Places to visit in Mahabaleshwar – Tourist Places, Travel Guide, Itinerary

Places to visit in Mahabaleshwar: Mahabaleshwar is one of the popular hill stations nested on the rugged Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats in Satara district of Maharashtra, India. It is a well-known pilgrimage site for Hindus where the holy river Krishna has its origin here. To begin with Mahabaleshwar was reasonably a town, but it was in this way set up by the British officers as a hill station and served as the summer capital of Bombay for the outside rulers. The British influence has been reflected in its architecture and is surrounded by evergreen forest, captivating landscapes and cascading waterfalls. It’s an ideal weekend getaway from Pune and Mumbai, the perfect destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers.

History Of Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar is also referred to as the queen of hill stations in Maharashtra, located at an altitude of 1372 m above sea level and is an immense plateau evaluating 150 km2, bound by valleys on all sides. Mahabaleshwar was ruled by different traditions such as the Marathas beneath Chhatrapati Shivaji, by the More (clan) the sultanate of Bijapur and by the British. Mahabaleshwar comprises three villages, Malcolm Peth, Old Mahabaleshwar and some part of the Shindola village. Three streams of Krishna, to be specific Koyna, Venna (Veni) and Gayatri, moreover, have their source in Mahabaleshwar locale. A fourth stream, the Savitri, moreover, has its source in the locale, but streams Westbound through Mahad to the Middle eastern Ocean.

Places to visit in Mahabaleshwar – Tourist Places, Travel Guide, Itinerary

This breathtaking hill station is considered as the largest hill station in the Sahyadri range and it’s an origin point of the second longest river in India, Krishna. Apart from just being a scenic hill town, Mahabaleshwar produces around 85% of India’s garden-fresh strawberry and is popularly called as the land of strawberries. The stunning hill station is a green gem in Maharashtra equipped with plenty of gripping scenic beauty and the region has various ancient temples built on the banks of the Krishna River that brings out the ancient artifact and charm to the region.

How to Reach Mahabaleshwar

By Air:

Pune International Airport (140km) is the closest airplane terminal to Mahabaleshwar and another terminal from Mumbai, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (235 km) is close from the hill station. Both the airports have excellent connectivity with most major cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Kolkata etc. From the air terminal, rent a taxi or take a transport to reach Mahabaleshwar.

By Train:

Need to board one among the stations to reach your destination, Satara railway station is the closest railway track to Mahabaleshwar and there are other nearby railway stations like Pune, Sangli railroad station and Kolhapur station with appropriate network. At the station take any public transportation to reach the destination.

By Bus or By Road:

Mahabaleshwar has extraordinary public transportation as the city is well associated with various state and national highways to prime cities.

Suggested Read: Nashik Tourist Places

Best Time to Visit Mahabaleshwar

Almost throughout the year Mahabaleshwar enjoys a humid and tropical climate. The best time to visit this place is during the months of November to June, when the weather is quite pleasant for sightseeing. 

It’s suggested not to visit during the summer months (march to June) as the temperature gets very hot and humid. While the rainstorm months (July to October) are filled with overwhelming downpours and rains play a spoilsport to travel around.

Places to visit in Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar Temple

The ancient Mahabaleshwar Temple is a highly worshipped Shiva Temple built in the 16th century by the Chanda Rao More dynasty following the Hemadant style of construction. This sanctum has a lot of spiritual importance and the dietary, Shiva Linga is ‘Swayambhu’ which is 6 feet long. The Mahalingam in the temple is 1000 years old and it is the only sanctuary on the earth with a Linga in the form of Rudraksha. This temple is one of the main places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.

• Timing: Open from 5am to 12pm and then from 4pm to 9pm every day.
• Entry Fee: No fee

Suggested Read: Ramdara Temple in Pune

Pratapgarh Fort

The Pratapgarh fort is a historical testament and considered as the pride of Maratha Empire located at an elevation of 3500 feet. Built in 1656 by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Maratha Ruler. Need to climb almost 450 steps to reach the highest point and features the Mahadev and Bhavani Shrines at the entrance. A 60 years old 17-feet tall statue of Shivaji Maharaj is the main attraction.

• Timing: Open from 10am to 6pm
• Entry Fee: No fee

Arthur’s Seat

One of the best attractions in Mahabaleshwar is Arthur’s seat, snuggled at an elevation of 1470 meters. It is also popularly called the ‘Queen of the Points’ as one can appreciate endless geological contrast masterpiece views of the Deccan and the Konkan on either side. The unique feature of this place is that if you throw a lightweight object into the valley it comes back due to the air pressure at the highest point.

• Timing: Open from 9am to 8pm every day
• Entry Fee: No Fee

Mapro Garden

Mapro Gardens is a place where you can try some organic edibles and fruit-based products, it’s not actually a garden. The hub is equipped with a chocolate factory, strawberry trail, an eatery cum bistro, a nursery, kids’ play zone and retail outlet that sells Mapro products. It’s a perfect spot where you can taste the freshly grown strawberries served with whipped cream. Mapro garden is one of those places to visit in Mahabaleshwar which is not to be missed.

