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HILLSTATIONS
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Lonavala & Khandala
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Lonavala & Khandala are two charming hill stations
on the western slopes of the Sahyadris, 5 km apart, that straddle
the Mumbai-Pune highway at an altitude of 625 m. The name `Lonavala'
is derived from the Sanskrit word `Lanavli', which means a city
surrounded by many caves. Caves like the Karla caves, caves near
Ekvira temple are famous, where the 'Pandavas' lived. Khandala is
smaller and the cooler of the two and also much closer to nature.
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Mahabaleshwar
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Mahabaleshwar is the highest point in the Western
Ghats, situated at an altitude of 1372 meters. It is the most visited
hill station in Maharashtra. The table land, a mountain top completely
flat spread over 2.5 sq. km. area is famous due to its rear nature.
Also para-gliding can be enjoyed at Mahabaleshwar. In the heart
of the town is a beautiful lake where tourists enjoy the scenic
beauty while rowing and sizzling through the cold water. The orchids
at Mahabaleshwar offer the freshest strawberries. At most of the
farm houses you can actually pluck your choice of strawberries and
many other fruits.
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Matheran
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Matheran is an undulating hilltop cloaked in shady
trees, that sprawls languidly at an altitude of 800 m. The journey
involves an adventurous 2 hrs ascent in a toy train. Its 8 sq kms
cover a hilltop in the Sahyadris, or Western Ghats and is the closest
hill station of Mumbai. It is unique in that no motor transports
is allowed within its area. Matheran's cliffs with incredibly steep
drops to the plains below create stunning viewing points. These
panoramic vistas, by day and night, leaves one feeling light-headed.
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Panchgani |
If you visit Mahabaleshwar you have to visit Panchgani and vice versa. Panchgani is a well known hill station of Maharashtra. It derives it's name from the five hills around it. At an altitude of 1334
mts, it is just 38 mts below Mahabaleshwar. The distance between the two hill stations measures about eighteen kms while the fall in
altitude is just 38 mts.
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