Mahabeleshwar - Maharashtra

Mahabaleshwar – Maharashtra

Nestled in the lush valleys of the Western Ghats, Mahabaleshwar is a perfect getaway for spending some quality time away from the din and rush of the city. It is located in the Statara district of the state of Maharashtra and the British used it as the summer capital of Bombay to escape from the scorching heat of the plains. In the present days, Mahabaleshwar is a popular tourist spot and also a pilgrimage site. The tourists are enthralled by its exotic greenery, beautiful gardens & breath-taking scenery.With a pleasant climate and many things to watch, your trip to Mahabaleshwar will certainly be a memorable one.

Location:

Mahabaleshwar is located at an altitude of 1372 meters.

Season:

Best time to visit Mahabaleshwar is October to June.

Languages Spoken

Marathi, Hindi and English

Clothing

Since the climate is pleasant throughout the year, loose cotton attire is preferable. Although during winters light woolen clothes are advisable.

Route Map:
View Larger Map

Reaching There:

By Air
Nearest airport is Pune, 120 kms.

By Rail
Nearest railhead is Wather, but Pune, 120 kms is the convenient rail head.

By Road
Mumbai - Mahabaleshwar via Pune is 290 kms.
Panchgani - Mahabaleshwar is 19 kms.
Pune - Mahabaleshwar is 120 kms.

Prime Attractions of Mahabaleshwar:

Lodwick Point - One of the great locations in Mahabaleshwar located at 1,240 meters above the sea level. Protruding towards pratapgardh from Mahabaleshwar plateau you will see the surrounding scenery with awe. Formerly known as Sydney Point, it was renamed after a monument in honour of General Lodwick . He was the first European to visit Mahabaleshwar.

Mount Malcolm
It used to be the most famous building in the olden days. It was built in 1829 with magnificent architectural skills. Unfortunately, it has lost a lot of its old charm now.

Pratapgad Fort
This is 24 Kms. away from Mahabaleshwar. The fort was built in 1656 by Moropant Trimak Pingle under the command of the Maratha ruler shivaji. It was here that the mighty general of Bijapur, Afzal Khan was killed by Shivaji. The fort has a great view.

Adventure Sports:  Mahabaleshwar offers opportunities and facilities for a complete holiday. At the hill resort you may indulge in activities like boating, fishing, horse riding, trekking et al. You may even try golf at the nine-hole golf course of Mahabaleshwar.

Panchgani

Tucked away in Satara district, just 19 kms east of Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani is also amongst the most frequented hill resorts. The name is derived from the fact that it is located at the the centre of the five hills. The place is well known for trekking and other adventure activities. Climb atop "Table Land", a famous flat - mounted top, from where you can have a look at the vast plain below. The berry farms here are another tourist attraction.

Arthur”s Seat: 

This place has been compared to the Grand Canyon of Colorado of USA! From this point, you could see the Konkan region to your left and Deccan region to your right!

Elphiston point:  located about 10 km from Mahabaleshwar, is a  popular picnic spot.

Echo Point:
On the way to  Arthers point you can see breath-taking scenery of echo point. The deep valleys and sharp cuts of mountains.

Lingmala, Chinaman and Dhobi Waterfalls - These falls are situated at the south side of the Elphinston Point ravine. Lingmala and Chinaman's waterfalls are 6km and 4km respectively from the town and are at the top of Venna Valley.

Venna Lake -   The 2.4km Venna Lake is the favourite hangout of most tourists. It offers both boating and fishing facilities with the added attraction of wayside stalls and horse riding. It is also known for its luscious strawberries The lake is spread around 25 acres.The main purpose of this lake is to supply water to Mahabaleshwar. It was built by the King of Satara

HUNTER’S POINT: This point was used by the Britishers during the pre-independence era to hunt tigers when they would come to drink water at a pond situated downside. It provides a good view.

Wilson Point
Also called as Sunrise point. The highest point. 4710 ft above sea level. It is a vast plateau. There are three masonary round platforms to see the sunrise. You are advised to see sunrise from platform no:2. You can see sunset also from this point.

Falkland Point
Below it the Artists Point also called as lovers point by some nature lover, presents beautiful koyana and valley below you.

Morarji Castle
Also worth a look is this old structure. mahatma Gandhi once lived here in 1945.

MAHABALESHWAR MARKET:   The market place in Mahabaleshwar lies in the heart of Mahabaleshwar. It has lots of food stalls, restaurants, shops etc. All the novelties of Mahabaleshwar are available here.

What to buy

In Mahableshwar honey and strawberry crushes and jams are very famous. The place also has a wide variety of chikki (a famous local sweet).

Accommodation and Lodging:

Accommodation is not a problem in the hill resort of Mahabaleshwar. There are accommodation options that suit various budgets

Hotel Anand-Van-Bhuvan

Hotel Dreamland

Hotel Panorama

Regal Hotel  

Valley View Resort

Brightland Holiday Village

Hotel Rajesh

Saj Resort

Sherwood Resort

Hotel Gautam

Ramsukh Resorts

Food and Restaurants:

Strawberries and Mulberries are the speciality of Mahabaleshwar. Don’t forget to try the Corn grown locally available in both roasted and boiled form. Corn pattice made from it are delecious. The food prepared with local vegetables have a unique taste and also try the small tomatoes which look like cherries!

Good and hygienic food is easily available at the many hotels and restaurants of Mahabaleshwar. You may feast on the Gujarati vegetarian meals, continental, Chinese and Mughlai specialties

Nukkad

Ruchi Santosh

Rajesh

Panorama

Templeview (Restaurant)

Laxmi Vilas Restaurant

The Tandoor

Sayali

Shanghai Cafe and Sagar Restaurant

 

Similar Places of Interest:

Agra

Arunachal Pradesh

Bangalore

Darjeeling

New Delhi

Gangtok

Goa

Jaipur