Category: Western Ghats

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Corporate Outings Western Ghats Western India

Corporate Outing spots in and around Mumbai

Being the financial capital of the country, Mumbai works day and night. The people sitting in those tall buildings are some of the hardest working people and they work day and night in order to make their company grow. But there are times when the going gets tough and everyone needs a break. So here are some places that we are about to mention which are perfect spots for the office groups to spend some quality times at. So, it’s our try to let everyone know where the corporate sector of Mumbai can go in order to spend a day outdoors.

Adlabs Imagica- If the team is looking for a place full of excitement and nerdy action, this theme park is a must visit. Also known as the Disneyland of Mumbai, it consists of a snow park, a water park and a theme park. One of the very few places for corporate outings near Mumbai is always full of life with all the college groups, school children and families. Enjoy the watersports, the heart stopping roller coaster rides among many other things and have great day out at a corporate outing.

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Lonavala- This beautiful hill station can be seen all covered with camps set up by the business corporate employees and the families almost all the time. For the history lovers, there are very ancient caves that they can see, for the more adventurous ones; there are more than enough places to do some trekking. The adventure lovers can visit the Della Adventure in Kunegaonndia’s largest adventure park and indulge in exciting sessions of paintball and dirt biking. The thrill is right there at this place and it is a great spot for the team outings.

Panchgani- A few kilometers away from all the hustle bustle of the city, the place is having an odd old worldly charm about it and is known to be one of the very few all natural places around. The place seems untouched by the forces of industrialization and makes for a perfect spot for spending some quality time alone or in a group, whatever you are looking for. Visiting Tableland, paragliding, group games, team building activities, sightseeing and trekking around the place is a must do along with a host of other activities and fun games.

Matheran– The best thing about this beautiful and soulful hill station is that, in order to maintain its all natural beauty and essence and to keep it pollution free, it has been termed as a non-vehicle zone. There are several places where trekking can take place and also the camping sites located in here also serve as great attractions to enjoy in the groups along with the adventure camps set up and some other good team building activities. The place is as calm and peaceful as it can get and all natural down through to its core.

Karjat- Also known as one of the very prime locations for the shoots of most Hindi films, Karjat also serves as a great hangout spot for the lovers of nature. There are many resorts at the place along with the sightseeing tourist attractions. Bike riding track is also there where one can ride their bikes down the valley while witnessing some beautiful sites. Bicycle ride, camping among other team building activities can be performed here in the arms of nature.

These above-mentioned places are most visited not only by the corporate sector teams and groups but individual families and friend groups as well. Hard work seems lovely if such lovely refreshments keep coming from time to time.

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Adventure Corporate Outings South India Treks Western Ghats

Adventure, nature’s beauty and fun at Jogigundi Falls

Situated in the heart of Karnataka’s dense Western ghats, Jogingundi Falls is one of the most loved tourist’s attractions, a scenic small but wide waterfall in Karnataka, about 3 km from Agumbe which is sometimes called the Cherrapunji of the south due to the amount of rainfall it receives. Therefore the waterfalls are blessed with a large volume of water flowing throughout the year. One of the main reasons why this fall is so popular amongst local people is its uniqueness. It is a completely different experience from what you normally see elsewhere in and around the region.

Unlike your traditional waterfall where water falls from a height or in multiple tiers, the cave is a unique one as this one flows out of a cave that runs through the hill and hence is known as a cave waterfall. This is what makes Jogigundi Falls a treat to your eyes. People are thrilled to experience the sheer excitement of a fall flowing out from the mysterious cave. The whole concept runs a chill down your spine and makes you feel the adrenaline rush. Tourists can indulge in a variety of adventures here. You can spend a whole day here basking in some other activities.

This picturesque destination basking in the glory of sparkling nature is situated about 4 kms from Agumbe. You will have to cover 3 kms by your vehicle and the last km should be trekked down. Trekking to reach Jogigundi Falls is not less than an adventure in itself. You will have to cross several steep and narrow trails.

Once you complete your trek down the trail you will be welcomed by a majestic natural pool brimming with loads of adventures. You can indulge in activities such as swimming. You can comfortably swim in the very pleasing swimming pool there in front of the waterfall, but be careful as the waters here are pretty deep, upwards of 50 feet and the edges of the pool have sharp rocky edges. It is advised that you don’t use soap, shampoo, detergent, and other chemical stuff while bathing in the pool. It will not only pollute the water but also harm the environment in many ways.

