Perfect Mumbai Weekend - Matheran

As the people in Mumbai rejoice over the rains after a long sweaty summer, it won’t be long before they start cribbing over the water-logging and traffic mess that the rains in Mumbai usually brings along with it. To escape from that, we have a list of places awesome places to visit near Mumbai in monsoon. They are just outside of Mumbai, which makes them perfect weekend getaways.

When you think of a weekend monsoon getaway, the first thing you think about is quiet and calm. Then what better than Matheran, which has rule of no vehicles allowed within the town!  Just the journey to Matheran is exciting, a train ride in a heritage railway and travel around the town on horseback or hand pulled rickshaws. The hills themselves have much to offer as the clouds practically descends over it in the monsoon and  with an adjoining valley it has over 30 lookout points, the beautiful Charlotte Lake and the ancient Pisarnath Mahadev Temple.

Matheran is a hill station and a municipal council in the Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station in Karjat Tahsil and is also the smallest hill station in India. It is located on the Western Ghats range at an elevation of around 800 m (2,625 feet) above sea level. It is located around 90 km from Mumbai, and 120 km from Pune. Matheran's proximity to many metropolitan cities makes it a popular weekend getaway for urban residents. Matheran, which means "forest on the forehead" (of the mountains) is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. It is Asia's only automobile-free hill station.

There are around 38 designated look-out points in Matheran, including the Panorama Point that provides a 360 degree view of the surrounding area and also the Neral town. From this point, the view of sunset and sunrise is dramatic. The Louisa Point offers crystal clear view of the Prabal Fort. The other points are the One Tree Hill Point, Heart Point, Monkey Point, Porcupine Point, Rambagh Point, and more. To stay there, there are plenty of hotels.There are a lot of Parsi bungalows. Beautiful old British-style architecture is preserved in Matheran. The roads are not metalled and are made of red laterite earth. There are many "points" (viewpoints) in Matheran which give a panoramic view of the plains below.

Perfect Mumbai Weekend - Thosegar Falls, Near Satara

As the people in Mumbai rejoice over the rains after a long sweaty summer, it won’t be long before they start cribbing over the water-logging and traffic mess that the rains in Mumbai usually brings along with it. To escape from that, we have a list of places awesome places to visit near Mumbai in monsoon. They are just outside of Mumbai, which makes them perfect weekend getaways.

Thoseghar Village in Satara is filled with waterfalls ranging from 20 metres to 500 metres in height. The Thoseghar Falls, one of the best waterfalls near Mumbai in monsoon are in their prime in the monsoon with more water gushing from the heights. A calm and serene surrounding with a quiet lake and the only noise filling the silence is from the waterfalls. An ideal place for picnic, a quick swim in the lake or for just watching the ebb and flow of water.

One of the most beautiful places to visit near Pune and Mumbai, the roaring waterfall is in close vicinity to Satara, the valley of flowers in Maharashtra. Kaaswhic is the home to the Thosegar falls. Escalate the picturesque plateau of Kas which is blossomed by diverse types of flowers to enjoy the majestic views.

Distance:

From Pune to Thosegar Falls: 134.7Kms
From Mumbai to Thosegar Falls: 277.5Kms

Things to do:

Enjoy the stimulating view of the Kaas Lake where several migratory birds often visit
Admire the breath-taking views of flower covered Kaas plateau – one of the best places to visit near Pune or Mumbai during rainy season
Relish the roaring Thosegar falls
Stopover at the Samahdi site of Samarth Ramdas swami, the spiritual guru of Shivaji at Sajjangad
Trek to the top of Sajjangad to view the beautiful flower laden valley.

Perfect Mumbai Weekend - Karnala Fort and Karnala Bird Sanctuary

As the people in Mumbai rejoice over the rains after a long sweaty summer, it won’t be long before they start cribbing over the water-logging and traffic mess that the rains in Mumbai usually brings along with it. To escape from that, we have a list of places awesome places to visit near Mumbai in monsoon. They are just outside of Mumbai, which makes them perfect weekend getaways.

Karnala

An envelope of green with gushing waterfalls, Karnala is one of the closest places near Mumbai situated just 80 kms away. Treks or drive through Karnala from Mumbai offers a majestic view of the misty Sahyadri Ranges in the monsoon. The waterfalls are refreshing and the Karnala Fort has much to explore. Karnala Bird Sanctuary is home to some of the most exotic birds. Monsoon sees a variety of migratory birds.

