Explore the least explored North-East wildlife

Wildlife of north east region of India will definitely takes you on a breathtaking journey through some of the most famous wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and world heritage sites, which are home to numerous big and small creatures having made this part of the earth their habitat for thousands of years. This region of India is bind with eight states namely Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland.

A tour to northeast wildlife is for those particular persons who want to enjoy basic jungle safaris and want to catch some unbelievable pictures in their camera. It attracts nature lovers, wildlife lovers and wildlife adventure enthusiasts from all over the world.

The lofty Himalayas with thousands of species of flora highly support Right from migratory birds to exotic mammals, reptiles and beyond. In this region the visitors can enjoy the endless beauty of rich flora and fauna. From enjoying the chirping of birds to roaring of the lions and visit to Jungle safari.

Northeast is highly dominated with Brahmaputra and other Rivers which supports suitable climate, conditions, geographical location and vast forest. All this conditions turn this place in a heaven for wildlife.

Some famous wildlife sanctuaries includes………

Kaziranga National Park
Covering an area of 429.93 sq.km, Kaziranga National Park is situated on the bank of river Brahmaputra in northeastern Assam. It is placed on the eastern Himalayas with an existence of a wide array of animal and plant species in their natural environment. It is declared a world heritage site for its population of one-horned rhinoceroses. Other wild creatures of the park include tiger, panther, squirrel, large Indian civet, elephant, wild cat, hog deer and so on.

Manas National Park
The Manas National Park consists of an area of 2,837 sq. km. This national park is lies on the gentle slopes of the Himalayan foothills and is located on the north bank of River Brahmaputra. Manas national park is also a Biosphere Reserve, an Elephant Reserve, an Important Bird Area (IBA), and a World Heritage Site.
The wild creature of the park includes tiger, elephant, rhino, buffalo, gaur and nearly 500 species of birds. This nature paradise also offers white water rafting on the Manas River, trekking and elephant rides.

Kanchendzonga National Park
The Khangchendzonga National Park is a UNESCO’s heritage sites also known Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve. This national park has a unique biodiversity that includes mountain peaks, glaciers and some distinctive flora and fauna. The Park covers an area of 1784 sq.kms and home to a wide species of fauna and flora. Snow Leopard, Wild Ass, Red Panda, Himalayan Black Deer, Musk Deer, Flying Squirrel, and Barking Deer are some of the animals which are the pride the park.

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

Wild Buffaloes

Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 38.81 sq km and known for its one horned rhinoceros. Situated in the flood plains of River Brahmaputra and the perfect place for bird watching. Expect from one horned rhinoceros is a perfect habitat for wild boars, the wild buffaloes, around 2000 migratory birds and various reptiles.

Dibru-Saikhowa National Park

White Winged Wood Duck

Dibru – Saikhowa is the largest national park of Assam and is spread over an area of 650 sq. km. The Dibru – Saikhowa is highly recognized for preserving a wide array of beautiful fishes. This Park is safe asylum for many rare and scarce species of wild life and famous because of the rare White Winged Wood Duck other wild animals are Hoolock, water buffalo, tiger, elephant, aquatic dolphin etc.

Nameri National Park

Eco Camp at Nameri National Park

Nameri National Park covers an area of 200sq. kms and is situated at the foothills of Himalayas. It homes various species of mammals, reptiles and birds like Tiger, Black bear, elephant, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Indian Bison and Various species of birds.

So pack your bags as this inexplicable land of Mountains and lush green forests has a lot more to offer to its tourist.

Read more post about Indian Wildlife:

Top 10 Wildlife National Parks of India

Experience an Array of Adventurous in South India

 

Emerge yourself in the beauty of sun kissed yelagiri hills

Get away from the chaos of city life, and emerge yourself in the beauty of sun kissed yelagiri hills, also enjoy lush valleys, Crisp mountain air, pockets of mist lazily clouding the valley and a tranquil emerald lake nestled in the midst of the hills.

Yelagiri is nestled in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. It is such a group of hamlets situated between four mountains and the scenic beauty of the village is worth watching. This easygoing hill stationoffers many possibilities for tourists, be it sightseeing, adventure sports or even just simply relaxation. Except the nature’s beauty, tribals, who are the main inhabitants of the place, also attract many tourists with their customs, persuasion and unique architecture of their houses.

