Created Date: 29 June 2018

Best of Lonavala Recommended by Indian travellers

Overall its OK...
Tungar lake & upper hill visit
is must, you can see sunset from
Gunesh this hill. Bhushi dam is crowded in
beri monsoon but you can plan visit.
Overflowing...

351 travel stories about Lonavala by Indian travellers

Guide includes:About destination | Top things to do | Best accommodations | Travelling tips | Best time to visit

About Lonavala
Lonavala is a popular hill station and a municipal council situated in Pune District, Maharashtra.
The city is located 64 km from Pune city and 96 km from Mumbai. It lies 622 m above sea level
in the Sahyadri Ranges, which separate the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan Coast.

The hill station is spread over an area of 38 square km. The name of the city is derived from the
Sanskrit word ‘Lonavali’, which refers to a ‘group of caves’. The name was given to the place
due to the presence of many caves in and around the city.

Lord Elphinstone, who was the Governor of the Bombay Presidency, discovered the city of

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Lonavala along with Khandala, in 1871. Present day Lonavala was a part of the Yadava
Dynasty, which was taken over by the Mughals, who ruled the region for a long time.

There is also an important role of the Malva warriors and the forts of the city in the history of the
Maratha and Peshwa Empires. Lonavala was also the main stay of the Malva Warriors, who
were regarded as the fiercest Hindu fighting clan. The city has also witnessed great warriors like
Sardar Dabhade, who was the commandant of the Peshwa armies. Later, the nearby villages
were used as the battleground for many battles between regional Indian rulers and British
armies.

The Governor of Bombay favoured Lonavala in 1811 due to its large forest cover. This forest
cover made the city a vacation and hunting spot by the British administrators, which lead to its
reputation as a tourist destination.

The Tungi Fort of Lonavala is one of its famous tourist spots. Malik Ahmed founded the fort
near the village of Kajrat. This fort is known for its natural strength. Apart from this fort, there are
also many caves present around the city namely Karla Caves, Bhaja Caves and the Bedsa
Caves. The place has valleys, hills, waterfalls and lush greenery due to which it is also called
the ‘Jewel of Sahyadri’.

The city is popular for its sweet chikki. Tourists visiting Lonavala must shop for and eat chikkis
from renowned stores, for instance, Maganlal’s Stores, which is the most popular of them all.
Travellers can also explore Lonavala by participating in some adventure activities, which need
not be arduous. Trekking up Kalri Hills and Duke’s Nose, fishing in the many lakes that
Lonavala has or just picnicking near them are great options for tourists.

Lonavala connects Mumbai and Pune via rail. The best time to visit Lonavala is during the
monsoon, between October and May, when the scenic spots become lush green and the
waterfalls are in full flow.

Information
State: Maharashtra
Famous for/as: Hill
Altitude: 622 M
Pincode: 410401
District: Pune
Language: Hindi,Marathi
STD code: 02114
Weather: Summer 22 To 40°C, Winter 12 To 33°C

