Best of Matheran Recommended by Indian travellers A true heaven
Transcription
Best of Matheran Recommended by Indian travellers A true heaven
Created Date: 18 October 2014 Best of Matheran Recommended by Indian travellers A true heaven This place is awesome as it sounds. You should go there with Krishna your friends/partner/family. You'll fell in love with this place. One good thing is,... 233 travel stories about Matheran by Indian travellers Guide includes:About destination | Top things to do | Best accommodations | Travelling tips | Best time to visit Page 1/17 About Matheran Matheran is a hill station situated in the Raigad District of Maharashtra. Matheran, which has the designation of being the smallest hill station in India, is situated in the Western Ghats at an average altitude of 800 m above sea level. The quaint town of Matheran was brought to the limelight during the colonial rule of the British. Matheran was discovered, in the year 1850 by Hugh Poyntz Malet, the District Collector of Thane. The place was developed by Lord Elphinstone, the Governor of Bombay, as a summer resort for the British. Lord Elphinstone introduced roadways as well as the Mountain Railways (1907) to Matheran. The name Matheran (which means 'forest on top') refers to the surrounding dense evergreen Jambol forests. Matheran is known for its biodiversity as the place consists of rare species of flora and fauna. Matheran is also famous for its 33 lookout points, which provides panoramic view of the peaks of Western Ghats as well as its village-dotted plains. Matheran is one among the eco-sensitive Regions in the world, where motored vehicles are not allowed. The core eco-sensitive zone of Matheran covers an area of 251.56 sq km. The town of Matheran and its environs, which are spread along 200 m of land, constitute the buffer zone. Matheran is situated on a plateau towards the western part of the Western Ghats. The plateau of Matheran, surrounded by the vast extensions of the ranges of Western Ghats, lies as an outlier to the main range of Western Ghats. Cooler but pleasant and less humid climate prevails all through the year in Matheran. The best time to visit Matheran is during the months of September to June, while it is very pleasant, cool and favourable for sightseeing. Matheran tourism offers sightseeing attractions such as Porcupine Point, Panorama Point, Echo Point, Charlott Lake, King George Point, Louisa Point, Paymaster Park, Panthers’ Caves, Hart Point, etc. Matheran also offer activities such as trekking, hiking, climbing, etc. The vicinity of Mumbai and Pune makes Matheran a popular weekend destination of nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. Matheran has its nearest airport at Mumbai, Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport which is around 46 km away from Matheran city. Mumbai is well connected to other major airports in India and abroad. The next nearest airport to Matheran is at Lohegao in Pune which is about 84 km. Matheran is situated at a distance of 90 km and 120 km respectively from Mumbai and Pune. Matheran can be accessed by rail from the close by town of Neral, by a narrow gauge railway, which is operational since 1907. The train from Neral to Matheran provides a scenic view of Matheran, as it runs through hill sides, plains, cliffs, plateau and the Jambol forests, covering a Page 2/17 distance of 21 km in a slow pace. Tourists to Matheran can also drive up to Dasturi Point (11 km away) and reach Matheran by foot or on pony. Information State: Maharashtra Famous for/as: Hill Altitude: 800 M Pincode: 410102 District: Raigad Language: Hindi,Marathi STD code: 02148 Weather: Summer 19 To 33°C, Winter 13 To 28°C Featured review about Matheran Time well spend and worth every penny "Matheran, is a best and nearest getaway from Mumbai. 110 km from Mumbai and around 70 from Thane. You can reach this place by train or by car. Take a train to Karjat or Khopoli from Mumbai/Thane/ Kalyan to reach Nerul station. A toy train takes you to the hill station. The toy train takes approx 2 hours to reach the top. The other option is to travel by (share)taxi, which will take you to the hill station in just 15 minutes. The Toy train ride is a fun of its own kind. The train moves through the mountain, giving a breath taking view of the Western Ghats. The best time is to visit just after the rainy season, as the greenery will be at its best. But other time of the year also it is a fun ride to enjoy. The Train takes you to the center of Matheran i.e the market place. Cars are not allowed inside Matheran, they have to stop 1 K.M away. The cars have to be parked there and visitors can either walk or take a horse ride to reach the market place. The plenty of options are available for hotels(budget to