Matheran-Mahabaleshwar-Panchagani
Trip Start
Unknown
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5
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Trip End
Ongoing
Matheran, Maharashtra, India
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
My elder sister is staying in Mumbai.We wanted to visit them during Sankranti vacation.So we have planned for a vacation to Matheran and Mahabaleshwar as they are close to Mumbai along with my sister's family.We ( my mother,my wife,my daughter and I ) went to Mumbai on Jan 8,2011 and stayed in Mumbai with my sister's family for 3 days.We have been to Mandapeshwar caves near Borivli ( where my sister lives ). It's almost in ruins.But still worth visiting to see how the invaders from other countries destroyed our rich and beautiful places.( http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Mandapeshwar-caves-still-in-the-dark/articleshow/29460030.cms ).We have been to Gateway of India and did a lot of pavement shopping in Bandra.I liked Mumbai very much and would like to visit again.
Matheran : On Jan 11 morning we ( My mother,my wife,my daughter,my sister,my sister's son and I ) started from Mumbai to Matheran.My sister's Husband is to join us after two days in Mahabaleshwar.We hired a Innova and left for Matheran.To go to Matheran,first you have to go to Neral which is 85 km from Borvli ( Neral is 73 km from IIT,Mumbai and 677 km from Hyderabad ) .Cabs are allowed up to Neral only.From Neral, Matheran is 7 km.Neral to Dasturi Naka is 4 km and from Dasturi Naka to Matheran is 3 km. Outside cabs are not allowed from Neral to Dasturi Naka though personal vehicles are allowed in this stretch.We can hire a taxi in Neral to go upto Dasturi Naka.From Dasturi Naka to Matheran no vehicles are allowed.You have to walk for about 3 km in the forest or hire a hand pulled Rickshaw or hire a horse.We hired a taxi from Neral to Dasturi Naka.The taxis are horrible.I haven't seen a single Taxi which looks OK.The one that we took has only a driver's seat and two Iron benches welded to the car.( many taxis are like that ).The road is horrible and the taxi stopped a number of times in between and it started again only when two wires hanging around are joined for a moment.After a painful journey we reached Dasturi Naka.There we hired two Coolies two take our luggage and a Rickshaw to take my mother up to the hotel in Matheran.The path is completely a mud road and very steep at some places.The rickshaw is also pulled by two people.I too pulled the Rickshaw at some places.It's a tough work for the Rickshaw pullers.It has taken an hour to walk up to Mathgeran and another 15 min to go to our hotel which is on the other end of the road.Matheran is a one street place.All the hotels,shops.Railway station are all on the same road.Right from Dasturi Naka it is a forest.So the entire stretch is full of trees.It's a nice enjoyable walk.( as long as you don't have to carry anything extra ).But the best way to reach Matheran from Neral is to take the toy train. Neral to Matheran 4 trains a day at 7.30, 9.00, 10.30 and 17.05 . Matheran to Neral 4 trains a day at 7.00, 9.50,13.50,16.30 .There will be no trains in monsoon.It's a two hour journey. While coming back from Matheran we have taken the Toy train .We can book tickets in IRCTC .
We stayed in hotel Usha Ascot ( http://www.ushaascot.com/ ).It's a very good hotel,may be a little expensive.The cottages are very good.We just roamed around Matheran that day.In the evening we went to Sunset point.It is almost an hours trek.May be one can do it a little quicker.As we walked slowly and stopped in between to enjoy the nature around us it took an hour.The sunset is very good.We had a good time there.While coming back,we hired horses to come back to the main street as every one is tired by then.I walked along with my mother's horse.It was dark by then.The weather has become cold,but very enjoyable.We all sat there near a Coffee stall and had a very good coffee.We roamed around there only and had our dinner in some hotel there on the main street.After a good night's sleep,next day morning we went to charlotte lake which is an hours walk again.But we hired a Rickshaw for my mother.Matheran roads are all mud roads with red soil.Our shoes,clothes everything becomes red after walking around.The views from that lake are great.There is a small old temple near the lake.We have spent a lot of time there.After coming back to the hotel,we packed our luggage and headed for the Railway station.I have booked 8 first class tickets ( it's just around Rs 200 per ticket ),so we have got an entire coupe.We have taken 13.50 train to Neral.It was such a fun travelling in the toy train as it moves along the track with twists and turns.It moves so slow that one can actually walk along the train.Putting your hands out is very risky as it moves so close to the hills.It's a spectacular view of the rugged hills and deep valley down under.Matheran is an excellent place to laze around including those walks.It's totally different from other hill stations as there are absolutely no vehicles and no pollution around.It's a fantastic place.A must visit for a peaceful vacation.We arrived at Neral around 3.30 pm.We hired an Innova cab to go to Mahabaleshwar which is 230 km from Neral ( via Khandala,Kamshet,wakad junction,Panchagani )( Mahabaleshwar is 115 km from Pune,586 km from Hyderabad ).We reached our hotel around 8.30 pm.My sister's husband has come there by then from mumbai directly in his car.We stayed in Hotel Krishna continental ( http://www.hotelsinmahabaleshwar.com/mahabaleshwar/krishnacontinental/ ) which is on the main road connecting Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar. ( 5.5 km from Mahabaleshwar bus stand,13 km from Panchgani ).It's a decent hotel.We hired a cab for the next two days to move around.
Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani : Next day morning we went out for breakfast to a
restaurant.It has a Strawberries farm.It's beatiful.Fresh Strawberries are available everywhere in Mahabaleshwar.It's very tasty if eaten fresh.We ate a lot of them.Then we went to Wonder point.It's a nice place where you can get excellent views of the hills around.There are a lot of monkeys around,some of them ferocious.As I am taking a photo of all others , a monkey snapped a hand bag from Divya, which she has kept at her side on a big stone.It contains a good deal of money,credit cards etc.It went up a tree and tried to open the bag.Divya got panicked and started shouting and Bannu started crying as it is her favourite bag .The monkey went down the hill in to the Valley below taking the bag with it.Two local youth went down the valley to get the bag,I too followed them.Looking at all of us the monkey dropped the bag and went off.Those guys have reterived the bag from the valley.It was a dangerous walk down the hill,but finally we got our bag back intact.I have given the two guys the money which they have asked before going down the hill.It was an experience that we will remember for a long time to come.Then we went to Tapola dam and then we have been to Sri Pancha Ganga temple which is the confluence of five rivers Koyna,Krishna,Venna,Savitri and Gayatri.It's beautiful 13th century temple.A place worth visiting.We bought some stuff there.Then we have been to Echo point.As the name suggests, at a point there if shouted loud enough you can hear the echo of it from the distance hills.We tried but it didn't echo properly.Then a big group of students prodded by their teacher, shouted together " Bharat maata ki jai ".It has echoed excellently.The place is very good.Then went to Arthur's seat point.Then we went to Sunset point.But it was crowded a lot.So our cab driver suggested some other place to view Sunset.It's an easy 15 min walk and there is very little crowd.It was a great sight.We went for shopping in Mahabaleshwar after that and it was interesting.After having dinner we came back to our hotel.It was cold by then,but enjoyable.Next day we have been to Tapola dam and from there we went for a boat ride to Triveni Sangamam.In the afternoon we went to Pancjgani.I wanted to go for Paragliding,unfortunately the weather conditions are not good for it at that time,It was very disappointing for me.We went to table top in Panchgani.It was a great place.The views are very good and the place itself is unique.In the evening we went to MAPRO where different types of fruits and Juices,jam etc are available.It's a good place to visit.Next morning Divya,Bannu,Chintu and I went to Lingamala water falls.It's just 20 min walk in the hills just opposite to our hotel.It was a nice walk in the woods.By afternoon all of us have left Mahabaleshwar.We booked a cab to Pune and a train from there to Hyderabad and my sister's family went in their car to Mumbai.
I liked Matheran very much.Mahabaleshwar is OK.The forests around Matheran and Mahabaleshwar are not as dense as we find in Western ghats,Araku,Seshachalam hills etc.Mahabaleshwar is a typical tourist place where a lot of people come and go on visiting all important points in and around.Infact that's what we have done in Mahabaleshwar.The trip was enjoyable as went along with my sister's family.Matheran is very peaceful,where we can simply walk around in the woods for hours.One more trip to Mhabaleshwar NO and to Matheran MAY BE.
Syam
Link to Photos : https://picasaweb.google.com/syam0312/2011MatheranMahabaleshwar?authuser=0&feat=directlink
