A walk in the clouds
Explore the natural beauty of Lonavala as the place comes alive in the monsoons, says Shilpa Sachdev
For Mumbaikars, Lonavala is a quick escape into bliss. The place turns even more picturesque as the monsoon comes calling. A blanket of greenery covers the entire place with streams of waterfalls flowing everywhere, an enchanting sight indeed! Also, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which has made the place easily accessible, turns extremely scenic during the monsoons making the drive to Lonavala even more enjoyable.
While Lonavala is assuming a lot of importance as a second home destination, the place has lots to offer for an exciting weekend getaway. Lonavala is blessed with a number of forts and a trek down one of them is the best way to experience the beauty of the hilly terrain. Lohagad fort, Rajmachi fort, Tikona fort, Korigad fort are some the well-known forts in Lonavala and extremely popular with the trekking groups. Be it the flora or fauna, the running waterfalls or gorgeous top views, every trek is a discovery in itself. Especially when one reaches the top of the fort, you are engulfed in a blanket of clouds that leaves you in sheer delight. Every monsoon, thousands of groups throng to Lonavala to explore the beauty and joy of trekking in the lush mountains.
Bushy dam is another extremely popular hang-out spot at Lonavala. On weekends, the place is choc-a-bloc with visitors who turn up in huge numbers with their families and friends. Pavana dam too is fast catching attention with some water-sport activities that are drawing visitors here. Tungarli Dam built across the Tungarli Lake is also a famous weekend picnic spot nearby Rajmachi.
For a walk down memory lane, Lonavala has some ancient caves. In fact, the name Lonavala is derived from the Sanskrit work 'lonavli' which refers to a place surrounded by many caves. Karla caves, Bhaja caves and Bedsa caves are the prominent caves in Lonavala. For those interested in the historical signifcance of the place, a visit to these caves is an enriching source of information.
For those who want to enjoy the rain and a walk in the clouds, Tiger's Leap, commonly known as the Tiger Point in Lonavala and Duke's Nose in Khandala are the ideal hang-out spots. Popular with visitors, both points offer a scenic view of the hills over a sizzling treat of chai and pakoda.
Lonavala also has its own celebrity wax museum now, which is another added attraction. Wax figures of leading Bollywood actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan along with other well known social names like Hariharan, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Mother Teresa, Sai Baba, AR Rahman, Balaji Tambe and Yesudas have been installed in the museum.
Another interesting place worth visiting for some adrenaline rush is the Della Adventure Park. Set amidst the natural backdrop of hills, one can indulge in a range of adventure activities at this place like ATV rides, Flying Fox, Zorbing, Paintball and much more. The place is also gaining popularity with companies for corporate training and workshops.
Lonavala is also seeing an increasing demand as a place to host wedding ceremonies. It is the ideal place to have a monsoon wedding. That apart, the pleasant climate and developing infrastructure makes it a favourable place to hold important events and many have started taking note of that as well.
Known for its green pastures, Lonavala has undergone a sea change in the last few years. Apart from its natural beauty that has regularly drawn visitors to this place, Lonavala has also seen several new developments for those on the look out for entertainment and adventure, making it a perfect combination. With lots to offer, there is no wonder that Lonavala is shaping out to be an ideal investment hotspot.
- published in Times Property on August 4, 2012
Explore the natural beauty of Lonavala as the place comes alive in the monsoons, says Shilpa Sachdev
For Mumbaikars, Lonavala is a quick escape into bliss. The place turns even more picturesque as the monsoon comes calling. A blanket of greenery covers the entire place with streams of waterfalls flowing everywhere, an enchanting sight indeed! Also, the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which has made the place easily accessible, turns extremely scenic during the monsoons making the drive to Lonavala even more enjoyable.
While Lonavala is assuming a lot of importance as a second home destination, the place has lots to offer for an exciting weekend getaway. Lonavala is blessed with a number of forts and a trek down one of them is the best way to experience the beauty of the hilly terrain. Lohagad fort, Rajmachi fort, Tikona fort, Korigad fort are some the well-known forts in Lonavala and extremely popular with the trekking groups. Be it the flora or fauna, the running waterfalls or gorgeous top views, every trek is a discovery in itself. Especially when one reaches the top of the fort, you are engulfed in a blanket of clouds that leaves you in sheer delight. Every monsoon, thousands of groups throng to Lonavala to explore the beauty and joy of trekking in the lush mountains.
Bushy dam is another extremely popular hang-out spot at Lonavala. On weekends, the place is choc-a-bloc with visitors who turn up in huge numbers with their families and friends. Pavana dam too is fast catching attention with some water-sport activities that are drawing visitors here. Tungarli Dam built across the Tungarli Lake is also a famous weekend picnic spot nearby Rajmachi.
For a walk down memory lane, Lonavala has some ancient caves. In fact, the name Lonavala is derived from the Sanskrit work 'lonavli' which refers to a place surrounded by many caves. Karla caves, Bhaja caves and Bedsa caves are the prominent caves in Lonavala. For those interested in the historical signifcance of the place, a visit to these caves is an enriching source of information.
For those who want to enjoy the rain and a walk in the clouds, Tiger's Leap, commonly known as the Tiger Point in Lonavala and Duke's Nose in Khandala are the ideal hang-out spots. Popular with visitors, both points offer a scenic view of the hills over a sizzling treat of chai and pakoda.
Lonavala also has its own celebrity wax museum now, which is another added attraction. Wax figures of leading Bollywood actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan along with other well known social names like Hariharan, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Mother Teresa, Sai Baba, AR Rahman, Balaji Tambe and Yesudas have been installed in the museum.
Another interesting place worth visiting for some adrenaline rush is the Della Adventure Park. Set amidst the natural backdrop of hills, one can indulge in a range of adventure activities at this place like ATV rides, Flying Fox, Zorbing, Paintball and much more. The place is also gaining popularity with companies for corporate training and workshops.
Lonavala is also seeing an increasing demand as a place to host wedding ceremonies. It is the ideal place to have a monsoon wedding. That apart, the pleasant climate and developing infrastructure makes it a favourable place to hold important events and many have started taking note of that as well.
Known for its green pastures, Lonavala has undergone a sea change in the last few years. Apart from its natural beauty that has regularly drawn visitors to this place, Lonavala has also seen several new developments for those on the look out for entertainment and adventure, making it a perfect combination. With lots to offer, there is no wonder that Lonavala is shaping out to be an ideal investment hotspot.
- published in Times Property on August 4, 2012
Is this place safe enough to retire/live? Is it possible to travel by bus/train to pune and Mumbai on daily basis?
ReplyDeleteHi..Very nice blog post. When it comes to places to visit in Lonavala Karla Caves, Bhaja Caves and Lohagad Fort are some of the highly recommended tourist spots.
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