History: This fort was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the 16th century. The construction was completed in 1656 and it was primarily built to defend the river banks of Nira and Koyna river. One of the greatest battles, The Battle of Pratapgad was fought here between Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Afzal Khan.
The fort is currently owned by Udayan Rajebhosale, who is the 13th descendant of Shivaji Maharaj.
Routes: For visitors from Pune, I hope you all must be aware of the route to Mahabaleshwar. From Mahabaleshwar, Pratapgarh is just 24 kms away. The roads are pretty good and the locals can guide you for the route from Mahabaleswar.
And these days, with GPS devices that are so handy, I think finding the route should not be a problem. Just ensure that you search for Wada village which is the base village where your vehicles can be parked.
Difficulty and other useful Tips: This is a relatively easy trek. There are just 450 steps which you would need to cover to get to the top of the fort. The trek is not at all difficult and even novice trekkers should be able to complete it with ease.
One piece of advice that I would like to give is that, everone should carry atleast 2-3 litres of water.
What to see on the fort:
- Entrance of Bale Killa
- Watch Towers on the fort
- Statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
- Bastions on the fort
- Beautiful Sahyadri Mountains surrounding the fort
- Afzal Buruj
- Bhavani Temple
- Afzal Khans Tomb
- Rahat Lake - Biggest lake on the fort
Camping / Accomodation: For camping I would recommend that you take tents as there is no natural shelter on the fort. You can camp in the Mahadev temple on the fort, but if you are visiting on a weekend, you may find it full. Take plenty of water and food along with you for a night stay. The locals can help you with firewood that you may need for a bonfire or making a quick maggi.
If you are not fond of camping, you can find an accomodation easily at Mahabaleshwar. There are plenty of hotels and resorts where you can stay if you are visting from a far away place.
Please leave a comment below for others if you have been to Pratapgad or you have any questions related to Pratapgad trek.