Let’s unravel the riddles of this place and enjoy plenty of activities:

Boating at Punganoor Lake

Boating punganur lake, yelagiri

Punganoor Lake is a small and artificial Lake along with a beautiful park nearby and also a fountain in the middle. Here Tourist can enjoy boating or just sit on the banks to see the calm and serene water of the lake also relax and enjoy the natural beauty. The nearby park is spread over an area of 6 acre, which is the perfect destinations for kids, where they can enjoy a lot.

Experience Trekking, Camping and mountain biking

Trekking Sawaimalai hills, Yelagiri

For the adventurous minded, it is a good place to go for long treks.The hills of SawaiMalai are in the shape of cake, having a strong base. Also the place enhances an ideal location for trekking, Camping and mountain biking. Other options of trekking are smaller peaks like Javadi Hills and Palamathi Hills. Mountain bikers will also enjoy biking around the hills.

 

Enjoy nature at Jalagamparal Waterfalls

Jalagamparai Waterfalls, Yelagiri

Jalagamparaicascade is created by the River Attaaruand the milky white gargling water of this waterfall running through the high hills of the valley. The romantic surroundings of the waterfall attract many beautiful birds and nature loving tourists.

Enthrall yourself by Para-gliding

Paragliding, Yelagiri

Yelagiri is a Para-gliding hotspot of India.While doing paragliding, one can experience ethereal serenity while sailing in air and above the ground. One can enjoy the beautiful view of the beautiful hills of Yelagiri from height. This experience of paragliding gives the glider an exhilarating feeling. The hills of Yelagiri are perfect for this sport.

Nature Park

Nature Park, Yelagiri

If you want to spend some time in a relax and stunning atmosphere, then Yelagiri Nature Park is the best place. This place is situated near to the Punganoor Lake and awesome place for all ages of people. This park is spread over an area of 12 acres, having musical fountain, children’s park, artificial cascade or the waterfall, great number of numbers of flora and a lot more entreating things.
VainuBappu Solar Observatory or Kavalur Observatory

VainuBappu Solar Observatory is one of the largest solar observatories near Yelagiri, located in Kavalar. The observatory covers 100 acre forest land and houses a number of optical telescopes. One has to take permission to get an access to the observatory.

Cuisine of Yelagiri
Do not forget to taste the local cuisine of Yelagiri hills. There are a number of hotels unfurlallover the hill station that serve scrumptious local cuisines along with other international cuisines to suit every taste bud.

Summer festival of yelagiri

The annual summer festival would be held in Yelagiri Hills on May. The festival attracts tourists from all parts of the globe. In the event, one can enjoy the pleasure of dance show, multi-departmental exhibition, flower show, dog show, food festival, boat race, forest walk, cycle race, cultural competitions etc.

Shopping in Yelagiri
Shopping in Yelagiri is acompleteentertainment. Explore the shops and the local markets and shop for the handmade items. Do not forget to purchase the natural fresh honey prepared by wild bees and jackfruit.

This is right time, just pack your bags and visit the hill station of south.

Some other South India Article:

Top most attractive beaches of South India

South India Tours: Some Places Does Not Need Any Explanation

Must Visit Destinations in Tamil Nadu

South India Tours: Meet Your Fictitious Life

Dipped your soul in the colorful celebration of Holi, at the birthplace of Lord Krishna

The Month of Falgun (Spring-March) is desperately being awaited by the Indian as in this month ‘Holi’ is celebrated by the Hindu community throughout the country and worldwide with pomp & show. The grandeur of this unique festival of colors is spectacular and worth viewing. This particular event has been attracting lots of tourists across the world for years.

Holi traditions and names are differ from city to city in this land of multitude cultures, like Holi in North India, Dol jatra in West Bengal, Phagwah in Assam. But, whatever may be the name or theme, the purpose and the spirit of celebration remain the same and the unique feature of this festival is smearing, throwing and splashing colors on each other.