Expensive). It is advisable to get the booking done before hand. Matheran is a small place, and every thing is very near-by. This place has a lot of view points, which gives a magnificent view of the western Ghats. The sunset at sunset point and the sun rise from Ram-ghat and also a treat. This place has a small market place, and it sells a variety of stuff. Most of the items are brought from Nerul, so it can be a bit costly. Visitors have to use there wild bargaining skills to get the correct price. Since matheran is not having proper laid road, the only mode of transport is by foot or on a horse back. I suggest every one should try the horse tide at least once. The horse is well trained to take you to all the points. Again the rates are fixed for points, but you can get a good deal if you book for the full day and see all the points( 7 points in the day & 12 points in the evening). The food in the hill station, is average, and manageable. The market has a lot of food option, A lot of shops are available which sells Chikki (sweets)which are really mouth watering. Since it is a hill station, the best activity available is to relax and enjoy the climate. Apart from this at some places, adventure sports are also arranged, which can be fun. Travelers are advised to take warm cloths, and have a good supply of medicines, as good Page 3/17 doctors are not available, and there is only 1 medical shop available. A good comfortable shows is a must to walk around in Matheran. Also have a extra pare of shoes, as the red mud will damage the shoes." - Amit Rao, Pondicherry, Jan 7, 2014 Hill Station close to city "Matheran of the nearest hill station from Mumbai makes a perfect weekend gateway especially in Monsson & Winters. Its easily accessibility, not being too expensive, wide accommodation range and of course natural beauty makes a perfect place to visit. At some 70 kms from Thane, Matheran can be reached easily by a local train. Catch any train for Karjat/Khopoli and it will drop you at Neral station from were the journey begins. You can either take a shared cabs which are plenty and have fixed rates per seat and this will drop you in some 25 mins to Dasturi naka. Alternatively, you can choose toy train which takes over 2 hrs to reach the top. If the weather is perfect and you have plenty of time, this can be chosen for one side journey. Tickets are available online or can be bought on the spot at Neral station (east side exit). You can also travel by your car/bike till Dasturi naka which is the entry point to Matheran. After Dasturi Naka, no vehicle is allowed so You got to park your vehicle at this point. Entry tickets are available at nominal rates. Till Matheran market, You can either climb the distance or can hire a horse ride (plenty of them). Rates are usually fixed. You can choose based on your need and preference. Hotels - Plenty of them. You can choose based on your budget and requirement. Since Matheran is not too big, all the resorts are at walkable distance from each other. If you are travelling on a weekend or at the time of long holiday, you better book hotels in advance to avoid last minute hassle. What to see - Just like any other hill station, there are several view points which gives a terrific glimpse of the Shayadri range. Its absolutely stunning. Book a horse ride and you can cover all the points in half a day. Adventure sports too are now available. Food - Lots of choices, both veg & non veg however most of the restaurants serve mediocre food so don't have too high expectations. Try "Gola" in the market. Its good. Booz is available but better be carried along. Shopping - Since all the stuff comes from the base, most of it is expensive. Better be avoided. My Verdict Matheran offers an excellent weekend gateway and it gets better when in a group. Since no vehicle is allowed inside, you can expect lot of calm and peace here. Get a horse ride (all the horses have different and interesting names) or walk along the woods, its enjoyable both ways. Its best to visit in Monsoon & Winters and Summers better be avoided as it gets too hot, especially travelling. Carry light woolens in winter and rain gear in monsoon. Enjoy......." - Raj Page 4/17 Kamal, Mumbai, Nov 12, 2013 The princess of the hills "The very popular hill station is a weekend getaway for people from Mumbai and Pune. The place has the charm and beauty very unique as it is the only hill station in Asia where cars are not allowed. The only odd vehicle you might see after Dasturi (the parking place, 2.5 km from Matheran market) is the ambulance. So the only way to travel are on foot or on horseback or being pulled by a single seater human hand powered rickshaw. The hill is more of a plateau covered with lush forest trees and red trekking roads criss-crossing