Torna fort also called Prachandgad is believed to be from the period of shaiva panth. Torna fort was captured by Shivaji in 1646. Moguls took over the fort after Sambhaji Maharaj’s assassination. But Marathas regained control over the fort under the leadership of Shankaraji Narayan Sachiv. In 1704 A.D., Aurangzeb captured the fort, the only fort that Aurangzeb won by fighting a real war. He named Torna as Futulgaib.
Rajgad Fort near Torna is another grand fort of the Sahaydris. It was Shivaji Maharaj's capital for over 25 years before moving it to the Raigad. A trekkers delight the fortifications of Rajgad fort built with the treasure found on the Torna fort is for most parts still in tact. Rajgad fort is a must visit for a trekking enthusiast especially if you are from Pune. Torna - Rajgad Trek is also a popular trek route.
The trek route to Torna fort is pretty much a straight route with couple of rock patches from Velhe the base of Torna. If you are planning your trek during or just after monsoons you would find couple of seasonal waterfalls enroute the trek route to Torna. Be careful to stay on course or else you might end up in the jungles around the fort. The rock patches towards the end of the route also needs to be negotiated carefully especially during monsoons as it would be very slippery.
Torna Trek Routes
Torna fort trek is a medium-difficulty trek. Though the route to Torna is simple as far as directions are concerned the route is quite steep at certain parts of the route and one needs to be careful so as to not miss the foot trail. The Torna trek route can be divided in three parts - an initial climb up the hill, a plateaue and the final rock patch to enter the Torna fort via the Bini darwaja.
Camping in Torna..
Torna is one of the most popular camping destinations near Pune, though it involves an ardous trek to reach on top many campers especially from Mumbai and Pune frequent this fort. It gets very cold during winters here so be prepared with warm clothing!
Torna - Raigad Fort Trek
A very long and ardous trek Torna - Raigad is attempted by very few trekkers. Close to 30 kms the trek passes through small villages treacherous climbs and thick forests. If you want to see real rustic life in small villages you definitely could get a glimplse of that in this trek. The minimum recommended duration of this trek is 2-3 days with night halts.
Distance from Major cities..
