A trip to enchanting Wai

“Old God sure was in a good mood when he made this place.”
― Hunter S. Thompson, The Rum Diary

The cinematic Wai is one such place. This being my second trip in the year made me
more enthusiastic to explore more places nearby and do some adventure sports. Wai is
approximately 200 km from Navi Mumbai through NH 48 (Bengaluru – Mumbai Highway ) and takes about 4 hours. We started at 6 am and reached our hotel by 10.30 including a stop at expressway for a savoury bite of Vada Pav. Roads are steady, and the drive is wonderful, including a short strip of the Ghat section. We checked in at Hotel Magnus Caverns, which is one of the adequate hotels in that area and has options for Deluxe Rooms, Luxurious Tents and Camping Tents. After a hearty meal, we headed straight to Sahyadri Camping, which is just about a five-minute walk from the Hotel and pleasured ourselves into a Boat ride which lasts for 20 minutes and takes you through the periphery of the lake. The ride cost per person is 50 rupees. The Instructor Indrajeet was happy to give us information about the tourism activities that they undertake, and the best time to visit would be around December when the river water recedes a bit. After the boat ride, we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed a few in-house activities such as – Archery, Quad biking, Badminton, etc. Later, it was time for some Drinks at the Garden area next to their Restaurant, and one had to get his Liquor since they did not have a liquor permit. It’s advisable to travel with your booze as Wai has just about a couple of Liquor shops situated in the market area.
Day 2 started early with a Trek organised by the hotel at 6 am, which lasted for about an hour, and we were surprised to hear the mellifluous vote of Peacock in the forest area. We were taken up to half of the mountain and came back. After a sumptuous breakfast, we headed straight to Sahyadri Camping again at around 9 am to enjoy Kayaking. The activity costs Rs.500 per person and is for a duration of half an hour. It’s a sheer delight to go kayaking amongst a substantial flock of geese, and one can head as long in the river if your arms are strong enough to steer it. Make sure you explore the waters deeper, as this is where the beauty lies; a brilliant light of neat mountains awaits and reminds one of the archipelagoes in Phuket. This is one activity you shouldn’t miss. Returning after an hour to the hotel, we checked- out and, on our return journey, shopped for some Turmeric and spices in the local market. Wai is famous for Turmeric, and you shall find many shops selling the same. About 17 km from the market, we stopped at Mapro Food Park, which is a gargantuan facility for Strawberry production and also has a factory visit and RailMuseum to delight. I insist you must try the Wood Fired Pizza which is supremely delish and baked in front of you in a see-through kitchen. It was time for some dessert to finish it off, and we settled for Chocolate ice cream with fresh cream since fresh strawberries were not available due to the off-season in October. There’s a massive garden seating area with a lovely setting of flower pads throughout the place which makes it an immersive place to enjoy your grub and end the trip on a picturesque note.