and covering the entire place. It is full of rustic old buildings and ponds/puddles. The sightseeing involves a ring tour of all the points from which you get different views of the valleys. If you want to cover the entire place then at least 2 days are required. Heading south from the market, Khandala point and Alexander point offer breathtaking views of the sunrise (if you manage to wake up early enough). Another point to see the sunrise (and the sunset) is the panorama point. This offers a 270 degrees view of the valley. It is about 5 km from the market. It is closer to Dasturi. The Chowk point and Little Chowk points offer the best views of the lake that feeds Navi Mumbai and Prabalgad fort. The one tree hill offers a really breathtaking view of the valley. It is a bit risky as some places are surrounded by valleys on 3 out of 4 sides. Will not recommend anyone to climb to the one tree hill but you can cover the distance till the start of the climb. The most popular destination is Charlotte Lake. The lake is full and sometimes overflowing during monsoon, but really empty during summers. There is a temple (Pisarnath temple) nearby. There is Lord's point and several valley crossing rope ways surrounding the lake. The view is amazing. It is only a km from the market so it is very accessible as well. Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Market is full of 'Nariman chikki' shops selling Chikkis, Fudge and jelly sweets. Just like Lonavala, you don't know which is the original one. Just pick the one where you find tasty samples and go for it. Khan's is the only restaurant that serves good non-veg in entire Matheran (as per the testimony given by our resort restaurant manager). It serves Hukkah as well. The service was not that fast but the quality and the quantity of the food was good, and very reasonable too. It is spacious as well but the Hukkah can be enjoyed only in a small section (4 tables). We also felt that the tables were not clean (spotted mould somewhere). Will not recommend shopping as you get better products in Mumbai and Pune. You would be lucky if the local footwear that you may buy would last the trek down to Dasturi. Activities & things to do: There are valley crossings everywhere. I haven't tried it but have heard that it is good, albeit a bit expensive. Get an adrenaline rush while crossing the valley at 800 Page 5/17 meters above sea level at One tree hill point. There are a lot of 'mini casinos' with slot machines. Don't go if you are going to cross the limit. Just play for fun. Matheran is full of games such as trying to break the glass by throwing a rubber ball or trying to shoot a plastic toy on the top of a bottle with an air/pellet gun. You will find them at all popular points. There are several waterfalls during monsoon. Get wet! But remember to carry extra clothes as the water and the weather is really cold during monsoon. Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Please don't litter. We felt so sad seeing all those empty water bottles at the end of Charlotte lake. Please keep all your litter in your bags and pockets and empty them at the several dust bins provided everywhere. Please teach your kids not to throw around empty wrappers. Train travel is the fastest travel. From Mumbai take any Karjat/Khopoli train, it stops at Neral. The toy trains were closed for passengers probably due to monsoon, but they are really fun to experience at least one way (while going up). It takes 2 hours but the slow journey in a heritage train is worth it. From Pune, several trains stop at Karjat. You can take a Mumbai CST/Thane bound Local from Karjat to get over at Neral. I would not recommend driving to Dasturi unless you are an expert at mountain driving, as the road from Neral to Matheran is very steep and has tight hairpins. Something that the Omni taxi drivers are adept at covering. The Mumbai local trains in the weekends, especially Monsoon weekends are full, because of the various trekking/picnic sights in the Karjat range. So I recommend to travel via First Class. The present one way first class fare from Dadar to Neral is Rs. 160. Same way while coming back. Since you might encounter heavy traffic while coming back on Sunday evenings, train is again preferable. There are many trek routes to Matheran. Don't go on the routes that go from behind like the one that reaches Matheran at One tree hill valley, unless you are accompanied by expert trekkers. Take the easy ones like from Neral to Matheran via road if you are beginning. That way, if you get too tired, you can take one of the sharing omni taxis coming down, to cover the remaining stretch up to Dasturi. Best season to go is Winter, as summers are heavily over priced and overcrowded and not much of difference in temperature. Monsoons