Mathura-Holi

The most remarkable Holi, in India, is celebrated in the home town of Lord Krishna i.e. Uttar Pradesh. A number of tourists from all over the world come to enjoy Holi at Uttar Pradesh. It is celebrated with great pomp and joy in Mathura, Vrindavan, Nandgaon and Barsana. These are the places where Holi traditions have been handed down from generation to generation. At Mathura the men and women of all ages shed their inhibitions and indulge in drinking intoxicating drinks and playful teasing as they try to throw colors at each other. Temples are also decorated beautifully and the idol of Radha and Krishna are placed on swings and the devotees sing devotional songs.

According to the Hindu Mythology, this colorful festival is celebrated in the remembrance of Lord Krishna and Radha’s love, it is celebrated for 16 days in Vrindavan and Mathura, where Lord Krishna spend his childhood. It occurs once when Lord Krishna frequently moan his mother about the difference of color completion between his dark and Radha’s fair skin. When it was done, it was liked by Krishna and all his friends since then Holi is being celebrated during spring, the celebrated season of love.

Latthmaar Holi – Barsana, Mathura

The most popular Holi tradition and an interesting one is ‘Latthmaar Holi’ in Barsana, the village of the Shri Radha Ji. Here the women of Barsana give their husbands a tough time when they come to play Holi. women covering their face with the long veil of their saree hit the men on their back holding a long thick stick while men has to protect themselves with the help of shields. Ladies, over power the men, hold them captive, beat them up and dress them up in female attire.

It is a two-day festival. First day is called the Holika Dahan which holds the cultural significance. This day Bonfires are placed in the evening, which signify the burning of the evil in the bonfire. Fire, in India, stands for purity. The second day is for the celebrations which take place by playing with different shades of colors and by relishing different sweet and salty dishes. Many finger licking sweets and snack items like Gujia, Malpua, Papad Matari, Dahi Bada, Puran Poli, etc.

Peoples throw colors on one another Children have fun playing with water guns, balloons and syringes known as Pichkari’s. Holi colours signify changing of the earth’s dull and drab winter with colorful and vivacious spring season. Weeks before Holi, the markets are flooded with Holi colors – red, pink, yellow, golden, green, purple, blue and so on.

The most amazing part of the Holi is that the people get together and celebrate Holi by consuming milkshakes (Thandai) made of Bhang. They dance on music of Dholak, and singing folk songs.

Come and enjoy the colours of India in a traditional way.

Select your Next weekend Getaway from Delhi-A perfect trip for Historical and Adventurous lovers

Delhi, the capital of India doesn’t need any introduction that witnesses a large influx of travelers all throughout the year. From towering buildings to the ruins of the heritage monuments, Delhi has so much to leave you enchanted with. If we talk about Delhi, the first thing comes in our mind is its remarkable attractions such as Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Jantar Mantar, India Gate, Rajghat, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Jama Masjid, Rajghat etc.
Delhi has some recharged and rejuvenated tourist destinations close to the city. If you are preparing to a weekend holiday trip, there are some outstanding weekend getaways from Delhi. These short trips are the perfect way to explore destinations in and around your city and come back refreshed.

As St. Augustine said the – “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Let’s chart out some pleasure trips from Delhi to hill stations, religious sites, wildlife sanctuaries or adventure destinations etc.

Agra, Uttar Pradesh
Agra is a lovely town located on the banks of Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh, located around just 200 km it a favorable destination for Delhiites.
Agra also features three UNESCO world heritage sites. They are Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. Taj Mahal is the symbol of eternal love which was built by the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is famous for its matchless architectural beauty and never fails to lure visitors coming from different parts of the world for India tours. The vista of white marble monument Taj Mahal is simply matchless especially during sunrise, sunset or full moon light.

Jaipur
This princely city of Rajasthan offers royalty and Raj culture of the bygone era. It is located around 268 km from Delhi. Affectionately dubbed as the Pink City, Jaipur takes pride in its royal attractions including sightseeing, shopping and enjoying Rajasthani cuisine and culture. Some of the famous sightseeing places in Jaipur are its forts – Jaigarh, Amber and Nahargarh. Other sightseeing places to see are the Jantar Mantar Observatory, Galta Monkey Temple, Hawa Mahal and City Palace. One must relish the shopping and the food here.

