Fireflies Festival 2026 Dates Announced

The dates of Fireflies Festival 2026 have been announced. The festival will begin from May 16, 2026 and is expected to end on June 21, 2026. Every year around late May and early June, the forests around Bhandardara start glowing with thousands of fireflies. These tiny insects gather in large numbers just before the monsoon arrives. For many people around Mumbai and Pune, this short window has become one of the most awaited nature events of the year.

Mischief Treks team hosts the Fireflies Festival every year at their own private campsite in Bhandardara, Kothaligad, Igatpuri, Purushwadi, Rajmachi and few more locations. The Bhandardara and Kothaligad campsites sits right in the middle of dense forest patches where firefly activity naturally happens every season. Because of this location, visitors do not need to walk deep into the jungle. Many evenings the fireflies can already be seen around the campsite itself.

During a recent recce visit trek leader Aditi mentioned that the forest area around the campsite already looks healthy for firefly habitat this year. The trees around the campsite usually become full of blinking fireflies once the humidity rises before monsoon.

Kuldip Rathore, has been leading groups for several seasons at Bhandardara, explained something interesting. According to him the fireflies normally start appearing slowly in small numbers first this happens by second week of the month of May. Within a few nights the forest suddenly lights up when the conditions become right around third week of the month of May.

Mischief Treks having campsite located in heart of forest region near Bhandardara lake has highest probability of maximum fireflies sighting. Because the surrounding area has thick vegetation and minimal artificial lighting, the fireflies gather in large clusters. On peak evenings the trees around the campsite itself look like they are decorated with hundreds of tiny blinking lights.

Visitors joining the festival usually spend the evening watching the fireflies around the forest patches near the campsite. The activity normally begins after sunset and becomes stronger once the sky becomes fully dark.

The Mischief Treks team continues to monitor the firefly activity every season. As we get closer to the peak period, more updates about sightings and activity levels will be posted here.

Last updated: 6 March 2026