are also good but don't wear fancy footwear or expensive trousers/jeans as the way gets really muddy. There is only one ATM in the market so it is better to carry cash. There are ATMs in Neral so it is a good idea to stock up." - TheJunkie, Mumbai, Aug 7, 2013 Pollution free hill station! "One of the best hill stations I visited. The journey to Matheran in toy train is simply amazing as you get to see the beauty of the hill station. For guys who want to do adventures while travelling, Page 6/17 the train moves at such a slow pace that you can get down have fun while travelling. The best part of hill station is, it is pollution free. Vehicles are not allowed. So if you want to roam around, there are only two modes of transportation. One is, you need to take a horse or the next best option is to go by walk. Food, sight-seeing and shopping: There is a small shopping street very close to the railway station. All the resorts are within one kilometer radius to the railway station. In all the resorts, the check-in and check-out time is 9:00 AM to 9:00 AM. The food an ambiance in most of the resorts is very good. You can usually prefer to take a package for food and stay together. The best season to visit would be from September to February. From June to August it rains heavily and it makes difficult to commute. Activities & things to do: As many hill resorts have the same viewpoints, even Matheran has lot many view points. Apart from that there is nothing much exciting to see. You can enjoy those view points and the climate is really good. Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Matheran is pretty much accessible by all means of transports. You can reach within 2.5 hours at max from Mumbai or Pune. The nearest railway station is Neral. There are lot of taxis you can hire to reach the hill station. However they stop you at the entrance. From there you need to walk for around 3-4 kms to reach the heart of Mathehran." - Praveen Meka, Hyderabad, May 29, 2012 Toy (Hill) Station "We decided to head to Matheran because our Mumbai accommodation ditched us. We had to go to Pune thereafter, so Matheran seemed a logical stop. “You people have come all the way from Delhi to see Matheran in this heat?” asked our taxi driver. He had a point. Matheran is not a place to visit in summer sun. Yet, we loved it. The place is tiny (small is a big word) but filled with the love and warmth of its hospitable people, most of who are there only to earn a living. Matheran is a place that respects nature, tourism and simplicity. There is nothing fancy about it, yet it holds an attraction that calls out to one and all. Food, sight-seeing and shopping: Matheran practically starts from one end of a road and finishes at the other. Well, almost. This proverbial one road has a world built around it. Places to eat, shop, pray, relax...everything right there. Matheran is great to shop footwear. From Rupees 100 to Rupees 250, one can get all kinds of footwear, especially leather slippers and shoes and myriad kinds of dainty chappals. Jute and canvas shoes are also widely available. Patterns and colours are fairly common, therefore, it would help to look around a bit and then start collecting. Footwear is every bit worth buying. The variety, comfort and price make it a buy that is sure to keep you pleased. Here’s a secret…the best footwear can be found in the by-lanes rather than the main road. Hunt for rarer patterns and they will never fail to attract compliments. Hats and bags galore too..each prettier than the other. I found them a little expensive, but one could pick a couple depending upon requirement or inability to curb temptation. There are one Page 7/17 or two shops that will not bargain, the rest of them, do. A shop attended to by two young girls has fantastic bags and hats and they do not bargain (close to Lord’s). Very close to it is a shop selling jewellery, attended to by an adolescent boy..sure to find some rare pieces here. All shops in Matheran are more like shacks than shops… shacks lining both sides of the main road..giving it the look of a bazaar. Fruit juices, concentrates, crushes etc are very common and of tremendously good quality. Similarly, chikkis (made of jiggery/caramelized sugar/sugar substitutes mixed with different ingredients) and fudge are very popular as well and make for excellent take-aways, especially for people not residing in Maharashtra and around. These food items are manufactured in and brought in mostly from Mahabaleshwar / Panchgani, therefore, if one is planning to visit Panchgani, these can be picked up from there as well. For meals, a variety of food options are on offer, including local, North-Indian, South Indian, Chinese, Gujarati and Jain cuisine. Continental breakfast is available. Strict