I have a passion for trekking. I’ve already visited quite a few forts around Pune—near Purandar, Velhe, and the Lonavala region. However, I had never done the trek popularly known as K2S, which stands for “Katraj to Sinhagad.” I had heard about it from a friend after moving to Pune, but this wish had remained unfulfilled for many years—until last Sunday, when I finally completed it.
The trek starts from one of 3–4 points near Hatti Dongar in Katraj Ghat. From there, you climb up and down around 15–16 hills, covering nearly 14 kilometres before reaching Sinhagad.
This trek typically takes 5–6 hours, and if the group is large, with frequent breaks, it can take even longer. That’s why organisers usually conduct it at night—especially in summer. In monsoon or winter, it can be done during the day. Since it’s a night trek, it is often scheduled around the full moon (or a day or two before/after it). In the week we went, the full moon fell midweek, so a few groups had organised treks on both weekends.
I regularly hike up Sinhagad from the Pune Darwaza side, like many Pune residents. But since this trek is longer and more challenging, I always wanted to try it at least once. I didn’t think much beyond that. However, during the trek, I learned that there are seasoned trekkers who do this regularly—even solo—and some have completed K2S 15–20 times. As we were starting, we even saw a couple finishing the trek in reverse (Sinhagad to Katraj), likely having started around 5 PM. Since the trail crosses many hills and paths, I strongly recommend that first-timers do it with an experienced group.
My friend Sagar and I registered with the “Sunday Hikers” group. A total of 58 of us completed the trek that night. The group’s founder, Anand Ankam, and several experienced trekkers from the Sunday Hikers team were there to guide us. Their planning was excellent.
Participants were divided according to the area into four batches and transported by tempo traveller buses to the starting point in Old Katraj Ghat. From there, to better manage the large group, they divided us into six smaller teams (green, blue, red, etc.). Each person was given a matching wristband, and every team had two experienced leaders—one leading and one at the back—with strict instructions that no one should overtake them. They also designated the overall front and rear persons for the entire group. To avoid confusion, one of the coordinators, Sanjay sir, personally counted each group before letting them proceed.
The route runs over hills between the old and new Katraj tunnels, so you often see one or both highways below. The vehicle lights looked beautiful from afar, and areas like Katraj, Ambegaon, Narhe, Kondhanpur, and others were lit up in the night. Above us was the full moon (or near full). Altogether, it was a unique visual treat, unlike typical day treks.
Luckily, the weather was not too cloudy, so it wasn’t too humid. We enjoyed cool night breezes throughout, making the summer night trek totally worthwhile and less tiring.
Once the trek starts, there are no shops or water sources along the way. Unlike Sinhagad, where refreshments are available, here you must carry everything. We were instructed to carry at least 3 bottles of water and 1 bottle with electrolytes.
Hydration is critical in any endurance activity—cycling, trekking, or running. It’s not just water you lose through sweat, but also salts and electrolytes. Many people only drink water, which can lead to cramps, dizziness, and fatigue. Using electrolyte solutions like Electral, Enerzal, Fast&Up—or even lemon-salt water—is essential. I didn’t know about this earlier, but now I make sure to follow it and have seen the benefits.
As we progressed over 15–16 hills, people kept counting—“fourth done, seventh done”—often debating the exact count. At night, it’s hard to distinguish hills clearly, because some require full descents while others don’t. So, only experienced trekkers could confidently track them.
Since this trek is long, the “10–15 minute” answer wouldn’t work here. Instead, one regular trekker named Saurabh used to answer everything in terms of “45 minutes.” Initially, “this next hill will take 45 minutes,” then “just another 45 minutes,” and towards the end, the scale of his answer reduced to 20 minutes.
One interesting thing was that many climbs were very direct—almost straight up. Usually, trails zigzag, but here we often climbed straight toward the peaks ahead of us. From a distance, it would look like people walking on a 2D mountain image.
The terrain has a lot of loose sand, especially in summer when everything is dry, increasing the risk of slipping during descents. Some sections were tricky; one even had a rope installed for support. Everyone used head torches—which are far better than handheld ones for such climbs. As our Red Team was ahead of the pack, we would finish our climb first, and looking back, we could see a chain of 40–50 headlamps from top to bottom on the hill—it looked amazing.
After the long break, we were told the official trek ends at Kondhanpur Phata, and reaching Sinhagad requires an additional 2–3 km uphill. Only those who reached first and had enough energy could continue; others would take buses to the hotel.
From here, teams were dissolved, and those aiming for Sinhagad stayed closer to Ramesh Anna. Sagar and I were determined to go up to Sinhagad. To motivate myself, I came up with one reason: that was the only way to do the full K2S (not just K2K—Katraj to Kondhanpur). Luckily, we stayed among the first 10–15 people and made it till the end.
Sinhagad was visible from the beginning, identifiable by its tower and blinking red lights. Like seeing the gate or top of the fort or a saffron flag during daytime treks, this kept us motivated. As we got closer, Khadakwasla dam became visible, and the sky turned orange before sunrise—adding to the beauty.
We had been warned that the last 3–4 hills are going to be tough, not because they are extremely hard, but because you’re already exhausted by then. People kept talking about a “W-shaped” pattern of climbs. I kept hearing questions and discussions like “When is that ‘W’ going to start?”… “It’s not actually a W. It’s V followed by W”… “The trek is easy up to now… crossing that W is the real challenge…”
Personally, I didn’t find them too difficult—perhaps because the weather was good. I’ve also learned that constantly thinking about or asking others about the next landmarks or “when will this end?” kind of questions only drains your morale. It’s better to just keep moving and enjoy the journey.
By the time we reached Kondhanpur Phata, it was daylight. Around 28 people continued toward Sinhagad; the rest took buses. We took a short break at a viewpoint, clicked photos, and continued via a mountain route.
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Here, something interesting happened—we deviated from the main trail and climbed higher, only to find a difficult descent ahead. Some experienced trekkers managed it, but others struggled, causing a bottleneck. We tried finding an alternate path, but it was slippery due to dry sand. Some people got quite scared, though overall it was a fun experience. We also got to see the rear side of Sinhagad, which is usually not visible from Pune.
Certificates were distributed to all participants, and volunteers and guides were applauded for their efforts. Finally, we boarded our buses and headed home.
This trek had been on my mind for many years, and by God’s grace, it turned out to be an amazing experience—with great weather, a positive atmosphere, enthusiastic companions, and many beautiful views.
