Situated near Karjat, Matheran is one of the best quick getaways if you are a Mumbaikar. It is some 85 odd kilometers away from Mumbai and has the best accessibility from any part of Mumbai.
The best way to reach Matheran is by taking any Karjat / Khopoli / Neral local train. You have to get down at Neral station and you have various options to reach Matheran via Neral. You can either take Toy train by Neral which costs you approximately Rs80 per head and reaches Matheran in about 2 hours. It will enable to explore the beauty of the mountains and the forest along way.
Alas! There are going to be a lot of naughty monkeys to give you a company if you have some mouthwatering eatables while on the journey and you are on the window seat. I personally prefer the journey on Toy train because this gives you a complete picnic and vacation feel. The other option is to take the share cabs. They take 5 people in one journey, costing Rs 70 per head, and it lets you reach Matheran in about half an hour. So, if you want to reach the top soon and relax, this should be a better option for you.
Though the Toy train will take you to Matheran Market, but the cabs will drop you to the entrance, from where you will either have to walk or you have options to go ahead on horses. This is fun again. Horses may cost you Rs 250 – 350 per head. You may reach Matheran Market in about an hour if you walk. So, the choice is yours. Though, throughout the journey, I assure, you won’t feel the fatigue.
Once you are at the top, there are various stay options. I will rate Matheran 10/10 for hospitality. You have options of hotels, cottages, rented bungalows etc. They have ample of stay options for everyone. So, relax and keep away the worries of getting a good place to stay in Matheran. You may get a shock when I say that you can get a cottage for Rs750 also if you visit there on a weekday! Yes, it is that cheap.
Good food and valued for money. They have small restaurants in the market area which serve mouthwatering veg, non veg and Jain food too. I will personally suggest Hakimi’s restaurant in Matheran if you are a chicken lover. Their Chicken Masala is yummy and their menu is quite affordable. But, if want to buy packaged snacks, juices, cold drinks and other packaged branded eatables, you may have to shell out a little bit more.
There are various sightseeing options in Matheran, but you can’t miss the sunset point. Weather throughout the year is amazing and cool. Though the best season to visit would be winters. You can visit here with your family, with friends or with your spouse. You will definitely have fun here and undoubtedly create some good memories.
So, if you want to have a quick getaway from the city’s hoch-poch and relax in the natures lap, without spending a lot, yet having more fun, Matheran is the place for you! One visit to Matheran is a must.
Highly recommended.