Mahabaleshwar - Getaway with a Gang of Friends

Vijaya Das Panicker heads out to the hills of Mahabaleshwar with her friends. With its super height, misty hills and the yummiest of strawberries grown locally, it's a delight for all those looking for a quick getaway from Mumbai. Here's what she says:

"The only way to beat the Mumbai humidity is to take a flight of fancy to the nearest hill station. And, that’s exactly what my pals and I did last week - we packed our knapsacks and headed straight to the dreamy land of Mahabaleshwar.

It was 4 in the evening when we set out for the sojourn. All set, we geared up the Tavera car and sped out from the damp streets of the city of dreams. The excitement was contagious and the traffic snarls throughout the way did not dampen our spirit of fun and gayness, for Mahabaleshwar was just 290 kms from the city via Pune. Fighting all odds we were off the Mumbai -Pune expressway and heading towards Lonavala - where we stopped for a snack break. The piping hot tea and the pakoras that we had at the way-side dhaba was nothing less than inspiring and energized our weary souls for some serious action with the numerous tunnels playing hide-n-seek with our senses. The winding roads on the way accompanied by the thick smog were becoming too much of a mystery to wind through than the pages of a Sherlock Homes mystery novel. But, we survived and it was fun all the way with friends doing a sudden jig amidst the beautiful surroundings and bantering about all the odds we crossed through till we reached Mahabaleshwar.

Built on a plateau, Mahabaleshwar is 1372 m above seal level and located in the district of Satara. And, for the two-day break we lodged at Cloud Green, a part of Brightland. Here, the accommodation was spacious and comfortable for good nights sleep and had every other amenity at one’s beck-and-call. The new day dawned on us with exploration on our minds – after a healthy Poha breakfast, we set out to explore the getaway. The exploration started with us spotting a group of monkeys prancing around the place (and we thought we were the only monkeys around!). Initially we contemplated to take a walk by the shady paths or take a horse ride to the town area, but the group preferred to take a car ride. The first stopover was the Bombay Point, to check-out the first dawn break and then Kate’s Point that one had heard so much about for its suicidal tendencies. Nevertheless, Kate was breathtaking and beautiful and made us click many Kodak moments for posterity sake.

And, while in Mahabaleshwar, the one place not to miss out on is the famous Mapro Garden. It is here that one can relive their childhood fantasy. The highlight of the garden is its gigantic strawberry statute at the entrance, which had all the guests going for a feel of it and posing front of it for the fun sake. Jams, Falero and many other sweet delights can be purchased here at sinfully discounted rates. A 15 minute ride took us to the market area, a pedestrian-only street with shops selling everything from fancy locally-made items to sweet-meets. We purchased some fresh and yummy fudge for Rs120/half a kilogram to take back home.

Trekking was in the agenda but due to the smoggy weather we postponed it for our next venture together. So, if you want to drive in the monsoon blues, do drive to Mahabaleshwar and see the colour of life shining back at you without the smog (pun un-intended)."

Cool Places to Go to This Summer - Matheran

One of the most serene hill stations in Maharashtra, Matheran is located at a convenient distance from Mumbai. This hill town is credited with being one of the few where vehicular traffic is not allowed, thereby preserving its environment. Matheran can be reached easily by a Toy Train and the view from the train as it chugs through the green terrain is easily one of the most mesmerising! This hill retreat is best visited during the monsoon, when the showers turn it into a carpet of pure greenness.

Sights to see:

Lookout Points: Matheran is full of beautiful places to visit, especially a number of lookout points that provide fabulous views of the nearby region. There are close to 30 lookout points with rather quaint names, such as:

• Louisa Point

• Echo Point

• One Tree Hill

• Garbut Point

• King George Point

• Cecil Point

• Alexander Point

• Porcupine Point

• Hart Point

• Little Chowk Point

Mount Berry: This is one of the best spots in the hills to catch glimpses of Neral, another splendid point. There are also several temples here, including the Pisarnath Temple.

Lake Charlotte: This is the most popular spot here, known as a picnic place among families.

This beautiful hill station has a number of hotels & resorts. From budget hotels in Matheran to luxury retreats, it’s all here. When traveling during the monsoons, you must book the hotel in advance to get a confirmed stay.