Being Maharashtra My Home State, I Have explored almost 60-75% of the State’s Best Places.
When it comes to Maharashtra, it is all about the Hill Stations, Historical Places and of course, the one name should be enough & at the top, and that’s ” Mumbai – The City of Dreams “. Many of the times, Maharashtra is only known because of this incredible city. But, There’s more to explore other than the City Life here. Let me tell you my experiences about the State and the Places I have visited so far. Well, I am not that Good at Writing and telling the stories, but I am trying my best to share my experiences on this site. Let’s begin with the Best Places to Visit In Maharashtra.
So, I Will start with the List of the Places I Have Visited so far. And will include the experiences and, of course, the Routes taken. I am excluding the City of dreams from this list because almost everyone is pretty familiar with the city.
- Mahabaleshwar ( Hill Station )
- Lonavala/Khandala
- Dapoli, Ratnagiri
- Shivtharghal, Mahad
- Bhimashankar,khed,pune
- Bhandardara,ahmednagar
- Alibag & Matheran, Raigad
- Satara
- Nasik ( My HomeTown )
- Latur
- Ahmednagar
- Aurangabad
- Udgir
- Pune District
- Kolhapur
- Khopoli, Khalapur, Raigad
Best Places To Visit in Maharashtra
Starting with the Hill Stations, I Will include the images rather than the text and brief history behind that particular place. Because, anyone can find that information on other Travel Sites such as TripAdvisor,HolidayIQ,MakemyTrip, Thrillophilia ( much-recommended site for Adventure Camp’s and tours ) and wiki pages.
*Mahabaleshwar
I have been to this Awesome Hill Station Multiple Times because of my current city, Pune. It’s only a 120-125 Kms from Pune. And you can take the Highways.
I Have many unforgettable memories related to this Hill Station. And the Reason behind those are my Crazy Friends. We have Traveled to this hill station multiple times and most of the times, My Mode of Travel was a Honda Activa ( a Scooter ) and that too the time of the travel was at night only. ( it was only after 11 PM ). Yes, I have traveled on a scooter for 250-280 KM’s Journey in the middle of the night on a Highway. Well, many people have done this, and it is now common to the guys here in Pune. But, it is not at all recommended. If you have the ” Bike ” then you can travel as much as you want but for a small scooter, it is not recommended at all.
The Reason behind our multiple journeys to Mahabaleshwar is the Bollywood movie called ” Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara “. There’s a famous dialogue from the movie ” Dude! ” तुम्हे कैसे पता की तुम 40 तक ज़िंदा रहोगे ? पहले इस दिन को पूरी तरह जियो ” which means ( How do you know if you’ll be alive till 40 ? Seize the Day, My Friend !!!! First, Live this Day to the Fullest !!) What happened was, we were all ( bunch of 7-10 friends ) were watching this movie and going well with it. And Suddenly the above Dialogue arrives and My Crazy Friend Stopped the Movie and shut down the laptop and he was looking at all of us. And we all know that, what he is going to say next. so, without any further discussion, we packed our Bags and headed to the hill station!!!! Haha….I know, that’s very Weird, Unrealistic and Crazy. But in my opinion, sometimes, you should consider these things to make your life a Fun Journey. let’s move further……here’s the snap of my friends and me on the Roads of Mahabaleshwar!!! That’s me with the helmet rolling on the road!!
As I said earlier, I have traveled multiple times to this hill station, so my mode of travel includes both the Car & Scooter.
Things to do in Mahabaleshwar :
- Must Visit the Mapro Garden
A Garden Park known for their strawberry produce, and a popular tourist destination. It is host to the annual Strawberry Festival.
- Visit Lingmala Waterfall
- Pratapgarh Fort
- Wilson Point (Sunrise Point)
- Wax museum ( only if you have spare time )
- Do Horse Riding
Route Taken
Pune to Mahabaleshwar : 125 KM via NH4
Average Time : 3 H 25 Min ( Bike ) & 2 H 45 Min ( Car ) – depending on the traffic conditions in Pune
Some Snaps …..
