Are you ready to feel light and fly high? If yes, never miss a visit to Kamshet, Maharashtra – the paradise in Pune for paragliding! Kamshet is a hill station situated in the hills of Western Ghats amidst a trade route that connected west coast to the neighborhood in the ancient times. Prehistoric cave temples, hill citadels and hill stations with a colonial touch distinguish Kamshet from the rest!

Kamshet is located 16 km east from Lonavola beside the Mumbai-Pune Highway 4. Since nature offers the most excellent climatic conditions here, this is best chosen for the sport of paragliding. Today, Kamshet is the #1 paragliding destination in Maharashtra.

If you are a person who loves adventure and fun, Kamshet have loads to offer. Admire the beauty of nature in its finesse and relish the peaceful and calm ambience. No voice or no pollution is there to haunt you, except the serenity of nature at its best. The small villages in the nearby area and the friendly villagers will make your stay a comfortable one. The houses in these villages are built following the traditional style. Lakes and a height of 2200 feet MSL keeps the area cool and adds a magical charm to Kamshet. Compared to Himalayas, the Western Ghats has to offer more destinations year round. Among the picturesque destinations of the Western Ghats Kamshet is considered to be the best for paragliding because of the suitable climatic conditions.

Kamshet offers the best facilities making this the haven for paragliding in the Western Ghats. Witness the mélange of modernity and age old traditions here at Kamshet. Yes, you can find the result of the latest technical innovation – the paraglider, which combines the principles of aerodynamics with high level technology and also the ancient means of commutation –the bullock cart as well here. Pilots use the bullock carts for their travel uphill.

One among the top destinations in Kamshet is the ‘Tower Hill’. Tower Hill is best to opt for in winter. This is located on the way to Pavna dam beside the highway. One can see the take off position from the highway itself. To reach the point thirty minutes drive and a walk for ten minutes is required. The site is a vast one like that of football field and stands at a height of 700ft from the valley floor. The site promises excellent launches with the prevailing winds. In the morning wind will be from the east face and by late afternoon it will be from the west face. If you are trying to launch from the west face, watch out for the high-tension cables and the highway. For those who love cross country flying, this site offers enchanting views of lakes and miles of open fields. Favorites in summer are Shelar & Pavna.

Nightlife at Kamshet:

Lakeside barbecues and moonlight dinners at Kamshet will linger in your mind forever. At the local pub, the Balu’s, you can ease off peacefully and also share your stupefying experience with the locals.

After a day with terrific rides if you wanna tickle your tastebuds, try the dhaba’s in the highway. At the dhaba’s you can find the lip smacking Indian delicacies. For those who prefer livelier ambience can head to Pune which is just 45kms away. In Pune, you will have more options of bars and restaurants.

Best flying settings in Kamshet:

The flying conditions in the Western Ghats are stable and promises flying fun in almost every days of the year. Hugh Miller in the Crosscountry April-May 2000 issue says that the rocky terrains, low down hills and vast flatlands in the Western Ghats promises one complete excitement with paragliding.

You can enjoy the thermic conditions by midday and also the XC possibilities. At sunset, pilots can glide in a comfortable way since the speed of the wind reduces and sky becomes more hospitable. An evening spent on a paraglider at Kamshet is sure a treasure to cherish.

Paragliding Flying Season in Kamshet:

The flying season in Kamshet is from November to June, which promises eight great months of sunshine. For winter the Tower Hill site is the favorite for paragliding since east wind blows constantly. With the end of winter, west wind starts to blow inwards by afternoon. Thus, it is best to fly the east face in the morning and opt for the west face for evening. This struggle between the east and west continues till the middle of February. By the beginning of March the transition of wind flow becomes complete and you can find the wind direction blowing west all day long. Thus, Shelar site rules this time till middle of June. And by June due to the monsoon wind’s blow flying will be suspended for four months.

Kamshet In Winter: The pleasant sunshine and good cumulus build up promises you great flying adventure. Temperate in winter will be 10º C-26º C. With strong positive conditions you can reach for the cloud base in the middle day.

Kamshet In Summer: Clear and warm skies makes summer in Kamshet enjoyable. By mid morning air heats up along with good thermic conditions and strong winds. With the laminar sea breezes that creep up by afternoon you can make your glide a magical one. Many prefer a cruise in summer evenings since it gives a long ride above the breath taking beauty of nature. The temperature in summer is 25º C - 40º C.

Access to Kamshet

By Air: Pune which is 56 km away is the nearest airport. Bombay is the nearest international airport and it is 110kms away from Kamshet. Airport in Pune is in Lohagaon area which is 12 km away from the city.
By Rail: From Pune to Kamshet many regular trains are there. And also you can find main line trains from Bombay’s VT station passing through Karjat / Lonavala. From Lonavala you will get local train to Kamshet.
By Road: By road it will take a three hours ride to reach Kamshet from Mumbai. Luxury buses and state buses in the Bombay-Pune are available in regular intervals. To travel from Bombay to Lonvala the New Bombay-Pune highway is the best to opt. From Lonavala it is recommended to opt for the Old highway to Pune since the new highway sidesteps Kamshet. You can also reach the destination by taking a taxi in the Bombay-Pune route and by getting down at Rangoli restaurant beside the highway in Kamshet.

Clothes to Choose when at Kamshet

Opt for light and loose clothes since the climate is very warm in this area. Include hats, hiking or flying shoes, sunglasses and sunscreen lotions in your kit.
 

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