non-vegetarians may face some disappointment, but for the vegetarians, especially saatvic eaters like me, it is party time! I would recommend Prasanna Bhawan (right opposite the station) for its peerless food and exceptionally kind hosts. We requested them to keep breakfast ready for us at 5 a.m, which they did. However, because of my injury, we got delayed. When we went there at 9.30a.m, without the slightest fuss, they prepared fresh breakfast again, for us to carry along. Since I was in a terrible hurry, I paid off a round figure, asked them to keep the change and ran off. One of the hosts came running behind me till the station to return the change. Food at the Garden Restaurant was good too but in freshness, took a slight beating from this huge pure veg restaurant conspicuously located in the middle of the main road (Paradise). Activities & things to do: This tiny town perched on a red soil plateau is well known for its many ‘points’ (literally) of interest. Alexander, Louisa, Panorama…they are endless…One can hire a horse / rikshaw to do a guided tour of a few main points. There is the ever famous Charlotte Lake, which is morose in summers, but sunrise and sunset are ever beautiful, whatever be the season. The walk to the lake through the winding forest lanes is a thrill to savour. It’s not just the rhetorical silence or nature that appeals, it is the opportunity to journey through the jungle so intimately that makes the experience exulting…story-like. As if with every step, you are etching a word in your ‘Forest-n-I’ travelogue. The lake isn’t much of eye or heart candy in summers. However, traverse the lake and embrace sparse adventure activities available like valley crossing or look at the rising/setting sun at cliff-edge. Lo behold! The entire valley welcomes you. Very early on the way to the lake is a small shop, which serves breakfast and evening snacks, which are worth trying, time and inclination permitting. There is a temple too, somewhere in the forest on the way to the lake. There is another temple on the main road, which is more popular and frequented. Matheran has a park too - Naoroji Lord Garden. One can turn poet or humorist, or just soak in the surroundings. There are a few rides for the kids but they would perhaps do better on a horse. A horse can be hired for transport or as a joy ride or simply to sit on and click photographs. We found an amiable jockey who was willing to let us get clicked with his white Page 8/17 beauty in return for a large biscuit packet to feed the horse. The endearing photographer, whom we met at a game stall opposite the park, impressed us with his work. One can play games of skill and luck, like those common in fetes, including shooting balloons, miniature bowling, darts, mock casino, hoopla. Not just hats and shoes, but snacks stalls are also available on the road. Bhelpuri and cucumber seemed popular options. We gorged on sweetcorn-on-the-cob, which the vendors bring to Matheran from Vashi. All the supplies in Matheran have to be brought from the city. Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc: Cell phone connection can create trouble by its absence, for non-Maharashtra residents at least. Apparently BSNL and Idea work there, Vodafone works in most places except rooms and basements, Airtel has no/very limited connectivity. It is advisable to carry your entire supply of medicines as none other than the very basic ones are available there. However, in case of medical emergencies, a clinic and a hospital for basic care are available. I had injured my hand and was very well treated at Dr. Deepak Thupke’s clinic. To my utmost surprise, he charged no consultation fees, only charges printed on medication, syringe and bandage, which were procured from the local chemist. One must not forget that the hill station is a vehicle free zone so good walking shoes / appropriate attire/aids for horseback will be a blessing. A hat and a water bottle to wade through the heat, basic medication including first aid (a tetanus injection in advance is helpful, especially for children), a torch and mosquito repellant are essential. It is advised to be extremely careful at the cliff around the lake, especially with children, as such places do require reasonable caution for our own and everyone else’s safety. For us the first fight was to find suitable accommodation. Since we were unprepared for the trip we had no advance booking. Advance booking is completely advised. However, for those who want to look at the properties first, it might be worth the while to explore before booking. We checked a few places before we settled for one suiting our budget, starting from Rangoli Retreat, right in front of the station, to Vernadah in the Forest, somewhere in the forest! Rangoli Retreat had