Mahabaleshwar

By ajaychaudhary2nd

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Mahabaleshwar is the largest hill station in the Sahyadri range of Maharashtra state. It is situated at an altitude of 1372 m above seal level in the Satara district, about 115 km southwest of Pune.

Mahabaleshwar was established as a health resort in 1829 AD.
It was a jail for chinese & malay convicts from 1834 to 1864.The capacity of the jail was 120 prisoners. These prisoners introduced cultivation of red potatoes, strawberries & waeving of cane & bamboo baskets. Many of the prisoners stayed at Mahabaleshwar after they were released.

Due to its high altitude, the town has a cool climate and offers many pleasant walks. There are several lookout points which offer spectacular views of the surrounding hills and valleys. There is an old Shiva temple in the forest, which is the source of five rivers, including the Krishna river which is the second longest river of peninsular India.

Mahabaleshwar is visited by many thousands of tourists every year. It is well connected by bus with the important towns of the region. There are numerous hotels for every budget. The peak season is March-May; it rains very heavily from June to September.

Among the local delicacies, strawberry shakes and corn patties are well known. Ingredients for these are all grown locally.


By Air :

Pune, located at a distance of 120 km is the nearest airport. If you plan to travel to Mahabaleshwar by air, you can board a flight till Pune, and then easily avail a bus, taxi or a private car from the Pune airport. The airport has various facilities within its premises for tourists traveling to the place. State operated buses are also easily available from Pune. Even private tour-operators provide luxury/ non- luxury bus services to Mahabaleshwar. You can even hire a vehicle of your choice from the airport, for the entire duration of your stay.

By Train :

The nearest railhead from Mahabaleshwar is Wather, located at a distance of 62 km from the city. But if you choose to travel to Mahabaleshwar by train, the Pune railhead, located at a distance of 120 km, is comparatively more convenient than the Wather station, because of its better connectivity to Mahabaleshwar. People traveling by train can get down at the Pune railway station to reach Mahabaleshwar. Private tour operators provide buses, mini-buses, taxis, etc, which are easily available for tourists outside the Pune station. One can also avail the state-operated buses that shuttle between Pune and Mahabaleshwar.

By Road :

From Mumbai, Mahabaleshwar is 285 km (via Pune route) and the distance is about 247 km (via Mahad route). There are regular state-operated buses that travel to Mahabaleshwar from the nearby cities of Pune and Mumbai. Private tour operators also provide various luxury/ non-luxury, AC/Non-AC, Deluxe and Volvo buses and other vehicles to and from Mahabaleshwar. You can even drive your own vehicle to Mahabaleshwar, enjoying its idyllic beauty, as the roads are excellent. It takes around 5 hrs to reach Mahabaleshwar from Mumbai by road.
http://www.mshwar.com/june99/guide.htm




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