Matheran

One of those tourist places that has remained away from pollution and yet attracts hordes of tourists every now and then is Matheran. Located in the state of Maharashtra, this hill station is at a height of about 2,600 feet above sea level. Undulating hills, greenery, lakes, waterfalls and serenity blended by nature appropriately forms this hill station in Western India.

The best part of visiting Matheran is that you will not see any vehicles plying here. It is away from the hurly burly busy towns giving a soothing vacation charm to its visitors. Touring this place is either done on foot or on horse-back. To maintain the ecological peace, every tourist is charged a minimal fee for entry at this tourist spot. Famous as a weekend getaway from Mumbai, Matheran also attracts honeymooners for its alluring charm and pleasant weather round the year.

October to April

This hill station itself has 38 peak points that offer breath taking views. Read the travel guide further to know about some of the must visit places at Matheran. Hiring a professional tourist guide locally would be a good option to cover all the tourist spots.

The food in Matheran is varied. All types of cuisines are available in this hill station. However, the most liked ones are Gujarati and Maharashtrian fixed meal options. These are usually vegetarian dishes, but non vegetarian platter is also available. Kebabs from Diwadkars are very famous here. You can also trythe Mughlai cuisine in Shabbir Bhai's restaurant. Street foods, lip smacking chaat, pav bhaji are a speciality here and are readily available.

The item that most people shop here are hand-made slippers. There are various types of designs available at affordable rates. Matheran also has many road side shops in clusters and they offer different kinds of bags, hats, jute items, wooden items and puppets.

By Air: For travelling by air, you need to fly to Mumbai Airport (90 km. away) and then avail taxi or cab to reach Matheran. By Rail: Reach the Karjat railway station (about 22 km.) or Neral railway station (about 12 km.) and then take road transport to reach Matheran. There are local trains to Karjat or you can take Deccan Express that will drop you off at Neral. Once you reach Neral, take a toy train to Matheran and enjoy the scenic view. By Road: You can also drive to Matheran, but you will have to drop your car or leave your taxi at Dasturi Point, that is the last point where the cars are allowed on your way to Matheran. From here, you will either have to go on foot, or on horse-back. Moving Around: At Matheran, vehicles are not allowed. So you need to move around on foot or on horse-back as this hill station.

There are other places like Lords Point, Artist Point, Alexander Point, Rambaug Point, Little Chowk Point, Sunset (Porcupine) Point and Garbut point that catch attention of tourists at Matheran.

Once the sightseeing in Matheran is done, you can also visit nearby places from the spot. Khandala: About 65 km. from Matheran, this hill station on the Western Ghats is famous for hiking. People staying in Mumbai and Pune often visit Khandala during weekends. You will enjoy places like Tiger's Leap, Amrutanjan Point, Duke's Nose, Karla and Bhaja Cave and Bhushi Dam in and around Khandala. Lonavla: This place is around 65 km. away from Matheran and adjacent to Khandala. This hill station is considered a twin of Khandala and you can visit places like Rajmachi Point, Ryewood Park & Shivaji Udyan, Valvan Dam, Lonavla Lake, Lion's Point, Tungarli Lake and Dam, Shooting Point and Wax Museum here. Alibaug: Approximately 95 km. from Matheran, this coastal town and its surrounding villages have a historic connection with Bene Israeli Jews. Here, you can enjoy the sun kissed beaches nearby and savour delectable sea food in the relaxing backdrop of beautiful panorama.