Mahableshwar is one of the best hill stations to visit on a long weekend. Many people from around Mumbai and Pune visit Mahableshwar in for a long weekend or just during vacations.
The total distance between Mumbai to Mahableshwar is around 264KM and 121 Km from Pune. The closest hill station near Mumbai is Matheran, but if you have visited Matheran you know the hill station is very limited.
Mahableshwar is very similar to Ooty and other hill station around India. I have been to Mahableshwar once and fell in love with the place. There are many accommodation facilities available here.
Mahableshwar has been preferred hill station for a quick relaxation and getaway trips of many people. But do you know what to do when in Mahableshwar.
In this article, I Have managed to list down the top 10 things to do in mahableshwar. Many might argue that there are many more things that you can do here, but these are our top picks.
The below places are something that I felt like should be added in the list.
Here's top 10 things to do in Mahableshwar.
Take a Boat ride in Venna Lake
All the popular Hill stations have one thing in common, boating. The boats here are rather more fancy and offer a memorable experience of boating.
These boats are known as Shikaras, you can either book the 7 people rowboat or 2 person peddle boat. If you are a big group its rather advised to take a Shikara and enjoy the scenic beauty of the Venna lake surrounded by Lust green hills and forest cover on either side.
Visit the ancient Mahabaleshwar temple
The Hill station got its name from the famous Mahableshwar temple situated at old Mahableshwar, around an hour away from the town market. The ancient temple is said to be around 500 years old. The temple displays the rich Maratha empire heritage.
The temple is abode of Lord Shiva and The lingam is believed to have appeared here on its own, around 500 years old. The temple is a famous Pilgrim place fro the Hindus.
Visit the magnificent Pratapgad Fort.
If you have read the Maratha history then you know how important is the Prathapgad fort. the Prathapgad fort has went down in history as one of the most strategic important fort in the Maratha history. The fort still holds the famous Swaraj saffron flag and reminds us of sacrifice done by our ancestors to attain swaraj.
It is the same place where Shivaji Maharaj defeated Afzal Khan - the commander of the Bijapur Sultanate. The fort consists of the famous Bhavani Temple, the same temple where Shivaji was rewarded with a shining sword.
Take a evening walk in Mahabaleshwar main Market
The town market(or main market) is one of the most happening places in Mahableshwar. You have to be here in the evening when this place filled with tourists.
The main source of income for the people of Mahableshwar is tourists, so you will rarely hear any case of cheating here. Their are many handicrafts store here. And many food stalls, do try out the famous Shwarama here, it costs 150/shwarma, but believe me its totally worth it.
Visit the famous Mapro Garden
Have you eaten any of the Mapro strawberry jellies? These jelly chocolates are widely famous all over India. Well, guess what? The Mapro has its own big store here at Mahableshwar. It is a famous tourist attraction in Mahabaleshwar.
The place is kind of an open mall, here you will find large open food court serving varieties of Mocktails pizzas and ice cream. and a mini store mart, which consists of all the Mapro products. From juices, jellies, jams etc. Even If you are not interested in Buying, do take a round since they will be serving free samples here.
Visit a Strawberry farm
One of the most important things to do in Mahableshwar is to visit a strawberry farm. We hired a local cab to take us around Mahableshwar (this is the best way of transport here and you will save a lot of money). We asked the driver to take us to a Strawberry farm and he stopped near a local ice cream center.
The Ice Cream center, takes you through a brief tour on how these strawberries are farmed and how to take care of them. You get to see these strawberry farm up close. And then latter you can try out the famous Strawberry with cream here.
Head to Panchagani
Panchgani is another famous hill station near Mahableshwar which is known for its calm and serene environment. Panchgani is an hour drive from mahableshwar. You get to see some of the famous Boarding schools in India.
Panchagani also host some famous view points like the Parsi Point, Table Land etc. The climate in Panchagani is purely a bliss. You can also manage your trip by having a one day stay at Panchagani. Bellieve me you will not regret it.
Visit a local Jam and Jellies store.
There are many jam and jelly store here at Mahabaleshwar. But the best and cost effective shopping of these jams and chocolates can be done at local stores. Ask your driver to take you to a local store for shopping.
These drivers are really well informed. They will guide you much better on where to buy jam and jellies and where to get the best price.
Get your adrenaline Pumped at velocity Entertainmentz
The velocity Amusement park is Spread over 10 acres of lush, green land, this amusement park brings to you the best thrilling adrenaline rush, in the company of serene nature. There are a ton of sports to choose from, from zip lining to go-Carting you can do them all.
The amusement park also consist of veg restaurant and some quick bite snacks that you can have here.
Shopping Shopping and shopping
The last and the best things to do in Mahabaleshwar is to do shopping. The town market or the Mahabaleshwar main market is the best place for shopping here. We were here during the New Year. so the place was filled with tourists.
The place comes to life after 5 pm in the evening when the sun slowly starts to set. This is one of the best places to be in Mahabaleshwar. There are a ton of people shopping and enjoying there time in the hill station with a very pleasant climate. I do recommend you to do shopping here, or just stroll around the market, you surely be tempted to buy one thing or another.
That's it with our exhaustive list of things to do in Mahableshwar. There are many more places that you can do here at Mahabaleshwar, but these are recommended to be visited first.
Mahableshwar is one of the best hill stations near Mumbai (well not that near). but its one of the best getaway place if you have a long weekend.
I am a Foodie, Traveller and Tech enthusiast. I believe good content can make a difference and great stories are told with an Open Heart.