The Kas Pathar or Kaas Plateau is a valley of flowers in Maharashtra near the town of Satara. Read this to know all about Kas Pathar booking & amazing nearby places.
The Kaas Pathar or Kaas Plateau is a unique place near the city of Satara in Maharashtra. Kaas Pathar falls in the well-known region of the Western Ghats of India called the Sahyadri mountain range. The best time to visit Kaas Pathar is from August to October depending on monsoon and weather forecasts. During this period of monsoons, the plateau turns into a wonderland of flowers.
Quick Details about Kas Pathar
- Best time to visit Kaas Plateau: August to October, depending on the monsoon the Kas Pathar season varies every year.
- Online booking for Kaas plateau: You need to make advanced bookings on kas.ind.in because only 3000 people are allowed inside at a time. Entry fees INR 100.
- UNESCO World Natural Heritage: 850 unique species of plants and flowers.
- Parking: The parking area and ticket counter are 1.5 km away from Kas Pathar. You can either walk or take their special bus which costs another ₹ 10 per person.
- Food Availability: Food stalls near Parking area only.
- Accessibility: Some footpaths might be accessible by wheelchairs, but the majority of Kas pathar is not accessible.
How to reach Kas Pathar
If you are starting from Pune/ Mumbai you can easily reach Kas Pathar via the Satara route. Another way to reach Kaas Pathar is from Mahabaleshwar or Panchgani. Kas Pathar is just 25 km from Satara, 125 km from Pune and 280 km from Mumbai. To reach Kaas Pathar take the highway to Satara and then follow the directions and winding route to Kas Pathar.
The drive from Satara to Kas Pathar is also very scenic. There are these yellow flower landscapes on the way. The road goes right in the centre and these yellow flowers are on both sides. Then as you go ahead through the winding ghats you can see the backwaters of Tapola on the left side and a Lake on the right side. Make sure to take a few stops along the way. Because sometimes the journey is better than the destination.
If you are relying on public transport then first reach by bus/ train to the town of Satara. From there you can take the bus going to Bamnoli or Tetli village. They will drop you at Kaas Pathar.
- Satara to Kas Pathar distance: 25 km
- Pune to Kas Pathar distance: 125 km
- Mumbai to Kas Pathar distance: 280 km
Species at Kas Pathar
Kaas Plateau of Satara is a declared UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site since 2012. The flowers that bloom here in monsoon are 850 extraordinary species of plants that include orchids and even carnivorous plants. There is some rarely found bio-diversity in this region. Apart from the beautiful flowers, there are various species of butterflies and birds found here too. The flowers and biodiversity found here are restricted to this region only. Kas Pathar or Kaas Plateau is formed by a special volcanic rock. Since it is mainly formed by basalt with an inch of a layer of sand formed due to erosion on top, we are treated with this eye candy of a landscape. The Kaas Pathar changes colours in the monsoon. This is due to the typical flowering cycles.
The blanket of yellow flowers we found on our way to the Kas Pathar were Berki or Smithia bigemina flower. And the most common picture of the purple blanket of flowers is Jambhala terda or Impatiens lawii. Apart from this I could easily spot so many flowers like Abhali or Cyanotis tuberosa, Nisurdi or Paracaryopsis coelestina, Sonki or Senecio bombayensis and many more. The carnivorus plants called the Sundews (Drosera Indica and Drosera Burmannii) which trap and eat flies are also found here. The plateau is named after the trees locally called Kas. Pictured below is the lovely Indian arrowroot plant.
There are walkways all around the place for tourists. They have divided the plateau into two parts. One part has many winding walkways. And another is a caged type of a road leading to a small lake. There are these flowers on both the sides of this route. Majority of the plateau has small shrubs or grass-like plants. Moreover, these purple coloured flowers are found here in abundance. This purple sea of flowers makes the whole area fragrant and hazy with purple colours. Kaas Pathar is a perfect place for taking pictures but please keep in mind not to ruin the flowers by walking all over them.
Kaas Lake
Very near to the Kaas Pathar is this beautiful Kaas Lake. The scenery around here cannot be compared with even the alpine lakes from Switzerland. With pristine blue waters from the mountains, this lake will refresh you in seconds. Not to mention the backdrop of green mountains. The water is really silky to touch here. If you visit keep in mind not litter the area or ruin its beauty by throwing your litter around.
Vajrai Waterfall
Vajrai Waterfall is the highest waterfall in Maharashtra. The road from the Kaas Lake to Vajrai Waterfall is a bit rough one, but there are some signboards along the way. There is also a long route here through the highway. This long route will take one hour drive. There is a place from which you can watch the waters falling noisily into the valley. The valley is full of clouds in monsoon and if they clear up you can see the Vajrai falls.
The area around here is not much developed. There are no proper barricades towards the valley. Be careful while you walk towards the valley. It is always good to watch nature’s beauty from a distance. We had to wait here for the clouds to clear so that we could see the waterfalls. There are numerous waterfalls all around the mountains here. The revealing clouds uncovered them one by one as we waited and watched. The place is so natural and really peaceful.
Thoseghar Waterfall
About 2 hrs from Satara are the mighty Thoseghar Falls. These have properly developed walkways and viewing points all around. You have to come down from Kaas Pathar to Satara and take the route to Thoseghar waterfalls from Satara city. If you can then fit all these in a single day getaway from the hustle of cities like Pune or Mumbai.
Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary
Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary is just 20 km from Kaas Pathar. The area is a forested area. Koyna is also a dam and near the back of the backwaters of this dam is Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary. But it is necessary to have proper information about the various routes or guide when you go here.
Other Places Nearby
- Baramotichi Vihir
- Vasota Fort
- Ajinkyatara Fort
Find more places to see in Satara.
FAQs
August to October, depending on the monsoon the Kas Pathar season varies every year.
From Pune or Mumbai first, reach Satara. From Satara proceed to Kas Pathar. If you are going by public transport, take a bus going to Bamnoli village from Satara and they will drop you at Kas Pathar.
You can do the Kaas Pathar Booking in advance by visiting the website kas.ind.in
Kaas Lake, Vajrai Waterfall, Thoseghar Waterfall, Vasota Fort, Ajinkyatara Fort, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, Satara city.
Whether you are seeking outdoor adventures or simply looking to unwind amidst nature’s splendor Kumudni Lake on Kas Pathar and its nearby attraction offer something for everyone to enjoy.