A hill town in Western Ghats, apart from its strawberries, Mahabaleshwar is also well known for its numerous rivers, magnificent cascades and majestic peaks.

Mahabaleshwar is a hill station located in the Western Ghats, in Satara district of Maharashtra. Known for its captivating beauty and the beautiful strawberry farms, the city comprises of ancient temples, boarding schools, manicured and lush green dense forest, waterfalls, hills, valleys. The city is definitely among the most sought after weekend getaways from Mumbai. Charming views, enticing valleys, serene lakes and a refreshing delight for your taste buds – the best way to summarize this natures gift.

Elephant’s Head point

Elephant’s Point is famous for the beauty and peace that one gets by being there. The greenery around is worth appreciating, and nature around is stunning and gives one a sense of comfort away from the fast moving life of the city. The rock formations at the site are present in a way that forms the trunk of an elephant. It is one of the most visited and famous attractions of Mahabaleshwar which is flocked in by tourists from near and far.

Elephant’s Point got its name from the age prevalent during the British Raj and the Governor of Bombay at the time, Sir Mount Elphinstone. It is believed that it was founded in the year 1930 by Dr Murray who also has an old mansion present nearby.

Today, only the ruins of this hotel are present in the place of which a picnic shed for the tourists is being constructed by the local authorities. The elephant’s point justifies its name and give one a picture of an elephant’s head and trunk. One must surely not miss out on the place.

Chinaman’s falls

A visit to Mahabaleshwar is less or more incomplete without witnessing the tantalizing descend of the Chinaman’s fall, one of the most significant falls in the state.

The place is named after the Chinese prison located in the vicinity. It serves as a perfect holidaying spot enthralling a bewitching experience.

Dhobi waterfall

These set of fascinating waterfalls connect Lodwick and Elphinston point and further join petit road with Old Mahabaleshwar road. Surrounded by greenery and rocks, these are ideal for a surreal experience amidst nature.

Arthur’s seat

Arthur’s seat or Suicide point is also known as the Queen of all points. It offers the most mesmerizing and fascinating view of the dense valleys of Brahma-Arayana and the Savitri river.

The point is a huge table that stands on a natural pillar. On the way up, one can also see window point and Tiger’s spring.

Venna Lake

Venna Lake is a scenic human-made lake in Mahabaleshwar. The lake offers rowboats, and paddleboats ride to the visitors and hence is usually very crowded. Apart from boating, there is horse riding and rides for children such as merry go round and the toy train. The lake serves yummy Chowpatty food and has numerous food stalls that serve delicious street food items like Corn, bhelpuri and fresh fruits like mulberries, strawberries and carrots. Bagicha Corner and Hirkani Garden are the most famous restaurants around. People prefer to walk to reach here from the market area and the bus stand nearby.

Venna Lake was built by Shri Appasaheb Maharaj who was the ruler of Satara and a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, in the year 1942. Appasaheb was the leader in the 19th century, and the ancient tower which is present in the centre is a mark of the history surrounding the place. The lake is spread over an area of 28 acres with a periphery of 7 to 8 km. It was initially built with the aim of catering to the water needs of the city of Mahabaleshwar. The lake has one or two tirths (place of pilgrimage) submerged to nearly 1 to 2 km. Chhatrapati Pratapsihn Garden is present on the banks of the lake.

Wilson Point

A wide plateau by the name of Wilson Point, tends to be one of the best places in the town to start your day. Catch a breathtaking view of the sunrise from any of the three watch points here. Enjoy the wide sceneries here as this also happens to be the highest points in the town.

Mahabaleshwar Temple

Located at a distance of 6 km from the city of Mahabaleshwar; Mahabaleshwar temple is an ancient shrine and an ideal example of the Maratha heritage. Popularly known as the Mahabali, the temple is flocked by tourists and devotees throughout the year to bask in the serenity and tranquillity offered here. The temple is extremely popular among the Hindus, as Lord Shiva is the presiding deity here. Set up amidst the hilly terrain, this picturesque temple glorifies the Maratha Empire and its rule during the 16th century.

The Mahabaleshwar temple near Satara is one of the ancient temples of Maharashtra. It was built by Chanda Rao More dynasty in the 16th century. The magnificent temple is guarded by a five feet wall and has two sections- the inner area and the outer area. The inner part, known as the sanctum sanctorum, has Shiva as the presiding deity. There are many belongings of Lord Shiva in the premises of this temple, like his bed, damru, Trishul, carvings of his sacred bull and Kalbhairav (his bodyguard); that aptly defines his presence here.

Panchgani

Deriving its name from the five hills surrounding it, Panchgani is a popular hill station near mahabaleshwar , famous for its various sunset/sunrise points and scenic valley view.

Located at an altitude of 1, 334 mts. , Panchgani is a hill station in Maharashtra, known for its scenic views. Five hills form the Sahyadri mountain ranges offer Panchgani its name. The picturesque backdrop of hills on one side and coastal plains on the other makes for an amazing view. In the British era, the place was treated as a summer resort and hence many colonial period establishments can be seen here. Mahabaleshwar is like a twin city to Panchgani.