Pilgrimage Tours
Photo: Mechatron00 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped
Bhimashankar is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva, and one of three in Maharashtra along with Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar. The shrine sits at about 934 m in the Sahyadri hills of Khed taluka, roughly 110 km from Pune, and the Bhima river rises here — the temple stands beside its source. The building is a black-stone Nagara-style structure whose older core is traced to around the 13th century; the sabhamandap and shikhara were rebuilt in the 18th century by the Peshwa statesman Nana Phadnavis. Tradition holds that Shiva took form here after destroying the demon Tripurasura, and the surrounding Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary — home to the Indian giant squirrel, or shekru — makes the approach a forest journey as much as a temple one.
October to February is the most comfortable window: the monsoon has ended, the hills are still green and the days are cool for the walk down to the shrine. Mahashivratri (February–March) is the largest gathering of the year and is genuinely punishing for elders — the queues and the road traffic on the ghat both stretch for hours. June to September brings heavy rain, mist and slippery steps; the forest is at its best but the climb is hard for older pilgrims.
Pune International Airport is the nearest airport, roughly 115–120 km away, and Pune Junction is the practical railhead at a similar distance; Mumbai is about 220 km. Almost everyone arrives by road — the usual route from Pune runs via Rajgurunagar, Manchar and Ghodegaon and takes around 3.5 hours, with the last stretch a narrow, winding ghat road. MSRTC buses run from Pune's Shivajinagar stand, and private taxis are widely available for a day trip.
The shrine sits below the road, so you descend a couple of hundred steps to reach it and climb the same back — the harder half comes at the end, after darshan, and elders should plan for it. Importantly, the temple was closed for several months in 2026 for major redevelopment (the old sabhamandap was demolished and the staircase rebuilt) and reopened in June 2026 under a phased system with online registration handled by the temple administration itself. Access rules are still changing, so confirm the current position directly with the temple before you book travel. Note also that no travel company can obtain, reserve or hasten darshan here — the temple board runs its own queue and registration.
Planned around you, not a fixed departure. Holiday Vibez arranges pilgrimages to Bhimashankar Temple in Pune for families, elders and temple groups travelling from Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi and Madurai. Tell us your dates and how many are coming — we build the route around that. 100% customisable.
- Stays near the shrine — so elders aren't driven back and forth at 4am.
- Private transfers — pick-up from your door, not a meeting point.
- Meals that suit the group — including pure-veg and fasting requirements.
- Group travel — 4 people or 40, one coordinator, one itinerary.
- Someone on the phone — when you're in a queue three states from home.
Temple boards run their own darshan queues and quotas. No travel agent can sell you a special one, and agencies that promise "VIP darshan" are either misleading you or breaking the trust's rules. We help you book the official slots and we get everything else right.
Most of the people we send on yatra are over 55, or booking for parents who are. We plan shorter driving days, stays within walking distance where the shrine allows it, and we'll tell you honestly if a site involves a long climb or a trek before you pay — not after.
How many steps are there at Bhimashankar, and can elderly people manage them?
Sources put it between roughly 200 and 300 steps down to the shrine; they are broad and not steep, but it is a full descent and re-ascent. Most fit elders manage it slowly with rest stops, and palanquin (doli) bearers are usually available locally for hire, though this is arranged on the spot and not guaranteed. Recent renovation work has rebuilt part of the staircase, so check the current condition before you travel.
Can Bhimashankar be done as a day trip from Pune?
Yes. It is about 110 km each way, roughly 3.5 hours by road, so a dawn start from Pune allows darshan and a return the same evening. Mumbai visitors usually break the journey overnight in Pune or at Bhimashankar itself, where MTDC and small private lodges operate. Confirm darshan arrangements with the temple before setting out, as timings and entry rules have changed during the ongoing redevelopment.
Is Bhimashankar the same place as the Bhimashankar trek from Khandas?
Same destination, different approach. Trekkers climb from Khandas village on the Karjat side via the Ganesh Ghat or Shidi Ghat routes, a demanding several-hour ascent that is unsuitable for families with elders and dangerous in the monsoon. Yatra groups should take the motorable road from the Pune side instead.
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