Flower Power : The Complete Guide to Kaas Plateau, Maharashtra!

Last Updated on December 5, 2019 by asoulwindow

The nondescript town of Satara suddenly witnesses an influx of tourists every year in September end. This post monsoon phenomenon turns the meadows of Kaas plateau into a carpet of tiny flowers in every direction one can see. Bold colors like Purple, white, red, blue, bright yellow highjack the green fields. For those who have no time or stamina to go through the strenuous trek of Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand, its counterpart in faraway Maharashtra is a cushy walk in open fields.

Pics above: Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India!

Not only is it easy to reach but also can be done in one day. Thanks to its height of 1200 metres, the cherry on the cake is the pleasant misty weather in the plateau which is also known locally as Kaas Pathar. The undulating meadows are speckled with flowers of all hues possible. Some are so small, you have to bend down to admire their true beauty.

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! (Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand)

Lately, the authorities have rightfully put up barricades and ropes so that people don’t trample the natural heritage. The place does attract its share of unruly tourists who do not behave responsibly. However, you can stroll inside the protected areas, though under the watchful eyes of the security personnel.

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

It should not be a surprise to know that it has been declared a Biodiversity World Heritage site by UNESCO owing to its visual grandeur and geographical uniqueness

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

The walk through the ‘garden’ was surreal. The hills wore layers of different colors as if someone had made a rainbow of flowers on Earth. As if a grandmother forgot her carpet on the hills! I could identify species like Utricularia purpurascens (blue), Senecio graham (yellow) etc.

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

I was accompanied by my friend Madhabendu Hensh from Kolkata. He is a photographer (par excellence) with whom I am friends thanks to a Nat Geo Traveler India Magazine travel photo contest we won together. We spent some quality time in the fields admiring what seemed like some other planet. Owing to the soothing weather, we decided to walk down the road for at least the first 11 kilometers.

Pic above (Top left, clockwise)- Me at Kaas plateau of flower , Me looking upon valley, Madhabendu Hensh on job. (My pic by Abhijit Shenolikar & Madhabendu Hensh)

Thankfully, it worked in our favor. We experienced what other tourists miss while visiting Kaas. For example, I was delighted to spot a unique mushroom species. It was so unusual that I stared at it and examined from all possible angles, even clicking more pictures than I should have.

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

Buffaloes filled the fresh mountain air with music from the bells tied carelessly to their neck. Young girls tended to herds of goats without a care in the world. Exotic butterflies and birds I had never seen before, whizzed by. They vanished so quickly as if they were in a hurry to complete household chores.

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

A little detour to the narrow path down the hill took me to a point from where I soaked in the views of vast lakes surrounded by small villages. Famished after all the walk, we took a tea break at a makeshift tea stall. He made tea for us on his traditional Choolha (earthen oven). We walked a little further and when we could not take it any further, we took lift from a lorry and completed the next 11 kilometers to Satara. In the backseat of the lorry, sitting on hay and cardboards, that is! Rs. 20 only!

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

The next morning was spent downing the melt-in-the-mouth kandi peda, a local sweet. On a previous trip I clubbed Thosegar waterfalls with other activities around Kaas. I along with 10 more whacky people headed to the famous waterfalls. It is some 20 kilometers away from Satara. It is towards the other direction from Kaas plateau.

Pic above (L to R) Kandi peda, Kaas, Thalipeeth

I passed by windmills on the hills and spine tingling views of the valley to arrive at the falls. I was worried to see it had ended up as a tourist magnet. Not much impressed with the mob jostling for best space in the viewing balcony, I moved on to a spot to peacefully soak in the beauty of waterfall. The fall was a tall one. Cascading violently from a height of 500 meters, it astonishes with its grandeur. The milky white water poured rapidly down the mountain. A bold sound of gushing water added to the background music.

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

At times I looked at waterfalls, sometimes at the opportunist monkeys perched precariously on the trees and sometimes my eyes wandered at a row of windmills on mountains far away. The area is dotted with many smaller waterfalls, however this one clearly is the most impressive one.

जास्त नको विचार करूस , हे guide वापर आणि फिरून येय!

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Thosegar Waterfall! Near Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

A filling lunch of perfect monsoon foods kanda bhajji (fried onion fritters) and misal pao, we bid adieu to the paradise with fond memories. The allure of Kaas pulled me towards it 2 times! And I am the same person who never repeats his destinations. The previous trip was with my Mumbai friends Geet Hukerikar and Abhijeet Shenolikar.

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Me at the backside of a lorry. Rs. 20/- (I look so happy!) – Pic by Madhabendu Hensh

Top Tip:

 I suggest that one should get away and explore more in the areas near the main venue where all flock to view the spectacle. There are many hidden gems lurking in places around it. One needs to walk patiently and be a good observer to understand and appreciate the biodiversity of the region. If you are lucky, you can also spot many species of birds, butterflies and insects.

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The inhabitants of Kaas! Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

Best time to go:

September last week is the best time. I went two times. Details here –

24th September, 2011 – You can literally see the carpet of flowers of different colors. This was not visible in August. Weather was sunny and mountain air, crisp and fresh. Tourists were large in number. Go in weekdays, if possible.

31st August, 2015 – The flowers were there but not as much as I saw in September. Also the landscape was not as dramatic. It alternated between sunny and cloudy with little drizzling. There was no carpet of flower. Very few tourists.

