Bhimgad is a wildlife sanctuary on the Goa border, not an open-access fort park. The notified forest, cave systems and seasonal tracks are the controlling facts, and permission can change with fire risk, rain or conservation work.
Contact the forest authorities first
Ask which entrance, route and guide arrangement is currently authorised. Do this before hiring a vehicle from Khanapur; a driver knowing a village road is not the same as permission to enter protected forest.
Leave caves alone
Barapede’s importance is as a breeding roost of Wroughton’s free-tailed bat. Do not seek cave entry, use flash, play sound or approach a roost, even if an unsanctioned track appears online.
Plan for self-sufficiency
Carry water, food, rain protection and a charged phone while understanding that reception may fail. Stay with the authorised guide and route; turning back is a normal conservation decision, not a failed trip.