Lonavala Hill Station In Maharashtra
Lonavala Hill Station In Maharashtra.Lovely Hill fort or as it is well-known – Lonavala is a small hill station located in the Mumbai district of Maharashtra in Sahayadri range of Western Ghats. Located approximately at about 64 kilometres from Mumbai and 96 kilometres from Pune Lonavala has become a favourite spot for weekend trips and for travellers in general with an interest in nature. In this blog post, I will share with you how to navigate around Lonavala, what the place is and where it is situated, activities to do there and general advice on your trip.
A Brief History of Lonavala
Lonavala has antiquity back to 2nd century BCE but the place’s importance originated as a shelter for Buddhist monks who sought to carve caves in the hill for meditation. These rich historical backgrounds are proved by the Bhaja and Karla caves, These are included in the first group of the rock-cut caves of India.
Lonavala emerged as one of the favorite holiday spots of the British at the time of British rule in India when they wanted to avoid the heat. The hill station was started by the British as a sanitarium and many buildings including those in the picture were built in the colonial style. Lonavala is still the same today and always mesmerizes tourists with history and beautiful landscapes.
Getting to Lonavala
Lonavala is well connected by both roads as well as rails. The nearest railway station is Lonavala Railway Station that has frequent connectivity with other major such as Mumbai Station and Pune Station. Some of the convenient train models are Deccan Express and Intercity Express. For self-drive enthusiasts, you have the Mumbai-Pune Expressway to drive on which should take about 1.5 to 2 hours.
For the travelers that prefer to use aeroplanes, there is Pune International Airport which is slightly over 70Km away. From there it is possible to hire a taxi or even take a bus to Lonavala.
The Allure of Nature: Scenic Attractions
Bhushi Dam: Bhushi Dam is another popular tourism spot of lonavala, travellers can watch the flowing water and the beautiful view magnificent especially during the rainy season. Around the facility particularly the dam area people can sit down and take a picnic and thanks to the people selling foods and drinks and even music, the environment turns out be rather jovial.
Lonavala Lake: Lonavala Lake has plenty of facility and advantageous geographical location as it is surrounded by hills and green forests. The best time for the tour is in the rainy season since the lake is full and the nearby environment comes with beautiful colors.
Tiger’s Leap: Locked on the upper ridge of the hill, Tiger’s Leap is an observation site for the pristine valleys around and is especially popular among trekkers and tourists who love to click pictures. What can be more inspiring than to watch how the forests of hills blend into the sky?
Karla and Bhaja Caves: These are some of historical long-term rock- cut cave everybody should visit. The first one is in Karle that includes a large chaitya hall that has good carving work and the second one is in Bhaja that has good vihara as early as 2nd century BCE.
Della Adventure Park: Della Adventure Park is a real heaven for the fans of extreme sport facilities. From just flying through the aerial zip line to catering for the adventurous ones through bungee jumping to the young and energetic ones through off road power, to arrowmen demonstrating archery, the park has everything to meet the needs of everyone.
Rajmachi Fort: Climbing up to the Rajmachi Fort is an exciting affair regardless of an individual’s desire for thrilling experience. This fort is located in the middle of the greenery providing great view of the Sahyadri mountain range especially during the rainy season.
Discovering Taste of the Local Population
Lonavala rubbing shoulders with the metros of Mumbai and Pune retains its culture deeply rooted to that of the state of Maharashtra with metro influence. This place is attractive with many varieties of local arts, products and other wonderful souvenirs can be found in the lively bazaars.
Speaking of food, chikki is a house specialty and chikki is a localized slang for any edible preparation that is made out of jaggery and nuts. Do not leave the place without trying this delicious snack in one of the local sweet shops if you are there. There are several other Marathi foods one must try; Vada pav, Misal pav, Marathi types of dosa and Idli.
Lonavala Hill Station In Maharashtra
Activities to Engage In
Trekking: Due to beautiful sightseeing, trekking in Lonavala is quite inspiring. Few of the top hiking trials are Rajmachi Trek, Lohagad Fort Trek, Tung Fort Trek etc. Every trek provides a scenic beauty to the tourists and a good opportunity to be close to nature.
Camping: Camping is something that might be interest to people who love nature and if so then they must consider going to Lonavala. Hillsides and various other areas for camping have some feature for accommodation while conserving the beauty of nights with stars in the sky.
Waterfall Rappelling: In the course of the rainy season, the area is characterized by very many waterfalls. Adrenaline junkies would prefer waterfall rappel – a sport which climber abseils down a waterfall.
Photography: One must immediately note that Lonavala offers amazing scenic view, so expect great picture taking. The beauty of nature and especially during the monsoonal season makes it very ideal for taking great pictures.
Shopping: There are ample of shops available to buy the fabrics, souvenirs and other items of Lonavala as well as other local manufactures products. As we leave, don’t forget to grab some chikki to take home with you!
Best Time to Visit
It is recommended that people make arrangements for the visit in the months between June and September because the hills are blanketed with green foliage and there is water gushing through the regions waterfalls. It is also good weather and many people prefer this time because of the beautiful weather conditions. But then again, as with any other place, it is also a good place to visit during the winter months of October to February so people can enjoy the outdoors.
Accommodation Options
With regards to accommodation, travellers can find all categories of facilities in Lonavala starting from the budget class. They range from luxurious beach resorts to discount accommodations well as from hostels to home stays. Some popular choices include:
Della Resorts: A full service deluxe resort hotel with luxurious and lavish services and other related thrilling tourist services.
The Dukaan: A small hotel that offers contemporary amenities along with hospitality services in a ethnic style.
Valley View Resort: Cozier and cheaper than a hotel, with equally good or even better views.
Tips for Travelers
Pack Accordingly: Be prepared for wet weather especially if you are visiting in or around the monsoon season make sure you have waterproof clothes and shoes with you. The weathers can be very flexible hence needs to be prepared for any change that may occur.
Stay Hydrated: Never be caught up empty-handed especially if you will be walking or running errands outside, always take a bottle of water with you.
Respect Nature: Preserve hygiene by proper disposal of wastesÂ. This attraction should remain some of the most beautiful parts of Lonavala for future generation.
Plan Your Itinerary: However, there are lots of things to do in Lonavala, anyway, it would be wise if one plans the correct way on which one wants to visit the place. Schedule whatever you would like to see and do most of all.
Try Local Food: Do not overlook a chance to taste lip smacking local food. Try out various restaurants in order to taste the variety of meals of Maharashtrian food.
Conclusion
Lonavala is a hill station with availability of vical nature, adventure and historical values can be explored here. If you wish for some time alone or some adventurous or if you simply wish to get acquainted with the flavors of the neighborhood, Lonavala holds the key. Lonavala is a place that offers spectacular places for sightseeing and must-visit historical landmarks and exquisite taste buds ^{57} Lonavala is also famous for adventure trekking and other adventurous tours.
When planning your trip to this beautiful hill station get ready to enjoy the natural life, taste the spices, and avail the historical experiences of Lonavala. Yea, no matter how many hours any one of us may possibly have in his disposal, Lonavala is the kind of place that would always leave its unforgettable impression and that is why Lonavala is always special in the list of exciting travel destinations. Dear all, come let us visit and enjoy the natural beauty of Lonavala!
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