Haridwar
Haridwar is situated about 215km from the capital city Delhi and one of the favorite destinations for weekend getaways around Delhi. Haridwar is a holiest town and also consider as the ultimate gateway to Gods. It is situated at the place where Ganges emerges from mighty Himalayas, it is the perfect weekend gateway to have a quick dip in the Ganga, visit temples and attend the evening aarti.

Mussoorie
Mussoorie is a hill station situated at the foothills of the Himalayas and also known as “The Queen of Hills”. Located around 275.7 km from Delhi, it is the best place for trekking and sightseeing. The romantic atmosphere of Mussoorie has earned the town its name of the Indian honeymoon capitol. Spread over mountain range, with unbelievable views of majestic Himalayas, and distant views of the pious Ganga River from one end and Jamuna River from the other it attracts a number of tourists from all over the globe.

It is such a paradise to hide from unbearably hot summers of Delhi. Tourists flock Mussoorie from April to June to beat the Delhi heat and from Dec-Jan to enjoy the snow.

Nainital
Nainital is a beautiful hill station having amazing views of hills and ancient temples in its arms. It is situated around 296 km from Delhi and popularly known as the “Lake District of India”. Here you can enjoy Cable car rides, boating in the beautiful lakes, scenic views of Kumaon hills, horse and animal rides, trekking, sightseeing etc.

Corbett National Park
The famous reserve is a great destination to immerse you in natural beauty. The park is located at the Nainital district of Uttrakhand, around 235 kms from Delhi. It acts as the protective reservoir for the critically endangered Bengal Tigers of India with the highest diversity of flora and fauna. Jim Corbett has always been the first hit for the tourists and the wildlife lovers. You can take a safari in a gypsy or even enjoy an elephant safari.

Rishikesh
An adventure hub not too far from Delhi, Rishikesh is popular for its adventures activities. The environment in Rishikesh offers a variety of exciting outdoor activities including white water rafting, camping, Rock Climbing, Bungee Jumping, giant swing, cliff jumping, kayaking, trekking, river crossing, yoga and even meditation for people seeking spiritual rejuvenation.
Rishikesh is blessed to withhold the presence of Lord Vishnu ‘lord of all senses’ and the Ganges river as well. It is perfect to immerse yourself in spirituality and yoga with numerous yoga centers offering short term and long term courses.

Mathura
Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna which is popularly known as the Brajbhoomi. It is situated located around 160 kumis from Delhi, on the bank of river Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh state. Visit the Krishna-Balaram Temple (ISKCON), the prison cell where the parents of Lord Krishna were kept during Mahabharata period. The other popular tourist attractions of Mathura are Dwarkadheesh temple, Gita mandir, Government museum.

Bharatpur
The Bharatpur bird sanctuary’s close proximity to Delhi at 200 km makes it an ideal weekend getaway. It is one of the best bird sanctuaries of India & famous among the tourists for its outstanding wetland bird reserve.
This park hosts a large number of Migratory birds such as Chinese coots, Saras cranes, pelicans and many more in the winter months. This destination is haven for bird watchers and people who love nature. Immerse yourself in the dense forest and birds chirping…the fresh air and the cool breeze.

Sariska National Park
Your chance to see a tigers is just 4 hours away from Delhi in Sariska National Park. Sariska is famous national park and tiger reserve, it is Located at a distance of 217kms from Delhi. It comprises of hills and narrow valleys of the Aravali Hill range. The broad range of wild life here is a wonderful example of ecological adoption and tolerance. Commonly seen animals in the park include nilgai, sambar, spotted deer, striped hyena, Indian porcupine.

Start packing your bags for your next weekend trip.

Must Visit Tourist Places in Delhi

Delightful Shopping Extravaganza in Jaipur

Shopping around the Monument of Love – Taj Mahal

Shopping Hubs of the Capital City – Delhi

Delhi is one of the most attractive cities and capital of India. Enriched with a beautiful history and culture, this city attracts a huge number of tourists from all around the world.

Delhi offers a variety of attractions for its visitors. Wonderful specimens of magnetic gorgeous and extensive glories places and monuments well laid gardens and parks as well as modern structures. This city is also known as the shopping capital of India, and obviously without shopping in Delhi, no one can get back to home.

