10 Best Things To Do In Lonavala Hill Station For The First Time

10 Best Things To Do In Lonavala Hill Station For The First Time

ABOUT LONAVALA

Lonavala hill station and a town located in the Pune district of the state of Maharashtra, India. It is one of the popular and most visited holiday destinations near Mumbai and Pune. A day visit to Lonavala on the weekend is known as the most famous activity for enthusiasts. In the monsoon, it gives tremendous pleasure to the visitors. Driving through curvy roads, hiking to the mountains, chilling up at resorts, and greenery spread across the surface is the identity of Lonavala hill station. The forts here, surrounded by the hills, are proof of the ‘prestige of the Maratha Empire’. The one who wants to witness the mystical mountain, the handsomeness of Lake, the attractive caves, and adventurous activities, it is a perfect destination. It is also known for its production of hard candy chikki.

HOW TO REACH LONAVALA HILL STATION

Being one of the famous tourist attractions, there are lots of easy and budget-friendly ways to reach.

By Air

There is no airport at Lonavala. The nearest airport is Mumbai International Airport on 100 km from Lonavala, and Pune airport on 65 km from Lonavala. From here, one can opt for a self-driving vehicle to reach Lonavala, or regular buses and share cabs are also available.

By Road

The best way to reach Lonavala is by road. Lonavala is located on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. This expressway is well connected to all cities in Maharashtra and also major cities like Bangalore and Chennai. State buses, private buses, and taxis are regularly available to reach Lonavala. Driving towards Lonavala from the express highway, one can see an ample number of beautiful waterfalls on the way.

By Rail

Lonavala has its own railway station. There are plenty of express trains running to and from Mumbai and Pune. A few of the trains running from Bangalore, Chennai also halt at Lonavala railway station. The frequency of the train is not an issue here.

For internal transportation, there are regular rickshaws available.

This is one of such places where I love to visit again and again. From the list of my favorite places, Lonavala hill station is the one that stands out the most. On my visit to this place, there are some unique places to see around it, where one would love to get engaged with. 

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN LONAVALA HILL STATION

NIGHT TREK TO RAJMACHI

Rajmachi night trek is one of the well-known activities for adventure lovers. Rajmachi is the name of one of the historical forts from Udhewadi village in Lonavala and Khandala. Fortification of Rajmachi consists of Shrivardhan and Manoranjan forts. This has become one of the most popular trekking destinations. The Lonavala to Rajmachi distance is about 18 km one way. The trek route involves dense forest, rocky terrain, waterfalls, and fireflies’ activity at night. One can also hire a shared jeep or own vehicle up to the Rajmachi base village. The driving route is very tough from Lonavala to the Udhewadi base village of Rajmachi. Post monsoon is the best time to enjoy the surroundings en route.

RAJMACHI FORT

MONSOON TREK TO VISAPUR FORT

Visapur is a fort located at a distance of 15 km from Lonavala. The nearest railway station to reach here is Malavli in Lonavala, and the distance from the fort is hardly 3 km. One can catch a shared auto from Lonavala or a local train to reach Malavli station. Visapur fort was not known much, recently photos from this place, where water is flowing through stairs and one needs to trek through it, have gone viral on social media and become a famous tourist spot for the monsoon. The fun part of this place is climbing the fort through the waterfall. The beautiful nature and drizzle make the perfect combination to motivate you to trek here. At the top, one can witness reverse waterfalls in a foggy climate. The ideal season here is monsoon, when the climate is pleasant.

VISAPUR TREK ROUTE

CAMPING AT PAWNA LAKE

Pawna Lake campsite is located at a distance of 20 km from Lonavala. From Lonavala station, one can hire a private Jeep to reach Pawna Lake. Ideal weekend getaway for people from Mumbai, Pune. Pawna Lake is a reservoir turned artificial lake in Lonavala, Maharashtra. It is increasingly becoming popular as a picnic spot and camping site for visitors. This is an awesome place to relax and rejuvenate your mind. Couples can enjoy solitude sitting near the serene lake. Pedal boating, speed boating, Horse riding, camping with bonfire and barbecues are some of the activities involved in Pawna lake camping. There are lots of private tour operators that arrange camping at Pawna Lake. The costing goes up to 1200 per person, including stay, food, and barbecue.

PAWNA LAKE WITH VIEW OF TUNG FORT

BHAJA CAVES

Bhaja Caves are located 6 to 7 km from Lonavala station and 2 to 3 km from Malavli station. One can take a direct rickshaw to reach Bhaja Caves from Lonavala or Malavli. On the way, one can come across a spectacular waterfall near the cave where visitors can refresh themselves. It is a group of 22 rock-cut caves dating back to the 2^nd century BC and dedicated to Budhas. This is a unique cluster of 14 stupas. The caves are 400 feet above the village of Bhaja. The ancient caves are protected as a Monument of National importance by the Archaeological Survey of India. It can be visited throughout the year.  

TIGER HILLS

Tiger Hills is also known as Tiger’s Point and also known as Tiger’s Leap. It is a cliff top with a sheer drop of over 650 m, giving an extensive view. Tiger’s Leap is situated at a distance of 12 km from Lonavala. One can take a private Jeep or rickshaw to reach here, or buses are available up to INS Shivaji, 1.5 km before Tiger’s Leap, and then further walk for 15 minutes. The Lonavala to Tiger’s Leap route is also known for its motorable road for bikers. The curvy road, scenic beauty, and dense fog make this place more charming in the monsoon. The legend of Shivaji being chased by a Tiger once, the Maratha Empire king Shivaji jumped into a ditch on the hill, and the Tiger leaped off it into the valley, hence known as Tiger’s Leap. The ideal season to visit here is the monsoon, which offers a view of waterfalls. 

