Kamshet

Kamshet, a serene tourist destination stands about 19 km. away from the popular hill station of Lonavala in Maharashtra. Kamshet is a perfect weekend getaway spot from Mumbai and Pune. With a backdrop of rugged hills, lush green fields and pristine lakes, this hilly terrain is at an altitude of 2200 feet. The pleasant weather encourages many activities like paragliding, joy rides and horse riding. You can catch the glimpse of real rural India with thatched traditional houses set amidst the Western Ghats in Kamshet.

Tucked in the beautiful district of Pune, Kamshet is well known for paragliding, joy rides, cross-country flights and tandem flights. This place is nowadays better known as the 'Paraglider's Paradise'. A quiet and remote place with lovely scenic beauty, Kamshet is just 110 km. from Mumbai and 45 km. from Pune. It is one of the most adventurous places in India and is ranked in the top 10 tourist places.

October to May

Any tourist guide would list these as some of the must visit places at Kamshet :

Kamshet has some good restaurants and eateries where you get the local food primarily. Apart from full-fledged Maharashtrian meals, you get popular snacks here like different kinds of ‘chaat’. This is probably the most widely eaten food in the region. You also try delectable bhelpuri, pav bhaji, pani puri, dosa etc. here.

Here, you would not find too many shops or any large market area. However, you do get the basic necessities in the shops of central market. There are also some shops selling souvenirs that are mostly local products and do not have much of variety.

The nearest railhead from Kamshet is the Lonavala railway station (17 km. away) falling on the Konkan Railway line. To reach Kamshet from this railway station, it will cost nearly Rs. 300 by taxi. The nearest airport is Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai, located at about 110 km. from Kamshet. Taxi drivers from Mumbai to Kamshet might charge about Rs. 2000 or more. Pune domestic airport stands about 51 km. from Kamshet and you get easily get taxis from Pune as well. To reach Kamshet by bus, there are Maharastra Government public buses operating from the cities nearby. Also the tourist Volvo buses run regularly from Mumbai to Kamshet (fare – Rs. 400 approximately) and from Pune to Kamshet (fare – Rs. 200 approximately). For local travel, you can avail taxis, local buses or jeeps. Taxis and jeeps are easily available at the central chowk. Exploring the beauty of Kamshet on foot will give you the actual native essence of the place.

Paragliding is one adventure sport that goes synonymous with the name of Kamshet. Different kinds of gliding activities and flying trainings are done at this tourist destination. There are many paragliding schools in Kamshet making this a frequently visiting place for novice pilots. Waytoindia arranges for paragliding training in Kamshet and also for rock climbing, water sports activities and other earthbound adventurous activities.

Kamshet is a tourist spot for those who love nature, tranquillity and adventure. Apart from the places of sightseeing in Kamshet, one can also visit the nearby places from this destination. Mumbai :To reach this live and bustling metro city, you can take a drive of 1 hour and 40 min. by car. Mumbai is the capital city of Maharashtra and offers too many things on your palette of travel. Some of the most visited places of Mumbai are Marine Drive, Gateway of India, Borivali National Park, Essel World and Bollywood; however this city has countless entertaining options if you wish to go for a film, amusements parks, galleries, pubs, theatres, eateries, religious places and so on. Pune :By road, you can reach this happening city from Kamshet in only about 50 min. time. Pune is the cultural capital of Maharashtra and features some of the magnificent forts, adding a testament to its glorious past. The scenic beauty of the city with verdant hills around and beautiful lakes is one of the greenest cities of India. Khandala :At about 32 km. from Kamshet, Khandala can be reached in hardly 30 min. by car. This beautifully landscaped hill station in the Western Ghats has been attracting tourists. There are many museums and galleries in Khandala. Metalware, Chitrakathi paintings and unique lock collections are some worth watching things of this place. Dotted by a plethora of sightseeing points like Duke’s nose, Amrutanjan Point, Tigers Leap, Lion’s Points, this place is truly a holiday retreat. Lonavala :Just ten minutes’ drive and you can reach the exquisite hill station Lonavala from Kamshet. Best known as a health reviving destination, this place has unpolluted environment and pleasant climate throughout the year. Pristine waterfalls, thriving lakes amidst lush green landscape is something that would keep you stunned. Almost every tourist visiting Lonavala gets some Chikki (the hard candy sweet), a popular specialty item of the place.

There are limited hotels in Kamshet, but you can have a comfortable stay for couple of days with basic necessities and modern amenities that are needed for a holiday at these hotels. The rooms at Native Place are fair enough to stay and the tariff starts from Rs. 3400 per night. Some more options include Nirvana campuses enclosing the Nirvana Cottages, Native Place Guesthouse, and Nirvana Base Camps. The Paragliding Ashram is a mid-rung accommodation with lakeside views and encourages activities like swimming, paragliding, kayaking and also offers training to fly planes.