Kaas Plateau : Valley Of Flowers

Someday in 2009, we have been driving by means of rural Maharashtra looking for a location for a movie shoot. Close to Satara, alongside an unknown hill highway, we observed massive patches stuffed with yellow wildflowers. Pleasantly stunned by this phenomenon, we took pictures and moved on. Round 3/4 years later we learnt the situation was Kaas Plateau and in 2010 UNESCO granted it the protected standing of World Heritage Web site. We had chanced upon the Kaas Plateau Valley of Flowers (also referred to as Kas Pathar)!

For a few years after that, our hearts yearned to return. We noticed folks posting photographs of beautiful flowers from Kaas Plateau, and now that we have been extra conscious of its significance we undoubtedly needed to go to correctly. However for some cause, the final week of monsoons, which is the most effective time to go to Kaas Plateau, can also be an excellent busy time for us. Nevertheless in 2019, we determined to make a brief two day journey. Two days as a result of Kaas is greatest visited early morning and we’d like at the least 7 hours to journey from Mumbai. So that you want someday to achieve, go to Kaas the subsequent morning then return by night time.

So off we drove in direction of Satara. The rains have been very heavy in 2019 and we have been listening to of circumstances of very heavy rains round Pune. However we drove on and reached close to Kaas Plateau by the night. Enroute, we had booked a spot in a village subsequent to the gorgeous river Urmodi. (Not mentioning the place, as a result of regardless that it was lovely, it had very mouldy partitions, main to an enormous allergy assault).

I have to point out at this level, to go to Kaas Plateau one has to make an advance reserving on-line from this official Kaas Plateau web site, for Rs 100 per head. The benefit of that is they’ve restricted the entire variety of every day guests to 3000. There are three time slots : 7-11AM, 11AM-3PM, 3-6PM. We really feel the primary and final slots are greatest for gentle.

We obtained late within the morning so booked the 11-3 slot and realised it was a mistake. It is rather, very popular up there within the Kaas Plateau. And its an enormous space you need to stroll within the high solar, plus it’s additionally a crowded slot. So word to self: morning or night slot subsequent time.

Kas Pathar — Kaas Plateau is a beautiful hill of rolling meadows…

The attractive *Polyura athamas* butterfly. Also referred to as Charaxes bharata, seen consuming mineralised moisture from dung. Most likely a male.

The drive into a lot of the Sahyadris is embellished with these lovely flowers known as Khurasan in Marathi, or Wedelia urticifolia. Monsoons are actually a flower lover’s delight within the Sahyadris.

The attractive flowers of Exacum pumilum… They flower inb September and October.

This lovely flower, photographed close to Satara is a leguminous climber known as Macroptilium atropurpureum. A local to the tropical areas of North, Central and South America, it was launched as meals for livestock to many tropical areas of the world.

Indian Hooded Dartlet (Agricnemis kalinga) damselfly on what seems to be like an Alternanthera paronychioides flower.

What seems to be like a Duranta erecta. It’s a plant native to Mexico and South America.

Meadow of Yellow Flowers at Kas Pathar — Stunning meadows of flowers at Kas Pathar

Adelocaryum coelestinum, often called Nisurdi in Marathi. These lovely flowers are endemic to the Western Ghats.

Ka Pathar — Fortunately the flowering area is fenced off…

A patch stuffed with blossoming Smithia hirsuta.

Utricularia purpurascens and Eriocaulon sedgwickii — Utricularia purpurascens (purple) and Eriocaulon sedgwickii (white) flowers on Kaas Plateau.

A little bit forward into the stroll, there’s lovely lake. This aquatic plant is frequent to tropical areas of the world. This one was photographed within the hill high lies of Maharashtra. Numphoides indica spreads by rhizomes and the flowers typically have 5 petals although typically they’ll have extra.

A discipline wealthy with Pogostemon deccanensis.

A pair of mating Cicindela whithilli (Inexperienced Tiger Beetles), seen generally at Kaas Plateau

Dipcadi montanum, also referred to as Deepkadi in Marathi.

Kas Pathar meadow — The Kaas Plateau is a stupendous mixture of rolling grasslands and within the monsoons, many puddles in it…

Delicate Ecosystem — Kaas is a really delicate ecosystem. Please DO NOT do what this couple is doing. Don’t step on the vegetation, don’t enter the flower patches to get an excellent picture. There are strolling trails marked by the forest division, please observe these.

What’s the greatest time to go to Kaas Plateau : Valley of Flowers?

Many of the flowers at Kaas are annuals and bloom within the monsoons, when ample rain falls right here. The most effective time to go to is simply because the monsoons are getting over, which is August and September (ensure that the Corona Virus Lockdown is over). Virtually each week throughout this time, completely different species of vegetation bloom. Summers are very popular and dry, and winters, chilly and dry. There’s a skinny layer of soil over the rocky lateritic rock shaped from historical volcanic eruptions. The huge distinction in seasons creates a novel ecology right here. Make your bookings from this official website earlier than you allow dwelling since solely restricted tickets can be found and it quickly will get offered out.

Be a accountable traveller. For the reason that solar could be very sizzling in Kaas Plateau keep in mind to hold a solar cap. Since it’s a very delicate ecosystem, don’t step on the vegetation, don’t pluck the flowers, don’t attempt to convey any vegetation or different souvenirs dwelling on your backyard. (Your property backyard can have its personal pure species of flowers, you simply have to find them.)

Carry a refillable bottle of water per individual so that you keep away from shopping for plastic bottles. Loads of village girls promote handmade bhakris (jowar/bajra or rice flour rotis) with thechcha (conventional Maharashtrian chutney made with garlic and inexperienced chillies), take into account shopping for these as an alternative of plastic packet snacks. Or carry your personal.

Kaas Plateau is a novel and wealthy biodiversity area. We should rejoice and defend it in any respect prices.