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Picturesque Hill Station of Matheran Near Pune

by: Bharat Darshan

The picturesque hill station of Matheran near Pune is a must visit place when you are in Pune or Mumbai. The natural beauty and landscapes of the place are breathtaking and soothing. The unpolluted hill station where no vehicles are allowed is a place where you can sit back and relax for few days. The best thing about the hill station which is my favorite too is a "Joy Ride in Toy Trains of India". The toy train of Matheran is one out of the four historic Toy trains of India. The other three being in Shimla, Ooty and Darjeeling. Every place and each sight is worth a capture or a click. May be that's why it is called "The Picturesque Hill Station of Matheran".

The close proximities to the famous cities of Maharashtra makes this Hill Station a perfect weekend getaway from Pune and Mumbai.

Image Courtesy: Bhavesh Chhatbar

Matheran is situated at a height of 2,625 feet above sea level and 120 km away from Pune. The air is fresh and pollution free as all the motor vehicles are banned here. So the place is explored by walking. A walk in the rain in monsoon season will be an experience of a lifetime. Other options are ponies and horses. A paradise for honeymooners and a perfect weekend getaway for Puneites and Mumbaikers.

Image credit: http://cromos-e-cadernetas.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/matheran2.jpg

How to Reach

By Air - There are no airports in Matheran. The nearest ones are in Pune and Mumbai. So if you coming to Matheran from any other part of the country, you can reach Pune / Mumbai via air and from there catch any train or bus or taxi to reach Matheran.

By Rail - The nearest railhead is at Neral. From there, you can either take the toy train to Matheran or simply trek the distance.

By Road - As there are no motor vehicals allowed to enter Matheran, you need to park your vehicles at Dasturi Naka. It is the last point to take any Motor vehicle. After that you can either walk, heir a rickshaw and simply take a horse ride to Matheran.

Image credit: http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/25/1e/5c/misty-monsoon-waterfalls.jpg

Accommodation:
Being one of the popular tourist destination in Maharashtra, there are plenty of hotels, rest houses and lodges. But there are no 5 Star hotels. It is better to book in advance as it witnesses huge rush over the weekends and holiday season.

Image credit: http://www.lipsa.com/All_pictures/images/full/matheran_byke_1.jpg

Toy Train - The Best Attraction
Matheran is one of the famous picnic spot and a monsoon destination near Pune, Maharashtra. The journey on the Toy Train from Neral ( a place on the Mumbai-Pune line) to Matheran resort is a joyful retreat. Matheran Railway is a 77-year-old line connecting Neral to Matheran. The railway was founded by Mumbai based entrepreneur Abdul Hussain Peerbhoy. The distance from Matheran to Neral is about 20 km only but the time it takes to reach one destination to other is about two and a half hour. The landscape changes too quickly. Neral being the plain area where you see grassy plains and soon when you start climbing up it changes into mountains with thick forests and beautiful waterfalls. It also passes through one short tunnel, interestingly named "One Kiss Tunnel".

Image credit: http://www.punediary.com/html/images/matheran2.jpg