Bhandardara
Bhandardara is a holiday resort village near Igatpuri, in the western ghats of India. The village is located in the Akole tehsil, Ahmednagar district of the state of Maharashtra, about 185 kilometers (115 mi) from Mumbai, 155 kilometers (96 mi) from Ahmednagar and 73 kilometers (45 mi) from Nashik.
Bhandardara | |
|---|---|
Village | |
Arthur Lake | |
| Nickname: Wilson dam | |
Bhandardara Location in Maharashtra, India | |
| Coordinates: 19°31′45″N 73°45′5″E | |
| Country | India |
| State | Maharashtra |
| District | Ahmednagar |
| Government | |
| • Body | Government of Maharashtra |
| Elevation | 740 m (2,430 ft) |
| Language | |
| • Official | Marathi, Hindi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Telephone code | 02424 |
| Vehicle registration | MH-17 |
| Nearest city | Nashik Sangamner |
| Lok Sabha constituency | Shirdi |
| Vidhan Sabha constituency | Akole |
Bhandardara sits by the Pravara River, and the natural environment, waterfalls, mountains, Wilson dam, Arthur lake and Randha falls are tourist attractions.
Bhandardara attractions include Wilson Dam and Arthur Lake. Since late 2010sattraction in this place is Fireflies camp in the Purushwadi area.
There are number of historic and natural places of interest near the dam. From Bhandardara, visitors can climb up to see the Ratangad and Harishchandragad forts. Or visitors can follow the trails that lead to Ajoba and Ghanchakkar peaks. The highest peak in Maharashtra, Mount Kalsubai is 1646 m, and the starting point for this trek is Bari Village, located 12 km away from Bhandardara. Atop, there is a small temple located at the summit, with views of Sahyadris and Bhandardara. The toughest trio-forts in Sahyadri namely Alang Fort, Madangad fort and Kulang gad (also called A-M-K) located on the southern side. A very narrow Sandhan valley is on the Western side of the dam.