A trip to Matheran
A complete travel guide for Matheran.
Matheran is a very popular hill station in Maharashtra, India. It is located in Karjat – Tehsil and is one of the smallest hill stations in India. Matheran is located 2625 feet above sea level and offers pleasant climate throughout the year. Dasturi Park
Matheran is a declared Eco-sensitive region and vehicles are banned inside Matheran. The private vehicles can reach only up to Dasturi Park, the entrance of Matheran and then they need to be parked here in Dasturi Park. Dasturi Park is the official car parking zone of Matheran set up by the Matheran Municipal Council, where on can securely keep his car for more than a day after paying a minimal amount that is been charged for the car parking.
How to reach Matheran
By Air: The nearest airport is Mumbai, around 85 km from Matheran. The closest airport is Pune, around 120 km from Matheran.
By rail: The nearest rail station on the broad gauge line is Neral. Many trains from CST Station Mumbai ply several times a day to Neral. Neral is around 8 km from Matheran. One has an option of renting out a private taxi from Neral that takes you to the entrance of Matheran, Dasturi Park.
The other option is to precede the journey by a narrow gauge line (Toy train) from Neral to Matheran. On the narrow gauge line the nearest station is Matheran. From there one can either take a Hand Pull Rickshaw or a horse riding for reaching his further destination.
By Road: Matheran is easily accessible by road from Mumbai and Pune. Mumbai is around 85 km from Matheran and Pune is around 120 km from Matheran. The best possible route from Mumbai is Mumbai – Shilphata – Ambernath – Badlapur – Neral – Matheran.
From Pune the best possible route is via Pune – Mumbai Expressway. Proceed through the expressway, get off at the Khopoli exit, then get on the old Pune – Mumbai road. Further the route would be Chouk – Khalapur – Matheran via NH4.
By Foot: Since Matheran is an eco-sensitive region, vehicles are strictly banned in this area. Hence one more option that one has is to continue his journey from Dasturi Park by walking. Matheran is around 2.5 km from Dasturi Park. One can also precede his journey on foot from Neral Station. It is almost 8 km from Neral to Dasturi Park and a further 2.5 km up to Matheran. The walking trail passes through farms, streams and narrow gauge line which make it a pleasant journey. When to visit Matheran
Matheran is at its best from October to June. The winters are very cold yet pleasant and favor trekking. Summers are pleasant though a bit humid. Matheran is usually crowded during summers, due to vacation. But in winters, it's just the best, as the temperature falls considerable below up to 16 degrees Celsius making it a desired destination for holidays.What to see in Matheran
Matheran has overall 102 points including 2 lakes, 2 parks, 28 points and much more. The few main points that one can visit include Sunrise Point, Alexander point, Charlotte Lake, Cecil Point, Panorama Point, Honey moon Point, Suicide Point and the valley crossing. Trekking is one of the popular outdoor activity in Matheran.Where to stay
Matheran has so much to offer when it comes to accommodation. There are luxury and standard options at various resorts and hotels in Matheran. The MTDC Holiday Resort also offers best accommodation facilities in Matheran. The addresses of few of the hotels in Matheran are:
1. MTDC Resort
Close to Dasturi Naka
Matheran
Tel - +91-2148-230540
2. The Byke
Matheran
Tel - +91-2148-230365
3. Hotel Usha Ascot
M. G. Road
Matheran
Tel - +91-2148-230360
