We planned a trip to Mahabaleshwar and surrounding areas during the Commonwealth games season in Delhi. Our journey began on 11 October, 
when we boarded the colorful Doronto Express at 11 a.m. to reach Pune, the next morning around 7:30 a.m. We had equipped ourselves with a pack of cards and a couple of magazines to keep us occupied during the overnight train journey. My son was so excited about the train journey and flooded us with questions regarding the engine and related technical aspects.
The train journey was real fun as we engaged ourselves into activities for which we would never find time at home (playing cards, twenty questions, hogging, etc). The support staff also deserve a mention as they made us feel really special by extending their hospitality and prompt service. During the daytime, we admired the changing landscapes as the train travelled through the dusty plains of Mathura and surrounding areas to the dark and dingy ravines of Madhya Pradesh an
d the desert land of Rajasthan.
From Pune, we embarked on our (120 km.) road journey to Mahabaleshwar. We were greeted by bright sunshine and clear weather. The hill station is located at an altitude of 4500 ft along the Sahyadri range of Western Ghats. As we climbed up, one could observe the mountains were not very steep and they bore a reddish imprint unlik
e the Himalayas of Northern India. Another aspect that really struck me was the pristine forest cover extending over the hill station which was untouched by human influence. The forest cover predominantly comprised of Jamun trees spread all over the landscape.
We pampered ourselves by getting into a shopping spree in the local market at the end of our first day excursion. The market was flooded with jutebags of all hues and varieties. Also, one could find sleek Kohlapuri sandals and slippers displayed outside and I could simply not resist from picking them up. At the hotel, we savoured our taste buds by digging into exotic North Indian and Gujarati cuisine.
The next day, weather gods were generous and we visited the famous Lord Shiva and Panchganga temple located in Old Mahabaleshwar. There was an ethereal charm around this place and it made me feel so calm and serene from inside. During the next half of the day, we travelled to Panchgani. The town got its name from the five rivers flowing through it; Krishna, Koyna, Gayatri, Savitri, and Venna. The town also boasts of several shooting sites for Bollywood movies including, the commonly found cliff hanging scenes. There was a flat table top land spread across a radius of 6 km. 
We took a bumpy ride on a single horse carriage across the table land and it gave us quite a countryside feel. An icecream seller became our self proclaimed guide and shared with us the historical significance of the place where Pandavas had once come and left their footprints.
The very next day we checked out of our hotel after a sumptuous breakfast and started descending towards Pune. On the way, we stoppe
d by, at an icecream factory and took a neat break, admiring the factory interiors, at the same time relishing our strawberry icecream. The cab driver made us stop again at few spots in Panchgani which offered a wonderful glimpse of the picturesque valley below (Wai and Chikli village).
Having visited the place, I would recommend this hill-station for couples wishing to spend their vacation in solitude away from the humdrum of the city. Also, recommended for families with kids as the weather is pleasantly cold, food is really hot, and there are strawberries in abundance.
when we boarded the colorful Doronto Express at 11 a.m. to reach Pune, the next morning around 7:30 a.m. We had equipped ourselves with a pack of cards and a couple of magazines to keep us occupied during the overnight train journey. My son was so excited about the train journey and flooded us with questions regarding the engine and related technical aspects.The train journey was real fun as we engaged ourselves into activities for which we would never find time at home (playing cards, twenty questions, hogging, etc). The support staff also deserve a mention as they made us feel really special by extending their hospitality and prompt service. During the daytime, we admired the changing landscapes as the train travelled through the dusty plains of Mathura and surrounding areas to the dark and dingy ravines of Madhya Pradesh an
d the desert land of Rajasthan.From Pune, we embarked on our (120 km.) road journey to Mahabaleshwar. We were greeted by bright sunshine and clear weather. The hill station is located at an altitude of 4500 ft along the Sahyadri range of Western Ghats. As we climbed up, one could observe the mountains were not very steep and they bore a reddish imprint unlik
e the Himalayas of Northern India. Another aspect that really struck me was the pristine forest cover extending over the hill station which was untouched by human influence. The forest cover predominantly comprised of Jamun trees spread all over the landscape.We pampered ourselves by getting into a shopping spree in the local market at the end of our first day excursion. The market was flooded with jutebags of all hues and varieties. Also, one could find sleek Kohlapuri sandals and slippers displayed outside and I could simply not resist from picking them up. At the hotel, we savoured our taste buds by digging into exotic North Indian and Gujarati cuisine.
The next day, weather gods were generous and we visited the famous Lord Shiva and Panchganga temple located in Old Mahabaleshwar. There was an ethereal charm around this place and it made me feel so calm and serene from inside. During the next half of the day, we travelled to Panchgani. The town got its name from the five rivers flowing through it; Krishna, Koyna, Gayatri, Savitri, and Venna. The town also boasts of several shooting sites for Bollywood movies including, the commonly found cliff hanging scenes. There was a flat table top land spread across a radius of 6 km. 
We took a bumpy ride on a single horse carriage across the table land and it gave us quite a countryside feel. An icecream seller became our self proclaimed guide and shared with us the historical significance of the place where Pandavas had once come and left their footprints.The very next day we checked out of our hotel after a sumptuous breakfast and started descending towards Pune. On the way, we stoppe
d by, at an icecream factory and took a neat break, admiring the factory interiors, at the same time relishing our strawberry icecream. The cab driver made us stop again at few spots in Panchgani which offered a wonderful glimpse of the picturesque valley below (Wai and Chikli village).Having visited the place, I would recommend this hill-station for couples wishing to spend their vacation in solitude away from the humdrum of the city. Also, recommended for families with kids as the weather is pleasantly cold, food is really hot, and there are strawberries in abundance.
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