Featured review about Lonavala

Tiger Point/Hill

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"This is one of the famous tourist points of the Tourist laden Hill station- Lonavla.
The place is a Hill top as the name it self suggests, it'll be on all the tourist manuals of Lonavla.
My trip to Lonavla & Tiger hill were Good & eyeopening at the same time. This point provides a
beautiful view, serene surroundings and the weather is the lovely.
There are many food points on the top selling Maggi & regular snacks with Hot tea & coffee.
While you enjoy and take in the natural surroundings, there are few things to note which might
save you from a horrible experience altogether.
1. Any sort of Altercation or mere misunderstanding with any local (parking guys/stall people
etc) will get you between 50 people who'll beat the crap out of you.
2. Couples are advised to travel in Big groups only, or else you will find people taking your case
and you will be helpless before a mob.
3. Youngsters travelling in groups refrain from getting too excited, as expressing too much
amazement is not allowed.
4. Just go silently, have a maggi and click a few pics and head back calmly.
On my trip I saw 7 guys beaten on road for having an altercation with a local parking guy. They
were pulled out of their car by a mob which came out of no where with rods and began slapping,
bashing the guys while those guys pleaded for mercy. The kind of violence I saw, where it had
become a free for all to beat those guys. Our driver advised to stay inside the car while stating-"
This is normal when locals have issues with tourists! ".
This is a personal account of my visit.
The place is splendid with nature all around, kindly keep the place clean by avoiding plastic
items and disposing food waste properly. Have a good trip!" - Vicky Jain, Bangalore, Jun 28,
2017
Lonavala - A place to go only in rains
"We were in Lonavala during last week of May this year but once we were there, we could very
well understand that it was a mistake.
The climate as well as all the view points can be enjoyed during or immediately after the
monsoon. We landed there when the temperature was above 40 deg C. Although we ventured
out to visit all the tourist spots, but Lonavala Lake & Bhushi Dam were completely dry and
Rajmachi Garden & Raywood Park also did not have much to offer. We liked the temple
premises at Narayani Dham. We went to Duke's Nose and Lion's Point and liked the nature's
beauty but it was quite uncomfortable under the scorching Sun. Wax Museum was so-so with
limited displays. We also visited the Karla Caves & Ekvira Temple. It was difficult climb to caves
with more than 100 uneven and rough steps.
Karle Caves include total 16 excavations, depicting artistic embellishment of Buddhism
prevailed from 2nd Century BC to 7th Century AD. Of them, only one is Chaityagriha and rest
15 are Viharas. The Chaityagriha is the biggest of the type in whole of India, excavated during
the Satavahana period. The magnificent architecture & sculptured art of the period is worth the
visit and the pains one has to bear in climbing the steps.
Overall, we could feel the areas in & around Lonavala and although disappointed with this visit,
have decided to come back at the proper season to enjoy the place." - Sandeep kumar Roy,
Bangalore, Jun 15, 2016

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Best place for short vacation and close to Mumbai n Pune
"This place is near from both Mumbai and Pune and best location for nature lovers. I will
suggest you to live in lonavala for 2 nights and 3 days nad visit the following:

Places of attractions-Carla caves, tiger point, Ambi valley, wax museum, Khandala Ghat,
Rajmachi falls and fort, Lohgad etc. Adventure sports also available. Best season to visit this
place is Winter and rainy. Dense vegetation, cleanliness, large number of waterfalls make the
place very beautiful and relaxing." - Parag Joshi, Pune, Mar 2, 2016
A beautiful hill station with many attractions
"Lonavala, situated between Mumbai and Pune, is the most preferred weekend destination by
most. The entire hill station turns into a heavenly place during rainy season with low floating
clouds, numerous waterfall, green hills and fresh unpolluted cool air to rejuvenate the visitors.

However, it is still a lovely destination in non monsoon season too as there are beautiful views
of hills and valleys and lakes. The most popular attractions include the Money hill point, the
Dukes nose view, the Tigers leap and Shivling Darshan point. Other attractions include the
Narayani Dhan, The Karla caves, The Bhaja caves, the Paena lake loop with Shivkhind pass.

The small town has many hotels to suit your budget. Many good restaurants offer wide choice of
food. One of the most popular restaurant is the Rama Krishna in the main market. Those who
wish to get a high class village dhabha can go for Kinara, approx three kms from the town
towards Pune.

A nice weekend can be enjoyed in open natural surroundings at Govt. Run Karla resort that has
greenery, independent cottages, the Indrayani river with water sports, all away from crowded
city like Lonavala town itself. Definitely a must visit destination with all possible facilities." - VRV,
Mumbai, Feb 1, 2016
Lonavala a complete holiday destination for all kinds of travelers.
"We were a group of 11 people. We hired a mini bus from Hyderabad for whole journey. We
modified the bus as per our comfort removing a few seats making room for everyone. This
actually turned out to be a very good idea as we got enough space for sleeping as well during
travel. Bus charged Rs. 13. 5 per km and we have travelled 1350kms. Tolls, taxes and driver
charges were extra. State taxes of Karnataka and Maharashtra were to be paid and that
charged around Rs. 4000. Driver charges were Rs. 1400(Disappointing he didn't cooperate
much during local travel as a result we had to hire autos, fact to be mentioned travel in auto was
expensive in lonavala)

We started in Hyderabad at 9pm and reached Lonavala via Pune at 1pm the next day including
3hrs of waiting time for driver's sleep.