This exotic place is surrounded by green forests. It is made up of dark rocks. There is a small stream that you will have to cross to have a full view of the landscape. After crossing this stream, you will spot all small caves (holes) in the rocks below. You will be thrilled to see the water flowing from these caves.

There is enough water to swim in the front of the waterfall. However, the water here is as deep as 50 feet. So make sure that you take all the precaution before setting out to swim in the water. The edges of the rocks are sharp. You can collide with them anytime. Apart from indulging water sports, you can even set out to wildlife safari of your own style. There is lot to explore in the forest. You can spot some rare birds and animals too.

Local people in Agumbe explore the waterfall during dry season. They climb all the way up to the cave and jump from there to the pool. This is truly one of the most beautiful experience one can have.

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Adventure Corporate Outings Rejoice Western Ghats

Places where you can indulge in team sports in Pune

To discover an enthralling paradise and a peaceful retreat with your team, Pune is one of the best highlights. It lets you indulge in a lot of adventurous activities and enriching moments. So why wait? Take a day or two away from work and head off from Pune to taste some fun. Below are some of the things you can do in Pune as a team.

Corporate Day Outing and Team Building activities near Pune

The day begins with your arrival at Golewadi at around 10.30 am. The much-needed break from corporate life begins here. Following, allocation into smaller groups, engage in Raft Building and compete with your opponents.

Embark on the breathtaking river-crossing at the Dhom Dam, and indulge in a delicious lunch for a change.

Participate in team building activities like Australian Plank, Egyptian Walk, Bomb in the City, Caterpillar Walk, and 3D Pool with colleagues for enriching moments.

Kamath Residency Resort- Located right next to the very famous Alibaug beach, the resort is a pure fun place to hang out with your office mates. Raigad fort is also quite nearby to serve the history enthusiasts quite well. There are a few beaches around the place and a lot of other places which can prove to be great for some refreshments and sightseeing. This retreat offers the much-required change for the corporate team with a host of activities such as white water river-rafting on the River Kolad, It offers adventure activities such as ziplining, rock climbing, rappelling, rifle shooting, water sports and sightseeing for guests.

Della Resorts- Situated in Lonavala, a great picturesque location and one of the most important tourist attractions in the state, Della resorts is another superb place to satisfy your cravings for some unadulterated fun. There are more than 100 adventurous and fun activities which can be performed in groups. A restaurant, a coffee shop and other symbols of convenience are also there. Its an iconic place to bond with your colleagues over several adventure games be it on land, water or in the air. Chase adventure sports activities like zorbing , ziplining, bungee jumping, treasure hunt, and keep the fun going with several rides that will blow your mind away. The Della Adventure Resort is unquestionably one of the best resorts for the corporate outing in Pune.

Empower camp- Kolad has this wonderful camp where office and the college groups can be seen crowding the place almost all the time. The place is located at a very short distance from Mumbai and Pune and a great place to release the clustered stress due to the insane working hours. Sumptuous Buffet meals are just add ons to the services that are made available for the visitors. The camp is the perfect option to immerse in unlimited fun, thrill, and enthusiasm with activities like raft building and rafting.

Water Rappelling and Trekking in Lonavala- One other super fun activity that could be done in Lonavala is the trekking and waterfall rappelling. The trek will begin at 9 in the morning and will take you through some great locations and adventurous spot to tickle the risky bones inside you. Lonavala is one of the most picturesque hill stations in the entire country and trekking in here is a mind blowing experience. The waterfalls which cascade down the ridges of Sahyadri Ranges offer charming views of the valley below. One can indulge in climbing up the forest trails and rappel down with a harness through the refreshing falls.

Adventure Plus- One of the most popular spots for team outings near Pune and the biggest adventure camp in the entire country, the Adventure plus is the perfect place to spend a good day at. Very nice accommodations are provided to the visitors and a host of services along with the great visuals is the highlight of this wonderful camp. The site offers numerous water activities right from Hydro Bike rides, Kayaking, Paddle Boating, Paddle Caddie, Water Ball to water inflatable sports. Air based activities comprise aero modelling and zip lining. Group activities comprise army obstacle course, excursions, forest walk, paintball and treasure hunt.

