Lonavala Tourist Attractions
Lonavala is a picturesque hill station, situated in state of Maharashtra. It lies very close to another hill resort, Khandala, equally popular and equally mesmerizing. Known as the 'Jewel of the Sahayadri Mountains', it is perched at an altitude of approximately 625 m above the sea level. Lonavala is also known for being the starting point for the tourists visiting the ancient Buddhist caves of Bhaja and Karla. The hill station has a number of attractions to boast of, both in and around its surroundings. Given below is more information on Lonavala sightseeing tours. Rajmachi Point
Rajmachi Point is situated approximately 6.5 km from Lonavala, on the way from Mumbai to the hill station. Lying just before the point from where the Ghat starts, this spot offers visitors amazing views of the Rajmachi Fort, situated in the valley below. The famous Vaghjai Dari is located here only.
Ryewood Park and Shivaji Udyan
Ryewood Park and Shivaji Udyan are splendid gardens, which boast of lush greenery. The majestic tall trees and wide open spaces provided by this park make it the perfect picnic spot. Kids love to come here, to run around, enjoy swings and have fun. Situated inside the park is an ancient Shiva Temple, revered by the local people.
Tungarli Lake
Tungarli Lake provides the combination of magnificent surroundings and peaceful ambience to its visitors. It serves as the main source of water to the Lonavala hill station and is also a very popular picnic spot.
Valvan Dam
Valvan Dam is situated near Lonavala, at a distance of approximately 2 km from the town. One of the major attractions of the dam is a beautiful garden, located at its foot. It is the main source of water for the Khopoli power station.
Lonavla Lake
Lonavla Lake lies on the outskirts of Lonavala, about 1.6 km from the town. The natural scenery and enchanting environment of the lake draw a large number of visitors here.
Karla Caves
Karla Caves, situated around 20 km from Lonavala, are believed to date back to somewhere around 200 BC. One of its major attractions is a huge Buddhist stupa, which is more than 2200 years old.
Lonaval:
Lonavala is located midway between Mumbai and Pune the two big cities of Maharashtra State. Lonavala is famous for its hills and valleys and you can see many water falls during rainy seasons or in monsoon time. You can spend one day and visit some attractive tourist places but if you have two days time then you can see forts and caves around the town. There are many good hotels available here and you can stay at Pune or at Mumbai as Lonavala is well connected from both the places. How to reach Lonavala
You can reach Lonavala by road or by rail. It is nearly 98 Km from Mumbai and 65 Km from Pune. From Mumbai is 90 KM from Khandala or known as Rajmachi Point which is 8 Km from main Lonavala town center. Lonavala is by the side of Mumbai Pune Express way and parallel to it there another national highway passes by the side of the town. You can travel to Lonavala from Mumbai by any local or long distance train coming towards Pune. It will take two and half hour by express train and most of the trains stops at Lonavala. Coming from Mumbai side you can see a local train stop at Khandala just before Lonavala station. From main station you can take a cab for local site tour or stay. It took 5 hours for us to visit places of tourist interest but you can cover all the caves and forts around the town by staying one more day at Lonavala. Rajmachi Point , Monkey point or Khandala
8 KM from railway station towards Mumbai you can see this beautiful place and enjoy the beauty of sharp hills and water falls. You can see only water in rainy seasons in all water falls. From the monkey point you can see the valley and the Pune Mumbai express way and its tunnels. With the help of a local guide you can see distance forts of great Maratha Hero Chatrapati Sivaji. You can also see beautiful houses of famous film personalities and film shooting spots. Spend some time inside the park enjoying the surrounding hills and dip valleys, you can also watch the speeding vehicles of the six lane expressway. At the monkey point be aware of monkeys and don't carry eatables openly. There is an entry fee of Rs 5 to the monkey point. Very near to the Monkey point is the sunset point. Sunset Point
Located close to the Monkey point ( 8 KM from railway station ) you can watch the sunset from here. You should match your timing to reach here in the afternoon so you can spend your time at Monkey point and see the sunset before returning. At the sunset point you can see expressway, rail and national highway at one place while watching the sun going behind the hills. Lions Points
Located 12 Km from town is this spectacular tourist place. The 12 Km stretches of road passes through sharp curves and hills. At the Lions point you can have a look of deep valleys and Ghatees. This particular large area is ground leveled and strongly fenced by Mr Ramesh Rajpurohit for tourist protection. You can stand very close to the edge and watch the nature's beauty and enjoy the pleasant and cool air. Rye Wood Park
Within the town limit near Lonavala market the Ray Wood Park is one Km away from the railway station. This is a botanical garden which has now turned into a large picnic garden having large lawns, trees, cool shades specially a better place for lunch. The park is full of trees and wooden structures. Lonavala Lake
Two Km from town this lake gets dried in summer. You can see venders selling eatables and go for short walk around the lake.
Bushi Dam
Six Km from railway station this place you can enjoy with overflowing water during rainy seasons. This dam has large number of cutting steps for excess water after a rain. MTDC Holiday resort and Boating
There is a MTDC ( Maharashtra tourism development Corporation ) holiday resort at Karla occupying 30 acres of land . There are number of well built cottages in idyllic surroundings with plenty of open space inside shady groves. In Indravani river boating facility is available with paddle boats, motor boats and water scooter. There is a AC conference hall with all modern facilities.