We stayed at a place called moti villa. It charged Rs. 7000 for 3 days. Not so luxurious but a
comfortable place. Looked scarily old outside but not a bad place to stay. Its a 2 BHK duplex big
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enough for a gang of 11. Bed rooms were good and bathrooms well maintained. Hall was lil out
of condition with water seepage and lost paint. But that's comfortable enough if you're not
interested to capture photos over there. We planned to cook so we carried all the utensils. They
provided both gas stove and firewood. Cooking is a good cost cutting idea if you wanna have a
budget trip and have enough time.

We went sunset point. It was one of the nature's wonderful creation. I never thought a simple
sunset in a hilly area would amaze me so much. The sunset is really worth watching. And the
way from shooting point to sunset point was worth walking. On the way are a few places like
monkey point lonavala lake. If you're interested take lot of selfies with all scenic beauties.

The next morning we went to Karla caves and Ekaveera devi mandir which is about 14kms. If
you're a sweet lover don't forget to have freshly made kova here. It tastes awesome. And then
we went to Pune for shopping. Went to Laxmi road for some pocket friendly shopping. Though
every town has one such place its not a bad idea to get some handbags or sandals at low price
from Pune. After all journey in local train from Lonavala to Pune is also worth travelling. But if
you're travelling in winter don't forget to take winter clothes(Its pretty chill). Local trains run till
1:00 am night so even if you wanna spend time in Pune do spend but reach railway station by
12:00 am night as the last train to Lonavala leave from Pune at 12 am.

Our last day at Lonavala we went to Imagica. I have been to few amusement parks but this one
is really worth spending. On a Sunday discount package Imagica ticket costed us 1599 per
head. But rides were really thrilling. We had a buffet, Rs 400 per head at The Imagica Capital.
Its a good buffet with 8 salads 3 desserts a mixed cuisine type with both veg and non veg
served waiting time wasn't much. Worthy enough for 400. Imagica is good choice but we really
missed aqua Imagica due to lack of time. Spend a day for Imagica and aqua Imagica they are
worth spending. Take express tickets if possible that saves a lot of time. Each ride has a
minimum of 30 mins waiting time. With kids its a must visit destination. Lonavala is a great place
for all kinds of travellers, nature lovers, adventure sport enthusiasts, bikers, trekkers. Here's my
experience. Take a week to enjoy yours." - Aravind amruthavarshini Chowdary,
Hyderabad, Jan 4, 2016
Read 351 Lonavala reviews on HolidayIQ.com

Top attractions in Lonavala recommended by HolidayIQ.com travellers

1 Lonavala Lake
Type: Lake
Entry: Free
Ranked: 1 Of 26
Ratings: 5.85/7 (27 Reviews)
"I have just visited this place two days back....but this lake still looks dried up. In monsoon....you
can see natural beauty from all sides of this mountain clad lake. Better avoid this place untill
monsoon comes. When this lake is full of..." - Niraj kumar , Patna, Feb 2, 2018