Mahabaleshwar With My Cousins …..….
Mahabaleshwar at it’s Best :
Mahabaleshwar Roads …
*Lonavala/Khandala
Just like the Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala and Khandala too has some good scenic beauty.
Most of the Times, you will find People from Pune, Mumbai. they come here and spend their weekends. I have been to Lonavala 8-9 times.
Many times, I have seen people Quarreling or having a Debate between these two places – Lonavala & Khandala on which one should they choose to explore.
And I Didn’t get them at all and maybe you too after knowing the distance between these two. It’s 5 KM!!!!!! Means Lonavala to Khandala is just 5 KM’s!!! Mean’s , WTF Is wrong with these guyzz???? they debate on that bloody 5 km’s.
Anyways..it was a joke…No Offence!!!
Let’s Proceed with the Memories!!!
The Expensive Incident :
So, It Was my Birthday – 1st of October !!! And we again ( bunch of crazy friends ) decided to travel after the mandatory celebrations ( the cakes and all stuff! ) means after 12 AM to Lonavala & Khandala. Here’re the Crazy celebrations !!
So, We First Decided to travel on the Bikes and Scooters itself. But, We Were 12-15 Friends, and it was raining too. So, We Later Decided to Book a 15 Seater Mini Bus. As it was after 12 am, we were struggling to find one at night and that too on a very short notice. But Somehow we Managed to Book one with the Help of JustDial.
After that, We Reached Lonavala and headed directly to the Tiger Point!! at night, it’s the only place where you can find some food in Lonavala.
So, We all Ordered the very Famous Maharashtrian aloo bhajia’s and Corn Pakoda’s!!! So, Keeping water along is highly recommended for this is not for the weak souls who eat continental and Indian Chinese…..instead, this is for the wanderer, the one who ventures an untrodden path and is not fearful of the experiment. So, we got them and the 2-Minutes ” Maggi ” for everyone. We Ordered the bunch of plates of Pakodas and Bhajia’s without even asking the price. As we assume that it would be around 30-50 Rs.only considering the night charges too.
As we assume that it would be around 30-50 Rs.only. But, when we asked for the Bill, that little Guy who were serving us the pakodas came up with our list of orders along with the prices.
When we checked that Bill, we were amazed!!! It was Rs.150/Plate for Bhajia’s and Rs. 180/plate for Pakodas and it doesn’t end here…remember the Maggi ?? so, the Maggi was around Rs.85/plate!!!!!
We first thought that the Guy was joking !!!! But later he called the owner of the stall and then confirmed the prices. Now, our situation was terrible!! We ordered whole lot of dishes considering the lower price.
After a lot of Discussion with the owner of that stall, Some of My Crazy Friends showed their Negotiation Skills and Somehow managed to reduce the prices a little. And we finally, paid the bill.
So, you may want to see that Expensive Pakodas and Rs.85/plate Maggi!!!
Things to do in Lonavala/Khandala
- Buy a Maganlal Chikki !!! –
Even if you are not at all interested in these Chikki’s , still you may end up buying one. Because on every 50-100 Meters, you will find the Chikki Shops!!!
- Must Visit Tiger Point –
Do Visit Tiger Point, Especially on the Weekends ( to be more precise, on Saturday Night )
- Visit Bhushi Dam
- Visit Visapur Fort
Route Taken
Pune to Lonavala : 70-80 KM’s Via ( Mumbai-Pune Expressway for Cars ) & ( Mumbai-Pune Old Highway for bikes )
Average Time : 1 HR
Tiger Point Snap …….
*Dapoli, Ratnagiri
Dapoli is best known for it’s Awesome Beaches and it is a Great Holiday Destination.
