MATHERAN

This sparsely populated place at an altitude of 800 meters is a picturesque hill station called Matheran Hill Station, near to Mumbai at 104 kms. It is an undulating hilltop cloaked in shady trees and ringed by walking tracks leading to look outs that drop sheer to the plains. Matheran is situated in the Matheran range of Sahyadris at a height of 2516 feet.

Matheran truly is Maharashtra's one of the most beautiful and well maintained hill station. The availability of road and railway have made it accessible to all people irrespective of their age. The ban on motor vehicles inside Matheran have helped to preserve its ecology and keep intact its natural beauty.

Matheran has 38 points at which can get a glimpse of nature's beauty. However, to cover most of these points requires atleast one night stay in Matheran. Point seeing in Matheran is quiet easy due to the presence of sign boards and map. Maps are also easily availbale in Matheran and can be used to plan your point seeing. Given below are few points which we shouldn't miss.

Echo point offers a panoramic view and allows you to enjoy the echo's.

King George point
A must visit point in monsoon as it offers a beautiful view of the waterfall formed by the water overflowing from Charlott Lake. One can even reach he mouth of the waterfall with care, strong wind prevents the water from falling down and throws it back.

Charlott Lake
It's the only water source atop Matheran that it provides water to entire Matheran.
Louisa Point
It offers a beautiful face on view of the waterfall seen from the King George point.

Panorama point
Although quiet far from Bazapeth it gives you a panoramic view(that's why it's named as Panorama point) of the Sahyadri ranges


Even the bazaar is just that a small marketplace, not a commercial shopping complex. It runs the length of one street, and contains shops and stalls that sell the produce of Matheran. You can see workmen hunching over strips of leather, fashioning the Kolhapuri chappal that Matheran is famous for. Leather bags, leather belts, leather shoes& the workmanship is exclusive and the prices reasonable. There are also glass birds and dried wild flowers for sale that have a quaint appeal.

One other thing that dominates the market is chikki, a confection made of gram flour, jaggery and cashew nut. You could buy chikki in kilos to carry home; it is a universally popular sweetmeat.

The presence of hotel's and lodging boarding facilities have made it possible to have a multi-day stay in Matheran and thoroughly enjoy nature's beauty. The modes of transport in Martheran are limited to horses and rickshaws (pulled by humans), however seeing the various points in Matheran by walking is equally enjoyable.

To reach Matheran one has to first reach Neral. Neral is well connected to Mumbai by rail and road. From Neral Matheran can be reached by a narrow gauge railway or by taxies. Railway function normally in summer and winter sseason but there is only one train to Matheran in winter.The nearest airport is Mumbai that is around 100 kms from there. Neral 21 kms. away, is where you board to the toy train. Taxis are available from Neral to Dastoori car park. No vehicles are allowed inside Matheran and ponies are the favoured means of transport.