5 Best Hill Stations in Maharashtra

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Maharashtra, also known as the Land of Marathas is the 3rd largest state in India. The state is blessed with an abundant supply of natural resources. The location of the state between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats makes it a biodiverse region rich in flora and fauna. There are many tourist attractions in the state. Among them, the best hill stations are; Lonavala, Matheran, Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar, and Chikhaldara.

 

Lonavala: 

 

Lonavala

 

Lonavala is a beautiful hill station located in the western part of Maharashtra, surrounded by green valleys. It is also known as the ‘Jewel of the Sahyadri’. The hill station is located at an elevation of 624 m above sea level. The place is mostly known for its beautiful landscapes, forts, caves and temples. The town is situated at about 95 Kms from Mumbai.

 

The main tourist attractions here are the ancient caves, the Karla Caves and the Bhaja Caves. The other main places to visit are Karla, Bedsa, Lonavala Lake, Rajmachi fort, Shivaji Park, Ryewood, Tungarli Lake, Valvan Dam, Duke's Nose, Tiger's Leap, etc.

 

Lohagad fort is major tourist attractions in Lonavala famous for trekking. Lohagad and Visapur fort is twin fort famous for monsoon treks. This is the perfect destination for trekking and mountaineering enveloped in Sahyadri hills.

 

The pleasant climate, scenic beauty, historical forts, ancient Buddhist caves, waterfalls and beautiful lakes attracts thousands of travellers every year. Chikki (the hard candy sweet) is a unique local sweet available in this hill station.

 

The best time to visit is from October to June. There are number of budget as well as luxury holiday homes in the hill station which render the visitors with perfect services and friendly hospitality.

 

Matheran:

 

Matheran

 

Matheran is a hill station in the Raigad district of the state. This is an eco-friendly hill station known as 'Maharashtra's Gift'. The place is known for its 38 peak points offering the best views of the hill station. This is also one of the closest hill-stations to Mumbai. The hill station is at the base of the Sahayadri Mountains. The town offers stunning views of the Sahayadri ranges, a bird's eye view of the lights of Mumbai. A number of boarding and lodging facilities are available here to cater to the huge inflow of tourists. For those wanting to savor the delights of this scenic beauty, the 38 peaks offer the best views of the hill station; local vendors whipping out local delights to enjoy with the views is another highlight of this place.

 

This is the smallest hill station of the country. The 38 look-out points of the hill station offer the best views of the hill station such as Panorama Point, King George Point, Louisa Point, Echo Point and the Charlotte Lake. The other main places to visit here are Paymaster Park and the Panthers Caves from where you can witness wildlife. The whole hill station can be well explored on foot or on mountain bikes.

 

Matheran also offers activities such as hiking, trekking, climbing etc. To reach the hill station you need to travel take a thrilling 280 zigzag turns through the Sahayadri ranges. This is a year round destination with pleasant climatic conditions. The best time to visit is from October to May.

 

This is one of the marvelous adventures and ultimate trekking destinations with green hill and lush forest around Pune and Mumbai. The Toy Train is one of the biggest tourist attractions of this hill station.

 

You can purchase local Matheran Hats, sandals and also taste sweet 'Chikki' here. The honey available here is also very popular.

 

Panchgani:

 

Panchgani

 

Panchgani is one of the world’s oldest hill stations in the Satara district of the state. The hill station is located at an altitude of 1,334 m above sea level. It is surrounded by five rolling hillocks and crystal clear lakes. This is the best hill station to spend weekend with family near Mumbai.

 

The picturesque natural beauty, Table Top Hill, nature walks, and pleasant Weather attract travellers from all parts. The five hills surrounding Panchgani are topped by a volcanic plateau, which is the second highest in Asia after the Tibetan plateau. These plateaus are also known as "table land". The main tourist attractions here are Sherbaug, Parsi Point, Rajpuri Caves, and Wai.

 

Rajapuri caves are located at a short drive from Panchgani. This is a relegiosly important spot. The Kartik swamy temple is the major attraction here. The temple is beleived to be built from the sand taken from the caves. The ponds or 'kunds' around the caves is beleived to be holy and a dip in these kunds is believed to cure diseases. Two sculptures of Nandi are located in front of the caves. A local fair is held every year at Rajapuri during the harvest season.