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

HOW TO REACH SATARA?

To reach Kaas, you need to reach Satara first.  Satara can be easily reached by Mumbai and Pune.

Mumbai to Satara distance – 4 hrs, 30 minutes ( 257 kms)

Pune to Satara distance – 2 hrs, 48 minutes (115 kms)

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

HOW TO REACH KAAS PLATEAU OF FLOWERS FROM SATARA ON BUDGET?

From Satara, one can take an autorickshaw for Rs. 500 (1 way)

Buses also ply the route but the frequency is low.

Ask the rickshaw wala to wait for you or else you might get stuck.

Stranded, we eventually walked for 11 kms and then took lift in a lorry. Though I enjoyed it but will not recommend the same. There are risks involved.

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

Alternatively, you can drive from Mumbai or Pune on the smooth highway. One can also reach Satara by train. Book at least 2 months in advance on Irctc website. (The scenery you will pass through will keep you hooked throughout the journey). My favorite is – Sleeper class, side lower, window seat, emergency window preferred.

Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

ऐ कास की अब होश में हम आने न पाएं !

Shop :

Buy packets of the ‘melt in mouth’ kandi peda, a local sweet. Take back loads of it!

Eat :

Since you are in rural Maharashtra, try the Maharastrian delicacies like Kanda Pohe, Misal pav, Vada pao etc. They taste different than what you get in urban spaces. The Thalipeeth I had on the way to Satara was the best I have ever had. I tried to find that taste again but failed. Sorry, I forgot the restaurant’s name. And yes, try tasting thecha if you can manage, very spicy chilly chutney.

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

Respect Kaas Plateau:

  • You are in an ecologically sensitive zone. Don’t litter or even leave your cigarette butts in the meadows. I personally keep the butts in a cigarette box and dispose them off responsibly.
  • Don’t make noise. Many species of birds, reptiles and mammals live here. IT IS THEIR DOMAIN. Think how you will feel if a bunch of hooligans create nuisance at your ‘home sweet home’.
  • This is not the place where you should be drinking beer and dancing on ‘Why This Kolaveri Di? The flowers may ask you back in frustration, “Why This Kolaveri Di?’”
  • Don’t pluck flowers or trample on them. Again, it is much like a monkey pulling the hair on your head.Got the drift, eh?
  • No, it’s not a picnic ground where you can roll a mat and set up a food buffet! Carry light and handy food items though since there are no food shops nearby. Eat well before you head here.
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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

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Me at Kaas, September 2011

Note : Marathi translation by Marathi mulgi Pradnya Kalindi

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Kaas Plateau of flower. Satara, Maharashtra. Incredible India! Not to be confused with Valley Of Flowers in Uttarakhand

WARNING : COPYRIGHT TO ALL THE IMAGES AND TEXT HERE REMAINS WITH ME. YOU CAN NOT JUST LIFT THE CONTENT AND USE IT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. STRICT LEGAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN IF CONTENT IS STOLEN. YES, I AM SERIOUS.

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Geet and Abhijit look so happy traveling with me in September, 2011

39 thoughts on “Flower Power : The Complete Guide to Kaas Plateau, Maharashtra!”

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  6. Thanks for sharing such great tips! I am not sure, but I think I haven’t been to any UNESCO Biodiversity world heritage site. This must be so cool! I like the fact that there were wind turbines and waterfalls in the background. Of course, lovely flowers, too!

  7. Gorgeous! The Kaas plateau has been on my wishlist for awhile now, but I just haven’t had the time to make it. Your pics just make me wish I was there. Hope next year works out well! Thanks for sharing.

  8. Gorgeous! The Kaas plateau has been on my wishlist for awhile now, but the timing just hasn’t worked out so far. Hope I get to see it next year…your pics just make me wish I was there!

  9. travellingslacker

    Aah those momeories of Shahyadr monsoons! It’s been a while since I’ve visited the Western Ghats. Maybe next monsoon. Excellent guide BTW.

  10. I’ve never heard of this place, thanks for sharing! It looks amazing! So many colorful flowers at one place! Greta that it got under the UNESCO protection. It reminds me a bit about this forest near Brussels where in the spring there are purple flowers everywhere.

  11. hairtothereblog2

    This looks like such a wonderful experience. I love reading about places that are off the beaten path, as that is always what I seek when I’m abroad. Nothing can ruin a moment more than sharing it with 75,000 other picture snapping tourists! The photos in your post are beautiful as well. Have you clicked these pictures? You are talented indeed! 🙂

  12. Timing is really the key here. We visited in the first week of October in 2014 but there were very few flowers. Nonetheless it is was a great experience. Your pics are excellent Abhinav; really makes one smile!

  13. Fantastic guide to an offbeat location. This definitely deserves Biodiversity World Heritage status. Thanks for sharing such a heavenly place in Maharashtra.

  14. Been planning this trip since last 2 years and it didnt happen and wont for atleast 3 more years now 🙁 damn! Your post and those amazing pics just transported me straight to Kaas!

    1. Pls do go Divyakshi. It is unique and once in a year phenomenon which you must not miss. Responsible travelers like you should also help raise awareness about the fragility of the place. Hope you have a good time.

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