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lonavala & khandala

Location	Situated On Mumbai-Pune Highway, Maharashtra.
Main Attraction	Many Lakes And Caves.
Best Time	October to May.

A perennial favourite with hillstation-lovers in Maharashtra, the divine duo of Lonavala and Khandala are truly in a class apart. When Mumbai overpowers and Pune offers no refuge, when beaches fail to beckon and the heart yearns for greener pastures, head for the evergreen hill resorts of Lonavala and Khandala. These twin resorts may be playing the same hackneyed tune, but their timeless appeal always bowls you over. Lonavala commands an exalted position on the western slopes of the Sahyadris, at a height of 625 m and Khandala is a little lower. The picturesque drive winding around the Western Ghats and the equally splendid train journey weaving through at least twenty tunnels cut into the basaltic rock before it ends at Lonavala-Khandala is some experience. As you drink in the crisp air and feast your eyes on the scenery, let your mind wander away to the surrounding mountains and the plains spread out to the edge of the horizon. For miles around, you see green hills, deep valleys, dense forests, lakes and cascading waterfalls.

Dotted along the hillside are the famous caves and forts of Shivaji's Maratha kingdom. Deep valleys and a thick forest surround the imposing Rajmachi Fort. Other equally impressive forts are the Manoranjan Fort, Shrivardhan fort, Visapur Fort, Lohagad Fort and the Tunga Fort with arsenals and guardhouses.

A special attraction in Lonavala-Khandala is the three ancient Chaitya Caves dating back 2000 years that were Buddhist prayer halls. Built on a grand scale and splendid in architectural execution, the Karla Caves were a monsoon retreat for Buddhist monks. The smaller Bhaja Caves are built so that the rays of the setting sun gilds the dark interiors and brings to life the carved gods and goddesses. The Bedsa Caves are close to the Mumbai Pune Road near Kamshet.

Placid water bodies and silver cascades add their charm to Lonavala-Khandala. Walk around the Pavna Lake, Lonavala Lake, Tungarli Lake, Valvan Lake on the Valvan Dam and Bushi Lake. From the beautiful Kune Falls the water crashes down 100m to a pool below, a sight visible from the Khandala Ghat. Tiger's Leap is a curiously shaped cliff - a sheer 650 m drop into the valley.

The days will just slip by before you know it, walking, pony riding, browsing through Lonavala's bazaars and feasting on delicious sweet peanut and dry fruit chikki and jams.

Getting to lonavala & khandala

Khandala is 104 km from Mumbai and 66 km from Pune. The Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway passes through Khandala-Lonavala, winding up the ghats. State roadways buses, private buses, taxis and tour operators have regular services to the resorts (a journey of 3 ½ to 4 hours). Trains from Mumbai Central Station and Pune Junction halt at Khandala and then at Lonavala. Khandala and Lonavala are 5 km away from each other (15 minutes by bus). The best ways to move around are to walk, cycle, or take a taxi or auto-rickshaw. Cars can be rented for the day from Lonavala.

Best time to visit

You can come here any time of the year, especially in winter, from October to April. Summer temperatures reach a maximum of 36° C and touch minimum temperatures of 12° C in winter. Bring light woolens for winter and cotton clothes for summer.

accomodation

Besides the middle budget MTDC resorts at Karla and Lonavala, there are numerous accommodation options to suit all budgets. You might prefer staying at Khandala, which is quieter and less crowded than Lonavala.