4 must visit Hill Stations for a great travel experience in Maharashtra.

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Ola Peoples!
The monsoons have coming to an end. Well, as always I had been wandering looking for some new travel experiences - some yet unexplored, some popular destinations. This monsoon, I had spent my time mostly around hilly regions so I could be amidst lush, misty greenery. Following are some of the destinations or as people would like to call ‘hill stations’ in Maharashtra, where I had been to.

Mountain Side Chalet, Bhandardara

Bhandardara is a holiday resort village on the western coast of India. The village sits by the Pravara River, and is a blend of natural beauty, waterfalls, mountains, tranquility, greenery, invigorating air and pristine ambiance. The Bhandardara Lake and the Randha falls are major tourist attractions. Legend has it, Shri Agasti Rishi meditated here for a year, surviving only on water and air, pleased with this display of devotion, God came down to Earth and blessed Shri Agasti Rishi with a stream of the Ganga river, which is now known as the Pravara River.

From Bhandardara, you can climb up to see the Ratangad and Harishchandragad fort. Or, you can follow the trails that lead to Ajoba and Ghanchakkar peaks. Also, if you are up for a challenge, the highest peak in Maharashtra, Mount Kalsubai (1646 m), stands tall for you to conquer. The starting point of this challenging trek is Bari Village, located 12 km away from Bhandardara. Atop, there is a small temple and standing. Standing at the summit, you can have panoramic view of Sahyadris and Bhandardara.

Experience living in a Luxurious Mountain Side Chalet that offers a rustic charm of rural Maharashtra. Relieve off your stress at the Ayurvedic Spa centre with its quiet, rejuvenating climate and a lush green surroundings that offer a healthy dose of clean air.


Experience Heritage Stay in Matheran

Matheran is a city and a Hill Station in Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located on the Western Ghats range at an elevation of around 800 m (2,625 feet) above sea level. Matheran was discovered by Hugh Poyntz Malet, the then district collector of Thane district in May 1850. Lord Elphinstone, the then Governor of Bombay laid the foundations of the development as a future hill station. The British developed Matheran as a popular resort to beat the summer heat in the region.

Matheran is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. It is one of the few places in the world where vehicles are not allowed, which makes the place different from others.There are lots of lookout points that provide spectacular views of the surrounding hills and valleys. Matheran has a reasonably dense forest cover.There are around 38 designated look-out points in Matheran, including the Panorma Point that provides a 360 degree view of the surrounding area and also the Neral town.


Perched atop the Sahyadri ranges, in Asia’s only pedestrian hill resort, Heritage stay at Matheran offers you a chance to relive the life of Royalty in 19th Century sprawling mansion. Immerse yourself in colonial architecture with peace & tranquil nature for company.


Experience Leisure Stay in Panchgani

Scenic Panchgani was developed as a retirement place for the British because it remained pleasant throughout the year. It was discovered by the British during the British Raj, and a superintendent named John Chesson was placed in charge of the hill station in the 1860s. He surveyed the hills in this region in the company of one Mr Rustomji Dubash & is credited with planting many plant species from the western world in Panchgani, including silver oak and poinsettia, which have flourished since then. Panchgani gets its name from the five villages in the vicinity :Dhandeghar, Godavli, Amral, Khingar, and Taighat. The place was aptly named Panchgani

The five hills surrounding Panchgani are topped by a volcanic plateau, which is the second highest in Asia after the Tibetan plateau. These plateaus, alternatively known as "table land", are a part of the Deccan Plateau and they were raised by pressure between the earth plates. The area has high seismic activity, with an epicenter near Koynānagar where the Koynanagar Dam and a hydroelectric power plant have been built.

Experience leisure stay at an ideal weekend getaway, set amidst lush green Sahyadri ranges that promises peace and serenity. Relax and rejuvenate at the in-house luxurious spa or immerse yourself in comfort of jacuzzi. You even have an option to experience outpost camping, that too with all the modern comforts.


Experience Retreat Stay on a Mountain in Lonavala

Lonavla is a city and a hill station in Pune district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Lonavla and was discovered in 1871 by Sir Elphinstone, the Governor of the Bombay Presidency. The name Lonavla is derived from the Sanskrit lonavli, which refers to the many caves like Karla Caves, Bhaja Caves and Bedsa that are close to Lonavla.

People prefer visiting Lonavla in the rainy season as it comes to life during the monsoon season as the countryside turns lush green with waterfalls and ponds. Lonavala is famous throughout India for the hard candy sweet known as chikki and is also a major stop on the rail line connecting Mumbai and Pune. A trip to Lonavla and Khandala can be combined with sight-seeing visits of Karla, Bhaja and Bedsa caves and also the two fortresses, Lohagad and Visapur.

Experience 5 star comforts at 3 star rates with Mount Retreat. Your quick getaway destination, amidst the Sahyadris, offering a soothing climate that compliments the rejuvenating therapies offered by the resort.

Before I forget I would like to thank Tushky Travels who are based in MUMBAI for giving me such amazing experiences. They also have a website listed with more of such amazing experience 😊

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