Karnala Bird Sanctuary & Fort Listed in Bird Sanctuary & Fort Located in Palaspe,Panvel Are you fed up of the urban chaos? Would you like a short break? How about a place where nature is at its best and the sounds that envelop you are only those of birds and the mild breeze sashaying through the trees? To be able to turn this into reality, all you have to do is take to the Mumbai-Goa highway where just 12 km from Panvel is the Karnala Bird Sanctuary. Like Mumbai, this place never sleeps, but with a difference. Here, the activity is those of winged beauties during the day and of nocturnal creatures once the sun goes down. The sanctuary has the Karnala Fort at its center and the name has come about due to the presence of a bulging rock which looks like a funnel-shaped loudspeaker, this being called a ‘karn’ in Marathi. A popular destination for amateur bird-watchers and ornithologists, the sanctuary is also visited by avid hikers while becoming a favourite for picnickers over the years, especially families from Mumbai and its surrounding regions. Karnala was declared a bird sanctuary in 1968 as the first one of its kind in Maharashtra by the state government in recognition of the remarkable efforts of Dr Salim Ali who pioneered the mission of bird preservation in the country. It now boasts of an extremely diverse flora and fauna with about 150 species of resident and 37 species of migratory birds that visit the sanctuary during the winter. During its initial phase, the sanctuary covered an area of 4.45 sq km and in 2003 this was increased so that it now spreads across 12.11 sq km. With its avian population and variety changing as per the seasons, it is in the monsoon that the sanctuary truly comes alive when one finds here a vivid collection of such species as the Paradise Flycatcher, Magpie Robin and Malabar Whistling Thrushes – these being some of the most lyrical birds. During this time, the sanctuary turns a brilliant green, and dozens of little rivulets spring up and flow by. However, post monsoon too the sanctuary is as interesting and the best months to visit it are from October to February. The sanctuary has been designed very strategically so that it caters to all kinds of visitors – as you enter the sanctuary’s main gate, you come across a conservation center that makes a note of all your plastic belongings. You have to pay a deposit which is returned at the time of exit but only upon producing all the plastic belongings that you had carried inside. This is one of the finest ways to ensure that the sanctuary remains clean and to deter visitors from littering the place with plastic bottles, cups, bags and anything that is non degradable. There are some interesting trails that the sanctuary offers with the Hariyal Nature Trail being the easiest. This is only a kilometer long but offers a great bird-sighting experience. For those looking for a longer walk, the Mortaka Trail, which covers a length of 6 km through the sanctuary is ideal. There is also an abundance of colourful butterflies darting through the air. Karnala Fort The Karnala Fort stands at a height of 445 metres and was built during the 12th century. In the olden days this fort was of strategic importance by virtue of its position and was a vantage point to govern the trade route between the BhorGhat and Mumbai and also the trade route on the river passing through Panvel. Between 1248 and 1318, the fort was under the command of the Devgiris. Then the Muslim rulers from Daulatabad took control of the fort and stayed put from 1318 to 1347. Subsequently, warriors from Gujarat took charge but in 1540 the baton to govern it passed to those from Ahmednagar. Not to be cowed down, the Gujarat forces joined hands with the Portuguese army and re-conquered the fort. With the Portuguese rulers now stationed here, all subsequent efforts to regain the fort by armies from various states were ified. However, after several years of rule, the Portuguese decided to let the ruler of Ahmednagar take over the fort in exchange for a handsome sum of money. In the years to come, the fort was claimed by Shivaji Maharaj in 1670 and then by Aurangazeb till the British stepped in and made it their own from 1818. The fort now belongs to the government but it seems that its true rulers are such raptors as the Peregrine and Shikra who, perched high on its ramparts, overlook the region surrounding it with a majestic bearing. For the trekkers the Karnala Fort Trail is the best and there are many who have been doing this trek during the weekends for the past 20 years or so. Distance from Mumbai: 52 kms How to reach Air The nearest airport is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at Mumbai. Rail Panvel station is the closest rail head. Road There are State Transport buses running regularly from Mumbai Central to Karnala. Auto rickshaws and taxis going from Panvel to Pen also drop visitors off at Karnala.