the station right in front, offered Jain meals, looked very appealing on the outside but a put off on the inside. Moving further, we realized that most places were similar. Hotel Sayebaan is very close to the mosque, in the heart of the market, but very congested. Hotel Lord’s is popular only because of its heritage popularity and its foreign appeal. To us, there was nothing more to it than an old (dilapidated nearly) mansion, uniformed waiters and continental meals. Brightland, we found, was similarly overrated, so was Verandah in the Forest. Usha Ascot declined entry claiming they entertain only advance bookings done through their Mumbai office. Gujarat Bhawan was decent, but overcrowded and a little into the jungle. We wanted a place that gave us a good room and was located right on the busy main road, in no more than rupees 2500 a night. That is exactly what we got in the form of a semi-suite in a shady looking lesser known Hotel Pointview (details in the Hotel Review section). However, if one does have the money, I would recommend to anyone, the suites (rooms lower than suite category are as bad as elsewhere) of a hotel supposed to be the new avatar of Richie Rich. I found those to be Page 9/17 the only ones worth their quoted price (Rs.4500 per night off season, with meals) and the truly inviting buffet spread is a perk. Matheran can be reached by road/local rail up to Neral, from where one can take a shared or unshared cab to Dasturi, from where the journey will be covered by horse or hand pulled rikshaw. Trek enthusiasts could easily walk the distance. Alternatively, one can take the toy train from Neral (hour and a half journey time), which takes one straight to Matheran station, eliminating the horse / rickshaw ride. Toy trains ply to in the morning hours and fro in the evening (timings vary season to season). Horse/rickshaw ride from Dasturi costs 200-300 rupees, and at least for the hand rickshaw, is the minimum deserved compensation qua the effort. We took an a/c indica taxi from Bandra Station to Neral for 1700 rupees (120-150 minutes). A further cab (unshared) for 250 rupees up to Dasturi and thereon, a hand pulled rickshaw (30-45 minutes). The journey from Dasturi to Matheran is through a difficult terrain so a wee bit of caution is advised. On our way back, we boarded the toy train from Matheran station to Neral, from there a local train to Karjat and from Karjat station, an a/c sleeper train to Pune. The toy train journey is totally recommended. Views from the train are spectacular, unparalleled by any other mode of transport. Booking the toy train in advance, as we realized, was not required in the scorching summer season, but in any other, it would be very advisable. We were apprised that the train does not ply in the monsoons. A word of caution regarding unreserved passengers boarding the train as it was very annoying and harrowing experience for us. Matheran is best avoided in summers. It is extremely sunny, very dusty, dry and predominantly brown (instead of green)." - Divya, Delhi, May 31, 2011 Read 233 Matheran reviews on HolidayIQ.com Top attractions in Matheran recommended by HolidayIQ.com travellers Echo Point Type: View Point Entry: Free Ranked: 1 Of 55 Ratings: 5.61/7 (32 Reviews) "Nice place but scary at times as if u visit it in the evening as I went there around 5 and there we just 3-4 tourists and some body shouted but there was no echo and the second time he repeated the voice did echo and we were the first to leave..." - Chintamani More, Thane, 2 weeks ago 1 Charlotte Lake Type: Lake Entry: Free Ranked: 2 Of 55 Ratings: 5.44/7 (16 Reviews) "If you look at the lake from the starting point(when you just enter the area), it looks just as a small dam. But if you go ahead towards temple, and view from there, the Lake looks lovely. This 2 Page 10/17 is just 1Km away from your way back to train and you..." - Rani Shetty, Mumbai, 4 weeks ago 3 Louisa Point Type: View Point Entry: Free Ranked: 3 Of 55 Ratings: 5.50/7 (6 Reviews) "In may we went to Matheran with five families . The great experience for me that. When we went to go Louisa Point by on horse riding with family. That was great experience. Louisa Point was a great. A valley was very deep. Location was a very..." - Suresh Mokashi, Mumbai, Jun 13, 2014 One Tree Hill Point Type: View Point Entry: Free Ranked: 4 Of 55 Ratings: 5.56/7 (5 Reviews) "Its just wooooooow..... Its risky to go there.. but when you reach there.... You can not resist Urself from taking deep fresh breath.. M.. Very pretty.... The tree just welcome you to have a great day to Urself. I visit this at 16th August 2014...." - Lalit Pitale, Baroda, 2 months ago 4 Alexander Point Type: View Point Entry: Free Ranked: 5 Of 55 Ratings: 5.29/7 (5 Reviews) "You can walk if