Karnala fort

Karnala fort is a hill fort in Raigad district about 10 km from Panvel city. Currently it is a protected place lying within the Karnala Bird Sanctuary. It was a fort of strategic importance as it overlooked the Bor pass which connected the Konkan coast to the interior of Maharashtra (Vidharba) and was the main trade route between these areas.

Today, the ruins of the fort are a popular destination for hiking and tourism. It is a wonderful trek of 1 hour from the bottom of the hill. There are 5 resting places on the pathway made by forest department. The final climbing steps near the entrance of the fort are made safe by iron railings. It is not advisable to cook food at the base of the pinnacle, as the smell of smoke irritates the Honey Bees. The water from the southernmost rock cut water cistern is portable. First aid is available at the Forest guest house.

Trekking during the monsoon is really an exhilarating experience.

The Karnala Bird Sanctuary

The Karnala Bird Sanctuary is located in Panvel Taluka of Raigad District, outside Mumbai, India near Matheran and Karjat. The sanctuary is quite small with an area of 12.11 square kilometres but along with the Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Tungareshwar sanctuary is one of the few sanctuaries to be within reach of the city of Mumbai.

The bird sanctuary is a popular destination for bird-watchers and hikers in the Mumbai area. The sanctuary is home to over 150 species of resident and 37 species of migratory birds which visit the sanctuary during winter. Three rare birds, the ashy minivet, three-toed kingfisher and Malabar trogon have been sighted here. The Karnala fort is located on the top of the hill in the sanctuary. It is about 1hr. medium hard trek to Karnala fort.

Badami - One of most beautiful place in Karnataka

Badami formerly known as Vatapi, is a town and headquarters of a taluk by the same name, in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka, India. It was the regal capital of the Badami Chalukyas from 540 to 757 AD. It is famous for its rock cut structural temples. It is located in a ravine at the foot of a rugged, red sandstone outcrop that surrounds Agastya lake. Badami has been selected as one of the heritage cities for HRIDAY - Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana scheme of Government of India.

Tourism

A Buddhist cave in a natural setting that can be entered only by crawling on knees.
The Bhootnath temple, a small shrine, facing the lake, constructed in 5th century.
Upper Bhootnath Temple located opposite the Badami Caves
Badami Fort situated on top of the hill.
Many Shivalayas including the Malegatti Shivalaya with 7th century origins.
The Dattatreya temple.
The Mallikarjuna temple dating back to the 11th century, built on a star shaped plan.
a Dargah, a dome of an Islamic place of worship on the south fort side.
Vista points on top of the North Fort for the view of the ancient town below.
Temple of Banashankari, a Kuladevata (family deity) for many families, is located near Badami.
Archaeological museum, that has collection of sculptures from Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal.

Badami Cave temples

Badami is famous for its sandstone cave temples.

Cave temple 1 may be the oldest in Badami. It is made of red sandstone and has a hall with numerous pillars and a square shaped sanctum hollowed in the control back wall. There are paintings of amorous couples on the ceiling. Other features include Shiva and his wife Parvathi with a coiled serpent and the 18 armed lord Nataraja in 81 dancing poses.

Cave temple 2 is dedicated to Vishnu (as Trivikrama) with one foot mastering the Earth and the other the sky. Vishnu is also portrayed as Varaha and Krishna.

Cave temple 3 dates back to 578 AD. The façade of the cave is nearly 70 feet wide, with carvings of ganas on the plinth. It contains examples of Deccan art, illustrating the culture and clothing of the 6th century. There are high relief carvings of Vishnu with a serpent, Vishnu as Narasimha, Varaha, Harihara and Trivikrama.

Cave temple 4 relates to 6th century Jainism. There is a carving of the Tirthankara Parshavnatha (with a serpent at his feet). Mahavira is depicted in a sitting posture. Tourism Badami Cave-I the first shrine has at its entrance Shiva’s door keepers; to the right inside is the figure of Shiva of about five feet height and in the tandava dancing pose with 18 arms. Beside him are Nandi, dancing Ganapati, etc. There is a neatly carved perfect figure of Mahishasuramardini and several other rock –cut dwarf images of kubja ganas, Nagaraja or snake king, Vidhyadhara couple, etc., are on the ceiling.

Culture

The main language is Kannada. The local population wears traditional Indian cotton wear.

