Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary (Kolhapur) under MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) is a popular tourist destination and spread over an area of 10.87 square kilometers.

And not only does it host 30-40 species of trees, it also has a wide variety of fauna, including antelope, hyena, wolf, fox, rabbit, wild cat, etc. One will also come across peacocks in huge numbers.

A large number of insects, birds and reptiles such as pythons are also present. The peak tourism season is from August to February and one of the popular activities is to hike to the top of the hill in the sanctuary to get a fascinating view of the Krishna River flowing through fields of sugarcane and grapevines.

Distance from Mumbai: 333 Kms

How to Reach:

By Air:
The nearest airport to Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary is Kolhapur airport which is 36 kms away from Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. But the most convenient is Pune airport which is about 232 kms from Sangli.

By Rail:
The nearest railway station to Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary is Sangli railway station which is 2 km away from the Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary. It is well connected to other cities.

By Road:
Sangli is well connected by State transport buses as well as private buses. Take the National Highway No 4 and then turn in at Sangli.

Things to Do

Visit the Temples
About 1.5 kilometers from the sanctuary is a temple complex of about 51 ancient temples, believed to be about 500-600 years old and of the Shilahara or Yadava period.
The main temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and named as Sagareshwara.
The other deities include Laksmi-Narayan and Vishnu.
One will also see here hero stones and sculptures of sages, women, elephants, etc. Further, one can include a visit to Kole Nrusinhapur, about 16 kilometers away from Sagareshwar and 21 kilometers from Karad.
Of particular beauty here is the idol of Nrisinha carved out of black stone. The temple is also unique for its fortification wall with five bastions.

Spend Time in Sangli
Sangli is most famous for the production of turmeric. It is situated on the banks of river Krishna and also houses many sugar factories.
The Ganesha Temple of Sangli is a historical landmark and visited by thousands of pilgrims. Sangli is also known as the ‘Wimbledon of Chess’ and hosts a national level chess championship every year.
Wine producers in Sangli make distinctive, classic wines using imported root stocks.