Lonavala is one of the beautiful hill stations for Mumbaikar and Punekar to explore. The beauty of Lonavala is at peak in Monsoon season, but you can explore this beautiful city in any of the seasons.
In this blog post will explore the top 10 places of Lonavala which is immensely beautiful, where you feel close to nature.
Top 10 Places to Visit in Lonavala
Kataldhar Waterfall
To visit this highest waterfall of Lonavala, you need to trek through the lush green jungle. The trek to Kataldhar Waterfall is approximately 4 to 5 kms. I would advise you to wear sport shoes, as the trek is not so pleasant, especially in the monsoon season. In rainy season, you may witness slippery route while on the way. The Kataldhar Waterfall trek is not difficult, as you will cross the jungle, so safety is concerned. We can say the trek to Kataldhar Waterfall Lonavala is easy to moderate. After trekking you will be astonished to administer the scenic view of waterfall, situated in the height and amidst the jungle. You can also get a beautiful view of the waterfall from the Rajmachi Fort. At the opposite end of Fort, you can get a mesmerizing and scenic view of the waterfall.
- Best Season: July to October
- Timings: You can start Kataldhar Jungel Trek at morning (max. 10 AM)
Lonavala Lake
After exploring Kataldhar Waterfall (can explore Rajmachi Fort too), return back to Lonavala after crossing the main city. Lonavala Lake is the main picnic spot for tourists. It is also famously known as Monsoon Lake or Lonavala Dam. The main source of water for the lake is Indrayani. The Lonavala Lake is spread across vast areas and open for various sports activities like boating.
- Best Season: July to September (Monsoon Season)
- Timings: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Lion’s Point/ Tiger Point
Lonavala’s Tiger Point is one of the famous tourist spots which is situated at the highest peak. You can view the valley, lush green forest, lake and waterfalls from the peak point of Tiger Point. If you want to see a clear beautiful view, try to reach it at the start of monsoon or before rainy season. In monsoon due to fog, the view of the valley is not clear. The sunrise and sunset from Tiger Point is breathtaking. You can also enjoy adventure activities like rafting and trekking.
- Best Season: June to September
- Timings: Open 24 hours
Korigad Fort
After visiting Tiger Point, the route to Korigad Fort is breathtaking, with no traffic, jungle beside you, rain droplets and fog. Doesn’t it feel dreamy? To reach Korigad Fort, there is a trek of 2 hrs. which is not so difficult. At the beginning, there is a jungle route, after this, you need to take a staircase. If you plan a trip on monsoon, then you can experience a gush of water flow on the staircase which gives you spectacular experience. Don’t forget to make a reel. Once you reach the fort, you won’t be able to take your eyes off from the lush green valley, lake, and mountain.
- Best Season: July to September (Monsoon)
- Timings: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Bhushi Dam
One of the favourite tourist spots of Lonavala is Bhushi Dam. In the Bhushi Dam, the water comes from the Indrani River. If you want to enjoy it fully without any rush, then arrive early in the morning. In the monsoon the beauty of Lonavala’s Bhushi Dam is at its peak and people love to play in the water. The water is clean, and if it’s a dam you can imagine the gush of water. Don’t forget to bring one extra pair of clothes and keep electronics safe.
- Best Season: July to September (Monsoon)
- Timings: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Duke’s Nose (Nagfani)
After Bhushi Dam, the other tourist point is Duke’s Nose which is only 8kms. away from the dam. The locals called this place Nagfani also, because of the shape. To reach Duke’s Nose, you need to do trekking which will take around 7 to 8 hours. The view from the top of the point is surreal beautiful, there is a temple where you can take blessings, which is the starting point of the Duke Nose. When you go beyond that point, the panoramic view of plateau gives surreal experience.
- Best Season: October to February
- Timings: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
Karla Caves
The cave is historical place of Lonavala which is 10kms away from the Lonavala city. The cave is built above the mountain, which means again you need to trek, but this time it’s stairs of 150 steps. When you reach this place, you feel the rich culture and heritage of our country. The whole temple is built through cutting down of mountains. Here you can explore caves, Hinayana Buddhist Chaitya temple and 2200-year-old Buddhist Caves. At Karla Caves, you can take a glimpse of religious gatherings, which usually happened at this place. There are many shops for shopping and food stalls that serve authentic Maharashtrian food.
- Best Season: October to March (Winter)
- Timings: 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
Visapur Fort
To reach 8th spot of our best places to visit Lonavala, there is a drive of 10kms from Karla Caves. To explore the fort, a trek of 45 minutes is needed. If you take a break, then maybe the time extends. While on a trek, you need to cross huge stones, which take a lot of energy. But the trek is worthy, as the panoramic view of valley from the peak point of Visapur Fort is surreal.
- Best Season: July to September (Monsoon)
- Timings: Open 24 hours.
Lohagarh Fort
You will be amazed to hear this, both Visapur and Lohagarh Fort are opposite each other. After seeing the condition of Lohagarh Fort, it seems the government has done some work, as it is well maintained. When you enter the fort, you will find lots of gates one after other. The best part of Lohagarh Fort is the view from the top of the point. At times you realize you are standing at peak point, and you won’t to be able to see all the things from peak point.
- Best Season: July to September (Monsoon)
- Timings: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Pawna Lake
The last location in our best places to visit in Lonavala is Pawna Lake which is only 5kms away from Lohagarh Fort. I personally feel that, without exploring Pawna Lake, the trip is incomplete. Pawna Lake is a manmade lake, so it never goes dry. The lake is also called Pawna Dam, where you can enjoy campaign, boating, adventure activities, and in winter can enjoy bonfire. There are many forts around Pawna Lake, you can even explore Tikona Fort to get a perfect view of the lake. The lake is situated at the centre of the Lonavala, and there are many ways to reach here.
- Best Season: September to May
- Timings: Open 24 hours
Things to do in Lonavala
- Trekking in Forts (details mentioned above)
- Boating at Lonavala Lake
- Rafting at Tiger’s Point
- Play in gush of water at Bhushi Dam
- Campaign at Pawna Lake (Check-in at 4PM and Check-out at 11AM)
- Sunrise and Sunset at Pawna Lake
- Day Campaign at Pawna Lake (Check-in at 9:30 am and check out at 5pm. Also include breakfast, and lunch along-with indoor and outdoor games)
- Kayaking at Pawna Lake
Best Season to visit Lonavala
The beauty of Lonavala is magnificent in every season except summer. If you are planning to visit Lonavala, then August to February is the best season to explore Maharashtra’s beauty Lonavala.
How to Reach Lonavala
- By Air: The nearest airport is Pune International Airport, which is only 70kms away from Lonavala. Taxi, bus and cabs are available at the airport.
- By Train: Lonavala Railway Station is the nearest railway station situated in Lonavala city itself. For the people who belongs from Pune and Mumbai can take local trains which ply on frequent basis.
- By Road: The best part is to reach Lonavala from both Pune and Mumbai, it will take 1.5 hours only. Don’t be confused with the distance, from Mumbai it’s 83kms, on the other hand, from Pune it takes 65 kms. While on enroute you can enjoy the scenic view, that is available in train journey too. I would advise choosing Express Highway, and if you are doing Bike Ride, then go for old highway.
Final Thought
In this blog post I have explained the Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Lonavala which you can’t miss in any way. But there are many more tourist spots you can explore in the beautiful city, Lonavala. If you are looking for luxurious resorts, then click the link mentioned in between the blogs.
Pack your bag and explore the unexplored places with Hema…
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