Nasik was always known as a religious place due to the places such as Trimbakeshwar temple, Panchavati, and Gangasagar. Then it became famous for its grape and wine counties. The treks around Nasik also became a much-talked topic. Since then we had been planning a trip to Nasik. The travel vlog of Curly tales finally did the trick. We booked a room at The Beyond resort of Sula Wines. It was going to be a short trip hence planned as many things as possible in our 2-3 days itinerary.
What did I pack for the trip to Nasik
We had planned for a trek as well as a vineyard visit. So I packed the hiking clothes as well as cool and comfortable clothes. Packed my heels as well to show off in my photos.
Best time to visit Nasik
You can visit Nasik all throughout the year. However, a vineyard visit is recommended during the months of winter. Hence we planned our trip just before Diwali.
How to reach Nasik
Nasik is easily accessible by road from Pune and Mumbai. The roads are really good and we reached in around 4 hours from Pune.
What to see in Nasik?
Trimbakeshwar temple
Our first halt during our trip to Nasik was at Trimbakeshwar temple. It’s an extremely old temple built by Peshwa Balaji Bajirao. It’s the only temple that has a three-faced linga depicting Lord Bramha, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. This temple is one of twelve Jyotirlingas. The pious vibe inside the temple is enhanced by the cool stone structure and the fragrance of incense mixed with the flowers offered to the idol. The visitors are not allowed to go to the extreme interior (gabhara) however can take darshan from the mirror attached to the roof of the gabhara. The visitors are not allowed to click any photos in the temple area.
If you want free entry, there is a separate entry gate. However, if you buy an entry pass, there is a shorter line to go into the temple. There is a flea market just outside the temple. It has a few adorable items, however, make sure not to spend much money as the items are not original or durable.
Godavari Ugam (Origin of River Godavari)
The Trimbakeshwar temple is surrounded by 3 hills – Bramhagiri, Nilagiri, and Kalagiri. There are 750 steps to reach the top of Bramhagiri hill. Instead, we took our car to the nearest car parking and chose to climb only 200 steps to the top. The place of origin of River Godavari is called Gangadvar.
The story is about when a cow got killed by Gautam Rishi, he asked other Rishis about penance. They told him to pray to Lord Shiva and request him to bring the River Ganga to him so that he could dive into it and wash off his sins. Lord Shiva finally agreed, however, River Ganga was not ready to come to the south. So Lord Shiva did his Tandav Nritya and banged his jata (lock of hair) to drop River Ganga in the south.
This is why near Godavari ugam, the flow of the river is very less almost like droplets and later on it becomes a full-fledged river. One can also see a cave of 108 lingams where Ahilya worshipped Lord Shiva to help her husband Rishi Gautam.
Such intriguing stories make these places even more fun to visit. After our adventurous morning, we checked into the hotel and rested.
Beyond resort of Sula Vineyards
Special mention needs to be made here for the seamless check-in given by the hotel as we had already sent a photo id to their WhatsApp number. Our room was perfect facing the swimming and the backwaters of Gangapur Sagar.
Harihar Trek
The next day, we got up early for this hike to Harihar fort which is considered one of the toughest forts in Maharashtra. The hike starts from the closest village Harshewadi. It is built on triangular-shaped rocks and dates up to the 6th – 8th century. The climb is so vertical that in certain stretches the incline is almost 80%.
The iconic steps on the fort can be tricky in monsoon, however, they have notches carved into them. You can hold on to these notches with your dear life and climb without looking at the valley in case you are afraid of heights. It’s a thrilling experience that should not be missed. You can find Shiva, Hanuman, and Nandi idols on the top. You can read my detailed experience of how I conquered my fears here in this blog!
Sula vineyard visit and wine-tasting session
Then came the iconic most awaited event of wine tasting at Sula vineyards during our trip to Nasik. I came to know the nitty-gritty of making and storing wine and how it delights the senses of wine lovers. The Sula property is huge and the decor made especially for photo enthusiasts is colorful and intriguing. Though it was almost sunset by the time we completed the wine tour, we still managed to click some photos.
I wrote this entire blog about wine-tasting works when I visited Fratelli. Read all about it here.
Sula was no different only a bit shorter and a little crowded but still super fun. And I do love all the wines there. It was the first time I realized why Champagne is known by the name of the village in which it is prepared and others are just sparkling wines. If you know drop in some comments below, and I will tell you the answer as a reply!
Thus ended our short 2-day trip to Nasik. Though we felt as if we have covered a few important landmarks there are many things Nasik has to offer. So I look forward to another 1 or 2 weekends in this lovely grape city of Maharashtra.
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