Nashik India – Top-10 Things to See and to Do

Nashik is a city in Northern Maharashtra which is an important religious destination for Hindus. It has several sites which feature in in the ancient Indian epic, the Ramayana making it an exciting destination for history lovers. Surrounded by mountains and lakes, Nashik is the base for several stunning treks as well as home to vineyards that welcome visitors. Here’s a collection of the top 10 tourist attractions in Nashik that travellers should definitely put on their to do list.

1. Panchavati

Named after the five ancient banyan tree in its environs, Panchavati is an extremely holy area for Hindus who believe Lord Ram, a God, his wife Sita and his brother Laxman stayed in it. On the banks of the Godavari Rivier, the area has several must see attractions including Sita Gumpha, a tiny cave where Sita was kidnapped and Ramkund, a natural pool where Lord Ram is believed to have bathed. Ramkund is also where the ashes of Indian freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi were immersed after his assassination. There’s a white marble Gandhi Memorial near the bathing pool.

Other important sites to see in Panchavti are the Kalaram Mandir made with rare black stones and the Sundarnaryan Temple built over 300 years ago as a tribute to Lord Vishnu.

2. Saptashrungi

An hour’s drive from Nashik is Saptashrungi, another significant religious site that is a range of seven hills believed to be home to a Hindu Goddess, Saptashrungi. At the top of one of the hills is a temple dedicated to Sita with an image of her carved out of a rock at the base of the temple. Be warned that one has to climb a hundred steps to reach the temple!

The drive to the temple is beautiful, especially during the monsoon, but the roads are winding so be sure to take some medicine if you get carsick. Instead of driving up, adventure lovers can trek up the hills starting at Nanduri Village. It’s a fairly easy trek with a well-marked route.

The temple is open from 6:00am to 6:00pm and photography is not allowed. Whether you’re trekking or driving up, be sure to start as early as possible as in the dark the mountain routes can be dangerous.

3. Ajaneri Hills

The stunning Ajaneri Hills are 20 kilometres from Nashik and another beautiful hiking spot.

Hindus believe that the hills are where Lord Hanuman, Hinduism’s monkey God, was born. From Ajaneri Village which is in the midst of the hills, one can trek to the nearby temple dedicated to Hanuman, a trek which will take you past streams, forests and waterfalls in the monsoon.

One can also trek up to the century old Ajaneri Fort which is a little challenging for inexperienced hikers but promises awesome views one you reach.

If you’re exploring the Ajaneri Hills, be sure to start your day early, wear waterproof clothing, sunscreen and carry along lots of water and trail mix.

4. Trimbakeshwar Temple

Close to the Ajneri Hills is the Trimbakeshwar Temple, a forty minute drive from Nashik. On the banks of the holy Godavari River, the temple is one of the twelve jyotirlingas which are considered a physical representation of Lord Shiva, also an important Hindu God.

The temple is built with black stone and has carvings of flowers and animals. Priests and pilgrims conduct a range of poojas (prayers) at the temple each day such as the Mahamrityunjaya Pooja which is to battle prolonged sickness and the Laghu Rudrabhishek which is for wealth.

The temple complex is small and exploring it will only take 20-30 minutes. Visit it in the early morning to see the sun highlighting its carvings.

5. Someshwar Waterfalls

The Someshwar Falls are a fifteen minute drive from Nashik and in the monsoons make for a majestic site. The falls cascade into the Godavari River where one can see local villagers washing their linen and tending to their water buffalo. It’s an extremely idyllic scene!

However, during the summer and dry season, the falls are merely a trickle and the banks are muddy.

Visit the Falls in the morning for a picnic and then walk over to the nearby Balaji Temple.

6. Jain Temple

While Nashik is known for its vast collection of Hindu temples, there’s also a magnificent Jain Temple just outside of the city. It’s made with marble and pink sand and has a sprawling complex. At the entrance, you’ll have to take off your footwear- be warned that the ground can get a little hot in the summer. You should also be sure to dress in full length clothing and carry a scarf to cover your head.

In the tradition of most Jain Temples, the complex has a canteen which offers free vegetarian fare to all visitors. It also as a small play area for children with a swing and a few slides.

7. Pandav Leni Caves

A ten minute drive South of Nashik are the Pandavleni Caves, ancient rock cut Buddhist caves which were built in the 1st to the 3rd Century BCE. There are 24 caves with detailed carvings and sculptures which have held up extremely well through the centuries.

To get to the caves there’s a short trek through a forest filled with streams and a few steps to climb, so be sure to wear walking shoes.

One must buy a ticket to enter the caves complex, but the price is nominal at INR10 per ticket.

8. Saraf Bazaar

Nashik is well known for producing some of the best silver jewellery in the country. In Saraf Bazaar one will find a whole row of jewellery shops selling both modern silver trinkets as well as silver antique jewellery which was carefully crafted by ancient artisans.

Jewellery can cost between INR1000 (for a dainty pair of earrings) to INR50,000 (for a chunky silver choker), but be sure to try to bargain for a better price.

9. Sula Vineyards

One cannot visit Nashik and not pay a visit to the vineyards surrounding it. Even if you’re not a wine drinker, take an hour long drive to Sula Vineyards and enjoy the sight of sprawling vineyards and the Gangapur Lake.

Sula Vineyards has six wine tours a day, exciting activities priced between INR400-800 which take visitors through the vineyard, the fermentation cellar and the bottling plant, culminating with a wine tasting. There are two restaurants at Sula Vineyards; Little Italy and Soma at Sula which serve delicious food.

Sula is open until 7pm every day.

10. York Winery

Sula Vineyards sees hundreds of visitors a week but York Winery is slightly more off the map despite being close to Sula. It also offers vineyard and winery tours (INR150-INR250). The Vineyard is set against a large lake and mountain range and also has a fine dining restaurant whose speciality is pairing Indian fare with wines.

While the tours are only available until 6pm, the restaurant is open until 10pm.

After spending in a few days exploring the tourist attractions in Nashik, one can be sure they will come away with a deeper understanding of the Hindu culture, a deeper appreciation of wine and photographs of stunning scenery.