Beaches are at the top priority Followed by some good Caves and Forts around it. If you want complete information about the Dapoli and it’s beaches then you can visit this dedicated site for dapoli.
In My case, it was a Family trip ( around 4 Families ) and we visited the most famous Beach Resort of Dapoli Called ” Sagar Sawali “. We stayed for 3 days. and that’s more than enough to explore the Dapoli beaches, forts, etc.
So, it’s all about the beaches and Relaxing!!! …one thing i would like to include is the Food!!! If you are a Non-vegetarian then you will love this place for sure. Because, you will get the best Fresh Fishes at the resort. and if you want a special Non-Veg Chicken then you would need to travel a little ( around 5-7 KM’s ) from the Sagar Sawali Resort and find the small hotel named ” Patil Khanaval “. it is just perfect for Non-Veg food. You will surely love it.
Things to do in Dapoli
- Visit the Beaches ( Ladghar, Karde,etc ) and book the Beach Resorts
- Visit the Famous Harne Fish Market – One of the Largest Supplier of fish to Maharashtra.
- Enjoy the Awesome Food at Patil Khanaval – Must visit!!!
Route Taken
Nasik – Pune – Dapoli ( Via Tamhini Ghat ) – 385+ KM’s
Average Time : 10-12 Hours
Some Snaps……..
(Tamhini Ghat )
Beach….
( Beach opposite to the Sagar Sawali Resort )
And Some Fun!!
*Shivtharghal,Mahad
Shivtherghal which also known as Sundermath is an amazing place to Enjoy the Monsoon Season. It’s actually a Cave and it is said that Samarth Ramdas lived here for about 22 years.
If you love that awesome Scenery and Waterfalls then this is the place for you.I Have been to Shivtharghal 2-3 times and it was an awesome experience.
One Day is more than Enough for this trip if you are travelling from Pune or any nearby city. If you want to stay there to enjoy the Scenery then you can always book the Nearby Hotels but again, they are not that good. still, you can have a one night halt for sure.
Things to Do in Shivtharghal :
- Drive through the Varandha Ghat and Enjoy the Nature’s Best!!!
- Enjoy the Hot Pakodas, Bhajias with Tea.
- Take a time to visit those awesome Waterfalls!!! There are many. Just find the best one and Enjoy!!
Route Taken :
Pune-Bhor-Varandha Ghat-Shivtharghal : 115 KM’s
Average Time : 1-2 Hours ( depending on the Weather Conditions )
Some Snaps…….
( Nature at it’s Best )
(Another One )
( The WaterFall )
( Hey, Wassup?? )
Bhimashankar,khed,pune
Bhimashankar is known for it’s Jyotirlinga shrine. The Famous Bhimashankar Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrine’s of Shiva. It is located 127 km from Pune in the Ghat region of the Sahyadri hills. You can visit Bhimashankar in Monsoon and enjoy the scenic beauty.
Things to Do in Bhimashankar :
- Visit the Historical Bhimashankar Temple
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Rajaram Maharaj were known to visit this shrine. This was a favourite palce for Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath and Raghunath, Raghunath Peswa had a well dug up here. The Diwan of the Peshwar, Nana Phadanvis renovated this temple. A court hall was built by a Pune trader or Sahukar by the name Chimanji Antaji Nayik Bhinde in 1437 AD.
- Enjoy scenic trail in the forest and the rains
- Visit Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary
Route Taken :
Pune – chakan- rajgurunagar-Bhimashankar : 113 KM’s
Average Time : 2 Hr 45 Minutes
Some snaps………
( Bhimashankar Temple )
( Awesome Road )
Bhandardara,ahmednagar
Bhandardara – an awesome hillstation located at around 3000 Ft. and it is the best Weekend Gateway for the tourists of Pune, Mumbai and Nashik. You will find the WaterFalls starting from the month of June till October End.
Harishchandragad Trek is best known for the Trekking around Bhandardara and you should take this trek. You will surely like it.