Transport

The nearest airport is Belgaum about 150 kilometers away. It is on the Hubli - Sholapur rail route, and the rail station is 5 kilometers from the town. It is also connected by road to Hubli and Bijapur. Badami is reachable from Bengalooru by a 12-hour bus ride, or by a direct train "Solapur Gol Gumbaz Exp (train no. 16535)" or with a combination of an overnight train journey from Bangalore to Hospet followed by a short bus ride from Hospet to Badami. Another train journey could be from Bangalore to Hubli (8–9 hours) and then a bus ride to Badami (3 hours). Badami is around 130 km from Hubli. Local transport is by Rickshaws, tongas and city buses.

Badami is around 135 km from Hospet via NH367 and NH13. A car journey would take around 2 hours and 30 minutes from Hospet to Badami. Go to http://www.badamionline.com/ for information on reaching badami by Road, by Train and by Air.

Perfect Mumbai Weekend - Gateway of India

As the people in Mumbai rejoice over the rains after a long sweaty summer, it won’t be long before they start cribbing over the water-logging and traffic mess that the rains in Mumbai usually brings along with it. To escape from that, we have a list of places awesome places to visit near Mumbai in monsoon. They are just outside of Mumbai, which makes them perfect weekend getaways.

The rains have finally descended to rescue Mumbai from its rather long sweltering heat. As the rain washes the city anew, here’s a list of places to visit in Mumbai during Monsoon to enjoy Mumbai’s rains to its fullest!

Gateway of India

This heritage structure stands tall in its glory as the rains gushes over it. Though it never fails to mesmerise all-round the year, the high tides during monsoons splashing over it and everything around has an endearing charm of its own. Take a walk along the seams or enjoy the view with a nice cup of coffee at one of the café’s nearby.

The Gateway of India is a monument built during the 20th century in Mumbai City of Maharashtra state in Western India. It is located on the waterfront in the Apollo Bunder area in South Mumbai and overlooks the Arabian Sea. The structure is a basalt arch, 26 metres (85 feet) high. It lies at the end of Chhatrapati Shivaji Marg at the water's edge in Mumbai Harbour. It was a crude jetty used by the fishing community which was later renovated and used as a landing place for British governors and other prominent people. In earlier times, it would have been the first structure that visitors arriving by boat in Mumbai would have seen.

The Gateway has also been referred to as the Taj Mahal of Mumbai, and is the city's top tourist attraction. The India Gate in New Delhi is similar to the Gateway of India in Mumbai. The structure was erected to commemorate the landing of King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder, when they visited India in 1911. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, the foundation stone for the Gateway of India was laid on 31 March 1911. The final design of George Wittet was sanctioned in 1914 and the construction of the monument was completed in 1924. The Gateway was later the ceremonial entrance to India for Viceroys and the new Governors of Bombay. It served to allow entry and access to India.


The monument has witnessed three terror attacks from the beginning of the 21st century; twice in 2003 and it was also the disembarkation point in 2008 when four gunmen attacked the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower.

Perfect Mumbai Weekend - Durshet

As the people in Mumbai rejoice over the rains after a long sweaty summer, it won’t be long before they start cribbing over the water-logging and traffic mess that the rains in Mumbai usually brings along with it. To escape from that, we have a list of places awesome places to visit near Mumbai in monsoon. They are just outside of Mumbai, which makes them perfect weekend getaways.

Durshet

Covered in thick forests in the lap of the magnificent Sahyadri ranges with the Amba River flowing through the woods; combined offer a tranquil and pleasant atmosphere for a quick monsoon getaway from Mumbai or Pune. The place is full of waterfalls in the rainy season where one can enjoy trekking through the falls and greenery. For the more adventure seekers, Durshet also offers adventurous activities like rock climbing, rappelling, river crossing, etc. Durshet is also filled with a wide variety of flora and fauna; you can hear the shrill of the birds chirping or see a butterfly at work!

Reasons To Visit

Durshet at 100 kms from Mumbai / Pune is and adventure getaway excellent for individuals and corporates.
Durshet Forest Lodge, an adventure popular centric local getaway offers guests a stay full of activities and fun
Durshet is set on Khopoli - Pali Road (13 km from Khopoli) and lies in close proximity to Ashtavinayak Temples at Pali (15 kms) and Mahad (near Khopoli - 15 kms) alongwith Unhere hot water sulphur springs
Durshet lies in close proximity to the IMAGICA Park

Recommendations

Destinations offering Adventure Oriented Stays in Maharashtra
"Nature Trails Durshet Jungle Lodge here has virtually defined the destination. Durshet Jungle Lodge offers activity oriented stays that includes river crossing, nature walks, trekking etc. "
Local Getaway Destinations within 100 kms of Pune
"Durshet (100 kms) is home to Rahim farm and Durshet Jungle Lodge, an activity oriented resort. "
Local Getaway Destinations within 100 kms of Mumbai
"Durshet is a riverside area at 100 kms from Mumbai on Khopoli - Pali Road. Durshet is renowned for Rahim farms and Durshet Jungle Lodge, an adventure oriented getaway resort."

