In the folded hills of the Sahyadri, south-west of Pune, a great flat-topped mountain rises above the valleys with sheer cliffs on all sides and walls running along its crest. This is Rajgad, the king's fort, and for about twenty-five years in the seventeenth century it was the capital of Shivaji, the Maratha warrior king who carved out an independent kingdom against the Mughal Empire and the sultanates of the Deccan. It is one of the most revered places in Maharashtra, and climbing it is something of a pilgrimage.
The fort is spread across three spurs, called machis, Padmavati, Suvela and Sanjivani, each fortified with walls, bastions and gates, and a central citadel, the Balle Killa, at the top. Shivaji's son Rajaram was born here, and his first wife Saibai died here. The climb takes a few hours on foot, along steep paths with some rock steps and ladders, and the views from the top over the Sahyadri, with the forts of Torna and Sinhagad visible on neighbouring peaks, are enormous. Many people camp overnight at the fort to see the sunrise.
The riding to get here is excellent. From Pune, the road south along the old Pune-Satara highway, now NH48, is busy, but turning off towards Nasrapur and the villages below Rajgad, the roads become narrow and winding, climbing through the hills with tight bends and steep gradients. The surfaces are often rough, with potholes and gravel, and during the monsoon, from June to September, the hills turn emerald green, waterfalls pour from the cliffs, and the roads can be slippery and muddy. The monsoon is beautiful but challenging; the cooler winter months are more comfortable.
The Sahyadri, or Western Ghats, have clusters on the World Heritage list for their biodiversity, and the range is full of forests, grasslands and rivers home to many endemic species. On the plateaus, the monsoon brings a burst of wildflowers. Leopards, wild boar and birds such as hornbills live in the forests, though you are unlikely to see the shy ones.
Bhor, about twenty kilometres away, has fuel, shops and food. Nasrapur and the villages below the fort have small eateries serving Maharashtrian food like misal pav, a spicy curry with bread, and pithla bhakri, a simple chickpea flour dish with millet bread. Carry water and snacks for the climb, and wear proper shoes.