This city is such an ultimate shoppers’ destination where one can find anything from traditional to contemporary items. Large western style shopping malls and upscale shopping markets also cloud the city’s horizon. You can shop according to your desire like textiles, amazing handcrafts, leather goods, jewelry, carpets, oils and wood.

Shopping in Delhi is a pleasurable and exciting experience for shopping freaks. There is an array of shopping markets in and around Delhi. From congested markets of Janpath, Palika Bazaar, Sarojini Nagar and Chandni Chowk to upscale markets of Connaught Place, South extension, Greater Kailash and Lajpat Nagar, Delhi has everything to lure the shopping buffs.

Delhi is also well-known for its street shopping; here you can shop according to your pocket and desire. From the streets of Delhi you can not only get some good bargains but also carry the stuff that will gear you up again and again to visit the capital city.

The small yet intriguing roadside stalls have everything. Roaming through these stalls is such an amazing experience. Automatically your hands move to examine the each new item.

Let’s discuss the top markets of the city.

Dilli Haat

DilliHaat is an open air market with various food stalls, handloom stalls, set in the heart of Delhi. The Bazaar has about 62 specially designed stalls for rural craftsmen from the villages of India to display their talent. Buyers can buy Metal crafts, wooden crafts, gems, beads, footwear’s, handicraft’s rosewood and sandalwood carvings, wool, and silk fabricsat a very reasonable rate.

Timings: 10:30 am to 10:00 pm (everyday)

Janpath Market

Janpath Market is an old, lively and famous market in Delhi. Those looking for souvenirs must visit this market which is a favorite hangout for foreign tourists. However, you’ll need all your bargaining skills to get a really decent price. Here you’ll find the latest fashion goods, Accessories & Apparels for both men and women.

Timing: 10.30 am to 7.30 pm, daily (Sunday close)

Chandni Chowk

Chandnichowk is the one of the livelyand agedmarkets in Delhi, established by Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan. People from all over the world come here to shop. A number of international tourists can be seen here all over the year.This is a biggest wholesale suppliers market in Delhi. Chandnichowk is basically a market of narrow lanes and shops selling everything like women’s garments, toys, authentic Indian food, Jewellery, books, leather goods, electronic items, medical equipment’s etc.

Timing:11:00 am – 8:30 pm, daily (Sunday close)

Sarojini Nagar

Sarojini Nagar Market is located in the south Delhi. It offers quite inexpensive trendy clothes with a lot of bargaining.Sarojini Nagar is a favorite pedestrian market amongst fashion conscious teenagers. It offers clothes, shoes, accessories among others at unbelievable prices. One can also shop for international brands at very cheap prices.

Timing:11:00 am –9:00 pm, daily (Monday close)

Lajpat Nagar

Lajpat Nagar market located in the south Delhi is the place where the middle class of Delhi goes when it wants to shop.With bargaining as the order of the day the market offers some amazing stuff for everyone including various accessories, clothes, latest footwear’s, cosmetics, belts, bags, Kurtis, sarees, and handmade embroidery Clothes. The highlight of this market is a lot of mehndiwallas, who will apply beautiful henna designs to your hands at a very nominal price.

Timing:11:00 am – 9:00 pm, daily (Monday close)

Connaught Place

Connaught Place is the commercial and business hub of Delhi. Horse-shoe shaped Connaught Place Market is divided into two circles; it was designed and established by the British. It is the most popular shopping venues in this city of bargain hunters, dealing mainly in clothes and artificial jewelry. Outlets of all famous international brands can be found in inner circle of Connaught Place.

Timing:10:00 am – 9:00 pm, daily (Sunday close)

Karol Bagh

Karol Bagh is a famous market which offers almost everything for everyone. You can visit Ajmal Khan Road havingfancy stores, big international labels, spices, inexpensive readymade, embroidered garments and cotton yarn. Karol Bagh is famous for its Jewellery Shops and Indian Clothes.

Timing:10:00 am – 9:00 pm, daily (Monday close)

There are a lot more options are waiting for the shoppers.

Know more about Delhi:

The Architectural Wonders of Delhi

Must Visit Tourist Places in Delhi

The amazing natural Valley of Flowers: Uttarakhand

Valley of Flowers National Park is such a tourist paradise and a photographer’s delight which comes alive with the monsoon rain (during spring season). This beautiful place is located in the lap of West Himalaya, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.