Access Information

Nearest Airport -Mumbai (100 kms), Pune (100 kms)
Nearest Railway Station - Khopoli(15 kms), Nagothane(30 kms), Khandala(30 kms)
Durshet is an Ex-Navi Mumbai / Ex-Thane / Ex-Mumbai / Ex-Pune / Ex-Nashik Getaway

Perfect Mumbai Weekend - solanpada dam / waterfall

As the people in Mumbai rejoice over the rains after a long sweaty summer, it won’t be long before they start cribbing over the water-logging and traffic mess that the rains in Mumbai usually brings along with it. To escape from that, we have a list of places awesome places to visit near Mumbai in monsoon. They are just outside of Mumbai, which makes them perfect weekend getaways.





Mumbai is known as the dream city and also the city of dreams. Maharashtra is full of waterfalls and the people residing in Mumbai can go out for outings at nearby waterfalls.As we know mumbaikars prefer going away from the bustling and lighted streets.Monsoons are the best time to visit such waterfalls.

Solanpada waterfall is a popular place and the nearest one which makes it easily accessible. Solanpada waterfall in karjat is 26 kilometers from the karjat railway station and 24 kilometers from Neral railway station. This waterfall is built on the solanpada dam which is a beautiful place to visit.

You can travel by your private vehicle or else you can catch up the mini buses from neral station which are available at every 15 minutes. You can get down at a village named Kashele and from their to Jambarug.

Perfect Mumbai Weekend - Malshej Ghat

As the people in Mumbai rejoice over the rains after a long sweaty summer, it won’t be long before they start cribbing over the water-logging and traffic mess that the rains in Mumbai usually brings along with it. To escape from that, we have a list of places awesome places to visit near Mumbai in monsoon. They are just outside of Mumbai, which makes them perfect weekend getaways.

Malshej Ghat

A hill station in the mighty Sahyadri ranges, this place near Mumbai in monsoon is engulfed in green hills and innumerable waterfalls. The drive to Malshej Ghat through itself is calming with the picturesque view of the splendid valleys and placid lakes. This mountain pass is also home to various flora and fauna; flamingos are known to come here all the way from Europe during the monsoons! An excellent place to visit near Mumbai for outdoor activities like trekking, hiking, bird watching and there are some good resorts nearby to relax and rejuvenate as well.

Malshej Ghat is a mountain pass in the Western Ghats range in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. The site is nestled in the lofty rugged hills of the Western Ghats.

The site is home to hundreds of different kinds of flora and fauna especially the avian population such as quails, rails, crakes, flamingos and cuckoos.

Malshej ghat, with average height of 700 mts is situated in Pune district near the borders of Thane and Ahmednagar districts. It is at a distance of 130 km north of Pune and 154 km from Mumbai towards northeast. The nearest railhead is Kalyan in Thane District near Mumbai. From Kalyan Rail Station, one can take state buses that commute frequently between Kalyan and Ahmednagar. State Bus Station is right next to the railway station. Any Ahmednagar Bound Bus will stop at Malshej Ghat. It will approximately take 1.5 hrs by Bus from Kalyan. To go to Malshej ghat by road From Pune, take Pune-Nashik highway (NH-50) to Alephata and turn left on Kalyan-Ahmednagar Highway (SH-222) towards Kalyan. From Mumbai, take NH3 to Bhiwandi and turn towards Murbad or take state highway via Kalyan, Murbad, Saralgaon and Vaishakhare. It is known for landslides during monsoons.

Malshej Ghat is known for several types avian population and particularly known for flamingoes.

A nice view of valleys is one of the major attraction here. The view from behind the MTDC resort is a must-see. It is also famous for dark woods and the animals inside. These animals includes tigers, leopards, rabbits and peacocks etc. But truly a famous place near Malshej Ghat is Khireshwar which is 2/3 km from rest house. Through Khireshwar village, one can visit the famous Harishchandragadh also. One of the beauties here are many waterfalls in the hilly regions. Various waterfalls from small up to the huge ones are really worth to see and many are right next to the highway.

