Mahabaleshwar is a hill station in India's forested Western Ghats range, south of Mumbai, India. It features several elevated viewing points, such as Arthur’s Seat. West of here is centuries-old Pratapgad Fort, perched atop a mountain spur. East, Lingmala Waterfall tumbles off a sheer cliff. Colorful boats dot Venna Lake, while 5 rivers meet at Panch Ganga Temple to the north.
It is a very popular hill station as it is very close to both Mumbai and Pune and is hardly a 2-2.5 hours ride from Pune and around 3-4 from Mumbai. Panchgani is the sister town of Mahabaleshwar and on a lower altitude. The best time for a quick visit will no doubt be during the monsoons as the views will be spectacular and the cool breeze hitting your face is way too refreshing.
The thing about Mahabaleshwar is that it
can be done in a day as well or by staying for a night or two and then heading
back. Apart from the various viewpoints, the main attraction is the MaproGarden, it has it all, from a good restaurant selling good big
pizzas, sandwiches, and milkshakes; to selling counters and tasting booths, it
even has a chocolate factory.
