Khadakwasla-Nilkantheshwar-Panshet

Nilkantheshwar is a scenic cycle route with beautiful water bodies and mountains throughout the trail. The entire trail is adjacent to the Khadakwasla dam backwaters. It’s the route that goes from the right side of the dam towards Panshet. Many people prefer the road which goes from the left side of the dam (from Donaje-Khanapur), so you will experience traffic on this road. The road from Nilkantheshwar is usually vacant, traffic free and very quiet. After the first 10km you see very few houses and vehicles on the road. I recommend that you carry some vehicle repairing tools and an emergency first aid kit.

You can start this trail from Khadakwasla. If you have car, then you can park it near the NDA gate or the Peacock-bay. There is a temple near the Peacock-bay gate, where you can park your vehicle and start cycling. The first few meters of this trail, after you cross the temple, go through a very dense and beautiful forest patch. It is followed by a few villages where some stray dogs can follow youJ. They barked and followed me to almost every village on this road. So, just beware of them.

Continue on this trail for about 15 Km till you see a diversion to your left. It will lead you to the Nilkantheshwar temple and Panshet.

A more than welcoming surprise on this trail was the presence of peacocks in a field close to the road. It was a pleasure to watch them fly and cross the road.

The road at the Nilkantheshwar diversion is not very good. However, it is very scenic and goes adjacent to a water body all the way till the Varasgaon dam. While cycling and watching the river, I was about to run over a snake.  But luckily I controlled my cycle and saved us bothJ.






If you continue on this road you reach the Varasgaon dam. From here, you can either turn back and take the same route or cross the water and take the route from Panshet-Khanapur-Donaje road to get back to Khadakwasla.


Track details
Total distance: 27Km
Avg time : 1Hr 15 Mins Hrs(one way)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwSHWX__mzvocldXVXgtU2NvbFk/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwSHWX__mzvoT1RqNm5waE1aS2c/edit?usp=sharing


https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwSHWX__mzvoT1RqNm5waE1aS2c/edit?usp=drivesdk





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