you wanna really go trekking or you can even opt horse ride.. We had been there trekking,its an end point where you can see a valley type. That area has a welcoming Alexander region board.. We find an heritage home type, named aftr..." - Rani Shetty, Mumbai, 4 weeks ago 5 Panorama Point Type: View Point Entry: Free Ranked: 6 Of 55 Ratings: 5.50/7 (3 Reviews) "This is one of best point in Matheran. Way to this point is very attractive and we enjoyed very much. This is straight from car parking place (end point from where car is not allowed). Many points for photography is there in way and panorama point..." - Nikhil M, Pune, 4 weeks ago 6 Little Chowk Point Type: View Point Entry: Free Ranked: 7 Page 11/17 Ranked: 7 Of 55 Ratings: 5.25/7 (2 Reviews) "enjoy alot with all my cousins, the beauty of the nature is out of the world. it will give you a peace in your mind. if you want a relax from your hectic schedule then go for a weekend break" - Rishi Pandey, , 3 months ago Hart Point Type: View Point Entry: Free Ranked: 8 Of 55 Ratings: 4.67/7 (2 Reviews) "The scenic beauty from this place is really awesome. To see the sunrise and the sunset and that to in the winters is like a feeling of being in heaven. Lot of peace and serene environment, must see place with family and friends." - Ravi Jain, Rourkela, 3 months ago 8 9 Morbe Dam Type: Dam Entry: Free Ranked: 9 Of 55 Ratings: 5.17/7 (2 Reviews) "Just need water to get your experience much more great but do not visit in Rainy Season, not recommended. One can very well get over the dam & cross through it for other spots. While water in the dam please take care of children. Do not make dam..." - Vineet , , May 13, 2014 10 Rambagh Point Type: View Point Entry: Free Ranked: 10 Of 55 Ratings: 4.83/7 (2 Reviews) "The people visit this point to see the sunrise.everyone can reach the easily attraction." Swapnil pungliya , Solapur, Feb 5, 2014 Popular hotels in Matheran recommended by HolidayIQ.com travellers 1 Horseland Hotel & Mountain Spa Price: Rs. 3,600 - 5,100 Ranked: 1 Of 60 Ratings: 5.54/7 (158 Reviews) Address: Vithalrao Kotwal Matheran Phone: 02148-230421 Website: Www.horselandhotel.com Preferred by: Family | Mumbai Travellers Page 12/17 "Over all was good except rooms A/c do not work properly no hot water in the bath room indoor games is just a namesake its too expensive as per their amenities and the condition of rooms. Advice to travellers: always take the ground floor..." - Upendra rajak , Mumbai, 4 days ago Read 158 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com 2 Point View Hotel Price: Ranked: Ratings: Address: Rs. 1,500 - 3,500 2 Of 60 5.23/7 (104 Reviews) M.G.Road, Near Khandala Point Matheran Raigad Dist. Phone: 02148-230013 Preferred by: Couple | Mumbai Travellers "Speciality of hotel was campus. Extreamly Nice ... We enjoyed it a lot.Room service was very good. Staff was very very helpful and friendly.Food was very delicious. Easyly aprochable all points. Very cool climate so enjoyed winter. Overall good..." - Raj , Jalgaon, Yesterday Read 104 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com 3 Radha Cottage Village Resort Price: Rs. 4,000 - 5,600 Ranked: 3 Of 60 Ratings: 5.53/7 (98 Reviews) Address: Pandey Road Near Pandey Play Ground, Matheran Phone: 91-9833385209 Website: Www.radhacottage.com Preferred by: Couple, Group | Mumbai Travellers "Excellent hotel no activity in the hotel too far from station too many monkey in the hotel nice food staff was supportive good atmosphere , nice place too visit with family& friends very friendly hotel good indoor game in the hotel like to visit..." - Amit jha , Adoor, 4 days ago Read 98 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com 4 Rangoli Retreat Price: Ranked: Ratings: Address: Page 13/17 Rs. 2,200 - 3,100 4 Of 60 5.29/7 (107 Reviews) Address: B P Plot 187 M. G Road- Opp Railway Station Matheran Phone: 02148-230272 Website: Www.rangoliretreat.com Preferred by: Family, Couple | Mumbai, Nagpur Travellers "I had visited mathenran in the month of July 14 with my family it was amazing fun visiting their and stay in the hotel was also great...room was spacious and well maintained..pool was clean and big enough...staff was polite and helpful...food too..." - Ayush Das, Mumbai, 1 week ago Read 107 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com 5 Brightlands Resort Price: Ranked: Ratings: Address: Rs. 4,000 - 7,000 5 Of 60 5.34/7 (100 Reviews) Maulana Azad Road Matheran Phone: 022-43333444 Website: Www.brightlandsresort.com Preferred by: Couple, Family | Mumbai, Hyderabad Travellers "HOLIDAY IN BRIGHTLAND HOTEL IS VERY EXCITING AND PLEASURE HOLIDAY HOTEL IS VERY GOOD WITH GOOD ROOMS NEAT AND CLEAN STAFF IS VERY CO OPERATIVE AND VERY HELP FULL SWIMMING POOL IS VERY BIG WITH GOOD CLEAN WATER