Bhatkanti - Pune, Forts, Trekking

About 40 km from Pune, these Buddhist caves dating back to 160 BC, have a Chaitya (chapel), the largest in the country and some viharas (dwelling caves).

Karla is the site of some of the best-preserved Buddhist caves and the chaitya cave is perhaps the best-preserved cave of its kind in the subcontinent. Unlike the Ajanta and Ellora caves, the most refreshing feature of Karla is the absence of tourist hordes, since Karla is quite off the tourist beaten track.

However, to avoid holidaying locals, don't visit the caves on the weekends. The Karla caves exist amidst a range of hills not far from Lonavala. Apart from the chaitya hall there are many vihara caves too.

However, it is the awesome chaitya hall that makes this journey worth it. The architecture and the carvings of this hall are something else! A must see!