For most of the year, Kas is a bare, rocky plateau of black basalt, and then the monsoon arrives. Within weeks, from late August into September, the laterite surface is covered in a carpet of tiny wildflowers, in pink, yellow, purple and white, with balsams, orchids, sundews and species found nowhere else on earth. The plateau lies in the Western Ghats, a range with so many endemic plants and animals that it is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, and it was included in the UNESCO listing in 2012. Locals call it the Valley of Flowers of Maharashtra.
The blooms are delicate. Each flower grows in a thin layer of soil on the rock, and the whole system depends on the rains. To protect it, visitors are limited each day, a ticket is required, and walkers must stay on the paths, because stepping on the flowers can destroy the crop for the season. The best times are early morning and late afternoon, when the light is soft and the crowds are fewer. Fog is common, and the lake of Kas, a small reservoir nearby, often lies hidden in mist.
The road up from Satara, about twenty-five kilometres to the east, is a steady climb through forest, with hairpins and views over the Koyna valley and the Sahyadri hills. The surface is usually good, though heavy rain can cause potholes and landslides, and the road is slippery with mud and leaves in the monsoon. Weekend traffic in flower season can be heavy, so a weekday visit is a better idea. Waterfalls appear everywhere during the rains, and the nearby Thoseghar falls are among the best.
Fuel is available in Satara, so fill the tank there, as villages near the plateau are small. Simple meals are sold by local families at stalls along the road, with hot tea, corn and fried snacks. Carry a rain jacket and non-slip boots. The ride that begins here links the hill fort of Panhala with the sea fort of Vijaydurg, taking you from the mountains to the Konkan coast, and the mood changes with every few hundred metres of altitude.