A utopia to Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar is a small hill-town sprawling in the laps of Western Ghats. Also known as the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’ of Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar was summer capital of the Bombay Province during the British Raj. Located at an elevation of 1372 meters, the hill-station is a weekend retreat from the chaos of the nearby cities. Extremely popular amongst the weekenders and the bag-packers, Mahabaleshwar is known for the beauty it encompasses. With the 360 degree view of the plains surrounding it, Mahabaleshwar is a euphoria wrapped beautifully in lush velvety greens of the evergreen forests. With varied orchards and dense forest slopes, Mahabaleshwar also witnesses constructions from the British era that still stand tall. Also known as the origin of River Krishna, Mahabaleshwar holds religious values too. The source of the river is said to be from a sculpture of cow’s mouth that is built in an old temple that is located in the old city of Mahabaleshwar. The strawberry producing land of the state is also the largest hill-town of Maharashtra. Being dotted with lakes, view-points, treks and temples, Mahabaleshwar is an escape to paradise.
Climatic Condition
Being at an elevation Mahabaleshwar witnesses a pleasant climate all year long. With the maximum temperature being about 35°C in summer months of March to mid-June, the temperature ranges between 12°C to 15°C between the months of December to February. The monsoon being pleasant also comes with heavy rainfalls due to the Evergreen Forests and the temperature is pleasant sending occasional chills. The temperature in Mahabaleshwar doesn’t touch the extremes and is delightful throughout the year.
Best Time To Visit
The ideal time to visit Mahabaleshwar is during September to May. These months welcome the tourists with a cheerful weather and the warmth of sun is loved by the visitors. Being a forest region, the rains leave the greens fresh and provide an enchanting experience. The winter months experiences magnificent foliage and makes the hill station look enthralling. The hill-town though looks a wonderful place laden with the colourful hues of nature during monsoons one can visit Mahabaleshwar during the rains too.
Attraction/Things To Do
Mahabaleshwar rests in the splendid beauty that nature has to offer. The most famous here is the Venna Lake. Venna Lake is surrounded by trees and provides a beautiful scape that makes the destination all the more special. At Venna Lake one can indulge into activities like boating, angling and horse riding. Dhobi Waterfalls are another attraction here and draw a lot of tourists from over the world. Arthur’s Seat named after a British Official of the time is also a magnificent view-point overlooking River Savitri. Also he is said to be the first man to raise a house here. The Needle point is also a favourite amongst the visitors. The beauty of the point is the rock-formation due to which the point gets its name. There is a sliver hole between the two rocks and hence giving the structure the shape of a needle hole. The panorama that the point encompasses is also makes it a hot spot. Connaught Peak is the point from where one can get a glimpse of some important points of Mahabaleshwar like Elphinstone Point, Venna Lake, Torana and Krishna Valley. The point is at an elevation of 1400 meters and offers a splendid view. There is a Roman Catholic Church in the main city of Mahabaleshwar that is an evidence of the British architecture of the region. The temple of Krishnabai is one of the least visited places here and is dwelling in mosses that are collected over the years. The temple has an idol of Goddess Krishna and a Shiv-ling as the main deity. The cow-mouth sculpture is also here in the temple from which it is believed that River Krishna originated.
How To Reach
Mahabaleshwar is connected by roads with the major nearby cities. The nearest airport and railhead are at Pune which is the nearest city to the hill-town. One can either get regular buses from the major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, and Satara or can hire a cab or a private taxi to reach the hill town.
Distance From Major Cities
1. Pune– 125 km
2. Mumbai– 268 km
3. Kolhapur– 179 km
4. Panchgani– 20 km
5. Satara– 57 km
6. Goa – 410 km
7. Khandala– 182 km
8. Nashik– 369 km
9. Hyderabad– 583 km
10. Aurangabad– 345 km
11. Shirdi– 306 km
12. Solapur– 274 km
13. Surat– 370 km
14. Delhi– 1575 km
15. Bangalore– 785 km
AccessibilityAnd Accomodation
Mahabaleshwar is dotted with a number of hotels that provide a luxury retreat in the laps of Western Ghats in the form of hill resorts and at the same time also has budget hotels for the economic class. The budget hotels are situated mainly in the main town market of Mahabaleshwar whereas the hill-resorts occupy the lands that offer the best view of the town and around.
