Kohoj Fort – A Complete Trek Guide
Kohoj fort lies on the northern side of Maharashtra on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway. The fort is around 3,200 ft in altitude from sea level. Built by the Bhoj dynasty, the fort was about 800 years old; however, later, the Portuguese captured this fort.
As per the history books, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj surrendered 22 forts to the Mughals on 11 June 1665 under the Treaty of Purander, and Kohoj fort was one of them.
The fort was used as a watch tower for the surrounding coastal area; The fort is now destroyed & abandoned for a long time.
The trek is a must-do for every trek because of the scenic route & the moderate challenge it offers.
The trek is one of the underrated Sahyadri treks; if going during the winter, you will find the entire trail for yourself on most days.
One of the main attractions of the fort is a rock formation that looks like a human.
- Trek Difficulty: Moderate
- Altitude: 3,200 ft.
- Base Village: Vaghote village
- Best Season: Monsoon & Winter
How To Reach Kohoj Fort?
Public Transportation:
The fort is located in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, and the easiest way to get here is by taking a train to Palghar Station.
From the station, you can walk towards the Palghar bus depot to take a bus to Vaghote village, or you can take a direct rickshaw from the station to the base village.
If coming from the western suburbs of Mumbai, you can take a train to Virar and take another train to Palghar railway station from Virar station.
The travel time will be about 2.5 to 3 hours via public transport.
Private Vehicle:
Trekkers driving from the Western suburbs can take the Western Express Highway (NH 48) towards Manor and take a right turn towards Wada; on your way to Wada, you will reach Vaghote village.
Trekkers travelling from Mumbai’s central and harbour suburbs should take the Ghodbunder road heading towards NH48.
The distance is around 82 kms and can take around 2 hours to reach.
Click here to get directions. (Western Suburbs)
Kohoj Fort Difficulty & Trek Route
The Kohoj fort trek is moderately difficult and will require you to have a good stamina level to do this trek with ease, as the trek has a few steep ascends.
The trek distance is 4.5 kms approximately, and it will take around 3 – 3.5 hours to reach the top, with proper breaks in between.
The actual trek starts from Shelte (Pazhar) lake, around 2kms from the base village. It is an easy 20-30 mins walk to the lake through paddy fields; however, there are many trails, so it is advisable to ask local farmers for directions initially to the lake.
From the lake, the trail enters a dense forest, most of the trail is well-marked with white arrows, and one can easily reach the plateau of Kohoj. It will take around 2.5 hours to reach the plateau.
Do note it requires high endurance to reach the plateau as most of the trail through the dense forest includes steep ascends and it can get tiring if you are not physically fit.
Once you reach the top of the fort, you need another 1-1.5 hours to explore the plateau.
On top of the Kohoj fort, you can find a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and a group of water cisterns.
There is a small temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman just after the main entrance to the fort.
The main attraction of the fort is at the topmost part, where there is a rock formation which looks like a man-shaped pinnacle (because of wind erosion).
While descending, one must be careful as a wrong footing can twist your ankle; hence it is advisable to wear proper trekking shoes with ankle support.
Additional Information For The Trek
- You can hire a guide to the fort from the base village, and he can also help you arrange for breakfast & lunch.
- If you plan to do this trek alone, you can use this trek route created on Ramblr.
- Other notable nearby treks include Asherigad, TakMak fort, Mahuli fort, Asava fort & Tandulwadi.
- We recommend hiring a local guide for the trek as the trail gets a bit confusing at times, and someone with less experience in trekking in Sahyadri will find it difficult to find the trail at times.
- You must carry atleast 3 litres of water and ready-to-eat food items on the trek as there are no shops near the base village.
- There is no drinkable water source on top of the fort.
- If you plan to go in the monsoon season, it is advisable to wear trekking shoes with proper grips to avoid injuries, as the trail gets very slippery.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can reach Kohoj fort via Palghar station. Take a train to Palghar station, take another bus to Vaghote village, and then start a 4.5 km long hike to the top of the fort. Or drive directly to Vaghote village from Mumbai via NH48, covering a distance of 82 kms.
Kohoj fort is located in the Palghar district near Vaghote village in Maharashtra, around 83 kms from Mumbai.
During the 17th century, the fort was captured by the Maratha Empire and was used as a military outpost.
It played an important role in protecting the trading routes between Mumbai and the Konkan region. The fort was later taken over by the British during the Anglo-Maratha Wars in the 18th century.
The Kohoj fort trek is moderately difficult and will require you to have a good stamina level to do this trek with ease, as the trek has a few steep ascends.
The trek distance is 4.5 kms approximately, and it will take around 3 – 3.5 hours to reach the top, with proper breaks in between.
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