TIGER HILLS

   

MONSOON VISIT TO BHUSHI DAM

It is a Dam on the Indrayani River in Lonavala, Maharashtra. The distance from Lonavala to Bhushi Dam is 3 km, a perfect destination for a day picnic. The distance from Lonavala to Bhushi Dam is 3 km. Regular share autos are available to reach. In monsoon, the Dam overflows through the stairs, giving a view of the Milky Way waterfall. There have been cases of accidents here in heavy monsoon. One has to be careful in heavy monsoon when the Dam overflows. The ideal time to visit here is monsoon.

ULHAS VALLEY

Ulhas Valley is also known as Canyon Valley. It is located at a distance of 5 km from Lonavala. In the monsoon, the valley is surrounded by a number of waterfalls on the green hills. The trek to Ulhas valley is a great satisfaction of an ascent and descent trail. One can view the milky water streams flowing from the mountain. The road starts with walking for 3 km from Lonavala up to the canyon valley and then descends towards the valley. This further leads to Kune waterfall.

ULHAS VALLEY

DELLA ADVENTURE

Della Adventure Park is India’s largest adventure park, situated in Lonavala hill station. The distance from Lonavala to Della Adventure is 5.4 km. One can easily get a private rickshaw to reach here. This is the perfect destination for adventure lovers. Della Adventure offers close to 50 adventurous activities for travelers. Post monsoon is the ideal season to reach here. One can do pre-booking of passes online itself, and it ranges from 3000 INR to 6000 INR per person, depending on the number of activities.

THRILLING WATER PARK RIDES

Wet N Joy Water Park and Imagica Water Park are two major destinations available near Lonavala, the adventurous activity that gives you the experience of Thrill over breathtaking water slides. It is an ideal place to get relief from stressful work and rejuvenate with a splash and Joy. The Park offers a ride of more than 25 water slides. The park timing for both is 10 am to 6 pm. One can book the passes online or through BookMyShow. The cost per head is around 1500 INR to 1700 INR. To reach here, private cabs are easily available. Wet N Joy is 13 km from Lonavala, whereas Imagica is 26 km from Lonavala. Imagica is also known for its Snow Park and Theme Park activities.

IMAGICA PARK

DAY TREK TO DUKE'S NOSE

Duke’s Nose is a cliff between Lonavala and Khandala. This cliff is pointed like a snake's head (hood), and hence it is also known as Nagphani. Duke’s nose is popular for Rappelling, Trekking, Camping, and Rock Climbing. It is 6 km from Lonavala station, and its base village is Kurvande. Private cabs are available to reach here.

DUKE'S NOSE

Apart from above mentioned places, Lonavala is also home to many historical forts. Some of them are Korigad, Tikona, Lohagad, Tung and Ghangad.
One should never miss any opportunity to visit these forts. All of these forts have their unique structure and history to tell.

IDEAL TIME TO VISIT LONAVALA HILL STATION

Lonavala has lots of things to offer throughout the year. The best time to visit Lonavala is October to February, when the climate is pleasant. In this period, sometimes the temperature falls below 10 degrees. This is an ideal time for camping. The monsoon at Lonavala from July to September is marked as a heavy monsoon here. One needs to be prepared to get wet throughout the day. All the Dams and waterfalls are full, up to the margin. One can get engaged in greenery and mist. However, summer in Lonavala is very hot and humid. For trekking and other activities at Lonavala, summer is not recommended. One who wants to chill in the hotels or resorts can go in the summer.

PLACES TO STAY AT LONAVALA HILL STATION 

Lonavala is famous for its Pawna Lake camping and Rajmachi camping, so definitely staying in the tent is another next-level adventure for visitors. Della Adventure Park offers a great stay at their own hotels and camping on hill hillside road inside the Park. There are multiple handpicked collections of hotels available at Lonavala. One can also do online booking through various major booking sites. Hotel price ranges from deluxe to economic rooms. One can relax in the resorts with having swimming pool and other indoor activities. There are so many resort options of resorts available here. Some of those are The Duke’s retreat, Kumar resort, and Sterling resort.

WHAT TO EAT IN LONAVALA

Lonavala is known for hard candy chikki production. One should not forget to buy Lonavala’s chikki. One should definitely try hot masala tea with the combination of Golden Wada Pav. In monsoon, the climate adds flavor to this combination. There are many roadside stalls selling sweet corn. Many hotels in Lonavala serve yummy, delicious food as per the region, starting from South Indian to North Indian. Many varieties are available in different hotels, ranging from the economic range to the higher one.     

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING LONAVALA HILL STATION

• Call up your hotel a few days before your holidays for booking confirmation.
• Being a hill station, the temperature is on the lower side, so better to carry woolen clothes.
• If you are visiting Lonavala to chill out and for peace, then spend at least three days.
• Traveling with your own vehicle is always the preferred option in Lonavala, which is budget-friendly and time-saving.
• Do not litter the area around.