[rajarams]

Hi, Had been to Kaas plateau few weekends back and it was completely covered with mist and beautiful. I didnt drive all the way to Bamnoli, but went a considerable way. I didn't see any signboard for Kaas lake. Where is the exit to Kaas lake from the road on the plateau?

Also, is the route from Bamnoli to Tapola good to go for this weekend (Sep 4 - probably raining). I was planning on Pune-Satara-Kaas-Bamnoli-Tapola-Mahabalaeshwar-Pune.
Is there a road connecting Bamnoli to Tapola?

I saw other threads on this topic and some of them were from 2009. So wanted to check if there was any update on this route.

thx in advance

[alto99]

Hello rajarams
I am surprised you could not see kas lake. It is visible from road (even while driving) when one is near it. May be due to the mist.
Bamnoli to Tapola route does exist. I have rode a bike (about 10 yrs before) and driven a car (~ 8 years before) and then it was paved but no asphalt.

[MX6]

As per AshishPallod, what is visible from the road is not kaas lake. I was fooled too. AshishPallod says that Kaas lake is a hidden gem.
There was a post by him showing google map sattellite image where he'd marked kaas lake.

[alto99]

Originally Posted by MX6

As per AshishPallod, what is visible from the road is not kaas lake. I was fooled too. AshishPallod says that Kaas lake is a hidden gem.
There was a post by him showing google map sattellite image where he'd marked kaas lake.

This is Kaas lake.
Google Maps

This is Kaas plateau
Google Maps

If you are travelling from satara you will come from from right bottom road. There is a intersection here. The northwards road goes to Mahabaleshwar (Kaas Mahabaleshwar road) as well. The road going towards left goes to Kaas. This is at a higher level than the lake and while descending towards Kaas lake you can view without any efforts.

Believe me as I have been there tens of times.

You can use http://www.google.com/mapmaker if you want latest maps (This is not a feature rich website though when it comes to getting directions)

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by alto99

1]If you are travelling from satara you will come from from right bottom road. There is a intersection here. The northwards road goes to Mahabaleshwar (Kaas Mahabaleshwar road) as well.
2]The road going towards left goes to Kaas. This is at a higher level than the lake and while descending towards Kaas lake you can view without any efforts.

1] I am not sure about the road you mentioned toward mahabaleshwar.
the fork for mahabaleshwar is in between kaas and bamnoli and not before kaas toward satara.

2] you are very correct about the section from where you can view the kaas lake from road. there is no other point on road from where you can get the glimpse of lake from road.

[issigonis]

AP,

I imagine there will be a convoy from Satara after breakfast at the dhaba there. So am personally not worried about the road. Hope the road is fine for a ground clearance of 152 mm!

Have deliberately not included my name for the 25th trip till I am certain I will be able to make it- am looking forward to it though.

I will do a day run ( leave Bombay early, congregate at McDonald's at the Expressway start point, arrive together at Satara, leave at about 5 pm).

Regards

P.S. : Please post a thread on your Somnath-Dwarka visit

[alto99]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

1] I am not sure about the road you mentioned toward mahabaleshwar.
the fork for mahabaleshwar is in between kaas and bamnoli and not before kaas toward satara.

Yes there is a road towards Tapola from a fork very near to Bamnoli on Kaas-Bamnoli road.

Kaas-Mahabaleshwar road is from a fork just before Kaas lake (while driving from Satara). I have been on this only on a bike (~7-8 yrs before). Due to a landslide at one point we had to lift our bikes for about 10-20 feets. Further the road was not even 1 lane (huge grass/weeds/whatever on boths sides) at several sections and only a bike could pass through it. The junction of this road with Satara-Mahabaleshwar road (via Medha) is near Ganesh temple (on left of Satara Mahabaleshwar road) - in case you are familiar with that temple. I guess "Suman Motels" (not sure if it exists now) also had a resort on this road on the Mahabaleshwar side of it.

Recently had mapped both these in mapmaker . You can have a look at it Google Map Maker.

Note that I am not aware of current road condition at all.

[naren_gs1]

Road towards right from the Y Junction mentioned is the kaccha road that goes to plateau. Even drove few kms on it. Could see the lake on the left both from this Kacchaa road high on the plateau and also from the ghat road winding downwards.

[naren_gs1]

On second thoughts, was it the dam that I saw from up on plateau? But definitely saw the lake on the right after driving down the ghat roads.

[alto99]

Originally Posted by naren_gs1

On second thoughts, was it the dam that I saw from up on plateau? But definitely saw the lake on the right after driving down the ghat roads.

Kanher dam is visible almost throughout on the right of Satara-Kaas road. It is large and at a lower height compared to Kaas lake and the dam wall is also prominent. Kaas lake also has a small wall but it is not as prominent.

You are right - after driving down the "section from which the lake is visible", the lake is on the right and is approx 100 meters from the main road. There is a unpaved road (marked in red below) to the lake.

[rajarams]

Went on the Kaas plateau last weekend. Enquired with lot of locals/chaiwalas about all possible diversions. The road from Bamnoli to Tapola is a good road, but a long one. If you zoom in a lot on google earth, you can see the path clearly. Locals told me that this is a pretty good route to travel on.
Route from the kaas plateau road to mahabaleshwar is there, but i was told to avoid it during the rains ( and it had rained a lot last week).
Btw, Kaas is slowly but surely turing colourful. Lot of yellow/violet flowers. One sample below.

After that i came back to Satara and went to Mahabaleshwar through medha, one of the best routes i have been on. I probably saw 20 waterfalls and many of them huge ones, bigger than the ones at Tamhini.

[KarthikK]

Bumping up an old thread. I'm planning a drive to Kaas valley sometime around September end - October beginning. I was curious to know what would be the perfect time to visit Kaas, as in assured sighting of blooming flowers?? Does the blooming season last for quite a few weeks?? I don't want to miss it this time

My tentative dates being planned now are Sept 25-28. Should I take it for granted that there will be bloom at that time and freeze on the hotel / resort bookings for those dates, or should I wait some more time in case the blooming season gets delayed??

[ampere]

Originally Posted by KarthikK

My tentative dates being planned now are Sept 25-28. Should I take it for granted that there will be bloom at that time and freeze on the hotel / resort bookings for those dates, or should I wait some more time in case the blooming season gets delayed??

You should keep it to Sep first/second week. That I think is the best time. And you also note (as I realized) that the place is beautiful, even when its barren. I was fortunate to see this is place in winter. And I was rewarded with brilliant blue skies. a range of orange and red colours at sunrise & sunsets and a deep blue water.

But in september, the colour of the season is green and I suspect you should expect an overcast sky.

[Dodge_Viper]

Flowering usually starts around Ganapati. So yes, Sept second week would be the best time.

Keep a tab on this site.

http://www.kas.ind.in/

[rajarams]

Kaas is beautiful throughout the year. The various times open up very different opportunities.
Mid-Sep (post monsoon) - Main flowering season
Monsoon - Awesome greenery/Mist
Early Winter - The side roads become navigable and you can do lot of exploring on the internal roads from kaas to Mahabaleshwar/Tapola/parallel cliffs
Summer - early morning/late evening - great sunrise/sunsets