 

The hill station offers many stunning trekking trails helping to explore the natural beauty of this region at its fullest. The most popular trekking trail in Panchgani is the 2hr trek down to the backwaters of Dhom dam from behind Panchgani electricity sub station.

 

The best season time to visit is from September to May. There are numerous holiday homes situated in and around the hill station providing surrounded by lush greenery, cool ambience and lots of facilities.

 

Mahabaleshwar:

 

Mahabaleshwar

 

Mahabaleshwar is the biggest hill station of the state. The hill station is famous for strawberries and scenic natural beauty. This is one of the most popular hill stations near Mumbai. The town is also famous for its picturesque surroundings and a wide variety of flora, fauna and natural attractions like lush green hills and waterfalls.  The hill station is located at an altitude of 1,353 m above sea level.

 

The hill station is blessed with attractive valleys, cascading waterfalls, calm and clear lakes, ancient temples, roughly arranged streets and large and pleasing view of greenery. The main tourst attractions here are Arthur's Seat, Babbington point, Connaught Peak, Venna Lake, Dhobi Waterfall, Fakland Point, and Raman Catholic Church. The hill station has about 30 major lookout points that offer breathtaking view of the entire landscape, among them Wilson also known as the Sunrise Point is the most popular which offer spectacular views of the entire place and the valleys below.

 

India’s third longest river ‘Krishna’ starts from Mahadev temple in Old Mahabaleshwar. The temple is behind Panchganga temple. There is a small trail that leads to Krishnabai temple. River Krishna is being worshipped here that is built on the hilltop overlooking Krishna valley. The temple has a Shiva lingam and a beautiful statue of Goddess Krishna. A small stream of the river flowing from a cow-face (gomukh) falls on a water tank. The most beautiful view of river Krishna flowing down can be obtained from here.

 

The best time to visit the place is from October to June. The place is situated about 270 kms from Mumbai. The hill station is well connected to all major cities.

 

Mahabaleshwar offers many outdoor activities for leisure adventure enthusiasts. The months of May and June are famous for strawberries. You can go for nature walks or a gentle mountain pony ride or boating on Venna Lake or trekking up the hill tops.

 

Chikhaldara:

 

Chikhaldara

 

Chikhaldara is the only hill station near to Mumbai city in the Vidarbha region. It is believed that this town was the place where the Pandava Bhima killed Keechaka. The place is full of beautiful deep valleys. The hill station is located at an altitude of about 1,188 m above sea level. The town is about 672 kms from Mumbai. This is the only coffee growing area in the state.

 

The hill station is blessed with natural scenery, exciting wildlife, breathtaking waterfalls and crystal clear lakes. The main tourist attractions of the hill station are Chikhaldara Wildlife Sanctuary, Melghat Tiger Reserve, Wan Sanctuary, Bhimkund, Shakkar Lake, Kalapani dam, Hariken Point, Sunset point, and Panchbol point. You must also taste the special local food of the area ie; Special Varhadi Chicken.

 

The best time to visit the hill station is from October to June. The deep misty valleys and hill tops of Chikhaldara offers travellers a great opportunity for rock climbing, trekking, nature walks and jungle safari.

 

There are many holiday homes in these hill stations which gave the travellers a great opportunity to stay close to nature and understand the culture and lifestyle of the people of that area. 

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Holiday Homes in Maharashtra

8 Bedroom Holiday Stay, Panchgani

Panchgani, Maharashtra

5+ bedrooms, Villa

rupee

15000

/ night
Royal Villa, Lonavala

Lonavala, Maharashtra

2 bedrooms, Villa

rupee

7000

/ night
Bungalow Near Metgutad, Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra

3 bedrooms, Villa

rupee

24000

/ night
Fully furnished A C 2 BHK , Kolad

Kolad, Maharashtra

2 bedrooms, Villa

rupee

5000

/ night
4 Bedroom Bungalow, Panchgani

Panchgani, Maharashtra

4 bedrooms, Villa

rupee

3000

/ night