Lonavala
Lonavala city is a hill station situated in Pune district in the state of Maharashtra. It is at a distance of 64 km from Pune and about 96 km from Mumbai city. The city got its name through a Sanskrit word ‘Lonavali’ which means group of caves. The city is surrounded with many caves hence the name Lonavala came into existence.
The Lonavala city was discovered by Lord Elphinstone in 1871, who was the governor of the Bombay administration. During the same period he also discovered Khandala. In the ancient times, Lonavala was a part of the dynasty of the Yadavas. Thereafter, the Marathas took over the city and ruled the province for a long period.
So if you are planning to travel to this city then you have plenty of options available. By air, the closest airport would be Pune airport which is at a distance of 64 km. Pune city is well connected to other cities like Mumbai, Goa and Bangalore. Mumbai airport at a distance of 100 km is also another option by air. Or you could even travel by train. The chief railway path lies in between Pune and Mumbai. Most express trains get stationed here. You could also travel by government or private buses which connect Lonavala to close by cities.
The best thing about Lonavala is the weather which is pleasant all throughout. Summers are quite mild and winters are cool. Monsoon commences from June to September. So the ideal time to visit this city is between October to May. During this period the weather is comparatively cooler.
Lonavala has several places for tourists’ sightseeing like Lonavala lake, Tungarli lake, Rajmachi point, Valvan dam, Ryewood park, Shivaji Udyan, Karla caves etc. These are some of the tourist spots which are worth visiting. As far as staying is concerned, Lonavala has all kinds of hotels whether it’s a star hotel or budget hotels. The city also has luxurious resorts which can make your stay here worthwhile. The hill station is also popular for its adventurous sports like trekking, hiking etc. and there are nature resorts which allow you to experience adventure in the throes of nature.
Thus Lonavala is one of the most prominent hill stations in the state of Maharashtra. The city is surrounded with green hills of the Sahyadri range which makes the city beautiful and attracts foreigners to it as well. The scenic beauty, thrilling sunsets, lakes, valleys, waterfalls are some of the most precious assets of the city.