Lonavala, Maharastra

Spectacular Hill Stations Near Mumbai & Pune

Lonavala is a town and a hill station in Pune district in the Indian state of Maharashtra and is a very popular holiday destination for weekends, especially during the monsoons. It is close to both Mumbai and Pune therefore an ideal weekend getaway for relaxation. A trip to Lonavla and Khandala can be combined with sight-seeing visits of Karla, Bhaja and Bedsa caves and also the two fortresses, Lohagad and Visapur. Another place of interest is the Tungi fort. Lonavla is famous throughout India for the hard candy sweet known as chikki. Lonavla comes to life during the monsoon season as the countryside turns lush green with waterfalls and ponds.

Rajmachi Fort – Feast Your Eyes On The Views
A popular place to visit in Lonavala in rainy season, Rajmachi Fort offers stunning and fabulous scenery. The rustic surrounding looks even greener and luxuriant during monsoon. It also offers splendid views of verdant Western Ghats and Shirota Dam. Hikers and trekkers love visiting Rajmachi Fort during monsoon and some adventure freaks ride their bikes up to the fort as it rains, which is why it tops every list of the Lonavala visiting places.

Tiger’s Leap – For The Awesome Cliff-top Views
Resembling a tiger jumping off a cliff, this is a popular tourist spot in Lonavala. This cliff got its name due to the resemblance of its shape with a tiger leaping off a valley. The plush green, eye-soothing views of the valley, misty mornings, and cool breeze make Tiger’s Leap make it one of the most beautiful places to visit in Lonavala in rainy season. Hiking and trekking till the top of the cliff to witness the gorgeous wonders of mother nature has earned Tiger’s Leap a spot on the checklist of tourists and locals alike when visiting Lonavala.

Lion’s Point – The Most Stunning Sunset Spot
Lion’s Point is a mesmeric and one of the most frequently visited viewpoints in Lonavala. Perched on a cliff, the place offers amazing sunset views. The list of places to visit in Lonavala in rainy season isn’t complete without Lion’s Point. The view is majestic and panoramic. You would see small waterfalls all over the place with one waterfall pretty prominent in the view. Known for evening and night trekking, Lion’s Point is amongst the best places to visit in Lonavala at night for adventure lovers.

Koraigad – Walls Is Completely Intact
Koraigad is a hill fort located about 20 km south of Lonavla.
The fort is rising over 200 meter higher than the neighbouring valleys.
There are two lakes on top of the fort.
The interesting part of the fort is that its wall is completely intact and one can walk along its entire perimeter. Its massive gate is also intact. It has six cannons-the largest of which called the Laxmi Toph is located near the Korai Devi temple.

Lohagad – The Senery Of Birds, Nature And Waterfall
Iron Fort is one of the many hill forts of Maharashtra. Situated close to the hill station Lonavala. The fort is connected to the neighboring Visapur fort by a small range. The fort was under the Maratha Empire for the majority of time, with a short period of 5 years under the Mughal Empire.
It is a part of the Western Ghats. The four large gates of Lohagad are still in good condition and reasonably intact.

Lonavala Lake – Fun Of Fishing And Swimming
This artificial lake was constructed in 1876 to conserve water for the areas of Valvan and Shirota. But with time, it has transformed into an impressive tourist spot. Come here to find some lone time, to read a book or even for some bird watching. What makes this place even more interesting is that tourists are totally allowed to take a swim in the lake and even try their hands at fishing.

NEAR BY ATTRACTION

Amby Valley
Kalasubai Shikhar
Kothaligad Killa
Harishchandragad
Pratapgad
Sinhagad
Harihar Fort
Anjaneri
Tikona
Visapur
Devkund Waterfall
Pavana Lake/Dam
Bushi Dam
Tungarli Lake
Karla Caves
Duke’s Nose Point
Bhaja Caves
Ryewood Park
Nagphani Woods
Della Adventures
Celebrity Wax museum
Adlabs and Aqua Imagica

THINGS TO DO

Cherish rain splashes
Photography
Nature seeking
Spiritual seeking
Parasailing
Jet skiing
Boating
Camel ride
Mountaining
Hiking
Trekking
Historical
Sunset
Amazing Street Food

WHERE TO EAT

Golden Vada Pav (Mumbai-Pune highway)
Garlic Free (Jain) vada pav (Mumbai-Pune highway)
Moong Dal Pakoda (Mumbai-Pune highway)
Samosa (Mumbai-Pune highway)
Jalebi (Mumbai-Pune highway)
Rudra (Kailash Parvat Hotel)
Thai curry with steamed rice (Kailash Parvat Hotel)
Tandoori salad in pudina paste (Kailash Parvat Hotel)
Chinese bhel (Kailash Parvat Hotel)
Reshmi tikka (Hotel Kamat)
Butter chicken (Hotel Kamat)
Junglee kebabs (Hotel Kamat)
El Taj (Hotel Kamat)
Coffee (Pragati, MG Road)
Chai (Kanada Bhaiya)
Cheese Pakoda (Kanada Bhaiya)
Vegetarian Meals (Suvarna Kanpile’s Canteen)
Villaga & Ambience Setting (Kinara Village Dhaba)
Choco Almonds (Cooper’s)
Choco Walnut (Cooper’s)
“Chikki is a traditional Indian sweet generally made from groundnuts and jaggery. And Lonavala is famous for this sweet. Maganlal Chiki and National Chikki being the leading one.”

WHAT TO SHOP

Kolhapuri Slippers (The Shoe Center)
Colourful Trinkets (Lonavala Bazaar)
Wooden Fingurines (Lonavala Bazaar)
Various Cane Products (Lonavala Bazaar)

WHERE TO STAY

Treasure Island hotel (Tucked away from the main-town of Lonavala and offers breath-taking views of mountain peaks and glimmering waters)
Hotel Neeta Inn (Pet Friendly, Door Opens into a spacious louunge, Full Luxery &
Comfortable Bungalow, Open Backyard and In front of Vast Manicured Lawn.

HOW TO REACH

It is best and advisable to travel by road which offers awesome scenery and experience.
Mumbai: approx 100 km 2.5 – 3 hours drive via Mumbai-pune expressway
Pune: approx 70 km 1.5 hours drive via Mumbai-pune expressway
Check Your bus availibility online on RedBus, Paytm etc.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

The non-monsoon months between October to May are best time to visit Lonavala because the place experiences heavy rainfall between June and September.