Tapola River Camp- Also known as Mini Kashmir, the Tapola river camp is located near the great tourist destination Mahabaleshwar. The comfort and enjoyment factor is quite high in this one and it offers some great fun activities to do in teams. The madness and stress from the tiring work routine takes a backseat here as the groups enjoy themselves to their fullest.

Water scooter rides, kayaking or swimming, you can enjoy a horde of activities as you soak in the natural beauty of the region. In addition, there are several tourist destinations in the vicinity of the resort which are perfect for sightseeing and trekking trips. The adventure begins here at Tapola. It serves as the base camp for several trekking trails.

Team outings are important on so many levels. For one, they give a chance to the employees to connect on a wider level outside their small offices. Also, the productivity increases as the manpower goes to spend some quality times in the arms of nature.

 

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Architectural Corporate Outings North-West India Western Ghats Western India

Urban legends of Pavagadh Hill

Such a historical hill that lives up to its name of “Fire Hill” as it ignites a fire within your skin. Sudden plans to visit the hill were made and we reached Champaner by bus. It was a 45-kilometer long ride from Vadodara but with good music to keep us company, the time went by before any of us noticed.

This hill has great significance as most Hindus know the story of how Parvati’s foot fell on this hill making it sacred. The Kalika temple on top of the hill has been visited by devotees since ages. Reaching the temple is no hard task. Public buses take you until the end of the road from where we started hiking up. Midway, when none of us could walk more, we took the cable ropeway which took us straight to the top. The sights from above the hill were just as majestic as the temple itself. We got to know from the locals nearby that every once in a while a fair is held at the temple and thousands of devotees come there. The pilgrim site was, fortunately, less crowded by the time we visited. The temple is open even at odd hours to accommodate people who have come from far for pilgrimage. We saw the temple and had darshan of Goddess Kali. There was also a Muslim shrine to a Sufi saint Sadan Shah Pir there.

We stayed at the Machi Haveli for the night after visiting the temple and some remains of Raval palace are still there even though it has been modified into a guest house for travellers. The next day we went out to explore the hill. The hill has different plateaus, the Kalika Mata plateau and Machi plateau which we had already seen and adored. Then there were also Mauliya Plateau, Bhadrakali Plateau, and Atak plateau.

We saw Teliya Talav and Dudiya Talav. The story behind the Dudiya Talav is that sage Vishwamitra had a cow that would speak and yield lots of milk. This cow was called Kamdhenu and one day it fell into the valley while grazing. It tried to get back up but couldn’t. Finally, she produced so much milk that it filled the valley and she swam to top. The sage prayed to the gods so that no cow would ever fall into the valley again and gods made a hill appear there. Well, it is just an urban legend.

We moved on to our next stop where we saw some beautifully constructed Jain temples carved from white stone which gave it a marvellous architectural charm. It was unbelievable to think that those temples dated back to the 14th-15th century. There were beautiful stone images inside of Tirthankaras. Within its vicinity, there is also a tall statue of God Bahubali which is almost 30ft in height. The entire place is splendid in its beauty and holy in ambience. There was also a Jain restaurant, gardens and Dharamshala nearby. We stopped there for some food and it turned out delicious. After wandering around the premises for some more time, we started clicking pictures and finding other places to see around there.

During our journey back home, we stopped at the foot of Pavagadh to visit ‘Vada Talabh’ and Kabootar khaana and then finally relaxed at a beautiful garden called ‘Virasat Van’. It was a serene atmosphere and the sights were beautiful. This experience gave us unforgettable memories of our trip to Pavgadh. Even now we have those visions behind our eyes and can feel the cool breeze upon my skin.

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Western Ghats Western India

“Matheran” Excellent idea to Hang Out!!

Maharashtra is one of the most happening states in the country, and we don’t mean it by the tourism point of view. Of course, there are some places which are tourist’s delight, but they aren’t in abundance. Once such place is Matheran, which is closest to the state capital Mumbai. Located in the arms of the great Sahyadri hills, Matheran offers some great visuals worth savoring.

How to reach there

Reaching here is no big a task. A Karjat bound local train will bring you here. As the motor cars are banned, you may have to find a parking spot somewhere else to park your car and then you can walk barefoot to Matheran. The entry ticket for the adults is INR 40 while the minors can get in at half of that amount.

