Kusur to Karjat

The stage starts from Kusur and heads west toward Sai Dongar. The trail begins through open scrub. Expect to struggle a little to reach the edge of the plateau. From there, a beautiful trail descends through a ridgeline with open forest, reaching Munal in short order.

The route continues on a flat section along a canal to the northern side of the big Dhak plateau. Fill water at Potal — there is no water source from here until Dhak.

The climbing route, Shilachi Waat, begins in open forest and gets denser with height. There is only one main trail — it can feel confusing at first but becomes straightforward once the direction is clear. The trail contours through dense forest, passes gullies, and finishes with a steep climb on loose scree, where plants and roots may be needed for support. Expect thick forest throughout. The climb runs from roughly 100 m near Potal to nearly 700 m on the plateau.

At the top the landscape opens into grasslands and open scrub with clear visibility. Dhak (10–12 houses, only a few functional) is about a kilometre ahead — a good water refill point and a peaceful overnight stop with little to no network connectivity.

A short flat 700 m walk from Dhak reaches Garu Aai Mata Mandir, from where several trails descend the plateau in different directions. The EST uses the flat upper section and moves gradually south — a scenic 7–8 km walk with wide open views — to the saddle between Dhak and the Kalkarai pinnacle.

From the base of the descent, the trail traverses below a large rock face with steep exposure, using carved steps and a fixed iron wire for hand support, then climbs a further set of large rock-cut steps (ropes installed) to the temple at Dhak Bahiri Caves. A large wooden log placed just before the temple assists the final section. The caves are believed to be Buddhist in origin. Return is via the same rock-cut steps; there is no forward descent to the valley. Please follow Leave No Trace — carry out any waste and dispose of it in the city.

From the base of the traverse, a further set of rock-cut steps descends into forest to the 560 m contour. This section is slippery and scree-covered — ropes or slings are fixed in places, and trees/bushes may be needed for support. A trekking pole helps; if the slope feels too steep, sit and descend slowly. A small shrine marks the 560 m contour, where the trail splits north and south (north continues toward Sandshi).

The EST takes the southern split. Near the 350 m contour, the route leaves the main descent-to-Sandshi line and continues south, contouring through a section called Laginmaal, then climbing toward Valvand and Udhewadi through Darchamaal.

Darchamaal is one of the densest forest stretches on the whole EST — notably, it sits right beside Rajmachi, one of Maharashtra's most popular trekking destinations. Expect magnificent trees, active wildlife, and genuinely wild terrain — this section punishes poor preparation but rewards the right skills and judgment. Reading terrain and navigating dense, unmarked forest like Darchamaal without relying on a GPX track is Offline Navigation — one of the 16 skills taught in the HikeX Hiking Field Course.

A trail marked with white arrows on rocks drops from Valvand/Udhewadi directly to a bridge roughly 2 km before Rajmachi village. From the bridge, follow the road to Rajmachi — it can be dusty, so a bandana or mask helps. Food and accommodation are available at the base village.

Optional out-and-back — Manranjan & Shrivardhan Forts: under two hours round trip from the Rajmachi base village.

A well-paved trail descends from Udhewadi to Kondane, passing the Kondane Caves en route.

This connector segment minimises road walking between Kondane and the base of the Matheran plateau. From Kondane, 3–4 km of road leads toward Thakurwadi (Railway Station); from there the trail runs parallel to the railway on a path used by locals, across open scrub and flat terrain, to Jamrung Cabin.

From Jamrung Cabin, a ridgeline route through open scrub and forest patches climbs to Songiri, a fort/watchtower and strong vantage point — Prabalgad and Bhaskargad are visible on a clear day. The aerial distance between Nashik and Karjat is roughly 130 km; the EST covers close to 1,000 km between the two.

From Songiri, the route descends another ridgeline to Palasdari, crosses the railway track again, moves through farmland to the highway, and follows an unavoidable road section into Karjat, where the stage ends.