Mahabaleshwar in literal terms means ‘God of Great Power’ . Indeed, the place justifies the term with its great and bountiful natural beauty saddled with modernity.
Mahabaleshwar is one of the most popular tourist destinations for newly married couples in Maharashtra.
Mahabaleshwar has proper, motorable roads to every point worth visiting. So one could tour the place by car, jeep, or even horseback. There are many buildings and sites that take one back to the days of the Raj. There’s Mount Malcolm, the one-time residence of Governor Malcolm; Moraji Castle, where Mahatma Gandhi lived during 1945; and the Mahabaleshwar Club.
As short drive from town is the beautiful Venna Lake, where one can go boating, fishing, and pony riding. Or indulge oneself at the entertainment center with its numerous food and game stalls. Near the lake, further down the road on the way to neighbouring Panchgani, are the great strawberry fields.
Mahabaleshwar is known for its numerous sightseeing points, each providing a unique perspective of the majestic hill range. En route to Babington Point is Dhom dam, which is a good place to take a break. Or one could visit Old Mahabaleshwar and the famous Panchganga Mandir, which is said to contain the springs of five rivers: Koyna, Venna, Savitri, Gayatri and the sacred Krishna River. There’s also the Mahabaleshwar Mandir, revered for its Swayambhu Lingam
Mahableshwar is a great holiday destination throughout the year, except for the monsoon months. During the late-June to mid-September period, torrential rains virtually shutdown this hill station, so travel is not advised at this time.
How to Reach :
Nearest railhead is Wathar, but Pune is considered to be more convenient.
Mumbai-Mahabaleshwar via Mahad, 247 km. State Transport buses ply regularly between Pune-Mahabaleshwar and Mumbai-Mahabaleshwar
Do Explore these hill stations :
Amboli | Bhandardara | Chikaldhara | Jawhar | Khandala & Lonavla | Mahabaleshwar | Malshej Ghat | Matheran | Panchgani | Panhala | Toranmal