However, there is one thing where the place serves as a great example for the rest of the country, any kind of motor vehicles are banned here completely. This step was taken in order to keep the place as pollution-free as possible. And the result shows, the air smells the best, the green is really green and the sky seems bluer than ever. There are talks about making some other places in the country to make them the same way as Matheran.

About the place, Matheran is a picturesque valley full of natural beauty which happens to be present here in abundance. People say that almost all the points of this beautiful place are visually stunning; at every point, you can get a great view of the sunrise, the sunset, and the photogenic valleys. A walk, rickshaw or a horseback ride, choose whatever, the experience will be far better than you must have imagined. However, one thing that must be kept in mind is that most of the best places where you would want to see the sunrise and the sunset will be crowded almost all the time. There will be aggressive monkeys that are known as great thieves. Watch out for them as they keep lurking around some corner waiting to get a chance to snatch some food and eateries.

Some of the most popular sites in Matheran are the Lake Charlotte, where a magnificent waterfall overflows from the lake. Other best places to visit in Matheran are Louisa Point, Charlotte Lake, Porcupine Point (Sunset Point), Panorama Point, Alexander Point, Echo Point, Prabal Fort and many more others.

Charlotte Lake is a serene scenic spot and a prominent lake in Matheran. This lake is the prime source of the supply of water to the Matheran region. With the truly mesmerizing waterfalls that spill out around the Lake during the monsoon season, the lake becomes a splendid site to explore.

The central bazaar is one of the most interesting places to shop for all those who want a taste of the local culture. There are plentiful little shops in the Central Bazaar loaded with stuff such as leather goods, hats, footwear and the very ambrosial sweet ‘chikki’ – which is a key attraction here.

For the adventurous trekkers, Matheran is a pure indulgence. There are manifold trekking routes to Matheran, the most famous being the one through the Garbett Plateau.

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Beaches Western Ghats

Scoot out for a much awaited break at Malvan

Malvan happens to be a picture perfect fishing port town located in the Konkan district of Maharashtra. Apart from the beaches where you could relax and spend some wonderful time, the place also has a few historical monuments which make the place perfectly balanced on the scale of natural and manmade beauty.

How to reach

Dabolim in the northern part of Goa is the nearest airport to the place which is a few hours ride away. Kudal is the nearest railway station belonging to the Konkan railways and located about 30 kilometers from the town. However, buses remain the best option to travel to the place. Mumbai-Goa highway is a clean road and Malvan is located at about 35 kilometers west of the highway, so getting there shouldn’t be a problem.

Places to visit

Among the many reasons to visit Malvan, here are a few that may compel to form your next trip around the beautiful fishing port.

Sindhudurg Fort- The great fort was built by the great Maratha warrior Shivaji in 1664. The ferry services which will take you to the fort from the town begin their rounds early in the morning from 8 AM. The fort is a magnificent monument full of reminiscent of the era this fort belongs to.

Rock Garden- After a day well spent watching the monuments and sightseeing around the place, Malvan is the best place to relax on the rocks. situated near the Arase Mahal, on the rocky shore of Malvan, it is a marvelously built garden overlooking the Chivla beach. enjoy the calm of the seaside and the sunset and sunrise amidst its all green and raw vibe, while you are here.

Tarkali- Located at a distance of about 6 kilometers from Malvan, is Tarkali. The very long and narrow stretch of the beach is the biggest attraction of the place and being very close to Malvan, the place deserves a visit.

Devbag- The long beach around the coast, an exquisite boat ride to the tsunami island is the biggest attractions of the place. The Sangam point can also be seen from here. Parasailing and other water sports add a lot more fun to the overall joy of having visited the place.

 Beaches Malvan is surrounded by striking beaches which are refreshing and relaxing and offer you a wide view of the calm sea. As many sea birds visit here in thousands the place is a great sight for the visitors.

Boat rides in Karli backwaters can be enjoyed by visitors. Scuba diving on the Dandi beach, located at around a 3 kilometers distance from the main Malvan bus stand, is one rather sporty thing to do in otherwise peace-loving town. However, the scuba diving facilities are not the best in the country, but coming at half the price of other places, it is definitely worth a shot.

