Top 10 Monsoon Destinations Near Mumbai

Lonavala Tourism is a place that comes to life during the monsoon season with the countryside turns lush green and soothing waterfalls around. It is mostly recommended to be visited in the early morning. It is located in close to Pune and Mumbai and to be very accurate it is 64 KM from Pune and 96 KM from Mumbai and is often visited along with its twin which is Khandala. These twins form a perfect weekend getaway and do not miss to charm the visitors with their eloquent scenic views and is filled with lots of waterfalls, lakes, and hills around. There are many well-renowned hotels at Lonavala which include some of the top 5-star hotels at reasonable prices like Della Adventure, Hill-top villa, Fariyas Resort, Crème Della and Parsi Dhabba. Not only the Chinese restaurants but also the Indian restaurants are very well known at this restaurant. People are mostly seen booking private tours to roam around Khandala and these include top places like Karla and Bhaja Caves. There are also many of the old Buddhist caves in the vicinity. It is mostly known for it eat, travel and repeat schedule by monsoon destination lovers. Overall, if one has to sum up Lonavala then it can be said that it is very well known for Tiger's Leap along with Bushi Dam and Lonavala Lake. One can also enjoy with Lakeshore Water sport, Adventure Sports, Nature Trails, Game Arcade, etc.

Mahabaleshwar that is very well known for Elephant's Head point | Chinaman's falls | Dhobi waterfall is situated about 152 km from Mumbai. It is one of the most popular hill stations in the Sahyadri Ranges of Maharashtra and never fails to reminisce its visitors who are general internal, national and domestic tourists with its natural beauty that can be considered God own’s natural beauty and offers a fantastic panoramic view of surrounding hills and valleys. It is situated at altitude of 1, 334 mts. One of the best parts is that during Monsoons the entire area is covered with greenery occupied in thick vegetation and waterfalls and eventually this is how the springs crop up. One of the most beautiful aspects is that Mahabaleshwar receives some of the highest rainfalls in Maharashtra which makes the hilltops look dressed in rains. It is advised by the tourist guide that the best time of the year to visit this wonder beauty can be between October to June.  The city is definitely among the most sought-after weekend getaways where one can chill easily for 2 days and have a mind changing weekend. No doubt it is well known to be the 'Queen of Sahyadri Hills', it offers nature’s own beauty with Pratapgad Fort, and different temples like Panchgana Temple, Krishnabai Temple, Mahableshwar temple and leaves one astounded with the different types of viewpoints during sunset and sunrise and monkey point.

Matheran which is well known to be visited at any time of the year very freely. It is a cosy little hill station that stands at an elevation of 2600 feet above sea level. Not only this, it is just 100 kilometres away from Mumbai. It is one of those weekends gateways that never fails to impress those who look out for weekend escapes into the heaven. Throughout when you are in the journey, it goes without saying that the cold breeze and the fresh air devoid of pollution is reason enough for tourists to throng to Matheran all year round. Nonetheless, it is famous for its viewpoints for it has a total of 36 viewpoints from where you can enjoy alluring views of the Sahyadri mountain ranges. Some of this mountain ranges include Echo Point, Alexander Louisa Point, Panorama Point and Porcupine Point. The best part is that these are some of the easy to manage trekking trails and some of them offer sweeping views of the mountains. One should also keep a note of three stops that comes in between out of which Water Pipe and Aman Lodge is one of them. One of the best parts is that one can also get to see the toy train along with a serene lake, ample viewpoints with breath-taking sceneries. It is most famous for its alluring sunrise, the sunset, and everything in between. Not only this, Charlotte Lake that is situated close to Echo Point is one more favourite spot. Besides, Charlotte Lake, King George Point, Panorama Point, Lords Point, Echo Point is a must visit too.

Malshej Ghats that is very well known for many heavenly locations including Malshej falls, Pimpalgaon Joga Dam, Harishchandragad Fort Trek is situated in the mighty Sahyadri ranges and it is one of the places that is engulfed in green hills and innumerable waterfalls. Not only like a destination, but many people love to visit this place since the drive to Malshej Ghat through itself is calming and never fails to amaze the tourists with the fresh flair of breeze. This mountain pass is also home to various flora and fauna especially during the winter times. It is best known for all the flamingos that are known to come here all the way from Europe during the monsoons. Overall, it is an excellent place to visit near Mumbai for outdoor activities like trekking, hiking, bird watching and there are some good resorts nearby to relax and rejuvenate as well. The best time to visit is between July to March and it is located 126.6 km from Mumbai. Harishchandragad fort is a fort in this area is the ultimate trekking sport for many of the trekking junkies. What many don’t know is that the temples in this area dates back to 16th century AD. One of the best parts is that the beautiful Pimpalgaon dam and Ajoba Hill fort are some of other attractions here.

Alibaug that is situated far away in the Konkan region of Maharashtra is one more very popular weekend getaway holiday destination and is very famous to the name of 'mini-Goa', owing to the high tourist footfall all year round. It is a small little town located about 110 kilometres from Mumbai. All around, it is surrounded with sandy beaches, clean unpolluted air and plenty of forts and temple to make you feel like not going back home. One of the best parts is that it has numerous beaches, and all the beaches are only a few minutes’ drives away from each other. One of the most interesting part that many fails to beautifully observe and perhaps take a note of is that it offers a spectacular of view of not only the sunrise and sunset but of the Colaba fort as well. One can easily take a short boat ride to Colaba fort. One of the best parts from historical point of view is that the Colaba Fort which was once the cornerstone of the Maratha Empire is still in good shape and is still intact. Not only this, one of the beaches that is famously known for the innumerable number of movie shooting is the Mandwa Beach that is home to Allibaug and offers a stunning view of the Gateway of India from its bay such that one can sip on a cool drink on the sand under the orchard of coconut trees lining the beach. Besides Kihim beach is also a must visit.

