Best Places to Visit in Mahabaleshwar
How often do we make plans with our friends & family and say that let’s go to Mahabaleshwar and after all the planning one question arises is how many times we will visit the same place. Still, you are not aware that there are many more places in Mahabaleshwar that you can visit.
The summer capital of Bombay reflects the British influence in its architecture, laying in the lap of Sahyadri Mountains ranges. It is a heaven for nature lovers that will revive your body & will give you’re the energy to get back to your busy life with more power & freshness.
These are some places you must visit in Mahabaleshwar and make your days count.
Pratapgad
History has always remained a good place for exploration, and the ‘Valour Fort’, known as Pratapgad, is a mountain fort. You will get to experience the significant past due to the battle of Pratapgad that happened in the year 1659.
It is one of the famous tourist destinations of that area. The fort was built in 1656 & later, it experienced the conflict between Afzal Khan and Shivaji Maharaj.
Currently, the Pratapgad fort is owned by the former Satara princely state heir named Udayanraje Bhosle. The fort is divided into two parts, the upper fort & the lower fort. It comprises the temple, which Shivaji Maharaj constructed as a dedication to the goddess.
The fort has many trekking routes connected, and it is a famous place for a day trip. People come here to visit the temple of Goddess Bhavani in the lower fort, the temple of Mahadev in the Upper fort & the dargah of Afzal Khan.
The fort is open for tourists from 10 am till 6 pm, and it does not have any entry fees. The fort lies in the Poladpur & Mahabaleshwar road.
Mapro Garden
Roaming around the beautiful hill station & finding a fantastic place to experience plantation is out of the box, and Mapro Garden is the same of that kind. It is one of the famous tourist destinations in the location. Mapro, the product name, is associated with fruit-based.
You will find a nursery, a restaurant, a chocolate factory, retail outlets by Mapro, and a playing area for kids. The garden was established around the 1980s as the company expanded their Food factory, and due to this, the visitors got to experience the making of syrups & jams. With that, the visitors started enjoying relaxing in the surroundings, so the company began serving ice creams.
The visitors can have a look at the whole journey of Mapro as they are showcased in an auditorium & if you like the product, you have the option to buy those products from the outlet of Mapro present in the garden.
The place is a heaven for strawberry lovers, they have a massive quantity of strawberries, and they also offer strawberry shakes, jams, and ice cream prepared from freshly plucked strawberries.
A strawberry festival is also organized in which the visitors can have delightful strawberries & along with that they can enjoy the Lezim, Shivalik Dhol and folk performances. This festival runs for nine days and is usually organized in May.
The garden is open from 8 am to 8 pm and you can visit it for free of cost.
Venna Lake
The Venna Lake is one of the visited places in Mahabaleshwar as it feels fantastic when you see a lake surrounded by trees, and then you go boating with your friends and family members, just like an ideal picnic spot.
It has breathtaking greenery, which freshens up your mind and gives you new energy to get back to everyday life. As people say every place has a unique vibe, and the lake has it.
You do not need to pay any charge for entry, but you will have to pay for a boat ride if you want to go for a boat ride. Apart from that, it has mini-train rides for kids & fishing for adults. The lake is open from 7 am to 7 pm, and for the location, you can ask any local in Mahabaleshwar.
Lingamala Falls
In the lap of Sahyadri mountain ranges, one of India’s most visited waterfalls named Lingamal Falls. The fall is located near Mahabaleshwar, and once you look at the fall, you will be mesmerized with the beauty nearby. You can find the bungalow of Lingmala.
The fall has approx. height of 600ft, which is when it is in front of your eyes, you will appear like an ant. The fall journey goes through a forest, so you can have a trek planned to save your time, and the destination will give you satisfaction like a picture-perfect ending. The climate is semi-hot across the year but near the fall, you will experience the cool breeze and the fresh splash of water which is the most satisfactory part.
The fall has a good amount of water as the region experiences an annual rainfall of approx. 763 mm. Even you are a photographer you can visit this place as it is a good location for shoots and all as natural beauty is the purest thing one can see.
If you are visiting Mapro Garden, you can see the fall located nearby. The best view you can get is in the post-monsoon, but that is dangerous also as due to rains the surface becomes slippery and also you have to cross a forest to reach the fall.
At last, you can experience three waterfalls at one visit, it is like three in one package nearby you can visit Chinaman’s waterfall and Dhobi waterfall. The fall is open for tourists from 9 am to 6 pm, and the entry fees cost Rs 20 per person. The fall lies in the state highway 72 in Mahabaleshwar.
Elephant’s Head Point
The Elephant’s Head Point is also recognized as the famous Needle Point. It is a mountain that emerges as a shape of an elephant head. It is considered a romantic place, at the end of the hill.
The best time to visit the place is during the monsoon as it is filled with lush greenery, but at that time it becomes a bit dangerous as it is a mountain, so it comprises a rough surface. From the Needle Point, you get to see the marvelous view of the Sahyadri mountain ranges. So if you are a nature lover, you will love the place, you can sit and relax in the fresh breeze away from the city life, away from pollution.