Food

Malvan will offer you some of the most delicious seafood that you may have ever tasted in your life. Hotel Chaitanya near Malvan Bharad road is known for authentic Malvani food and offers some of the best-fried fish. There are other great places near the Malvan fish market which take your taste buds on an amazing roller coaster ride. Other restaurants to try include Atithi Bamboo, Swami Family Restaurant, Only Fish and Ocean’s Paradise.

Stay

Malvan has many hotels and resorts that remain booked almost all the time in a year. Ai beach home, Manorama Niwas, Sagar Sangam and the Tian beach resort stands out among the many other places to stay.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit the place is from October to May and as the season approaches, you need to start finding all those fancy backpacks. Malvan acts both as a foodie’s paradise and a great tourist spot and one trip to the place is enough for you to fall in love with it.

Malvan serves as not just the perfect spot for scuba diving and snorkeling. With one of the best beaches in India and cheaper water sports such as at Tarkali, Malvan is a place that must be visited once in a lifetime.

Categories
Beaches Western Ghats

Scoot out for a much awaited break at Malwan

Malwan happens to be a picture perfect fishing port town located in the Konkan district of Maharashtra. Apart from the beaches where you could relax and spend some wonderful time, the place also has a few historical monuments which make the place perfectly balanced on the scale of natural and manmade beauty.

How to reach

Dabolim in the northern part of Goa is the nearest airport to the place which is a few hours ride away. Kudal is the nearest railway station belonging to the Konkan railways and located at about 30 kilometers from the town. However, buses remain the best option to travel to the place. Mumbai-Goa highway is a clean road and Malwan is located at about 35 kilometers west of the highway, so getting there shouldn’t be a problem.

Places to visit

Among the many reasons to visit Malwan, here are a few that may compel to form your next trip around the beautiful fishing port.

Sindhudurg Fort- The great fort was built by the great Maratha warrior Shivaji in 1664. The ferry services which will take you to the fort from the town begin their rounds early in the morning from 8 AM. The fort is a magnificent monument full of reminiscent of the era this fort belongs to.

Rock Garden- After a day well spent watching the monuments and sightseeing around the place, Malwan is the best place to relax on the rocks. situated near the Arase Mahal, on the rocky shore of Malvan, it is a marvelously built garden overlooking the Chivla beach. enjoy the calm of the seaside and the sunset and sunrise amidst its all green and raw vibe, while you are here.

Tarkali- Located at a distance of about 6 kilometers from Malvan, is Tarkali. The very long and narrow stretch of the beach is the biggest attraction of the place and being very close to Malwan, the place deserves a visit.

Devbag- The long beach around the coast, an exquisite boat ride to the tsunami island is the biggest attractions of the place. The sangam point can also be seen from here. Parasailing and other water sports add a lot more fun to the overall joy of having visited the place.

 Beaches Malvan, the popular fishing port town in Konkan region of Maharashtra is surrounded by beautiful beaches which are refreshing and relaxing, can offer you a wide view of the calm sea where sightseeing can be done as many sea birds visit here in thousands making it a great sight for the visitors. Boat rides in Karli backwaters are also enjoyed by visitors.

Scuba diving on the Dandi beach, located at around a 3 kilometers distance from the main Malwan bus stand, is one rather sporty thing to do in otherwise peace-loving town. However, the scuba diving facilities are not the best in the country, but coming at half the price of other places, it is definitely worth a shot.

Food

Malwan will offer you some of the most delicious seafood that you may have ever tasted in your life. You can have all the different varieties of it in Malwan. One place to go is Hotel Chaitanya near Malvan Bharad road and it offers some of the best-fried fish. There are other great places near the Malvan fish market which take your taste buds on an amazing roller coaster ride.

Stay

Malvan has many hotels and resorts that remain booked almost all the time in a year. Ai beach home, Manorama Niwas, Sagar Sangam and the Tian beach resort stands out among the many other places to stay.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit the place is from October to May and as the season approaches, you need to start finding all those fancy backpacks. Malwan acts both as a foodie’s paradise and a great tourist spot and one trip to the place is enough for you to fall in love with it.

