Vetal Tekdi: Pune's Highest Point and Green Lungs
At 2,600 feet, Vetal Tekdi is the highest point within Pune city limits. It's an urban sanctuary for joggers, birdwatchers, and anyone seeking a moment of peace above the city's hustle.
Vetal Tekdi: Pune's Highest Point and Green Lungs
Before the city wakes up, thousands of Punekars are already here — walking the red mud trails, greeting the sunrise, and breathing in the cool air of Vetal Tekdi.
Category: Treks & Walks | Elevation: 800 m (2,600 ft) | Grade: Easy
While forts like Sinhagad and Torna represent Pune's martial history, Vetal Tekdi represents its daily, living connection to nature. Towering right in the centre of the city's western edge, it is the highest point within Pune's municipal limits.
Whether you're training for a marathon, walking your dog, looking for peacocks, or simply seeking an escape from traffic, Vetal Tekdi (also known as ARAI hills) is the city's quintessential urban retreat.
Exploring the Hill
The hill is a plateau covered in dry deciduous forest, plantation patches, and extensive grassland. Its defining visual feature is the Vetal Baba Temple, after which the hill is named.
The peaceful, open trails of Vetal Tekdi — Pune's essential green sanctuary.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Another major landmark is the ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India) facility, located on one side of the hill, which gives it its alternate name. The hill is also home to an old quarry, now a dramatic open space often used by photographers and nature lovers.
Biodiversity on the Tekdi
Despite being surrounded by urbanization, Vetal Tekdi is incredibly biodiverse. It is a hotspot for:
- Birdwatching: Home to Indian Peafowls, Hornbills, Sunbirds, and Francolins.
- Flora: A mix of native and planted species. Conservation groups like Save Vetal Tekdi work tirelessly to protect the indigenous plant life.
In a rapidly growing metropolis, Vetal Tekdi is not just a hill; it is a community necessity. It is where Pune comes to breathe.
📍 Vetal Tekdi — Accessible via Kothrud, Pashan, or SB Road, Pune.