You can also experience Kate’s Point, and it is a good location for photoshoots, and you can get good photographs for your memory. The area has three points: the Needle Point, Kate point, and the echo point.
From Kate’s Point, you can experience the view of Mandardeo, Pandavgadh, and Kamalgadh. But you have to do the hard work of trekking, then only you can enjoy the mesmerizing view from the top.
Mini Kashmir
Kashmir is one of the best tourist places in India, but when you want to get a staycation or a mini-vacation you have an excellent opportunity to visit mini Kashmir, or some people call it Tapola. The place comprises of the beautiful lake called Shivsagar lake & the fantastic sighting.
You can plan treks with your squad and go on a journey to experience the beautiful view, and especially if you are planning to visit it during the summers, it is a very good option. You can enjoy boating in the silent lake, relax by the lake, and jam with your group.
The place offers many activities like kayaking, water scooter rides, swimming, etc. The area gives a very pleasant sunset & sunrise view with natural beauty. You can try to wake up a bit early and reach the place or stay till the evening.
Lodwick View
The place was earlier recognized as Sydney Point, but later, it was renamed as a tribute to General Lodwick. Mahabaleshwar is a gem for nature lovers, they will find one or the other place in the location. As the area lies in the Sahyadri mountain ranges, it has many points at the top that will give you a breathtaking view and one of those is the Lodwick view.
Talking about General Lodwick, he was the first British officer to climb up to the top and to honour him, a 25 feet pole is also stationed at the viewpoint. When you reach the viewpoint, you can experience the panoramic view of the lush green valley and sometimes clouds and greenery meeting points. It is one of the most visited tourist spots in Mahabaleshwar.
You can visit the place at the time of winter and summer, and it is located in the Lodwick Trail, Mahabaleshwar.
Lord Mahabaleshwar Temple
The Lord Mahabaleshwar Temple is a place dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was constructed during the 16th century, and it is also said that the site holds religious significance is more than all the Jyotirlingas.
In the Lord Mahabaleshwar Temple, you can see the architecture of Hemadant styles, which is quite old, and also the character it gets from the ancient architecture is fantastic. The temple comprises idols of Kalabhairava and Nandi but it looks marvellous as it lies between the Sahyadri mountain ranges.
It has immense significance as the place is the only temple in the world with Linga in the form of Rudraksha. It has six feet long self-originated (Swayambhu) Shiva Linga which is recognized as Mahalingam and is more than a thousand years old.
It is also believed that Lord Shiva still visits the premises and uses the houses that are built-in temple premises every night. Even Shivaji Maharaj visited the place and conducted Tula Daan, in which he donated gold to the needy.
The place gives you positive energy and fills you with immense joy also, the temples go picture perfect with the landscape and natural beauty of the area. This place is also the meeting point of five rivers and the temple is open from 6 am to 7 pm.
Table Land
You might have always learned about plateaus and also about the Tableland, but you can see it for real in Mahabaleshwar. The Table Land in Mahabaleshwar is the 2nd highest mountain plateau in Asia, and it is one of the famous spots in Mahabaleshwar.
The best time to visit the Tableland is during august & September as at that time it has lush green grasses and looks beautiful. At the top, you can experience spacious caves, vegetations, and laterite rocks.
There you can do activities like horse riding, paragliding and also you will get food stalls serving yummy foods. You must visit this location as it is not to be missed.
Rajapuri Caves
Rajapuri Caves is one of the famous historical sites in location and attracts a lot of tourists the main attraction of the cove is the Kartikeya Temple that is said to be built from the sand taken from the Rajapuri caves.
The place has four caves, but three are in a single location, and the other one is placed separately. The three caves are connected to the underground tunnel. In the first cave, you will see a Kund, which is always filled with the water that flows from the mouth of a cow (sacred gomukh).
You will also see a Goddess Ghatjal Devi temple, Karthikeya temple. It is believed that the caves served Pandavas during the time of exile and there are some more facts related to the place you will get to know on your visit.
During the harvest season, you can experience the annual local fair, and it is open from 6 am to 7 pm.
Helen’s Point
As mentioned, Mahabaleshwar will surprise you with its immense beauty. Helen’s Point gives the most beautiful view you will experience in Mahabaleshwar, and it is a treat to nature lovers and photographers.
It is more than sufficient even if you go & sit for while you will be mesmerized with the place. It gives the perfect landscape picturesque. The clouds & the beauty of the valley with the lush greenery, in authentic ways, is a gift to humans.
Krishnabai Temple
Krishnabai Temple is a hidden gem that you can experience, it is not so famous as Panchganga Temple & Mahabaleshwar Temple, but it is an underrated place. It is located nearby Panchganga Temple.
The temple is devoted to Shiva but has got it as the Krishna river originates. Some people say that the temple is 5000 years old, some say 1000 years, but in reality, it is unknown how old it is. From the temple, you get the view of Krishna Valley, and it is open from 6 am to 8 pm.
So these are some of the best places you can visit in Mahabaleshwar. Apart from that, the best time to visit Mahabaleshwar is between December to February, and it is perfect if you plan to go trekking or need a short vacation to freshen up.
