Khandala Hillstation
Location : In the western
part of the state of Maharashtra, India
Attractions : Shivaji Park, Kune Falls, Amruntanjan point
Ideal Time to Visit : October to May
¤ Khandala, The Untouched Hill
Station
The beautiful Khandala hills station is situated in the western part
of the state of Maharashtra. Located at a height of 625 mt, it is
around 101 km southeast of Mumbai and 69 kms away from Pune. It is
nestled on the western slopes of the Sahyadri mountain range. Khandala
hill station has many fascinating views that are absolutely spell
binding. Another exotic hill station, Lonavala is around 5 kms away
from Khandala. Comparatively, Khandala is smaller than Lonavala, but
it is equally bestowed with natural beauty and bounty. Deep valleys
one side and high hills on the other side separate Khandala and
Lonavala.
Khandala remains untouched by the rapidly growing industrialization.
Tourists travelling to Lonavala, make it a point to visit Khandala
also.
¤ Attractions In Khandala
Khandala has an array of travel attractions worth visiting. With
beautiful hills, deep green valleys, huge lakes, historic forts and
waterfalls etc, Khandala remains as one of the most exotic hill
stations of India. Some of these attractions are given below.
Rajmachi Park
The Rajmachi Park is located on the way to Mumbai from Lonavala.
This is a beautiful garden situated before the beginning of the ghat
at Khandala. It offers a spectacular view of the surroundings. Towards
the east of this garden, two towers of the Rajmachi Fort can be seen.
There is also a huge valley here.
Ryewood
Ryewod is a big and beautiful garden situated near Lonavala. It is
spread over a huge area and is covered with majestic tall trees.
offering plenty of place for children to play, the park also has an
old Mahadeo temple. Ryewood is named after an English officer Mr. Rye,
who stayed in this place for quite some time. It is also said that
name may also have been derived from the Marathi words "Rai"
which means thick forest.
Duke's Nose
The Duke's Nose is an important travel attraction at Khandala famous
for rock climbing. It has been named after Duke Wellington, it is said
that his nose resembled this cliff. It also looks like a hood of a
snake, which is why it is also called as "Nagfani" (Hood of
Snake). Duke's point is accessible from INS Shivaji and Kurwande
Village. The nature's beauty is at its best here.
Shivaji Park
The Shivaji Park was earlier a playground which was later converted
into a garden in 1956. There is a statue of Shri Shivaji Maharaj in
this park. Since it is located near the city, a good number of people
travel to this park.
Kune Falls
Khandala's Kune water fall is situated between Lonavala and
Khandala. It falls from a height of more than 100 feet. It provides a
majestic view and an enjoyable opportunity to bathe in the water that
flows through the valley. This fall can be seen in Khandala Ghat while
coming from Mumbai.
Tiger's Leap
The Tiger's leap is a special spot in this area. It is named Tiger's
Leap because when you look carefully at the valley form this spot it
appears as if a tiger is leaping into the valley. It is just a furlong
away from INS Shivaji, providing an engrossing view of the valley. One
should view the valley from the safe confines of a big hole.
Monkey Hill
Every train that comes down from Khandala halt at Monkey hill for
brake testing. Monkey Hill is exactly above Khopoli town and can be
accessible Khopoli as well as Borghat reversing station. It is a
favorite picnic spot.
Reversing Station
The Reversing Station, once belonged to the railways and now remains
unused. This spot is outside tunnel no. 26. The division of Lonavala
and Raigad District starts from here. One can see Khopoli and the
surrounding regions at the bottom. During the night, this place is
illuminated with hundreds of lights, which offers an enthralling view.
¤ Excursions
A small hill station, Khandala, offers enchanting views of the lush
green hilly surroundings. Khandala is one of the most popular getaways
from Mumbai. It provides relief from the hectic lifestyle of Mumbai
city. This lovely hill station can be enjoyed by taking a walk around
or by going for trekking trails or just sit idle and relish the
surroundings around.
Lonavala
Another popular hill station of Lonavala is situated only 5 km from
Khandala. It is also bestowed with all the geographical settings as
that of Khandala.
Lakes
Khandala has many beautiful lakes like Tugauli Lake, Lonavala Lake
and Bhushi Lake along with a Dam called the Walvan Dam. These are some
of the worth visiting sites.
Karla and Bhaja Caves
Karla and Bhaja Caves are located in the hills at a distance of 16
km from Khandala. These are rock-cut cave temples as old as 2nd
century BC. The caves are one of the oldest and finest examples of
Buddhist rock-cut temple art in India, belonging to the Hinayana sect
of Buddhism.
Adventure In Khandala
Khandala travel can be an ultimate adventure destination. Tourists
coming to this hill station can try their hands at rock climbing at
the Duke's Nose peak and other locations in the Karla hills, near
Khandala. The Duke's Nose peak can be viewed while coming from Mumbai
to Khandala via the Mumbai-Pune highway.
¤ Shopping
The beautiful Khandala hill station is famous for fast foods. The
tourists can buy Chikkis and Jams from the hill resort. One can also
buy Indian snacks like Chiwda, Wafers and various types of Sevs. These
are very popular with the tourists coming to Khandala.
¤ Reach Khandala
By Air : The nearest airport
from Khandala is the Bombay Airport and the Pune Airport. The Bombay
Airport is the International airport and Pune Airport is the Domestic
Airport . Bombay international Air port is approximately 110 kms. and
Pune Airport is about 66 kms.
By Rail : The Nearest railway station from Khandala is at
Lonavala. As Lonavala is on the main railway line between Mumbai and
Pune.
By Road : Khandala is well connected with Mumbai and Pune by
road. The bus service for Pune (travel time 2½ hours) via
Lonavala is a good option. However, it takes about four hours to reach
Mumbai from Khandala.
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