Mumbai Travel Club is heading to Bhandardara for the Fireflies Festival 2026, we bring you a opportunity to have a front-row seat to one of the most stunning natural spectacles in the Sahyadris from 16th May to 20 June 2026. This experience is suitable for families with kids, couples, groups, Solo travelers looking for a weekend break, and photography enthusiasts who want to capture the magic of bioluminescence. It's Located right beside the Arthur Lake and under the shadow of Mount Kalsubai, this overnight camping journey lets you witness millions of synchronized fireflies lighting up the dense forest canopy right before the monsoon arrives.
♦ Self Drive: Rs. 1500.00
(Drive straight to the campsite in your own vehicle)
♦ Kasara Pickup and Drop: Rs. 2000.00
(Includes round-trip transit from Kasara Station to the campsite via private Jeeps)
♦ Mumbai Pickup and Drop: Rs. 3100.00
(Includes round-trip transit from Mumbai to the campsite via AC Bus)
♦ Kids Charges:
Self Drive - Rs. 600.00
Kasara Pickup - Rs. 1100.00
Mumbai Pickup - Rs. 2500.00
(Only Applicable for Kids 1-5 years, Above 5 years of age charges are same for all participants.)
NOTE: Limited slots are available, Booking needs to be done well in advance. Last min booking is not allowed.
Event Dates
To book Bhandardara Fireflies Festival, click on the Book Now button to make payment. Once the payment is manually verified at our end, our team will get in touch with you on WhatsApp regarding KYC form submission. This event is conducted on Friday and Saturday. Manual confirmation will be done during working hours Mon-Fri between 11am to 7pm only.
What is included in the tour
- Round-trip transit from Kasara to Bhandardara campsite in private local vehicles (For transit package holders).
- Tents Stay on Triple sharing (You can upgrade to twin sharing by paying 500 extra for a couple in total).
- Saturday evening tea & snacks, unlimited authentic village dinner (Veg/Non-Veg/Jain), and Sunday morning breakfast with tea.
- All mandatory Forest Department entry fees, village local body permissions, and camping charges.
- Standard first-aid assistance and emergency support.
What is NOT included in the tour
- Saturday en-route lunch and any personal snacks/cold drinks purchased during transit.
- Personal bedding preferences like personal blankets, sheets, or pillows (We recommend carrying a light shawl).
- Anything not explicitly mentioned in the inclusions list.
Train Travel Details for Kasara Pickup and Drop
Catch the Kasara Local train from the station nearest to you. Once the train reaches the station you head to board the local jeeps and head to the campsite. The jeeps and bus will halt at a Dhaba for the participants to freshen up and proceed further. Please note train operations are not in our hands and below mentioned train is for reference only. If the trains are cancelled by railways you need to reach the Kasara station by road or alternate trains to ensure you get the pickup at 2:47pm
CSMT-12:30 pm
Dadar-12:43 pm
Kurla-12:50 pm
Ghatkopar-12:54 pm
Thane-01:12 pm
Kalyan-01:37 pm
Kasara-02:47 pm
Travel Details for Mumbai Pickup
11:10 am : Goregaon - Pathanwadi Oberoi Mall
11:25 am : Andheri - Start of Flyover
11:40 am : Bandra - Kala Nagar WEH Bus Stop
11:50 am : Sion Station Circle
12:05 pm : Chembur - Amar Mahal
12:40 pm : Thane - Teen haat naka
Day 1:
- 12:30 PM: Meet the Mumbai Travel Club team at CSMT (or catch us at designated pickup points along the way: Dadar, Kurla, Thane, and Kalyan). We will board the Kasara Fast Local.
- 02:47 PM: Arrive at Kasara Station. Hop into our private local transfer vehicles (Jeeps) as we begin our scenic, winding drive up into the hills.
- 03:00 PM: A quick halt en route to stretch your legs and enjoy a rustic local lunch (Self-sponsored).
- 05:45 PM: Reach our lakeside campsite at Bhandardara. Breathe in the crisp, fresh air and watch the sun drop behind the mountains.
- 06:00 PM: Tent allocation and settling in. Hot evening tea and local snacks will be served.
- 07:00 PM: Ice-breaking session! Meet your fellow travelers, join in on some fun community games, or simply sit by the water.
- 09:30 PM: Gather around for a hearty, traditional Maharashtrian dinner prepared by local villagers.
- 10:30 PM: The Main Fireflies Trail. We hop on a deep, silent night walk into the dark forest zone. Watch entire trees light up like festive decorations as millions of fireflies communicate through glowing patterns. This is a short walk of 5-10 min to reach the fireflies habitat
- 11:30 PM: Head back to the tents. For those who want to stay up, we’ll gather under the stars for low-key music, storytelling, and stargazing.
