Khandala Fast Facts |
Languages |
Marathi, Hindi and English |
Best time to visit |
October-May |
Khandala - Introduction
Khandala is one of the famous
hill resorts in the Indian state of Maharashtra and is the
pride of the Sahyadri Mountains.
Khandala is endowed
with abundant natural beauty and like Lonavala, it is also
provides a popular gateway from the hustle and bustle of
cities of Mumbai and Pune. The picturesque green surroundings
of this pretty hill station attract the travelers towards it.
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Khandala - Location
The hill resort of Khandala is
located in the western part of the state of Maharashtra, in
the western region of India. The hill resort is set amongst
the hills and valleys of the Sahyadri mountain range. Khandala
is located approximately hundred km southeast of Mumbai and
seventy km from Pune. It is at a distance of five km from
Lonavala. |
Khandala - Past
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The origin
of the hill resort of Khandala is obscure. Chattrapati
Shivaji, the founder of the first Maratha Empire, ruled the
area around Khandala. Later it came under the Peshwa rulers,
who founded the second Maratha Empire. It was finally taken
over by the British when they defeated the Peshwas.
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Khandala - Sites to Visit
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Khandala is a small hill station. The town provides a panoramic view of the lush green hilly environs. Travelers throng this place to escape the hectic lifestyle of Mumbai city. They can enjoy the scenic beauty of this place by taking a walk around. It has a number of trekking trails around it.
At the Khandala
Ghat is the tourist attraction of Amruntanjan point. The
beauty of the gorgeous greens, wondrous vistas of the valley
and the Dukes Nose will sweep you off your feet.
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Khandala - Sites Near By
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While holidaying in the hill resort of Khandala the best way to enjoy further is to visit the twin resort of Lonavala. The two resorts of Maharashtra are just five km apart. The nature is bountiful at Lonavala too and makes
For the water lovers amongst the nature lovers Khandala offers several excursion options. The tourists are known to throng the Tugauli Lake, Lonavala Lake, Bhushi Lake and the Walvan Dam near Khandala.
At a distance of 16 km from Khandala are the tourist attractions of Karla and Bhaja Caves. These rock-cut caves are located in the hills and date back to 2nd century BC. These caves temples boast of being the oldest and finest examples of Buddhist rock-cut temple art in India.
Belonging to the
Hinayana sect of Buddhism. Travelers coming from Mumbai to
Khandala via the Mumbai-Pune highway can see the Duke's Nose
with its peculiar peak.
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Khandala - What to Buy
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The twin
hill resorts of Lonavala and Khandala are famous for the fast
foods they offer. The tourists must pick up Chikkis and Jams
from the hill resort. At the same time the Indian Snacks Like
Chiwda, Wafers and various types of Sevs are popular with the
tourists at Khandala.
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Khandala - Adventure Sports
For the adventure tourists there are several trekking and hiking opportunities available in and around Khandala. The Karla hills including the popular Duke's Nose peak offer rock-climbing opportunities for the adventurous tourists. Being close to Khandala the adventure activities add to the fun at the hill resort.
For enjoying adventure activities in
Khandala tourists may get in touch with the Maharashtra
Tourism Development Council or MTDC.
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Khandala - How to Reach
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The hill
resort of Khandala does not have an airport. The airport
nearest to Khandala is at Pune (69 km) while the nearest
railway station is at Lonavala. As Lonavala is on the main
railway line between Mumbai (Bombay) and Pune (Poona), all
express trains plying between the two cities stop here and
travelers can take express trains passing through Lonavala to
reach Mumbai and Pune. The travel time from Lonavala to Mumbai
in express train is three hours, while it takes one hour from
Lonavala to Pune. There is also an hourly shuttle service for
Pune (2 hours). Khandala is well connected with Mumbai and
Pune by road and the bus service for Pune (travel time 2½
hours) via Lonavala is good. However, it takes about four
hours to reach Mumbai from Khandala. Buses shuttle between
Khandala and Lonavala (15 minutes). Travelers can also walk
down to Lonavala from Khandala.
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Khandala - Best Time to Visit
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Weather in
Khandala is pleasant all through the year. Summers
(April-June) are mild, while winters are cool
(November-February). Khandala experiences heavy southwestern
monsoon rains between June and September. Thus, the tourists
must avoid these monsoon months. The best time to visit
Khandala is between the months of October and May. The
temperature varies between twelve and thirty six degrees at
Khandala.
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Khandala - Where to Stay
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The
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation runs a resort at
Karla, and another at Rye Woods, Lonavala.
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