HOTEL LOCALITY IS WOUNDERFULL WITH..." - Shaikh , Ahiwara, 1 month ago Read 100 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com 6 Usha Ascot Price: Ranked: Ratings: Address: Rs. 5,400 - 15,900 6 Of 60 5.48/7 (89 Reviews) M G Road Matheran Phone: 02148-230360 Website: Www.ushaascot.com Preferred by: Family, Couple | Mumbai, Ahmedabad Travellers "Usha Ascot was a nice place to stay and my family enjoyed the trip. .fantastic hotel staff..they were always helping...food was awesome..room we stayed was large and clean...we totally loved the stay.next time certainly we will be staying in the..." - Ashish Rakhecha, Mumbai, 2 weeks ago Page 14/17 Read 89 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com 7 The Byke Retreat Price: Ranked: Ratings: Address: Rs. 5,300 - 13,000 7 Of 60 5.41/7 (90 Reviews) Next To Municipal Office Off Road To Charlotte Lake Phone: 02148-230365 Website: Www.thebyke.com Preferred by: Couple, Family | Mumbai, Pune Travellers "As our first visit to Matheran will always be memorable with the treat we got at The Byke Retreat - true resort with real retreat. The rooms were very good clean, with required stuff in place, towel, soap, etc. etc. The food was awesome. The..." - Manish , Pune, 5 days ago Read 90 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com 8 Girivihar Hotel Price: Ranked: Ratings: Address: Rs. Upto 2,600 8 Of 60 5.41/7 (54 Reviews) M.G.Road, Near Neral, Karjat Taluka Phone: 91-9420059558 Website: Giriviharhotel.com Preferred by: Couple | Mumbai Travellers "The great thing about GiriVihar is its simplicity. It is located far away from the market but once you are within the precincts you feel instantly at home. The place is decent rather than luxurious and the cottages reminds one of a style of living..." - Sandeep Maher, Mumbai, 1 week ago Read 54 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com 9 Regal Hotel Price: Ranked: Ratings: Address: Rs. 4,800 - 6,800 9 Of 60 5.54/7 (65 Reviews) Kasturba Road Matheran Phone: 02148-230143 Website: Www.regalmatheran.com Preferred by: Couple, Group | Mumbai, Pune Travellers Page 15/17 "this is one of the best weekend trip we have had recently..room was spacious and well maintained staff was extremely helpful and polite...ever ready to attend guests...food was another highlight...clean and big swimming pool is the USP...i am..." - Nirupama Pardesi, Mumbai, 5 days ago Read 65 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com 10 Adamo - The Resort Price: Ranked: Ratings: Address: Rs. 4,300 - 15,800 10 Of 60 5.37/7 (63 Reviews) Bazaar Peth M. G Road Matheran Phone: 02148-230007 Website: Www.richierichresorts.com Preferred by: Group | Mumbai Travellers "we have stayed for the weekend in may 2014...it was really good experience...located close to railways station and 2.5km away from car parking...clean and big rooms..bigger bed...clean bathrooms..staff was polite and always ready to assist in case..." - Jagan Shinde, Mumbai, 4 weeks ago Read 63 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com View all Matheran hotels Best way to travel from Mumbai to Matheran Matheran is situated at a distance of 87 km from Mumbai. One of the most eco-sensitive regions in the world, Matheran is well connected to Mumbai by road. The best way to reach Matheran from Mumbai is by road, a journey of about 1 hour 40 minutes by car. The places covered during the journey from Mumbai to Matheran are Mumbai - 21 km -> Thane - 15 km -> Shil Phata - 22 km -> Katrap - 31 km -> Matheran. On the way, there are several ATMs, hospitals, rest stops and dhabas. Restaurants such as Mumbara and Shraddha are present on the route. Petrol pumps of Hindustan Petroleum (HP) and Bharat Petroleum (BP), among others, are also available at regular intervals. Transport options from Mumbai to Matheran Mumbai to Matheran By Car: Hire a cab or rent a car to drive down to Matheran, which takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. This mode is ideal for group travel or for families with senior citizens and kids. Approximate cost of cab per kilometre ranges from INR 10 to 35 depending upon the type of car hired. Read more Travel options on HolidayIQ.com Mumbai To Matheran (47Km) > Page 16/17 > > > > > > > Pune To Matheran Ahmedabad To Matheran Thane To Matheran Surat To Matheran Baroda(Vadodara) To Matheran Hyderabad To Matheran Delhi To Matheran (79Km) (459Km) (43Km) (252Km) (372Km) (579Km) (1152Km) Matheran weather Best Season / Best Time to Visit Matheran JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC About HolidayIQ.com HolidayIQ.com is a premier holiday information portal powered by India's first & biggest travel community; enabling travellers to first discover numerous vacation choices, then plan holiday trips in full detail Page 17/17