• Timings: Every single day from 8am to 8pm
• Entry Fee: No fee

Venna Lake

It is a beautiful scenic man-made lake surrounded by trees on all sides, built in 1942 by Shri Appa Saheb Maharaj. Earlier it was built to supply water to the neighboring areas and slowly turned out to be the major attraction in Mahabaleshwar. The Venna Lake keeps tourists engaging with several fun activities like boating, paddle etc. and delicious street food stalls.

• Timing: Open from 8am to 8 pm everyday
• Entry Fee: No entry fee (They charge INR 250 for 30 Mins and INR 500 for 1 hour of Rowboat, INR 440 for 1 hour for Peddle Boat, INR 150 for 1 round of Horse Riding)

Elephant’s Head Point

As the name suggests, the rocky mountain is shaped unusually like the shape of a head and trunk of an elephant. It’s a natural vantage point covered with lush greenery and is considered the most romantic place of Mahabaleshwar. Elephant’s Head Point is also called Needle’s Point and is the best place to enjoy magnificent sunrise/sunset views.

• Timing: Open from 6am to 06:00 pm everyday
• Entry Fee: No Fee

Wilson Point

Wilson Point or Sunrise Point is one of the vantage points in Mahabaleshwar, where you can see the mesmerizing scenic views of the sunrise from different angles. The Point is a vast plateau and when the shades of the sun spread all over the region looks incredibly stunning.

• Timing: Open from 6 am to 8 pm everyday
• Entry Fee: No fee

Dhobi Waterfall

Dhobi Waterfall is another jewel in Mahabaleshwar which is surrounded by lush forests and by granite rocks. It’s a great picnic spot where you can spend some quality time with your family amidst nature. Take a trek towards the fall and the experience is worthy but you need to walk on muddy paths. Mahabaleshwar is equipped with plenty of waterfalls.

• Timing: Open from 6 am to 6 pm everyday
• Entry Fee: No fee

Lingmala Waterfall

A not to miss spot in Mahabaleshwar is the Lingamala falls, which is surrounded by lush greenery and the Rocky Mountains. The waterfalls are divided into two parts, lower falls and upper falls. The lower fall has a mini waterfall and is an ideal place for swimming and splashing around, the upper fall has the main waterfall which flows from a height of 500 feet.  Trek for almost 30-minutes through the forest path from the mini waterfall to reach the main waterfall.

• Timing: Open from 8am to 5:30 pm everyday
• Entry Fee: INR 20 per person and INR 10 for Still Camera

Lodwick Point

Previously it was called Sydney point and later it was renamed in honor of British officer, General Lodwick who first climbed the hill. Lodwick Point has a 25 ft memorial pole stationed here in his remembrance and a great spot to enjoy the panoramic views of Pratapgad Fort and Elphinstone Point at an elevation of 4087 feet.

• Timing: Open from 6 am to 8 pm everyday
• Entry Fee: No fee

Chinaman’s Falls

Chinaman’s Falls is the best spot for picnic and offers a calm and relaxing atmosphere for travelers. The waterfall is sited at a height of 500 feet and falls into a deep valley and is the best place for birdwatching and photography.

• Timing: Open from 6 am to 6 pm everyday
• Entry Fee: No fee

Bombay Point

Mumbai Point or Sunset Point or the Mumbai Point is one of the oldest spots of Mahabaleshwar, where you can see the mesmerizing scenic views of the sunset from different angles.

• Timing: Open from 6 am to 6 pm everyday
• Entry Fee: No fee

Krishnabai Temple

The place not to miss visiting in Mahabaleshwar is Krishnabai Temple located at the hilltop presenting the splendid views of the region. The asylum is Built in the 19th century and is devoted to Master Shiva and exhibits a statue of Ruler Krishna. There is also a cow-faced stone outlet from which the water flows and collects into a tank, which then intersects the Krishna River.

• Timing: Open from 6 am to 8 pm everyday
• Entry Fee: No fee

Panchganga Temple

Panchganga Temple is the most popular temple in Mahabaleshwar which has a great religious significance and ancient glory, built in the 13th century by the Yadava King. The major attraction of the sanctuary is the ancient monument that is accomplished at the union of 5 rivers named Krishna, Venna, Koyna, Savithri and Gayathri. The water from these rivers merges and comes out from the sculpture of a Gaumukh.

• Timing: Open from 5am to 12pm and then from 4pm to 9pm every day.
• Entry Fee: No fee

Apart from these there are various other mesmerizing places to visit in Mahabaleshwar such as Panchgani, Tiger’s Spring, Koyna Valley, Helen’s Point, Rajpuri Caves, Connaught Peak, Marjorie Point and many more.

Conclusion

Mahabaleshwar is a place of ethereal native beauty and a must visit tourist destination to explore the historical and cultural legacy of Maharashtra. It’s a once in a lifetime experience where you get to study ancient temples and their magnificent testaments. The region also celebrates various traditional festivities of Gudi Padva, Ganesh Chaturthi and Maha Shivratri. Apart from stunning landscapes, waterfalls and ancient temples, travelers absolutely fall in love with the freshly grown strawberries served along with the cream and it is a simple moment that’d be cherished for years.