Mahableshwar

Information About Mahableshwar :

Mahabaleshwar is a hill station located in the Western Ghats, in the Satara district of Maharashtra. Apart from its strawberries, Mahabaleshwar is also well known for its numerous rivers, magnificent cascades, and majestic peaks. It is among the most sought after weekend getaways from Pune & Mumbai, located about 120km south-west of Pune and 285km from Mumbai.

Mahabaleshwar is also a sacred pilgrimage place for Hindus as the Krishna river originates from here. Once a summer capital of the British, the hill station of Mahabaleshwar comprises of ancient temples, boarding schools, manicured and lush green dense forest, waterfalls, hills, valleys. It is often used as a base to visit the magnificent Pratapgad Fort, located an hour away.

Malcolm Peth, Old Kshetra Mahabaleshwar, and a region of the Shindola village are the three villages that makeup Mahabaleshwar.

Best Time To Visit Mahableshwar :

The best time to visit Mahabaleshwar is from November to February. The temperature during this time ranges between 10 and 24 degrees Celcius making it pleasant for sightseeing. This is also the main strawberry growing season of Mahabaleshwar. Another good time to visit Mahabaleshwar is during the monsoon from July to August when the hill station turns stunningly green. However, the area is prone to landslides during these months.

How To Reach Mahableshwar :

Satara, Pune, and Mumbai are the three major cities near Mahabaleshwar. Wathar is the nearest railway station to Mahabaleshwar located 60km away, but Pune is the most accessible railway station. From Pune, one can take a taxi or a bus to reach Mahabaleshwar. One can also directly take a bus or a taxi from Mumbai, Thane, Satara, or other nearby towns as the road drive is picturesque and nicely maintained.

1 . How To Reach Mahableshwar By Flight :

The closest airport to Mahabaleshwar is located in Pune at a distance of about one hundred and twenty kilometres. This airport is very well linked to many other major domestic and international airports. Excellent taxi service is also available at the airport.

Nearest Airport: New Pune International Airport - 102 km from Mahabaleshwar.

2 . How To Reach Mahableshwar By Road :

Frequently running buses connect Mahabaleshwar to other major towns and cities by means of roadways. One can take a tourist bus from Mumbai, which runs from Sion, Vashi and Dadar (East). It takes around 6 hours to reach Mahabaleshwar from Mumbai. If travelling from Pune, currently the tourist buses are operated mainly by two private companies. Alternatively, if travelling by a private vehicle, it takes around 4 to 5 hours from Mumbai through the Panvel-Mahad-Poladpur way. This is the preferred option to drive down from Mumbai.

3 . How To Reach Mahableshwar By Train :

The closest railway station to Mahabaleshwar is situated in Wathar which is at the distance of sixty kilometres from Mahabaleshwar. This railway station then links to the other railway stations. Alternatively, one can reach Satara by a train from Mumbai/Pune and hire a taxi to Mahabaleshwar, which takes around an hour.

Places To Visit In Mahableshwar :

1. Elephant's Head Point :

Elephant's Head Point is one of the most picturesque viewpoints in Mahabaleshwar which is famous for the stunning view of the Sahyadri ranges. Also known as Needle's Point, this famous tourist spot is best visited during sunrise and sunset. The Elephant's Point got its name as it resembles the head and trunk of an elephant.

The gap between the elephant's head and the trunk looks like a needlepoint when viewed from far, thus giving it the name Needle Point. Located beyond the Lodwick Point, the Elephant's Head Point turns lush green during the monsoons. People visiting the place can get a panoramic view of the humongous fort of Pratapgarh surrounded by Kova Valley on one side and Savitri Valley on the other side

Elephant's Head Point

2 . Chinaman's Falls :

A visit to Mahabaleshwar is less or more incomplete without witnessing the tantalizing descend of the Chinaman's fall, one of the most significant falls in the state.

The place is named after the Chinese prison located in the vicinity. It serves as a perfect holidaying spot enthralling a bewitching experience.

Chinaman's Falls

3 . Dhobi Waterfall :

Dhobi Falls is a group of waterfalls connecting Lodwick and Elphinston point and further join petit road with Old Mahabaleshwar road. Surrounded by greenery and rocks, these are ideal for a surreal experience amidst nature. The waterfall streams down the Koyna river and looks like a spectacle with mists and a rainbow.

Located 3 km from the main Mahabaleshwar town, Dhobi Waterfalls is an ideal picnic spot. A small hike needs to be undertaken to reach the waterfall. It is best visited during the monsoon season.

Dhobi Waterfall

4 . Arthur's Seat :

Arthur's Seat is one of the most popular viewpoints in Mahabaleshwar, located around 13km away. Also known as the Suicide Point, it is popular as the Queen of all points as it offers the most mesmerizing and fascinating view of the dense valleys of Brahma-Arayana and the Savitri river.

Arthur's Seat Point is made up of 6 viewpoints - Arthur's Seat Point, Tiger Sprint Point, Hunter Point, Echo Point, Window Point, and Malcolm Point. Arthur's Seat is famous for the floating of light objects. This means that if you throw light things like a bottle cap into the valley, it floats back up due to air pressure. It is named Arthur's Point after Arthur Malet whose wife and daughter drowned in the Savitri River. He used to sit at this point and stare at the river below. Reaching the viewpoint requires a 30-minute trek from the parking lot.

Arthur's Seat

5 . Venna Lake :

Venna Lake is a scenic manmade lake in Mahabaleshwar. The lake offers rowboats, and paddleboats ride to the visitors and hence is usually very crowded. There is horse riding and rides for children such as merry go round and the toy train. There are a number of eateries around the lake famous for street food like corn, bhelpuri, and fresh fruits like mulberries, strawberries, and carrots.

Venna Lake was built by Shri Appasaheb Maharaj who was the ruler of Satara and a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in 1942. The lake is spread over an area of 28 acres with a periphery of 7 to 8 km. It was initially built with the aim of catering to the water needs of the city of Mahabaleshwar.