Things to Do in Bhandardara :
- Go Boating in Bhandardara Lake
- Visit Umbrella falls and Randha falls ( WaterFalls active in Monsoon )
- Kalsubai Peak – ‘Everest of Maharashtra’
Kalsubai is highest peak of Sahyadri region and is approachable via various trekking routes. The main route starts from the village of Bari which is about six km from Bhandardara. There is a small Kalsubai temple on top.
Route Taken :
Pune – Sangamner -Bhandardara ( via NH50 ) : 165 KM’s
Average Time : 4 Hr
Some Snaps……..
(Rider Friends )
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Alibaug & Matheran, Raigad
Alibaug is a coastal town and Matheran is a Hill Station in Raigad District. Alibaug is good to enjoy the Beaches. And Matheran is again for the Scenic Views. In city life we stay & travel in cement jungle. We can experience true nature and its love here in Matheran. Monkeys are your companions wherever you go during the visit.
Let me tell one interesting thing about Matheran, it is also known for it’s Ghost Stories or some Paranormal Activities. Many have experienced them. No one knows if it is true or not But for sure, many have experienced some Paranormal Activities in some of the Regions of Matheran. Well, I Know you won’t believe them and even I Won’t unless I Experience anything similar with me. So Far, I Have not yet experienced any such things. But, you can have a look at one of the true stories happened with the travelers here on Team-BHP Forum. and scroll down to the 12th Comment if you are not interested in other stories.
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Things to do in Alibaug :
- Visit Alibaug Beach
- Visit Varsoli, Nagaon Beaches
- Visit Nearby Forts and Temple
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Things to do in Matheran :
- Go Trekking with the Young Trekking Group at One Tree Hill Point – I Said ” young group ” because it’s a little risky trek, you would need to climb up to reach the top point. and you would notice Deep Valley on either side of the path.
- Visit Panorama Point, Alexander Point
- Much Recommended : Enjoy the Neral-Matheran Toy Train
Routes Taken :
Alibag : Pune to Alibaug via ( Mumbai-Pune Expressway ) – 146 KM’s ( car )
Matheran : Pune to Matheran via ( Mumbai-Pune Expressway ) – 123 KM’s ( car )
Some Snaps …………
(Alibaug Beach )
( Driving to Alibaug )
( Matheran Toy Train )
( That Ghost’s Road in Matheran – haha…just kidding, it was near to our hotel )
Satara
Well, I have included this City here only because of the one place ” Kas Plateau ” also known as ” Kas Pathar “. it is almost around 20-25 Km’s from Satara city.
I have added this place for it’s beauty. Kas Pathar has various types of wild flowers which bloom during August-September every year. and you will surely love them if you like colorful flowers. just look at the images below and you will surely plan a trip there.
Things to Do :
- Visit ” Kas Pathar “
Route :
Pune to Satara via NH4 – 116 KM’s ( again scooter – Activa )
Some Snaps ………
( Kas Pathar )
Nashik
So, Finally my Home-Town arrives!!! Well, there are a lot I Can share about this city but as a Traveler, I Would include only the best places you can visit.
Nashik is best known for it’s Historical Temples and the Kumbh Mela which is held once in 12 years. Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river.
And it is also best known for it’s Grapes and Wine Farms ( mainly Sula Vineyards ).
Things to do in Nashik :
- Visit Trimbakeshwar Temple
- Visit Sula Vineyards
- Pandavleni Caves, Sita Gumpha
- Small Trek to Anjneri Hill and a big trek to Brahmagiri Hill
- Visit York Winery
Some Snaps …..
( Trimbakeshwar Temple )
( Sula Vineyards )
( Sula )
( Anjaneri )
Latur, Nagar, Aurangabad :
to be continued…..
Comments
6 Commentsjakeegan
Nov 26, 2016Anjaneri is the best place forever last week i would go for Anjaneri by Paulo travels bus, such a wonderful experience for me.
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