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 2Pawna Lake
Type: Lake
Entry: Free
Ranked: 2 Of 26
Ratings: 5.92/7 (15 Reviews)
"This place is best for outing near lonavala. This place is best for PHOTOGRAPHERS,
FRIENDS and FAMILIES. If you visit in winter and rainy season then your enjoyment is getting
high.This place is outside but best for sightseeing.you enjoy alot..." - Gaurav patil , , 3 weeks
ago
3Tiger's Leap
Type: View Point
Entry: Free
Ranked: 3 Of 26
Ratings: 5.66/7 (67 Reviews)
"On viewing the valley from Lonavala-Khandala, it appears as though a tiger is leaping. A stone
thrown down from from the point ricochets at many places and gets fragmented. A truly
enthralling experience!" - Rohit , , Oct 22, 2017
4 Lohagad Fort
Type: Fort
Entry: Free
Ranked: 4 Of 26
Ratings: 5.85/7 (19 Reviews)
"A one day trek is easily accessible for crowds coming from any place in between Pune and
Mumbai. It is considered to be an ideal trek for beginners but if you want to experience the real
thrills go until the long and narrow wall-like fortified..." - Shubham pacharne , , Dec 27, 2017
5 Shree Narayani Dham
Entry: Free
Ranked: 5 Of 26
Ratings: 6.20/7 (3 Reviews)
"This seems to be a less-spoken and probably much-ignored tourist place in Lonavala. Possibly
because most people come to Lonavala for a getaway and not on a religious tour. Yet even if
you are on a holiday, Narayani Dham Temple is worth a visit..." - Gaurav Malani, Mumbai,
Mar 24, 2016
6 Tikona Fort
Type: Fort
Entry: Free
Ranked: 6 Of 26
Ratings: 6.06/7 (3 Reviews)

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"The fort is a trekking destination near Lonavala. about 25 km form lonavala, it takes about 1
hour of taking to reach the fort hill; Its a very scenic hill fort. Be careful of the hill roads. " -
Deepak Rahang, Mumbai, Jul 24, 2015
7 Bushy Dam
Type: Dam
Entry: Free
Ranked: 7 Of 26
Ratings: 5.30/7 (116 Reviews)
"Lonavala is very beautiful city.as a traveller I was very much happy for traveling to
lonavala.The bushy dam is fabulous. Outstanding nature in lonavala .the area is covered under
rain always that was too good for a traveller.anyone loves to..." - Bhausaheb kolhe , , Oct 22,
2017
8 Valvan Lake
Type: Lake
Entry: Free
Ranked: 8 Of 26
Ratings: 6.19/7 (4 Reviews)
"The valvan lake is in the middle of a beautiful valley and is very scenic. The best part is that if
you visit the lake during working days, it is not crowded at all and that is when the lake is very
beautiful. You can just relax along the sides..." - Sudhir Rao, Mumbai, Jul 7, 2014
9 Tungarli Lake
Type: Lake
Entry: Free
Ranked: 9 Of 26
Ratings: 6.22/7 (3 Reviews)
"it was a very good experience. place worth watching. you can go along with friends and family.
it can be a good trip for a group. you can have campfires as well" - Laksh Ganekar, Mumbai,
Jan 27, 2015
10 Tunga Fort
Type: Fort
Entry: Free
Ranked: 10 Of 26
Ratings: 6.36/7 (1 Reviews)
"We visited Club Mahindra Tungi in February 2016. It was a fantastic family picnic. My kid and
wife enjoyed a lot. Tungi fort is a nearby attraction. One must visit this place. " - Vinod Koli,
Mumbai, Jan 4, 2017

Popular hotels in Lonavala recommended by HolidayIQ.com travellers

1 Della Adventure & Resorts

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 Price: Rs. 19,742 - 65,970
Ranked: 1 Of 463
Ratings: 6.09/7 (236 Reviews)
Address: Old Highway, Kunegaon, Lonavala, Maharashtra 410401
Phone: 9664455000
Website: Dellaadventure.com
"The Della camp villa was one of the best thing to happen for us this monsoon.
We couldn’t stay more than one and a half days tho for this place you need at
least 3 days. The adventure park was amaze too!" - Mohit bhandari , ,
Today
Read 236 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
2 Amanzi
Price: Rs. Upto 16,080
Ranked: 2 Of 463
Ratings: 5.69/7 (209 Reviews)
Address: 440, Tikona Peth, Pavana Dam, Pune, Maharashtra 412108
Phone: 9821012163
Website: Www.amanzi.in
"The experience and the staff overall was brilliant. We had a two relaxing nights,
was worth it. Just few things that could’ve improved the experience: - The
Garden villa 701 that we stayed in had blinds, yet there wasn’t complete privacy
since..." - Jennifer bharucha , , 3 weeks ago
Read 209 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
3 Rhythm Lonavala
Price: Rs. 10,000 - 20,000
Ranked: 3 Of 463
Ratings: 5.04/7 (134 Reviews)
Address: Bajrang Baug Gardens, On Old Mumbai Pune Highway, Tungarli,,
Lonavala, Maharashtra 410401
Phone: 8767752752
Website: Www.rhythmlonavala.in
"The stay was average...service was ok...overall stay was average...the familw
room which was give to us was not up to mark..please improve room
service....there was a cockroach in family room which was a little
dissappointed...." - Khushboo raychana , , 2 weeks ago
Read 134 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
4 Picaddle Boutique Resort
Price: Rs. 8,159 - 8,838

