Karnala: Just Around the Corner

There’s a beautiful canopy of green just outside Mumbai that you knew about but never cared to get intimate with. Do take the trouble, you’ll find the air here refreshing, the walks energising and the getaway completely revitalising. Karnala is a great place for a weekend break with friends and family – thick forests, entwining vines, mushrooms and toadstools, wild ferns, chirping birds, frolicking squirrels, observant lizards and geckos, flitting butterflies, monkeys swinging in the trees and the shrill call of jungle fowl. These are some of the elements of the natural world you’ll encounter in Raigad District’s Karnala Bird Sanctuary.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

The Karnala Bird Sanctuary is just opposite the Range Forest Office. There’s an entry fee of ₹35 and camera charges from ₹100–250. Most people head to Karnala Fort, but you could also cross the highway and venture down less frequented trails.

Karnala Fort

The fort’s peak is crested by a thumb-shaped pinnacle – the famous Karnala ‘Thums Up’, actually a 1,538-foot-high volcanic plug. Start your hike to the fort early, to ensure you are not walking in the midday heat. Just after the monsoon is one of the best times of the year to be making this trip.

A breathtaking view of Karnala as seen from a cliff

Anil Rajput

Expect to walk for at least an hour before you reach the fort, where there is a small Bhavani temple. The walk up is bound to make you perspire but the views and the stunning beauty of the Sahyadris all round make it worthwhile. The loud swishing you hear in the trees is likely to be the ever-present black-faced langur. At the base of the pinnacle are some rock-cut caves and water tanks of Buddhist origin.

TIP Carry water and snacks

Scaling the Pinnacle

If you have the expertise and equipment, it is possible for you to scale the pinnacle. On one side it is a sheer rock face with a couple of overhangs, but on the other, there is an obvious and clear route. Stay clear of the beehives – try not to smoke, as this aggravates the bees.

CAUTION This is a technical climb and you must have the necessary proficiency and safety gear to make it to the top

Karnala Bird Sanctuary

Small enough to begin with – just 4.5 sq km in size – the Karnala Bird Sanctuary is bisected by the Mumbai- Goa Highway. But, at least it’s there. The sanctuary is home to about 150 species of birds, but is also visited by 40 other migratory species. The best time to come is from November to February, but you will see some birds in the monsoon too.

SHOPPING

There are very few things to consider buying here, unless you’re into plants. There are two nurseries on the main highway – Nisarga and Go Green. The wrought iron furniture. Just next door, at the Yusuf Meherally Centre, you can buy nature-based products such as neem oil, sandalwood soap, handloom items and a number of edibles.

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT

KStar Woods Resort (Mumbai Tel: 022- 24171517; Tariff: Rs. 4,600–9,100), one kilometre from the sanctuary, is the most popular resort around. Panoramic Resort and Water Amusement Park (Tel: 02143-226235; Tariff: ₹3,800–9,800) is in Kalhe village. There’s also a forest bungalow (Tel: 022-25402522; Tariff: ₹450– 1,000) in the bird sanctuary.

On the main highway, just at the entrance to Karnala Sanctuary is Hotel Ekvira, where you get thalis and snacks. Nearby is Hotel Karnala, which also offers similar fare. At the Yusuf Mehe rally Centre (Tel: 02143- 226057/ 43), they’ll cook a simple meal with an hour or two’s notice. At the KStar Woods Resort, you can picnic for ₹659 per head, which includes breakfast, buffet lunch and tea, and a swim.

Do the Bird Walk

Many visitors come to Karnala and ask, “Where are the birds?” You have to be quiet and observant if you want to see any birds in the sanctuary. Whether you walk up to the fort or take one of the lower trails, you’ll be entertained by the different calls and chirping of the many birds that resonate through the forest.

A black-vented oriole at Karnala

Spend time looking at the trees and the vines, at how gnarled and twisted they are. Examine the numerous white crabs scurrying across the forest floor. Look closely as giant spiders weave their webs right in front of your eyes.

Golden orioles, red-vented bulbuls, paradise fly-catchers, hornbills, vultures and owls are just a few of the birds that have made this area their home, and joining them each winter is a large number of migratory birds. To add more fun to this walk, take your bird book along to identify them.