The birthplace of legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, The Shivneri Fort is not very far (approximately 40 km) from Malshej Ghat.

Harishchandragad
Pimpalgaon Joga Dam
Malshej falls
Shivneri Fort

Since the area is at a considerable distance from a small town, there are not many posh restaurants and shopping malls. Flamingo Hill is a resort run by MTDC – Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation in the vicinity. Other than MTDC resort, there are other private resorts where you can spend a day or two. Accommodation is also available in a nearby village called Madh. Madh is about 6 km away from Malshej ghat.

Malshej Ghat has on offer things to do that will enthrall and keep its visitors busy. For the outdoor enthusiast and the adventure seeker, there are trekking trails in the surrounding hills to be traversed, for the nature lover there are gushing waterfalls and the verdant flora and fauna to be enjoyed, and bird enthusiast will be thrilled at the sight of the pink flamingoes that swoop down here during July and September. Malshej Ghat is set in sylvan surroundings and is perfect getaway from busy city life.

The monsoon months of August and September are a good time to visit Malshej Ghat, with green hills and exotic flamingos visit this area during monsoon months.

Perfect Mumbai Weekend - Lohgad Fort

As the people in Mumbai rejoice over the rains after a long sweaty summer, it won’t be long before they start cribbing over the water-logging and traffic mess that the rains in Mumbai usually brings along with it. To escape from that, we have a list of places awesome places to visit near Mumbai in monsoon. They are just outside of Mumbai, which makes them perfect weekend getaways.

LOHGAD FORT

Lohgad is one of the many hill forts of Maharashtra state in India. Situated close to the hill station Lonavala and 52 km (32 mi) northwest of Pune, Lohgad rises to an elevation of 1,033 m (3,389 ft) above sea level. The fort is connected to the neighboring Visapur fort by a small range. The fort was under the Maratha empire for the majority of time, with a short period of 5 years under the Mughal empire.

One of the hill forts of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, this fort near Pune ruins is a perfect blend of historic and adventure. The entrance of the fort is called the Wind Spot which leaves you literally swept off your feet. One of the best trekking option near Mumbai for a day, especially in monsoon, Lohagad Fort offers a splendid view from the top. From the top you can view the Tung and Tikona Hills, the Pavana Dam and the Duke’s Nose. In monsoon the fort is covered in various shades of green making it sight to behold.

How to go Lohagad:

Reach from Lonavala from Mumbai: Take the Pune bound train halting at Lonavala.

The change trains to local shuttle train between Lonalavala and Pune.

Reach Malavali Station (next railway station after Lonavala – towards Pune)

Trekkers from Pune can also come by local shuttle train between Lonalavala and Pune.

Get off at Malavali railway station.

Alternately one can also drive thru using the expressway and get off at Malavi exit.

Cross the railway crossing over to east side. Private vehicle can drive right up till the base village.

Places of Interest:

At we start to enter the fort we come across four successive entrances:

The Ganesh Darwaja

The Narayan Darwaja

The Hanuman Darwaja

The Maha Darwaja is an another superb creation is the Maha Darwaja, with a strong fortification and soild wall structure. Must have stood a great deal of resistance from both sides. One army try to defend the fort and the other trying to enter in the fort

On the for one can also see an old Dargah. Sometimes the one can sneak a peak and pay respect. However in the references that I have checked – was unable to validate the tomb beloges to whom.

As we wonder on the fort we can see a number of water tank, it is said that in one such water there is spring of fresh water. Also one can find a few scattered cannons.

Local guides mention of a majid – now in ruins. A Mahadev temple is also there on this fort.

Other Related Info:

Lohagad Height: 3450 ft.

Distance from Pune to Lohagad base: 65km approx. Driving time in 90 mins

Distance from Mumbai to Lohagad base: 105km approx. Driving time 2hr 30mins approx.

Difficulty: Easy

Water availability: Portable available at the base village.

Combined Trek option: YES

Suggested option: Bhaje caves ~ Karle caves ~Lohagad ~ Visapur ~ Bedse Caves.

Best time to Trek: June to February

Food availability: Place an order with the local villager and return to enjoy the delicacy.

Base Village: Lohagadwadi

Nearby Forts: Visapur fort, Tung, Tikona fort.