This place mesmerizes everyone with its classic natural beauty surrounded by the awe-inspiring Himalayan peaks as well as the lush green forests all around. It is a World Heritage Site with the covering an enchanting magical area of 87 square meters. This amazing vally was declared as the National park in the year 1982.

Tourists can enjoy the colors and fragrance of around 498 varieties of flowers including Brahma Kamal, the state flower of Uttarakhand, Marigolds, orchids, daisies, poppies, rhododendrons, primulas, blue poppy, the cobra lily and many others. Excluding this there are many plants having medicinal values.

Witnessing the place a person can see the blooming flowers everywhere in the surroundings and reflecting many colours like purple, blue, yellow, green, red, pink, white etc.

 The overall view of the Valley of Flowers is looks like multi-coloured and handmade natural carpet with a hilly snow covered backdrop, which completely magnetize the tourists.

According to the legends, at the time of Ramayana (a hindu epic) the hindu God Hanuman had collected the Sanjeevani buti from this place and cure Lakshmana.

This place was first discovered accidently by a British mountaineer and botanist named Frank S. Smythe in 1931. The mountaineer was captivated by eye-catching and spectacular background of the beautiful flowers and their nature smiles.

After some time, he wrote a book about this picture-perfect location, titled ‘The Valley of Flowers’. He introduced to the world to the secret of this beautiful valley.

The most amazing tale about this place is that, the local peoples was always known about this place but as it was externally beautiful, they thought that fairies must be living here, and did not dare set foot on it.

But today this place is grown to be one of the most popular travel destinations of Uttarakhand. Every year a number of travelers, botanists, adventure seekers, nature lovers and all the curious souls come here to experience the incredible charm of this place.

 The beautiful Valley of Flowers is opened for the visitors from April to October. After the first rain shower the tourists can enjoy the full blooming of the flowers. Remaining part of the year this place remains close because at that time it is completely covered in snow.

You can also enjoy the presence of snow leopard, Asiatic Black Bear, Snow Leopard, Brown bear, Musk deer, Blue Sheep, Red Fox, Common Langur, Himalayan musk deer etc. with  a large variety of aerial species.

 Cascading waterfalls, small streams, flamboyant paddocks, crystalline streams, majestic peaks and of course the flowery meadows waits for you this year. So plane for a chilled vacation trip in this summer.

Pack in your bags as soon as you can within the short time available to you and visit the amazing Valley of Flowers. Definitely you will fall in love with this place.

For any query please visit : http://ercotravels.com/helpdesk.html

Best Weekend Gateways from Mumbai

Mumbai is one of the most enchanting, sensational and happening cites of India. A multi-ethnic city in its real sense, Mumbai is a huge pot of entertainment for travelers and tourists from a variety of traditions and diverse walks of life. It also known as the ‘Entertainment Center of India’.

Mumbai is absolutely a place that you can’t afford to miss. This colorful city offers  countless activities which compete each other in term of offering funs and pleasure. A ‘city that never sleeps’, is also engrossed in the tranquil and rustic beauty.

There are numerous locations of tourist interests near Mumbai where one can take a holiday and get away from the chaos of the daily city life. After touring to these places, it is definite that travelers would understand that the ‘financial center of India’ (Mumbai) is still untouched by the worldly charisma.

Tourists can enjoy this magnificent journey where hills stations would invigorate them with their rock-cut temples and cooling effect, in the appearance of caves, would provide an insight of antique structural design.

People of Mumbai can go to number of nearby places so that they can relax and enjoy from the stressful and hectic schedule. There are many lovely hill-stations around Mumbai which known as an ideal destinations for a weekend break. From religious places to charming beach cities and hilly areas there are a number of variations for weekend getaway near this sticking city.

Some awesome Weekend Getaways or tourist attractions from Mumbai are-

Khandala

Khandala

Khandala is a must watch location situated in Western Ghats. It is hardly 101 km from Mumbai. It is definitely an exotic location with unlimited amount of beauty, greenery and splendor. Most Mumbai based people do consider it the perfect place to unwind after a hectic week.

