With monsoons over, we planned a drive to the Lonar crater over a long weekend. The crater was apparently created by a meteor strike about 50,000 years ago! This is located in Buldhana district of Maharashtra and is about 500 Km east of Mumbai.
The recent monsoon, meant green surroundings and slightly better day time temperature.
The action starts at the Gomukh temple complex at seven in the morning. Being first visitors of the day helps from a photography perspective and cooler climes. The area / entry is controlled by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Unfortunately, security personnel at the gate insist on Aadhar for id verification! Other instructions also follow fast – no drones, no videography, no placing a camera tripod in the temple precinct, etc.
The rising sun slowly lights up the temple that overlooks the crater. The algae green water in the step well immediately catches my attention.
The stairs down from the Gomukh temple complex lead to more temples below and a forest trail to the base or bank of the saline water lake formed within the crater - Lonar Sarovar. The forest trail requires a entry fee (Rs. 40) and a camera fee (Rs. 200) from the Forest Dept.
The forest trail to the Wagh temple is about 2 km. The half-submerged Kamalja temple is another km further up. The trail closer to the Wagh temple gets pretty dense. On the Kamalja temple section be prepared to ford through tall grass under a thick green canopy. Do also watch out for snakes and leopards!
From the main entrance to the Kamalja temple and back would be about 10 km. It took us about 5 hours to explore the area including taking a wrong high incline trail on the way back from the Kamalja temple and spending some time at the Ram temple seeing a magnetic compass spinning around to find direction.
Carry a bottle or two of drinking water. Most of the crowd doesn’t go beyond the Gomukh temple, few head down to the Wagh temple, even fewer head to the Kamalja temple.
The rim of the crater has machans or watchtowers to experience the crater from above. The approach is via a Forest Dept. gate on the main road. The challan from the Forest Dept. at the Gomukh temple works at this gate. However, a vehicle entry fee (Rs. 100) needs to be paid in case you plan to drive in. This opens at 10 am and closes by 5 pm. The last car is allowed in up to 4 pm. (This may be closed on Tuesdays).
We chanced upon a snake sliding past the dirt track and a peacock running for cover as we hopped from machan to machan. The second machan I thought provided the best view. However, it was the most unkept with a couple of stairs missing.
A guide later informed that they don’t take their clients to the second tower as a python was spotted there once – another reason to stop at the second tower in my opinion.
The guide also informed that the high incline trail that we (incorrectly) took on the way back from the Kamalja temple may have brought us up to second machan with a high chance of meeting a leopard on the way!
Don’t miss the Motha Maruti temple about 2 kilometres from the Lonar crater. A sleeping Hanumanji makes the temple unique.
The Samrudhi Mahamarg connecting Mumbai and Nagpur gets you to Lonar in about 8 hrs. including fuel stops. The mostly concrete six lane expressway winds or goes through mountains up to Sinnar, post which it is mostly straight and flat. Food and fuel stops are there after every 80 to 100 km Sinnar onwards. Nothing between Mumbai and Sinnar at the moment. The fuel rates along the route are higher as compared to Mumbai.
MTDC is the preferred stay option at Lonar – expensive especially over weekends and needs to be booked way in advance. The other option is Grand Vishwanath – nothing grand about it but is reasonably priced and is generally available – room only with power backup. The best food option in town is Atharva Veg restaurant – try the cashew curry, bhakri and masala buttermilk. The owner is also super helpful and gave us useful tips.
