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Matheran

MATHERAN

all about Matheran ....
The tiniest, unique, pollution free hill station set in state of Maharashtra is an idyllic weekend getaway, popular for its scenic beauty and laid back pace which eludes peace and calm. Time seems to stand still in this part of Maharashtra.


Literally meaning "Mother Forest" or "Forest on Top", what makes this quaint place unique is that excluding emergency vehicles, all other vehicles are banned here. Within the vicinity of the town, ponies and man-pulled rickshaws are the only modes of transport. Many people prefer to travel on foot, enjoying the beauty on the way.

A favourite holiday destination for tourists from all parts of the world. One sees a lot of vibrant colours of nature here. The most predominant are the red soil roads and green forests.

There is a fabulous garden to spend time with nature, situated in the heart of this little town with colourful benches and plants and trees and lots of monkeys !!!


Matheran was a popular hill resort for the British in the 1850s. Lord Elphinstone, the then Governor of Mumbai pioneered the development of Matheran as a future hill station of India.


LOCATION : -

District : Raigad district, Maharashtra
Altitude : 800 metres (2,625 feet) above sea level.
Temperature : Minimum 16 C in winter and Maximum 32° C in summer
Weather : The climate is very pleasant and cool.
Language spoken - Marathi, Hindi, English

Best time to visit - November to February, April to June

Proximity to Mumbai - 100 kms

Proximity to Pune - 120 kms

HOW TO GET THERE :-

By air : The nearest airport is in Mumbai (Bombay), located at a distance of 100 km from Matheran. Passengers willing to travel to Matheran can board a bus, taxi or private car from the airport for getting to the place.

By rail : The nearest railhead is Neral. The Deccan Express (departure from Mumbai CST at 6:45 am, Dadar at 7 am/ arrival at Neral at 8:18 am)various Express and local trains are available from the nearby cities of Mumbai and Pune that travel till Neral.
From Neral, passengers can board the mini-train (Blue Mini Rail - toy-train) that ascends towards Matheran, traveling a distance of 21 km in 2hrs. The journey is really enjoyable, through deep forests.

By road : The most convenient and quickest way of reaching Matheran. A 24 hr share taxi service is available from Neral to Dasturi car park (21 km) which takes about 20 mins. Charges are Rs 50 per person. The entry toll fee is Rs 25 per head. From there, one can walk up along the toy train railway track (40 minutes), ride on horses or take a man-pulled rickshaw or enjoy the joy ride by the toy train to Matheran.

Trekking : Some people also cover the distance between Neral and Matheran on foot. The trip though arduous, can be quite exhilarating, as hikers mount the steep hills enjoying the scenic beauty stretched all around.

WHERE TO STAY : -
Matheran has plenty of hotels to suit all budgets. Most are close to the railway station on Mahatma Gandhi (MG) Road. The MTDC's holiday resort lies close to Dasturi Naka. Rates are subject to change according to the season. The others are Regal hotel, Royal Hotel, Rugby Hotel, Gujarat Bhavan ( which serves an excellent thali for lunch and buffet for dinner), Hotel Preeti, Anand Ritz, Divadhar Hotel, Lord's, Hope Hall (a charming quaint hotel run by a Goan lady, Ms. Maria. We always stay there). courtesy - http://www.regalmatheran.com/location.htm

SHOPPING :-
The colorful main bazaar of Matheran has small shops selling a number of items that include Kolhapuri chappal, leather bags, and belts. Glass birds and dry flowers are other two important items sold in Matheran that you can shop.

Local speciality - Chikki is what dominates the food items in Matheran. It is made of gram flour, jaggery and cashew nut.

SIGHT - SEEING :-

"There are many places to see in Matheran -

1) 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.

2) 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.

3) 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.

4) The other famous points in Matheran are Luisa Point , Echo Point , Chowk (One tree Point) , Garbett Point , Eleward Point , Pemastar Park , Navaloji Lord Garden and Cathedral Rock." (courtesy -http://www.matheranhotels.net/matheran.html)

5) Other important points are Heart Point, Malang Point, Honeymoon Hill, Lords Point, One-tree Hill, Olympia, Paymasters Park, Artists Park, Mount Barry, etc." (courtesy - http://www.matheranhotels.net/tourist-attractions.html)




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