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 Ranked: 4 Of 463
Ratings: 5.76/7 (467 Reviews)
Address: Plot No. 137 A, Opp, Old Mumbai Pune Hwy, Khandala, Lonavala,
Maharashtra 410401
Phone: 2114-271000
Website: Www.picaddle.com
"A good place to relax and a great place for your kids to enjoy . The resort has
everything in its vicinity being it market or restaurants. The biggest highlight of
the resort is the mini water park which is good enough to keep and the little
ones..." - Linson Kolanchery, Mumbai, 2 days ago
Read 467 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
5 Avion Holiday Resort
Price: Rs. 6,321 - 7,658
Ranked: 5 Of 463
Ratings: 5.39/7 (635 Reviews)
Address: Fly Over Junction, Opp Kumar Resort, Mumbai Pune Highway,
Lonavala, Maharashtra 410401
Phone: 2114272141
Website: Www.avionhotel.com
"The king size bed was a snoof. It was double bed joined together. Toothpaste
and brush were not provided. Hotel charging less than avion provide toothpaste
and Brush. Location has good connectivity and hotel staff is co-operative" -
Darshan Narkar, Mumbai, 2 weeks ago
Read 635 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
6 Citrus Hotel
Price: Rs. 11,433 - 12,808
Ranked: 6 Of 463
Ratings: 5.62/7 (314 Reviews)
Address: D T Shahani Road, Near Telephone Exchange, Lonavala,
Maharashtra 410401
Phone: 2114-398100
Website: Www.citrushotels.com
"Good hotel to stay with family. It's value for money. Staff is very cooperative.
Though room size is somewhat small, cafeteria is superb. Food is also
good....Had really good experience of staying...." - Dharmesh yadav , , 3
weeks ago
Read 314 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
7 Fariyas Resort Lonavla
Price:
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 Price: Rs. 11,884 - 13,669
Ranked: 7 Of 463
Ratings: 5.53/7 (600 Reviews)
Address: PO #8
Frichley Hills
Tungarli
Phone: 2114-273853
Website: Www.fariyas.com
"Had a very nice and amazing experience... the staff especially Ms. Tara was
very cooperative...Excellent help and hospitality received from her... the staff
was very polite and comfortable to talk to...the amenities are also well
maintained... the..." - N shah , , 1 week ago
Read 600 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
8 Crystal County Resort
Price: Rs. 3,500 - 10,000
Ranked: 8 Of 463
Ratings: 5.42/7 (118 Reviews)
Address: 36, Frichly Hill Opp.Raheja Hill Resort
Old Mumbai Pune Highway, Tungarli
Lonavala
Phone: 2114-272430
Website: Www.crystalcountyresort.com
"Fantastic Stay in Crystal County Resort. I fully recommended this resort for
relaxing in Lonavala. Centrally located and easily accessible. Crystal county
resort is in Lap of Nature surroundings. Maggi Point is walking distance where u
purchased..." - Sanjeev thakur , , 2 days ago
Read 118 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
9 Basilica Holiday Home
Price: Rs. 4,381 - 5,302
Ranked: 9 Of 463
Ratings: 5.46/7 (41 Reviews)
Address: Plot No. 13 & 14, Thomrewadi, Raiwood Park, Lonavala (East),
Maharashtra 410401
Phone: 2114-278139
Website: Www.basilicaholidayhome.com
"We enjoyed at hotel. Staff are polite and cooperative. Rooms are neet and
clean. Location is good. Property is very good and peaceful.Nicely maintained. I
prefer to visit again and again. Nice garden and maintained well...." -
Hasmukh , Surat, 4 weeks ago

