Mahabaleshwar Travel Guide

Nestling in the curvaceous mountain ranges of the western ghats of Maharashtra are the cool misty resorts of Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. Away from the crowds and noise of the city, these twin resorts are an ideal holiday destination.

Among the hill resorts of the state, Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani are very popular. Tucked away in the Satara district, they are best approached from Pune. Spared the commercialization that has affected the hill resorts of north and south India, the two resorts offer a clean, calm and thoroughly refreshing alternative. And, perhaps the only place in the country which offers a myriad activities-boating, fishing, horse riding, trekking and playing golf on the gorgeous nine-hole golf course built on the edge of a cliff!
Places to See in Mahabaleshwar:

• Pratapgad Fort
The historic Pratapgad Fort (24 km) was built by the Maratha chieftain Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1656, to control the rebellious rulers of the nearby Javali Basin. According to legend, Shivaji was blessed with a shining sword at the temple of Goddess Bhawani located here. It is also the site of the famous battle between Shivaji and Afzal Khan, ruler of the Bijapur Sultanate.

• Mount Malcolm
It used to be the most famous building in the olden days. it was built in 1829 with magnificent architectural skills. Unfortunately, it has lost a lot of its old charm now.

• Wilson Point or Sunrise Point
It is the highest point at Mahabaleshwar, about 4710 feet above sea level. It is a vast plateau, there are three masonry round platforms which offer splendor view of the sunrise. The platform no: 2 is the best platform to view sunrise, one can also see sunset from this point.

• Catholic Church
A visit to the old Raman Catholic Holy cross church is worth a detour. Although the church is practically falling apart, its stained-glass windows are still a sight to behold. This deserted church is now looked after by a Hindu family.

• Waterfalls
There are several waterfalls situated at a very short distance from Mahabaleshwar. The famous water falls are Chinaman's (2.5 Kms), Dhobi (3 Kms) and Lingamala (6 Kms). Another beautiful waterfall is Arthur's Seat, 12 Kms away from Mahabaleshwar.

• Mahabaleshwar Club
The club was built in 1881 and is still flourishing and well-maintained. Only members of the club can stay here. It is very popular for its well-tended roses and lovely jogging track. Christmas is grandly celebrated by loyal members every year. Fortunately, one facility is open to visitors; who can use the golf course whenever they feel like it.

• Morarji Castle
Also worth a look is this old structure. Mahatma Gandhi once lived here in 1945.

Climate
The climate tends to be damp and extremely wet during the rainy season, warm in summer and fairly cool in the winter months. Weather pundits say of Mahabaleshwar that it is never too hot, thanks to its height and never cold, thanks to its proximity to the warm waters of the Arabian Sea! Except for the rainy season, Mahabaleshwar is packed with people and honeymooners looking for a cool getaway. But the cognoscenti swear that Mahabaleshwar has its own particular charm and magic during the monsoons. So give rainy Mahabaleshwar a try. High season is during the festive months of October and December and during the summer vacation in May-June. The surrounding forests produce many commercial varieties of medicinal herbs, trees & plants. Local wild life is limited to foxes, jackals, wild boars, deer and Indian bison found in the Brahma Aranya forest area. Even the odd sighting of panthers has been reported though that is rarity.

How to get there:

By Air
The nearest airport is at Pune at about 120kms from Mahabaleshwar. Pune airport has tourist services for those willing to visit Mahabaleshwar.

By Rail/Train
Pune is the convenient railhead to Mahabaleshwar. However the nearest railway station to Mahabaleshwar is at Wathar, at a distance of 62kms.

By Road
From Bombay via Pune, Mahabaleshwar is 290 km and via Mahad it is 247 km. The State Transport buses ply from Bombay and Pune to Mahabaleshwar. MTDC operates daily bus services except during the monsoon, between Bombay-Mahabaleshwar-Bombay. Also sightseeing tours for Mahabaleshwar and Mahabaleshwar-Pratapgad Fort.