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Khandala
Languages : Marathi, Hindi and English
Best Time to Visit : October–May
Khandala is one of the important hill stations in the state
of Maharashtra and is the pride of the Sahyadri Mountains.
Khandala is endowed with abundant natural beauty and like
Lonavala, it is also provides a popular gateway from the hustle
and bustle of cities of Mumbai and Pune. The picturesque green
surroundings of this pretty hill station attract the travelers
towards it.
Khandala is located in the western part of the state of Maharashtra,
in the western region of India. It is set amongst the hills
and valleys of the Sahyadri mountain range. It is situated
101 km southeast of Mumbai and 69 km from Pune. It is 5 km
from Lonavala. Weather in Khandala is pleasant. Summers (April–June)
are mild, while winters are cool (November–February). It experiences
heavy southwestern monsoon rains between June and September.
It is advised not to visit Khandala in the monsoon season
between the months of June and September because of heavy
rains.
Places of Interest
Khandala is a small hill station. The town provides a panoramic
view of the lush green hilly environs. Travelers throng this
place to escape the hectic lifestyle of Mumbai city. They
can enjoy the scenic beauty of this place by taking a walk
around. It has a number of trekking trails around it.
SITES NEARBY
The popular hill station of Lonavala is only 5 km from
Khandala. Lonavala also has the same geographical settings
as that of Khandala.
There are a number of lakes around Khandala. Tugauli Lake,
Lonavala Lake and Bhushi Lake are worth visiting; so is the
Walvan Dam. Karla and Bhaja Caves, located in the hills at
a distance of 16 km from Khandala, are important places to
visit. These rock-cut cave temples dating back to 2nd century
bc and are amongst the oldest and finest examples of Buddhist
rock-cut temple art in India, belonging to the Hinayana sect
of Buddhism. Adventure seekers can try their hand at rock
climbing at the Duke’s Nose peak and other locations in the
Karla hills, near Khandala. Travelers coming from Mumbai to
Khandala via the Mumbai–Pune highway can see the Duke’s Nose
with its peculiar peak.
HOW TO REACH
Khandala does not have an airport. The nearest airport is
at Pune (69 km) while the nearest railway station is at Lonavala.
As Lonavala is on the main railway line between Mumbai (Bombay)
and Pune (Poona), all express trains plying between the two
cities stop here and travelers can take express trains passing
through Lonavala to reach Mumbai and Pune. The travel time
from Lonavala to Mumbai in express train is three hours, while
it takes one hour from Lonavala to Pune. There is also an
hourly shuttle service for Pune (2 hours). Khandala is well
connected with Mumbai and Pune by road and the bus service
for Pune (travel time 2˝ hours) via Lonavala is good. However,
it takes about four hours to reach Mumbai from Khandala. Buses
shuttle between Khandala and Lonavala (15 minutes). Travelers
can also walk down to Lonavala from Khandala.
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