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Adventure Western Ghats Western India

Camping getaways in Mumbai that are a promising stress buster

So where are you heading this weekend? We all plan in advance to explore new things on weekends. But sometimes things get really monotonous as we indulge more often in things we have done before. If your idea of outing is to unwind yourself and breath in the goodness of pure nature, then camping is the right deal for you. So let the fragrant breeze touch your face and enjoy the warmth of bonfire in the dark chilling nights. We bring some of the hottest camping gateways near Mumbai for you. Here we go:

Blend the Warmth of Thrill and Tranquility Together in Kolad

Situated on the banks of picturesquely Kundalika river, Kolad camp is an exotic treat for travelers from around the country. It is a haven for kayaking, rafting, and boating enthusiasts. You can also trek to the hills, explore the villages, and experience the spirituality of nature scattered around. Some of the adventure activities at this spot, to boost your adrenaline are white water rafting, boating, kayaking and many others. As the night unfolds its charm, you can listen to the music of the river as you sit in the company of friends with a bonfire warming you up. You are bound to return with a handful of unforgettable memories. Kolad is at 130 km from Mumbai. If you are driving to Kolad, you can reach the destination in approximately 2 hours 30 minutes or also board a direct train.

A Night in Cave at Gorakhgad Fort

What makes this spot stand out is that you spend a night in a cave, not in your camp. The very idea of camping in a cave is thrilling and trekking to Sahyadri Mountain just adds to the fun. Touted as more than 100 years old, you can have ane experience of a lifetime as you view the world from the pinnacle of the mountain. This camping site is one of the most popular near Mumbai. Loads of people come here for camping on and off. Chanting of shlokas and music of devotional Shiva songs sung by villagers from distance in the night leaves you mesmerized.

Gorakhgad fort is an ideal place for those friendly bonfires with beers and ghost stories. Kalyan station is located at the central line of Mumbai Local system. One can easily get an ST bus from outside the Kalyan station and reach Murbad in about 45 minutes. From Murbad, one has the option to board another bus to Dehri village or one can hire a tum-tum (local transport).

The Barbecue World at Pavana

Right in the heart of Lonavala, this place is a rage amongst the youth of Mumbai and Pune. They throng this camping site on weekends to escape the monotony of a fast paced life in cities. This place also makes for a great barbecue site. You can gaze at the clear sky, experience the beauty of the open vast lands, and enjoy the breeze. Forts like Lohagad, Tikona, and Tungi are also in the vicinity of the site. You can explore and have your share of some history.

The driving distance between Mumbai and Pavna lake is 109 kilometers and it takes about 3 hours to cover the distance between Mumbai and Pavna. One can follow Sion-Panvel Expressway and Mumbai – Pune Expressway to NH4 in Khandala, Lonavala. Next take an exit from Khandala-Lonavala exit ramp from the highway and continue on to NH4 to arrive at your destination in Kol.

In the Heart of Green Hills at Karnala

A few kilometers away from Mumbai, it is every Mumbaikar’s dream gateway to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life. It is also a bird sanctuary where you can listen to their exotic music or simply watch them in their natural habitat. Karnala sanctuary is a popular destination for amateur bird-watchers and ornithologists. People who decide to camp at this destination do indulge into some bird watching for a delightful break. You can trek to Karnala fort and also enjoy a waterfall during monsoon. Karnala is located at a driving distance of 60 Kms from Mumbai and it takes 1.50 hours to reach here.

A Trip Down the Orchards of Strawberries in Panchgani

Panchgani is one of the most popular gateways near Mumbai. You can spend some really good time trekking into the wilderness without any feeling of guilt. The place takes you back to the old British era in no time. You can explore the strawberry gardens, hit some stores to shop for jams and jellies, lay back and enjoy the pleasant view of this gorgeous hill station and explore the wonderful trekking trails that this town has to offer. Visited by a large number of tourists, it Panchgani makes your camping experience a blissful one. The road distance between Mumbai to Panchgani is 259 km, and also there are 7 direct buses plying between Mumbai to Panchgani.

These camping sites jotted with nature’s beauty also offer mind blasting activities for adventure junkies which add to the fun factor.

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Corporate Outings Rejuvenate Western Ghats Western India

Lonavala – The Family Getaway for Mumbaikars

Everybody should make a Lonavala trip once in a lifetime. The resort town of Lonavala in the Sahyadri Mountains is Mumbai’s most popular weekend getaway. Numerous waterfalls that plummet and trickle through thickly forested hillsides are good to escape the madness of the busier lifestyle. Lonavala is a popular holiday destination and a luxe way to enjoy the vacation amidst the cool green valleys which delight the eye. Lonavala is also called the Jewel of the Sahyadri Hills.