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 Read 41 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
10 The Machan
Price: Rs. 20,579 - 20,621
Ranked: 10 Of 463
Ratings: 5.81/7 (115 Reviews)
Address: Private Road, Atvan, Maharashtra 401401
Phone: 9874991290
Website: Www.themachan.com
"pro - The place is very well located with really great views. Rooms are very
comfortable and spacious. The service is great. The food is good but don’t
expect it to be a 5 star spread since this place is in the middle of a jungle and
they like to..." - Amit gouri , , Today
Read 115 hotel reviews on HolidayIQ.com
View all Lonavala hotels

Best way to travel from Mumbai to Lonavala

Lonavala is situated at a distance of 88 km from Mumbai. Famous for a traditional Indian sweet
made from ground nuts and jaggery called 'chikki' and popular as a hill station, Lonavala is well
connected to Mumbai by road and train. However, the best way to reach Lonavala from Mumbai
is by road, a journey of about 1 hour 20 minutes by car. The places covered between Mumbai
and Lonavala are Mumbai - 12 km -> Mankhurd - 76 km -> Lonavala. Several ATMs, hospitals,
rest stops and dhabas fall on the way. Restaurants such as Appetite, McDonald's and Sunrise
are present on the route. Petrol pumps of Hindustan Petroleum (HP) and Indian Oil, among
others, are also available at regular intervals.

Transport options from Mumbai to Lonavala

Mumbai to Lonavala By Car: Hire a cab or rent a car to drive down to Lonavala, which takes
about 1 hour 20 minutes. Ideal for group travel, this mode is also suitable for families with senior
citizens and kids. Approximate cost of cab per kilometre ranges from INR 10 to 35 depending
upon the type of car hired.
Read more Travel options on HolidayIQ.com
>Mumbai To Lonavala (66Km)
>Pune To Lonavala (52Km)
>Hyderabad To Lonavala (555Km)
>Ahmedabad To Lonavala (486Km)
>Thane To Lonavala (72Km)
>Bangalore To Lonavala (784Km)
>Delhi To Lonavala (1171Km)
>Chennai To Lonavala (967Km)

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Lonavala weather
Best Season / Best Time to Visit Lonavala

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Lonavala lies in the district of Pune and is around 96 kilometres away from Mumbai and 64
kilometres away from Pune. This hill station, spread across over an approximate area of 38 sq
kilometres, is popularly called the jewel of the Shayadaris. Lonavala is about 622 meters above
sea level. It is most famous for its chikki, a hard candy sweet popular in India. Though Lonavala
has pleasant year round climate, it is best to visit during October to May. Summer in Lonavala is
generally mild and lasts from April to mid- June with temperatures varying from a minimum of
16° to 18° Celsius to a maximum of 34° Celsius. This hill station is extremely pleasant even
during summer owing to the occasional showers and constant mountain breeze that cool down
the place. Light cotton clothes are ideal for summer in Lonavala. The monsoon season at
Lonavala is from Mid June to September. During this time, the hill station receives heavy south-
western monsoon rains and an average annual rainfall of 450 cm. The highest rainfall occurs
during the months of June and July. The monsoon season makes the place come alive. Winter
at Lonavala is from November to mid March. The weather is much cooler but not cold and
temperatures range from a minimum of 12° Celsius and goes up to a maximum of 33° Celsius.
The days during the winter season are warm and pleasant while the night experiences a slight
drop in temperature. Lonavala is a popular tourist spot during the festive seasons of Christmas
and New Year. Light woollens are sufficient during the winter period. The best time to visit
Lonavala is between the months of October to May when the climate is pleasant.
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