South of Mumbai is a beautiful town called Mahabaleshwar. It is a popular hill station amongst people for its scenic beauty due to its clear blue rivers, majestic mountain peaks, waterfalls, and widespread greenery. It is a perfect vacation destination as there are a lot of things to do in Mahabaleshwar, along with enjoying the picturesque landscape.

Best time to visit Mahabaleshwar

Since Mahabaleshwar is a hill station, it tends to get quite cold during the winters. Therefore the ideal time to visit Mahabaleshwar is the summer months from March to June, when the temperatures hover around a moderate 30 degree Celsius which is pleasant enough to enjoy your trip.

How to reach Mahabaleshwar?

By road – There are buses available from Mumbai as well as Pune, or you could self-drive.

 By Train – You can catch a train to either the Wathar railway station or the more well connected Pune railway station. From the railway station, you can hire a cab to reach Mahabaleshwar.

By Air – The nearest airport to Mahabaleshwar is the Pune airport. From here, you can get a bus ride or a cab to reach Mahabaleshwar.

Places to stay in Mahabaleshwar

When you choose a hotel to stay at in Mahabaleshwar, pick one that will allow you to experience the beauty of the mountainous town fully. There are resorts in Mahabaleshwar that are just as beautiful as the hill station itself. For instance, Club Mahindra Sherwood matches the landscape and provides their guests both comfort and luxuries with facilities like a spa and swimming pool and activities like trekking and virtual reality games.

Places to visit in Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar is a favourite tourist destination for a reason. It has a lot of places for you to explore.

When you visit Mahabaleshwar, you cannot miss the Chinaman’s Fall. It is a captivating waterfall made up of water coming in from two separate streams.

Offering a view of the Sahyadri mountain range, Elephant Head Point or Needle Hole point is another popular destination. It is named so because the overhand resembles an elephant's head and trunk, and a gap between the rocks looks like a needle hole.

Another tourist attraction is Vienna Lake, where you can enjoy boating.

Offbeat things to do in Mahabaleshwar

If typical touristy activities like boating or exploring the various tourist attractions are not your cup of tea, then here are five offbeat things to do in Mahabaleshwar:

Hiking Trails are an option for you if you want to do something different in Mahabaleshwar. The Gureghar Trail is a 1.5 km path that you can hike through. A lush forest surrounds it, and it will lead you to Triveni Point, offering a nice view of Mahabaleshwar. On your way, you can explore a wide variety of Flora and Fauna.

Go strawberry picking. The activity will make you feel close to nature, and by the end, you will have delicious fruit to eat.

Everyone knows that Mahabaleshwar is famous for its berries, but you can go offbeat and learn about the region's honey bee farming. It has India's first honey park. There is a government-organized tour for people wishing to learn.

A wax museum in Mahabaleshwar has an astonishing number of candle designs, including even life-size statues.

Visit the Panchganga temple to seek the blessings of the almighty and offer your prayers and gratitude.

Places to eat in Mahabaleshwar

Hill stations become even more enjoyable when you have great food to it. Here are some restaurants in Mahabaleshwar for the foodie in you:

Chingari is a popular vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant that serves delicious Indian cuisine. It is also ideal for gluten-free options.

Swaying a little from traditional Indian food is Bagicha Corner, most famously known for its strawberry delicacies.

The Grapevine is another vegetarian-friendly place. It has outdoor seating and serves yummy seafood.

For lovers of Italian food, Farmhouse Bistro is the ideal restaurant.

The hill station of Mahabaleshwar is a famous tourist destination with attractions like Elephant Head Point, Chinaman's Fall and Veena Lake. It also has offbeat activities that you can enjoy like strawberry and honey bee farming, hiking, visiting the wax museum and seeking blessings at the Panchganga temple. There are many different restaurants for you to get delicious food. Some of these are Farmhouse Bistro, Chingari, The Grapevine and Bagicha Corner.