Discovered by an Englishman, this hilltop retreat around 120 kms from Pune,
is a green patch in the Western Ghats. Matheran, which means, "wooded head" certainly
lives up to its name. There are numerous tracks covered with red earth, crisscrossing
this beautiful place. Walking along these tracks, covered almost entirely under
a canopy of dense vegetation, can be a charming experience.
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This is one of the few retreats where your cars are not allowed beyond a certain
point where you can safely park your cars for Rs.10 a day, and you could explore
this hill-station on foot or on horseback.
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This quaint, old-fashioned town is off limits to cars and a cute toy train up
the hillside (grab a window seat) is one way of getting here! Ideal for a weekend
break, this hill station closest to Mumbai still has stone villas, graveyards
and churches that remind you of the bygone Raj days even today!
| Life here, like most other hill stations
moves at a leisurely pace. With a beautiful
lake with 30 vantage points, you could
also spend time strolling down the lazy
main market, or wait for the sun to crawl
down horizon at the sunset point. |
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On a clear night you can count a few million
stars while listening to an orchestra of crickets
and other insects. Though the local population
of Matheran is very less the visitors pour
at this place frequently.
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The best
season to visit this place is between
November to June but the place is worth
visiting any time of the year.During
the monsoon the trails become very dirty
and the place virtually shuts down. |
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