Matheran

Distance   130 km

District   Raigad

Category   Hill Station

Overview

The British discovered Matheran and developed it as a famous tourist destination. The history dates back to the British era when Hugh Malet discovered the hill station in the year 1850. It is around 100 kms away from the industrial capital of India, Mumbai. Located at an elevation of about 800m (2,625) above the sea level, the place boasts of its panoramic views and breathtaking charm. Another special thing on Matheran is that it has no tarred roads and the path is made of red laterite earth.
Being one of those few places in the globe where absolutely no vehicles are allowed, it is something very unique about Matheran. The fresh unpolluted air free of smoke and the beautiful surroundings makes it a most visited tourist destination in west India. If you want to sit back and enjoy the mesmerizing charm of nature, then Matheran is the place for you. The Union Environment Ministry has declared the region as an eco sensitive region.
Matheran is famous for its train, which runs from Neral to Matheran. This small train covers the distance of 21 Kms in 2-2 1/2 hrs. Journey through this train is really enjoyable. The train goes through deep forest and one can see the beauty of jungle. Matheran is truly a unique place as it is 'Pollution Free Town' . No vehicles are allowed here and hence total area is free from pollution. You can either walk the town or travel on the back of horses.
The place can be explored on the horse back or by man-pulled rickshaws. If you are a trekker then there is nothing that can beat the charm of exploring this serene land on foot. One of the interesting facts about Matheran is that it still has preserved the old British style architecture which has now become the heritage buildings. The place is calm and quiet and the climate is pleasant through out the year.
The climate of Matheran is very cool. The most unforgettable things about Matheran is deep forest and the waterfalls nearby, especially in rainy season. The beauty of the hill station gets doubled in monsoon. Matheran is truly 'The Best Hill Station in Maharashtra. There are many places to see in Matheran.

Places of Interest

Matheran is famous for its dense forest cover and the local honey gathered from the forest bees. There are number of places of interest that must be visited like the Echo Point, Luisa Point, Porcupine Point and Charlotte Lake. Panorama Point is among the 38 designated points to look out for and the special thing of Matheran Panorama Point is that it gives a 360 degree view of the surroundings.
Charlotte Lake - The main water source of Matheran 1 km from main market.
Panorama Point - This is 'sun-rise' point. The longest point in Matheran. Almost 6 kms from market. One can see 'Neral' on east and 'Panvel' on the west of the point. The other points in Matheran like Sunset Point , Monkey Point , Maldunga Point and Heart Point etc. are also to the west. If weather is good, you can see Khandala and Bhimashankar ranges as well. Truly, 'the king of all points' is Matheran.
Sun-set/Porcupine Point - Famous for Sunset. A deep forest nearby can be easily seen. 'Prabalgad' can also be seen from this point. Around 4 kms. from main market.

The other famous points in Matheran are Loisa Point , Echo Point , Chowk (One tree Point) , Garbett Point , Eleward Point , Pemastar Park , Navaloji Lord Garden and Cathedral Rock.

Accommodation

From affordable to luxurious hotels there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to staying at Matheran.

How to Reach

Train : Regular Trains available from Pune Station to Karjat or Neral. A train from Neral to Matheran is available.

Road : Take the Pune - Mumbai Express way and exit at Khalapur.From Khalapur, continue on Old highway to Chowk Junction. At Chouk village, you will see a big board indicating that you need to turn right towards Karjat. Proceed on the Karjat road and then turn left to Neral. Matheran Ghat starts from Neral junction and is short (7 Kms only) but steep. You will find plenty of signboards urging you to move to the first Gear.

Vehicles are not allowed at Matheran. You need to park the car at Dasturi Naka. Matheran is a good 2.5 Km walk from Dasturi Naka. If you feel you cannot last the 2.5 Km of walk, there are plenty of horsemen and hand pulled carriages to take you to your resort.
The most enjoyable way to reach Matheran is to take the Matheran Toy Train from Neral Station.