Khandala is also known as Mother Nature as the scenic beauty reminds you to question the different facets of nature. This is the perfect location for people who want to learn yoga or meditation, walking and hiking, various sports activities. It is the perfect spot to view the steep panoramic view of beautiful valleys and woods, lakes and waterfalls.

Place of Interest: Bedsa Caves, Bhaja Caves, Karla Caves, Kune Falls  etc.

Lonavala

Vinchukata Fortification, Lohagarh Fort

Lohagarh Fort

Lonavala is a wonderful and extremely charming slope place situated around 82 km from Mumbai. It offers a breathtaking view of its surroundings which is flanked by lush greeneries dominating the entire landscape, cascading waterfalls, mountains stealing a glimpse from the thick cloud cover and much more.
This hill station also referred as ‘jewel of the Sahyadri Mountains’. It is the smallest hill station in Maharashtra but there is no shortage but pristine natural surroundings, which appear to be a piece of heaven in the placid region.

Place of Interest: Pawna Lake, Karla Caves, Lonavala Lake, Lohagarh Fort and Duke’s Nose etc.

Shirdi

Sai Baba Temple, Shirdi

The town of Shirdi is a popular pilgrimage in the state of Maharashtra that is best known for Sai Baba, the great saint of modern India. It is situated around 3oo kilometers from Mumbai. Sai Baba shows us the path of love, forgiveness and truth. At this place Sai Baba spent most of his life, and taught his devotees.

At Shirdi Baba’s devotees built up a temple on his Samadhi. One can explore the several holy sacred shrines and temples related to the revered sage’s lifespan.

Place of Interest: Adul Baba Cottage, Dixit Wada Museum, Gurusthan, Samadhi Mandir

Mahabaleshwar

Arthur’s Seat Point, Mahabaleshwar

Garlanded with exotic environs and mesmerizing landscapes, Mahabaleshwar is one of the must see places in India. It is located around 268 kms from Mumbai. Experience the awesome beauty of this place where one of the evergreen forests of the world is located.

It is a very popular place as it is a pilgrimage centre and the temple of Mahabaleshwar. Legend has it that a spout from the mouth of a cow is the spring from which water wells out to form four tributaries which meld together downstream to form the river Krishna.

Place of Interest: Mahabaleshwar temple, The Carnac Point, Babbington Point, Bombay Point, Connaught Peak etc.

Matheran

Louisa Point, Matheran

The luxuriant vegetation and the scenic landscapes are the ones that make Matheran a perfect holiday destination. It is located around 85 kms from Mumbai.

Architectural wonders add up to the charm of the place and there are so many places from where you can admire the view that you won’t even know which one is the best. Thus quaint and quiet, Matheran is for everyone who desires to breathe some fresh air on a weekend break.

Place of Interest: Charlotte Lake, Hart Point, Echo Point, Porcupine Point etc.

Panchgani

View of Panchgani Hills

Panchgani enclosed by five hills is a popular hill station which is situated around  250 km from Mumbai. Panoramic view of dazzling rivers, exotic flora and fauna makes the land a showpiece of nature.

Giggling streams of river Krishna passing through valley presents a feast for visitor’s ears.

Place of Interest: Sydney Point, Rajpuri caves, Lingmala Falls etc. Also enjoy adventure sports like rock climbing, boating, trekking, River rafting etc.

Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Island is situated around 10 km away from Mumbai. The caves are known as Elephanta due to the Elephant-shaped rock structure located on the island. The temples situated inside the caves are declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There are two groups of cave i.e Hindu caves and Budish caves. Elephanta caves are known for their wonderful rock cut architecture.

Place of Interest: Ancient cave temples, view of the Mumbai skyline, three-headed Shiva sculpture.

Goa

Anjuna Beach, Goa

The land of sun, sand and surf, Goa is situated around 600km away from Mumbai. This zesty town of Goa is well known across borders for its mesmerizing golden beaches, dazzling nightlife, fashion, fiestas, churches and lip-smacking cuisines.

Place of interest: Peppy Flee Markets, Enthralling Water Sports beaches, church and Cathedrals, etc. There is a lot to visit and for a perfect and revitalizing weekend around Mumbai form of water resorts, hill stations, bird sanctuaries, forts and beautiful landscapes.