Igatpuri that is known to astound people with picturesque beauty is a heaven for tourists has some of the highest peaks of the Sahyadri ranges. Talking about numbers, Igatpuri is a very well-known hill station and a city in the Western Ghats located in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, 130kms from Mumbai that is located near to the Mumbai-Agra National Highway. The best season or months to visit places in Igatpuri are February, September, October, November, December. One of the most beautiful parts that many of the travellers seem to forget is that during the winters, this place will show you the flowers are in full bloom and the sprawling meadows are a brighter shade of green while during the winter which is also one of the great times to visit this place, one can see how the place opens up a wide range of opportunities for the ones seeking adventure. It is overall better is summers are possibly avoided since they are filled with scorching heat and should be really avoided. One of the most fascinating things that happen is that the mercury level at this time fluctuates between a cold 15 degree Celsius and a pleasant 28 degree Celsius. It is best for times when people want to indulge in activities like including camping, trekking, and sightseeing.

Bhandardara that is situated in the Sahyadri ranges of Maharashtra comes with the best form of nature's blessings a person can be really lucky to get into. It comes with its own set of beauty like lush greenery, the humble waterfalls and the fact that it is surrounded by high mountains makes for the perfect holiday spot for city dwellers. It is about 158Km from the city of Mumbai and one can reach via the train services along Mumbai-Nashik rail road that halts at Igatpuri Junction, which is about 45Km from bhandardara. The best time to visit is post monsoon, between the months of August to November. One can also visit during winter months – between December and February to experience real chills and fantastic colds overall. The beauty overall lies in its water bodies, verdant natural surroundings. From among the many places that one can visit, one should not forget to visit Wilson Dam, Arthur Dam, Ratnagad Fort, Kalsubai Peak and most importantly Randha Falls. Its Falls gushes down in torrents, down a 170 feet gorge and will feel like not leaving the place behind at all. It is best known for its soothing hills and magnificent Arthur Lake which is its ultimate tourist attraction.

Kolad Ghat which is one of the Weekend Destination from Mumbai and Pune is situated by the banks of the river Kundalika and is very renowned for river rafting. It has lush greenery all around. Besides it also offers the visitors a picturesque majestic Sahyadri mountain range with beautiful valley in its backdrop. It is one of the best weekend gateways to have a lazy weekend. People are seen practising many of the water sports that include river rafting, exploring waterfalls and caves. It is Kolad is a thriving tiny village in the Raigad district in Maharashtra. People are also fascinated with Kuda caves that are combines with the Forts. It is best suited for Fishing, boating and a Calm yet short and sweet weekend holiday with family and all the near and dear ones. There are a couple of forts, dams and waterfalls which Kolad worth going for sure and it always has something to offer to someone with its scenic beauty that is a pleasure to the eyes to say the least. As compared to previous time, Kolad is steadily gaining recognition with tourist due to its vicinity to resorts. The best time to visit is between June to March since Monsoon season is the most beautiful time to visit and winters are also pleasant. One of the core specialities is that out of all the places, rafting facility in India that is operational all-round the year at Kolah Ghat.

Karnala Fort that is located in Panvel can be keenly described as been an envelope of green with gushing waterfalls. One of the best parts is that it is one of the closest places near Mumbai situated just 80 kms away. What never fails to capture all the love and attention of the trekkers is that the Treks or drive through Karnala from Mumbai offers a majestic view of the misty Sahyadri Ranges in the monsoon. Its Karnala Bird Sanctuary is home to some of the most exotic birds. It is the season of monsoon that sees a variety of migratory birds. People are never tired of its amazing waterfall that makes one feel so very fresh. The trek to the top of the fort takes at least 2 hours for those who are used to trekking else it may take longer than just 2 hours. The route is quite easy and not very steep, although it definitely gets very slippery during the monsoon. It is also situated by a 125 feet high basalt pillar which is popular as Pandu's tower. Unfortunately, now it is in a ruined state. Not only this, there is a water reservoir here which supplies fresh water all year long. It also comes with Marathi inscription which has no date is seen on the lower gate on the inner side and its words are indecipherable that makes it all the more very interesting. It goes without saying that one needs to be prepared for heavy rains and a very slippery, muddy trek to the fort.

Mulshi Lake and Dam is a very unknown place that is situated it the catchment area of Mulshi dam. It is located 30 km from Mulshi, a spread of lush green landscapes by a private cooperation. It is surrounded amidst Sahyadri ranges, Koraigadh and Dhangad fort which forms a perfect gateway for nature lovers. It is very famous and the go to place that is suited for just a one-day vacation. Foodies don’t have to worry since there are many resorts along the way where one can enjoy lavishly. The beautiful Mulshi Lake is characterised by some of the lovely features that include Water falling by roadside, foggy conditions, low clouds. Its lush green surroundings are meant to astound you whole heartedly. It goes without saying that during the monsoon season, the place transforms into a green velvety carpet with numerous waterfalls all along the way. The Mulshi Lake starts after the Pirangut Village and after riding for around 20 kms, you will reach the beautiful Mulshi Lake. When people come to visit this place, they also visit Tamahini Ghats, Panshet, Nilkantheshwar Temple from many other places that are worth visiting. One can easily find Tamahini Ghats, Panshet, Nilkantheshwar Temple to accommodate themselves in case they are planning a stay there. One of the best routes is to go from Pune to Chandni Chowk to Mulshi.

Here's The Summary List of Top 10 Monsoon Destinations Near Mumbai