Ambavane to Asanwadi

From Ambevane, on the crestline in the Desh, the trail descends via Gavlan Ghat toward Thakurwadi (Kalamb). The opening stretch runs through open scrub past one or two isolated homes — large standalone bamboo-and-mud structures, visibly different in style from the villages nearby. The trail follows a ridgeline down to the padar, the first shelf below the crest.

Partway down, a structure that looks like a shepherd's hut from a distance turns out to be a shrine built around a large boulder marked with orange sindoor. No one lives there — it exists purely as sacred space.

A mix of open scrub and open forest leads down into the farmlands of Thakurwadi (Kalamb).

The trail contours south and joins the main route to Angai Fort coming up from Kalamb. Around the 200 m contour it breaks off and climbs steeply back to the crestline well south of the fort — the fort itself is not visited on this stage. This is the trickiest climb on the entire stage.

After the steep section, easy rock patches and open forest lead onto the plateau on top.

Reaching the plateau doesn't end the challenge — hydration does. There's a tank near the start of this stretch, but treat it as a seasonal source: it may not be potable, so don't count on it. Carry at least 3 litres; the climb is steep and energy-draining, and there are still several flat kilometres before the first house near Telbaila, where you can refill.

The plateau terrain is easy, but conditions vary by season. Early in the season (especially December), tall grass can bury the trail and force bushwhacking — this slows navigation and raises the odds of a surprise snake encounter. When the grass is high: stay on any visible trail, move slowly, and part the grass ahead with trekking poles. Moving slow gives wildlife time to clear out before you arrive.

The twin rock walls of Telbaila come into view well before you reach them — one of the standout landmarks on the Sahyadri, with a small temple between the two massifs. Telbaila village is a key resupply point before the trail turns west again into Savasni Pass.

Before leaving Telbaila, sort your water — there's no reliable source until Thakurwadi (Sudhagad), well south of Sudhagad Fort. Carry at least 3 litres again.

The route opens with a flat 2 km walk across the plateau, crossing occasional grazing barriers — stay on your contour. If locals have burned the grass, the trail is obvious; if not, the descent from the crestline through Savasni Pass gets harder to read. Even with ribbons and arrows in place, tall grass can blur the route on the way down. Don't enter this descent late in the day assuming you'll figure it out — delays compound fast in terrain like this.

From the lower slopes the trail turns south (it does not continue to Bairampada — that's the exit option) and joins the main Sudhagad Fort route: a broad, clear path along a gully, past a Hanuman temple, up a steep boulder field to the fort's main gateway — carved through rock, curved in form, with an old iron door.

Sudhagad's summit plateau is broad and flat, with open sight lines and almost no navigation stress. A large temple doubles as shelter, alongside वीरगळ (hero stones) marking the site's history. The trail tapers south along a ridgeline and descends to Thakurwadi (Sudhagad) via a straightforward path with a couple of iron ladders.

From Thakurwadi (Sudhagad), the trail continues to Khadsamble and climbs toward Kewani Pathar. The lower section has several misleading side trails; once you find the correct gully near the 220 m contour, the route clears up. From there it's a strong climb — around 400 m of gain in under 2 km — to the top.

Kewani Pathar feels remote and untouched: a single dhangar house on the whole plateau, home to an old couple, with open land grazed by cattle and buffalo, and long views back across the ground already covered.

**Water: the dhangar house on Kewani Pathar is the only refill point on this leg — there's no other water source before or after it.**

A flat 4–5 km walk from the edge of the plateau leads toward Yekola. As the trail bends east and north-northeast, the bold rock face of Ghangad — a watchtower fort — comes into view ahead.

A short out-and-back from Yekola to the summit of Ghangad. The climb is steep but quick, using rock-cut steps, an iron ladder, a short rock patch, and some easy four-point climbing near the top — no technical gear needed, but confidence and balance matter. From the top: views of routes, villages, nearby ridges, and the long mountain of Mehar Thana to the south.

Back at Yekola, the stage saves its best section for last. The trail skirts around Ghangad and enters a contouring forest traverse below Mehar Thana — nearly 2 km on a thin path under dense canopy, one of the most pristine stretches on this section of the EST. The forest opens into scrub and farmland before reaching the small roadhead settlement of Asanwadi, where the stage ends.