Mahabaleshwar is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station located in the Western Ghats range. With one of the few evergreen forests of the world, it served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British Raj.

Today, Mahabaleshwar is a popular holiday resort and honeymoon spot, and an important pilgrimage site for Hindus. It is the site of Mahabaleshwar Temple. Many tourists visit nearby Panchgani. After the construction of a new highway, it is only a five-hour drive from Mumbai. Mahabaleshwar is also known for the honey and strawberries produced here. One can visit strawberry farms to enjoy the real flavour of the fruit. It is said that the climate of Mahabaleshwar is ideal for strawberries and mulberries. One can also get a taste of “Strawberries with Cream” or “Mulberries with Cream”.

The Venna lake is one of the major tourist attractions of Mahabaleshwar. The lake is surrounded by trees on all sides. A late winter evening boat ride through the slight fog is well appreciated. Tourists can enjoy a boat ride over the lake or a horse ride next to the lake. A number of small eateries line the banks of the lake. The Mahabaleshwar city market and the S.T. bus stand is about 2KM from the lake and makes for a nice walk during the day. Most tour operators include the Venna lake in their tours. Most buses, private vehicles will stop at the Venna lake on their way to Mahabaleshwar on request.

With another popular and scenic hill resort Panchgani in close vicinity (about 20KM), most tourists often visit both places together. The ‘Table-Land’ phenomenon of nature at Panchgani is breath-taking.

Climate

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.

Getting here

By Air

Pune, located at a distance of 120 km is the nearest airport. If you plan to travel to Mahabaleshwar by air, you can board a flight till Pune, and then easily avail a bus, taxi or a private car from the Pune airport. The airport has various facilities within its premises for tourists traveling to the place. State operated buses are also easily available from Pune. Even private tour-operators provide luxury/ non- luxury bus services to Mahabaleshwar. You can even hire a vehicle of your choice from the airport, for the entire duration of your stay.

By Train

The nearest railhead from Mahabaleshwar is Wather, located at a distance of 62 km from the city. But if you choose to travel to Mahabaleshwar by train, the Pune railhead, located at a distance of 120 km, is comparatively more convenient than the Wather station, because of its better connectivity to Mahabaleshwar. People traveling by train can get down at the Pune railway station to reach Mahabaleshwar. Private tour operators provide buses, mini-buses, taxis, etc, which are easily available for tourists outside the Pune station. One can also avail the state-operated buses that shuttle between Pune and Mahabaleshwar.

By Road

From Mumbai, Mahabaleshwar is 285 km (via Pune route) and the distance is about 247 km (via Mahad route). There are regular state-operated buses that travel to Mahabaleshwar from the nearby cities of Pune and Mumbai.It takes around 5 hrs to reach Mahabaleshwar from Mumbai by road.

Hotels

www.mahabaleshwarhotels.net

www.mshwar.com/june99/hotels.htm