My Visit to Mahabaleshwar, India - a Land of Fresh Strawberries

Mahabaleshwar is situated at the 4500 ft. height in the heart of Sahyadri Hills in Satara District, Maharashtra State. This is a very popular hill station among the tourist. This place derives its name from Mahabaleshwar temple here, dedicated to Lord Shiva. If you are in search of heaven on earth, if you like to be very close to nature, then this is the perfect place for you. The serene environment and apart from unexplored jungles, this place is reach in flora and fauna. There is something for every one here. This place was Britishers famous summer getaway due to soothing ambiance and cool weather. Mahabaleshwar is rightly called as the Queen of hill stations.

We took a Volvo bus from Mumbai and reached here. This place is near from Pune as compared to from Mumbai. It takes almost 6-7 hours to reach here from Mumbai by road. We had our booking done in advance in one of the famous hotels here. There are many hotels in Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani area suitable to various wallets. Most of the hotels offer rooms with all meals. There are few who offer only bed and breakfast. Other hotels offer only rooms. There are cottages and bungalows too if you have the higher budget. There are many restaurants and fast food joints around and you get a variety of food.

Mahabaleshwar offers you various points and places which are well within reach for all ages. You get private cars for sight seeing. With the help of guide, you can go for long walks and try some treks. Walking through lush green shrubs and breathing fresh cool air is just unforgettable experience. There are horses with their attendants, who will take you around Mahabaleshwar. You must negotiate with them for the price they demand.

We started with Wilson point or sunrise point that offers a best view of rising Sun. This place is very popular among the tourist. Since it was early morning, the weather was very cold. Watching rising Sunrise in tranquil atmosphere is an experience, which is beyond mere words. Cool breeze, flock of birds and their chirping noise. You get a perfect peace of mind here at this point. From there we went to Arthur seat. This is just 10-12 KM away from Mahabaleshwar. This is a finest spot. Queen of all points. Forget everything, spend some time here, and enjoy the breathtaking view of the green valley. You can get a finest view of river Savitri that flows from one side and dense green forest at the other side. If the weather is clear, you can see Raigad fort and Torana fort from this place. On return journey, we visited Marjorie point. This spot offers panoramic view of sahyadri ranges. This is a very beautiful place.

The Venna Lake is very popular spot here. This lake is great attraction among the tourist. You can do boating from morning until sunset if you like. Tourists can choose either Paddleboat or rowing boat until they are fully satisfied. They provide fishing facility but with prior permission with the authorities. There are many stalls around to cater if you feel hungry. Horse riding is another pleasure here. Taking horse ride in the forest along side the lake in the morning or at the sunset time, is just amazing. The lake is located amidst the green trees and hence looks very beautiful. If there is fog covered on the lake, you will not feel like to leave this lake and would love to spend more time than you decided. Do not miss fresh strawberries with cream, coal-roasted corns, carrots, which you get here. There are slot machines too, which attracts the young tourists. In short, there is something for every one here. Bombay point, which is also known as sunset point, offers spectacular view of the valley and sunset.

Chinaman's waterfall is very famous here. There are gardens close to the waterfall. The calm surrounding and exotic waterfall makes the picture perfect. From there we went to Kate's point. This place offers a breathtaking view of Krishna valley. The echo point is also here which is very popular. Connaught peak is one of the highest points in this area.
This place offers a sunrise and sunset as well. There is Elphiston point, which offers breathtaking view of Koyna and Savitri rivers.

Next day we went to see famous fort Pratapgarh, built by Raje Shivaji. The famous episode between Shivaji and Afzal Khan took place here. Shivaji statue is here on the top of the fort. This is a very nice place and offers a panoramic view of the valley. Then we went to see Tapola, which is at the other side of Mahabaleshwar. This place called as Mini Kashmir. The journey is very interesting as the route goes through high hills and deep forest. It takes around 90 minutes to reach Tapola from Mahabaleshwar. River Solshi and Koyna meet here at this place. The Shivsagar Dam is very beautiful and picturesque. The lake is very nice and offers a boating facility. You get motorboats, speedboats and scooter boats here on hourly charges. This place is very beautiful and worth visiting. This is a very famous picnic spot. The lake view, forest and forts on the background, makes this place unique.

Our next destination was Panchgani. This is a very quiet place which is away from the crowd and noise of the city. Situated on five hills from which it derives the name Panchgani. This scenically beautiful place offers lot of things for tourists. The post rain season or from end August to September is ideal as you see lot of wild flowers. It takes almost 30 minutes to reach here from Mahabaleshwar. The route is very nice. You will find lots of Strawberry plantation on your way to Panchgani. In summer when the Strawberries are ready to pluck, you will get variety of strawberry made items like ice-cream, juices and milk shakes and jams etc. Eating Strawberry with fresh cream is a sheer delight. Do stop at one of the farms and treat yourself. These farms produce almost eighty percent of total Strawberry production in India. Panchgani offers a magnificent view of Krishna River and coastal plains. Walking through lush green pathways with lots of trees around gives a total retreat to tourists. This picturesque place has served as a beautiful background for many old and new films. There are ample hotels and rest houses for tourists. Stay here for one week and enjoy at your fullest in this beautiful place. Complete tourist destination by itself. Tableland is very famous here and must for every tourist. The largest table lands in the continent. Paragliding is very popular sport here. A well-trained instructor operates these sports. There is Sydney point, which offers a best view of Krishna valley. We stayed in Panchgani for three days and did not realize how the days passed. While returning to Mahabaleshwar you come across Mapro Garden. It is a famous halt for snacks and fresh fruit products. You get here variety of fruit crushes, syrups, squashes and jellies. You can visit the factory and see the production process of these items. You can by these items on discounted price. The garden is full of colorful flowers. You get the best Strawberries with cream and ice cream, which is sheer delight for any age.

The old Mahabaleshwar is famous for its temples of Lord Ram, Hanuman and Krishna. This place nestles around source of the holy River Krishna. The temple dedicated to Krishna popular as Panchganga, five rivers known as Krishna, Koyna, Savitri, Venna and Gayatri. Lord Krishna temple is beautiful and known as resting place of famous saint Ramdas. Hanuman temple is very near from this place. From here, we proceeded towards Babington point. You can take a walk, as this is just two kilometers away from the market. This place offers a great view of Koyna valley and Lingmala, Chinaman and Dhobi waterfalls. There are still some points which we could not cover but saw the photographs.

For shopping, the market on the small roadside provides various varieties. The specialty is chikki and fudge made out of dry fruits. You find best leather products here. Wooden sticks for walking and other wooden carved material is available here. You get good quality bed sheets and bed spreads. You have a choice for good home decorative material, and for children, you get good masks here. There are caps, Hay sticks painted in exotic colors. The list is unending. You buy or do not buy, but the visit to this bazaar is must.

Visit Mahabaleshwar during September to mid June, which is ideal time to visit. The rains here are very heavy and hence best avoided. The climate is very pleasant due to high altitude. In rainy season, the weather is damp and wet. Moving around in heavy rains may not suit for many people. Summer would be the right choice when the climate is perfect and Strawberries are ripening.