Matheran (means “Mother Forest”) lies at a height of 805 mts above sea level. Matheran is a city and a municipal council in Raigarh district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station in Karjat Tahsil. It is the tiniest hill station in India. This picturesque town is situated in the forested Sahyadri Hills. In 1855, Lord Elphinstone, the governor of Bombay, visited Matheran, and the town soon became fashionable. The stately Elphinstone Lodge that he built became his weekend retreat. A railway line was laid in 1907, and a quaint toy train still winds its way slowly through hills and forests from the junction at Neral. All motor vehicles are completely banned within the limits of the town, making it uniquely peaceful, despite the burgeoning crowds of visitors, particularly on weekends.
Prime Tourist Attraction of Matheran
Matheran Echo point : This a single place mostly visited by love birds, who express their feeling not by flower or by cards but they shout it out at top of their voice. The sight of water fall from here will be considered a delight to watch.
Matheran King George Point :
Matheran Panorama point : It gives a panoramic view of the Sahyadri ranges , that’s why it really is named as Panorama point. This is ‘sun-rise’ point as well as the longest point in Matheran. one can see ‘Neral’ on east and ‘Panvel’ on the west from the point. This place is most suitable for picnic. This point commands one of the widest view of the hill, both of Matheran and other side of it.
Matheran Charlotte Lake :
Matheran Louisa Point :
The other points in Matheran like Sunset Point , Monkey Point , Maldunga Point and Heart Point etc. are also to the west. If weather is good, you can see Khandala and Bhimashankar ranges also. Genuinely, ‘the king of all points’ is Matheran.
Shopping in Matheran
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.
Matheran Adventure
Perched high in the mountains of the Western Ghat range, Matheran is a cool, unpolluted oasis in the heat of the Indian summer, and a paradise for walkers and horse riders. Matheran is good for trekking. If you want to trek, it will take 3 hours to reach the hill top. Shivaji’s Ladder: A path down to the valley from One Tree Hill point, which is a scenic spot. It offers picturesque views of the surrounding hills and is an ideal place for trekking. For the adventure trekkers, the interesting places to visit are the romantic precipice called the “Byron Garbutt Point”, “Panorama Point”. A not to be missed adventure is a ride up to the top of the hill station in the world’s smallest gauge commercial train – one of the last mini trains in the world.
Accommodation in Matheran
Matheran offers accommodation options ranging from luxury Hotels and hill resorts in Matheran and medium-priced Economy hotels in Matheran, we offer you the appropriate kind of accommodation for you and your family visiting Matheran for a summer retreat, honeymoon travel to Matheran, a family vacation in Matheran..
Reaching Matheran
by Air :The nearest airport is Mumbai about 100 kms from Matheran. Next closer airport is in Pune about 120 kms away.
by Road : Mumbai is 104 kms away from Matheran via Karjat and Neral. Matheran is 120 kms from Pune. You can avail of taxis from Neral to Dastoori car park. No vehicles are allowed inside Matheran and ponies are the convenient mode of communication inside the town.
by Rail : Matheran has a narrow gauge railway which links the town to Neral. Neral is on the busy Mumbai-Pune route with its broad gauge connectivity. Neral is well connected by railway line with Karajat being the nearest junction. The Matheran Hill Railway was built in 1907 by Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy, covering a distance of 20 kms meandering through verdant forest territory.
Matheran map
Maharashtra, India
