...But KAAS- Valley of flowers is located near a small city,SATARA ; Its some 5+hrs drive from Mumbai City via the Expressway.Though ,I had been to Valley of flowers in Uttarakhand & Ladakh region in J&K, but never expected  such a beautiful VOF so close to mumbai. Basically this spot is quite common with bikers ,who travel from either Pune/Navi-mumbai via the ghat road.

RESORTS ACROSS THE AJINKYTARA MOUNTAIN RANGE.

    Kaas-Valley of flowers's blooming period commence assoon as themonsoon ends in this region. It's for a short period of 2-3 weeks,usually by August end; The Kaas -Vof is located ontop of Kaas plateau,which gets covered with colourful small wild flowers...This plateau is located ontop, across the Ajinkytara mountain range.

 VIEW OF MYSTIC KAAS LAKE.....

  THE BLOOMS ON THE KAAS PLATEAU...

BLOOOMS ON THE KAAS VALLEY OF FLOWERS.

Route:     Mumbai- Pune- Satara( take the cut from Shendra(Abhays Indraji Bhonsle Institute of Technology)-leftside from the highway-drive another 35kms to the Kaas plateau across the Ajinkytara range...

   Toll tax on the expressway:      Vashi toll ( 30/-Rs)-Khalapur(99/-Rs)-Talegaon(165/-Rs)-Khedshivpur(70Rs/-)-Anewadi(50Rs/-).

Other places of tourist interest:     Kaas Lake,Bamnoli,Tapola,Shivsagar lake,Koyna Dam,Vasota Fort.

Flowers found:       Smithia bunch, Purple bladderwort,Skyblue karvy,Mal Karvy,Abhali blooming, Tuberous pipewort,Depcadi Montanum,Saffron senecio daisies,Great Cat's ear's, Burmann Sundew. etc.etc.

Place to halt a night : Hotel Nivant Hill Resort on the Ajinkytara range is the most pictureque but need to do booking prior; orelse hotel at Satara city -Hotel Maharaja Regency etc. orelse another option which we found suitable for us,was to drive upto Kolhapur City via the Satara-Kolhapur golden quadrilateral's road & visit the Maha laxmi temple ,kolhapur too ...

Our driving timings for the visit  was - Started from Vashi( navi-mumbai)-6:05am- reached Kaas-(11:30am). Lunch at Hotel Nivant Hill resort(2pm)... Reached Kolhapur-5:30pm via the expressway .

 KAAS VALLEY WITH ITS NEW BLOOM...

 KAAS VOF .......................................

THE ROADS TO THE KAAS VALLEY OF FLOWERS.

      It had been a great experience to visit this serene place which is now declared UNCESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. & a good recommendation for all Nature lover's to try to visit this untouch,unspoilt beauty,keeping in mind the blooming period as we were abit too early to see the bloom .A great weekend site to visit for Mumbaikar's aswell any way who hates the hussle bussle of Mumbai City Life.