Mahabaleshwar : The Hill Station of Maharashtra

The best time to enjoy the true essence of this hill station is between October and June. The average temperature of this destination is around 16°C to 20°C in summer. Winters are pretty chilly here with average 5°C.

Travellers to Mahabaleshwar are highly recommended to carry light woollens.

Pratapgarh Fort
This Fort has historic significance of the Battle of Pratapgarh between Shivaji and Afzal Khan. This was built by the legendary Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaja in 1656, located at a distance of 24 Kms from the main spot of Mahabaleshwar. This castle has two divisions; one is the Upper Fort that is built on top of a hill and the Lower Fort that is founded in a lower altitude. The long dark walkways, trap doors and maze chambers are some of the attractions to the tourists to the Pratapgarh Fort. Besides, they also have the permission to explore the Devi Bhawani Temple, the Mahadev Temple and the tomb of Afzal Khan. View of the Konkan Valley from the fortress is one of the greatest gifts that travellers enjoy.

Tapola
Located at a distance of 27 Km south of Mahabaleshwar, the small town of Tapola is located. One of the favourite activities of tourists is riding motor boats on the famous Shivsagar Lake. This is called the mini Kashmir. The Shivsagar dam is also located here, that is a great shooting spot of Bollywood movies and a photographer’s paradise. Sporty tourists, who mostly look for adventures, can enjoy speed boat rides, scooter riders on the water, trekking through the forests and local forts around the vast lake.

Venna Lake
Veena Lake is the anglers’ paradise. The lake situated around 2 Kms from the ST bus stop, is one of the top activity hubs and tourist destinations of Mahabaleshwar. You can also go for boating here. Couples can enjoy horse riding by the lake surrounded by lush green trees everywhere. There are small café and food stalls offering refreshments to tourists.

Waterfalls
Across Mahabaleshwar, there are almost three major waterfalls. Lingmala among the rest comes first is located around 6Km from Mahabaleshwar. Created by River Veena, the waterfall falls from around 500 ft and the best time to witness its glorified beauty is the rainy season. Dhobi Falls comes next, which is located around 3Kms from Mahabaleshwar. The falls fell from a huge height to meet Koyna River. If you have plans for a picnic then this can be your ideal spot. Chinamons Falls is the third one that is located nearly 2.5 Km from Mahabaleshwar. Spending a day in the Chinese gardens can be a great way to enjoy the stupendous beauty of the nature here.

Lord Mahabaleshwar Temple
The Mahabaleshwar Temple is a famous Hindu shrine, located around 6 Km North from the main city. The temple of Lord Shiva was built by the Chanda Rao More dynasty in 16th Century and the temple was created being inspired by the art forms of the famous Hemadant- a major style of South Indian art.

Krishna Temple
Mahabaleshwar tourism includes the Krishna Temple, another significant shrine of the Hindus. The temple is located at a place called Panchaganga i.e. Five Rivers, namely Krishna, Koyna, Gayatri, Yenna, and Savitri. Per historical traces, the temple was built by Raja Singhandeo during the later phase of 1635. Much later Shivaji revamped and renovated the temple.

Panchgani
Panchgani is a mesmerising hill station like Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. The adventure lovers can trek, hike through the dense forests. The name Panchgani is given considering the five mountains.

Top Scenic Points in Mahabaleshwar
Elphinstone Point, Wilson Point, Babington point, Arthur's Seat, Galoni Point, Lodwick Point, Connaught Peak and Hunter Point.

By air: The nearest airport is Pune, which is around 120 Kms.

By Train: The nearby rail station is Wathar, but Pune is more accessible.

By Car: State Transport bus services are available to reach the destination from Mumbai-Mahabaleshwar. It is around 247 Kms.