Here's why this Indian hiker is on a mission to map the Sahyadris

At the summit of the Harihar Fort. Pics courtesy/HikeX

Hiker and co-founder of HikeX, Manvendr Singh Shekhawat is in the middle of mapping India's first continuous long-distance hiking route, spanning 2000 kilometres across Sahyadris. The project aims to document historic trails, promote responsible exploration, and support local livelihoods.

Ascending the steep rock-cut steps of Harihar Fort

Shekhawat recently completed a nine-day stretch, passing Karoli Ghat near Shinganwadi, and is now on his way to Ratangad. Beyond forts like Tringalwadi, Ratangad, Prabalgad, among others, the trail will link plateaus, ridges, valleys, gullies and ‘ghatvats,' thereby creating a connected mountain experience.

Excerpts from an interview.

Bhandardara water reservoir

How did you chart this 2000-kilometre trek? What was the motive behind it?
Having mapped over 5500 kilometres of India's trail network, focusing on remote, offbeat, and non-commercial routes, over the past five years, I explored Sahyadris extensively, covering hundreds of kilometres annually, including a 650 kilometres trek in a single month. While planning long-distance trails in New Zealand and Israel, it made me realise India's routes were more complex and severely undocumented.

Crossing the gorge of Sandhan Valley

It is why I stitched together a continuous 2000-kilometre trail from Nashik southwards, using pilgrimage paths, forest tracks, cattle trails, British-era tracks, and local shortcuts. The aim is to show Sahyadris not as a region with isolated forts, but as a connected mountain system where every plateau, ridge, valley and ghatvat (ancient, narrow, and steep trekking routes or mountain passes) tells its own story.

Manvendr Singh Shekhawat between the ghatvats of Sahyadris

How did you train for this trail?
I have been a full-time hiker and endurance athlete for more than a decade. Training involved both physical and mental preparation. Physically, I focused on strength, endurance, posture, and correcting personal imbalances. Mentally, I prepared for uncertainty as long-distance trails rarely go according to a plan. Weather changes, disappearing paths, and fatigue demands adaptability. I realised when to slow down, listen to my body, and make decisions
on the move rather than forcing progress.

(From left) Crossing the Vaitarna Dam with the help of a local expert (middle) Ratangad Fort (right) Shekhawat next to the shrine of Mata Kalsubai temple

How do you plan for food, water, overnight shelter, and navigation over long, remote stretches?
You don't need to carry your entire world. People here are kind and helpful hosts. Throughout my nine-day journey, local hosts were generous, and hospitality became part of the trail. As far as the stay is concerned, I take shelter in village homes, temples or schools, reflecting how these mountains are lived in.

A villager prepares rice and lentils during a pit-stop along the trail

I eat what locals cook, supplemented by protein bars, salts, and homemade snacks such as ladoos and chikki. Water management is critical, and hence I map sources daily. Navigation combines GPS, old survey maps, and local knowledge as many trails survive only because someone's grandmother used them to graze cattle decades ago.

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