Tung a.k.a Kathingad

Fort : Tung (Kathingad)
Height : 3500ft (Above MSL)
Base Village : Tungawadi
Region: Lonavala
Grade: Easy
Route(s):

1. Lonavala -> Bhushi dam -> INS Shivaji -> Air Force station -> Ghusalkhamb(turn left) again left (narrow tar road) -> Tungawadi Gaothan. Here there is a Maruti (Hanuman) temple. The route for the climb goes from front of the Hanumaan Temple

2. Kamshet -> Pawna backwaters-> Launch thru pawna backwaters -> Tung base -> climb. (difficult route)

Total km: Lonavala -> Ghusalkhamb = 16km , Ghusalkhamb -> Tungawadi = 8km.
Forts seen from here: Lohagad, Tikona, Visapur.

History of Tung: It was used as a watch tower over the maval region along with other forts like lohagad visapur and tikona.

Had gone to Tung fort on 19th May 2007. It is the one which i wanted to go from many days...so thought why not. Started from home around 5am on my bike (Pulsar150) towards Lonavala.The route after lonavala (bhushi) was scenic and cool. Clouds were drifting at low altitudes and it seemed like heaven.

On the way saw a Shivaling type of hill it was truely the most divine sight i have ever seen. Looks like a proper shivaling and its an isolated hill.

Reached GhusalKhamb and turned left but instead of taking the narrow road left went right 4-5km and thought something was amiss. So asked a local and he said go back and take the narrow road near the ghusalkhamb phata. Went back again and took the correct road and the road is too good but narrow. Reached Tungwadi Gaothan and went near the Maruti Mandir.

Took Darshan of Lord Hanuman and started at 7.09am from there onwards up. Takes like around 15-30 mins depending on ur strength but it is very easy. While going up at a short distance there is again a cave with Lord Hanuman in it. The route up is winding and goes easy.
Reached the fort darwaza at 7.24am (imagine doing a fort in the sahayadris in 15min)...was my fastest climb ever :-) )

Once on top took some photographs...Inside the first darwaaza there are two buruz and there is 1 more small door there to go atop. On top the scene is too awesome and cool! Nothing much on top. There is a Lord Ganesh Mandir on top there and a water source which is too greenish (not recommended for drinking atleast).

Once ur there the route goes slightly up circumventing a small rock formation towards the highest point of the fort (which is a buruz). There up the view of the Pawna backwaters is schintillating. You can see Tikona fort, Lohagad fort from here. There over a pole the bhagwa(saffron) flag flutters proudly and there is a small shrine of Tungai Devi in at the end point.

Once this was done started climbing down the fort and got down at 8.10am and again took darshan of Lord hanuman and started towards Peth Shahapur for Korigad. One more trek done.
Trek 12 accomplished