A thrilling journey from Surat to the mystical Bhimashankar Jyotirling, filled with foggy roads, jungle trails, waterfalls, temple darshan, and campfire fun. This blog captures my recent trek with Yuva Yatri, where 30+ adventurers from Surat, Bharuch, and Vadodara came together to explore, celebrate, and create lifelong memories.
🚍 Surat to Bhimashankar – The Beginning
Our adventure began on Friday evening, 22nd August at 5:30 PM from Katargam, Surat. Led by our trek organiser Mr. Brijesh from Yuva Yatri, the bus made pickups from Botanical Garden and Decathlon, where more trekkers joined in.
The energy was already high with delicious evening snacks, chilled lassi, and even a surprise birthday celebration for one of the fellow trekkers. With 30+ people onboard, from different parts of Surat, Bharuch, and Vadodara, the journey felt like a mix of old friends and new companions.
As we moved towards Dharampur–Nashik road, the weather turned magical – foggy, cool, and mysterious, setting the tone for the trek ahead.
🏕️ Reaching Base Camp – Euphoria Wildlife Resort
By early morning, we reached our base camp at Euphoria Wildlife Resort & Camping, Bhorgiri. After freshening up, a classic Surti breakfast of khaman, fafda, and masala chai gave us the perfect boost.
Our guides – 4 from Surat and 1 local expert – briefed us with trek instructions. Carrying our packed lunch (thepla & dahi), we set off on the trail.
🌳 The Trek to Bhimashankar Temple
The 6 km jungle trek began with a mix of flat and inclined paths, rated as easy to moderate. The route was breathtaking – misty forests, chirping birds, and the soothing flow of the Bhima river running parallel.
With small breaks and photography sessions, we enjoyed every step. After about 3.5 hours, we finally reached the sacred Bhimashankar Jyotirling temple. Taking darshan on the last day of Shravan month felt truly divine and memorable.
🌧️ The Descent – Fog, Rain & Fellowship
Descending took about 2.5 hours, with light-to-heavy showers blessing our way. The fog, drizzle, and cool breeze made the return magical. Trekking alongside new friends, sharing laughter, and helping each other through slippery patches created a bond that will last long.
🍲 Dinner & Campfire Night
Back at the base camp, we freshened up and were treated to a delicious Gujarati dinner – kadhi, bhaat, roti, paneer sabji, gulab jamun, and buttermilk.
The night turned into a celebration with campfire, karaoke singing, garba, and dancing. For three hours, the jungle echoed with our joy. Though we slept late around 1 AM, the spirit remained fresh.
🏞️ Bhorgiri Fort & Hidden Caves – Day 2 Exploration
Next morning at 6:30 AM, after poha, toast, and tea, we set out for a short 1.5 km trek to Bhorgiri Fort. The trail was steep and slippery, but at the top awaited a Shiva temple inside a cave with 12 Jyotirlingas carved around.
We performed abhishek, prayed for everyone’s well-being, and explored another nearby cave with a water passage leading to Vaibhav Laxmi temple.
A further hike revealed an infinity-style natural pool, where some of us dipped in to refresh. On the descent, we enjoyed a waterfall shower before returning to camp.
🚌 Return Journey – Memories for Life
After lunch, we packed up and left at 2:30 PM. The return was long, with highway traffic, but dinner breaks with pav bhaji kept us going. Finally, on 25th August morning at 8:00 AM, we reached Surat – tired but filled with memories.
This trek with Yuva Yatri was not just about reaching Bhimashankar Jyotirling – it was about:
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Meeting amazing people from different cities
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Experiencing foggy roads, jungle trails, and waterfalls
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Spiritual darshan at one of the 12 Jyotirlingas
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Dancing, singing, and celebrating life around a campfire