Day 2:
- 06:00 AM: Wake up to a serene misty morning over Arthur Lake. Take a peaceful 15-minute morning walk along the backwaters.
- 07:30 AM: Freshen up and gather at the dining area.
- 08:00 AM: Enjoy a hot, comforting breakfast of local favorites served with piping hot tea.
- 09:00 AM: Pack your bags, take group photos with your new travel crew, and check out from the campsite.
- Arrive at Kasara Station and catch the next local train back to Mumbai. Back in Mumbai with a phone full of photos and a heart full of peaceful memories.
Note: Four hours prior to the event date and time, we will be creating a WhatsApp group for coordination purposes, coordinator contact, etc will be shared in the group. Apart from pickup coordination all details are available on this page itself. Please note, there is network issue at Bhandardara and connecting on phone might be tough.
- Lot of enthusiasm and pleasant attitude.
- Identity Proof (Mandatory)
- Water Bottle 1 Ltr (Mandatory)
- Medicines that you might require (We do carry a general First Aid kit)
- Chocolates or candy or things to munch on. You need to keep your tummy happy.
- A Sling bag or backpack to carry your stuff
- Personal blankets, sheets, or pillows (If needed)
- An extra change of comfortable cotton clothes, a small towel, and a light jacket or sweatshirt
- A light poncho or raincoat (Pre-monsoon showers are unpredictable and often trigger the fireflies).
- A small reliable torch
- Toiletries, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, and mosquito/insect repellent cream.
- A fully charged power bank to keep your phone and camera alive
Travel by own vehicle:
- -OR --
If you are not comfortable with using Google-Map, to be on safer side you can reach the meeting point Dogra Food Mall Kasara, before 3.10 pm and follow our vehicles till Campsite.
Eco-Tourism & Code of Conduct
- Strict Sighting Rules: Fireflies are incredibly sensitive, living organisms undergoing their mating season. During the forest trail, the use of bright flashlights, camera flashes, or laser pointers is completely forbidden. If you must use a torch to see your step, it must be pointed strictly downward.
- Zero-Chemical Zone: Please do not spray insect repellent, deodorant, or perfume while on the trail or near the trees. The strong chemical odors completely disrupt the chemical communication pheromones of the fireflies.
- Absolute Silence: Loud portable Bluetooth speakers, shouting, or noisy group behavior on the trail is prohibited. Noise causes fireflies to stop flashing.
- Hands-Off Policy: Touching, capturing, or shaking trees to force fireflies to fly is a strict offense. Enjoy their natural luminescence from a respectful distance.
- Weather Dependency: Fireflies are a natural phenomenon triggered by rising humidity right before the monsoons. Sighting density depends entirely on daily weather conditions. While we choose the absolute peak seasonal weekends, natural sightings cannot be manually controlled.
- Rusticity Over Luxury: We are traveling to a remote, rustic tribal village zone to experience raw nature. Please do not expect commercial luxury resort facilities. Keep an open mind, stay humble, and enjoy the authentic community lifestyle!
- Walk through dense forest trails to witness millions of fireflies glowing in a magical, synchronized rhythm.
- Spend the night in tents pitched with the view of pristine Arthur Lake.
- Relish hot, freshly prepared, village-style local Maharashtrian cuisine (Veg, Non-Veg, and Jain options available).
- Wind down the night with interactive group games, storytelling, and acoustic music under a clear, star-lit sky.
- Benefit from our expert timing our batches are strategically planned during the peak pre-monsoon weeks when the firefly population hits its absolute maximum.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
- 90% refund if canceled at least 15 days (360+ hours) before the event.
- 75% refund if canceled at least 10 days (240+ hours) before the event.
- 50% refund if canceled at least 5 days (120+ hours) before the event.
-
No refund if canceled less than 5 days (under 120 hours) before the event date and time.
No refund will be provided if a participant:
- Chooses to drop out,
- Fails to reach the meeting point at the scheduled date and time.
If the event is canceled by the organizers, participants may either:
- Transfer their booking to another event or date, or
- Opt for a 100% refund.
Rescheduling Policy
- Rescheduling is free of charge if requested at least 120 hours prior to the event.
- Requests made within 120 hours of the event will be treated as cancellations under the applicable refund policy.
We kindly request participants to respect the cancellation timelines. The purpose of this policy is to protect both participants and organizers from financial losses due to unforeseen circumstances.
If the event is canceled due to a medical or personal emergency within the organizing team, participants will not incur any financial loss. Similarly, in case of a medical or personal emergency on the participant’s end, the organizers are protected from financial loss under the above policy.