It is a hill station which happens to be located at about a 3 hours distance of 64 kilometres from Pune and 96 kilometers from the state capital Mumbai. The expressway running through it is quite an easy way to reach here and the railway is also there to make it a bit faster and easier to reach. Like every other gorgeous hill stations, there are many points on the hills here where you can have a great visual of the entire valley and soothe your senses. There are many small villages which are seen tucked in between and this offers a great visual experience to the visitors. A few kilometers away is a point that gives a great of the fort of Chhatrapati Shivaji known as Rajmachi. The place is a great tourist spot and known as the pride of Maharashtra.

And as is happens to be the case, there is absolutely no dearth of eateries in probably the best holiday destination in Maharashtra. Restaurants like Hotel Chandralok and Cafe 24 and various roadside dhabas will make the foodies go crazy. The cuisines are the impeccable mixture of Gujarati and Maharashtrian food items. And how could one forget the famous sweet, Chikki? Lonavala happens to be one of the biggest exporters of the Indian sweet that has got the entire country drooling over it.

For the picnic, there is the very famous Ryewood Park in Lonavala known for its great views and services. The park is full of tall trees and occupies a great deal of space. There also happens to be a very old and grand Shiva temple in the middle of the park, which is a good place for the devotees of Lord Shiva. Valvan dam is also a very popular tourist spot in the area that attracts a lot of people from all over the country each year. About 12 kilometers away from the mainland Lonavala, is the Duke’s nose. The place is quite popular among the most adventurous of the tourists and is quite a lot of popular among the hikers.

During the visit to Lonavala, one can choose to stay at Fariyas Resort Lonavala that also has a nice banquet venue for partying. For a luxurious stay, one can opt to stay at Aamby Valley City known for its excellent location, great hospitality, and great food.

Being one of the most popular tourist destinations, there is no dearth of places to stay in the hill station. There are five-star hotels, some good lodges among other places where the tourists can have a good stay.

Tiger’s point is one other wonderful place to see in here, which sometimes is also known as Tiger’s leap. Just beside it, there happens to be the wonderful waterfall that only remains active during the monsoon season and is dry for the the most part in the year.

The ancient caves of Karla and Bhaja are other attractions about the place. It gives the tourists a great peak in the ancient history of the Indians about how they lived when the world was devoid of any sort of technological stuff. The very popular caves date back to about 1st century BC and are as beautiful as they get.

Lonavala is to Mumbaikars what Haridwar and Rishikesh are to Delhiites. Most of the people living and working in these two metropolitans do need some time off, and they are lucky to have these places at a few hours’ distance.

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Central India Festival Rejuvenate Travel Trends Tribal Western Ghats

Gowli Tribe: Herders of Dandeli

The place is primarily known for water sports especially river rafting in river Kali. It is a paradise for birdwatchers that keep themselves in thick deciduous forests. However, very few people are aware that these forests are inhabited by the tribes, who have a little world of their own in these jungles. During one of my trips to Dandeli, I got the chance to spend time with these folks and learn about their cultures. This post is about my experience with Gowli Tribe, as they celebrate Vijayadashami, one of the famous festivals in India marking the triumph of good over evil.
Apparently, Gowlis is a pastoral community found in the states of Goa & Maharastra. Gowlis of Dandeli has their strong roots from lord Krishna community of Yadavas, whose major occupation is animal herding and selling milk in the surrounding areas. They are Hindus by religion and make sure, their religious ceremonies, traditions remain undiluted.

They celebrate Vijayadashami 2 days later the usual dates. Preparations start a week before and festivity takes place at the “Mukhiya’s” house, which also performs the festivity on the D-day and guides the people of tribes.  Cow Urine is considered to be sacred and all the goddesses etc are washed with the same. House is decorated with the paper cuttings created by the females and kids around.

Even though the Government is making an attempt to bring them out of the jungles and providing them basic education, so that they can be part of the crowd, but it seems they are happy being the Gowlis and have no regrets in life. They live each moment with passion and are absolutely non-complaining. These folks  are extremely nice  and hospitable to the guests

 

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