20 Best Tourist Places to Visit near Kolhapur (2024)

Chiplun is a town in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular tourist places in Maharashtra. About 238 km from Pune, and 259 km from Mumbai, it is among the best weekend getaways from Mumbai, and Goa.

Situated between the Western Ghats, and the Arabian Sea, Chiplun has a stunning natural beauty which includes lush greenery and stunning waterfalls. Lies near the source of the Vashishti river, Chiplun is also an industrial town and happens to be one of the must include places in Maharashtra tour packages.

Chiplun offers a bouquet of attractions to its visitors. Parashuram Temple, Swatsada Waterfalls, Gowalkot Fort, Nehru Smriti Udayan, Murud-Dapoli Beach, Anjarle Ganapati Temple, Anjarle Beach, Koyna Dam, and Pandava Caves are the top Chiplun tourist places.

Distance from Kolhapur: 164 Kms

Hubli or Hubballi, along with its twin city Dharwad, is the second-largest city in the state after Bangalore, and among the top Karnataka tourist places. About 361 km from Mangalore and 406 km from Bangalore, this multi-faceted city is also known as the cultural, educational, and music capital of the state.

Lying on the 'Golden Quadrilateral', Hubli is one of the fastest-growing cities in the state of Karnataka. The city boasts numerous monuments and monasteries, that can be visited as part of Hubli tour packages. Hubli is often called Chotta Mumbai due to its immense commercial development. Chandramouleshwara Temple, Nrupatunga Betta, Unkal Lake, Sidharoodha Math, Banashankari Temple at Amargol, Nuggikeri Hanuman Temple, and Sri Kalika Devi Temple in Sirsangi are the other prominent places to visit in Hubli.

The city of Hubli is also renowned for its handloom textile industry with several cotton ginning and processing mills. Hubli is the base station for many Dandeli tour packages.

Distance from Kolhapur: 200 Kms

Pandharpur is a temple town located on the banks of Chandrabhaga River near Solapur city in Maharashtra, India. About 77 km from Solapur, and 209 km from Pune, it is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Maharashtra, and among the must-include places in Solapur tour packages.

Renowned for its deep-rooted religious heritage and enchanting spiritual aura, Pandharpur is considered to be the spiritual capital of Maharashtra and revered as the Southern Kashi of India. The sacred town of Pandharpur boasts magnificent temples and shrines. The Vitthal Rukmani Temple stands as the primary place of worship, attracting millions of devotees every year. The exquisite craftsmanship and intricate carvingsof the temple offer a glimpse into the artistic prowess of the bygone era.

Besides, the Kaikadi Maharaj Math, Pundalik Temple, Shri Gopalkrishna Temple, Vishnupad Temple, and ISKCON Pandharpur are the other prominent Pandharpur tourist places. The annual Pandharpur Yatra, also known as the Ashadi Ekadashi, witnesses a colossal gathering of devotees.

Distance from Kolhapur: 184 Kms

Close to its border with Karnataka, Solapur is the 4th largest city as wel as one of the most visited tourist places in Maharashtra. It is about 236 km from Kolhapur, 251 km from Pune, 322 km from Hyderabad, and 407 km from Mumbai.

Solapur district lies entirely in the Bhima and Seena basins, and the district headquarters is said to be Solapur city, which is blessed with religious and historic tourist attractions. Fort Bhuikot or Solapur Fort, Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, Sri Siddheshwar Temple, Akkalkot Swami Maharaj Temple, Motibaug Tank, Mahatma Gandhi Zoo, Solapur Science Centre, Pandharpur, and Tuljapur are some of the top places to visit in Solapur.

Solapur leads Maharashtra in the production of beedi. Solapuri Chadars and towels are famous not only in India but also at a global level. Solapuri chadars are the first product in Maharashtra to get a Geographical Indication tag. It has been a leading centre for cotton mills and power looms in Maharashtra.

Distance from Kolhapur: 238 Kms

Goa is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations of India with beautiful beaches and historical sites.

Goa is a strip of land 110 km long and 60 km wide between the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea on the west coast of India. Panaji is the state's capital while Vasco Da Gama is the largest city. Renowned for its beaches, places of worship and world heritage architecture. Goa is visited by large numbers of international and domestic tourists each year. It also has rich flora and fauna.

The festival of Shigmo Mel or the Holi, Goa carnival and Ganesh Chaturthi are the main festivals in Goa.

Distance from Kolhapur: 200 Kms

At a distance of 20 km from Mahabaleshwar, 140 km from Pune & 221 km from Mumbai, Pratapgad, also known as Pratapgarh, is a large hill fort located in the Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the best heritage places to visit near Mumbai, and among the popular attractions not to miss as part of Mahabaleshwar packages.

The fort lies at an altitude of 1080 m and is built on a spur that overlooks the road between the villages of Par and Kinesvar. Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj had commissioned Moropant Pingle, his prime minister, to commence the construction of this fort to defend Nira and the Koyna River banks, and also to guard the Par pass. It is one of the most scenic places to visit in Mahabaleshwar. The construction of the fortress was completed in the year 1656. The fort stands as the witness of the historic Battle of Pratapgarh between Shivaji and Afzal Khan, the commander of the Bijapur Sultanate, on 10th November 1659. In 1818, the Maratha forces had to surrender the Pratapgad Fort after losing the third Anglo-Maratha War.

After the Battle of Pratapgad, the Afzal tower was constructed outside the fort as a lookout for enemies. It is said that Afzal Khan's head is buried under the Afzal tower which is also known as Afzal Buruj. Afzal Khan's tomb is ...

Distance from Kolhapur: 207 Kms

At a distance of 39 km from Akkalkot, and 46 km from Solapur, Sri Tulja Bhavani Temple is a Hindu temple located in Tuljapur in Dharashiv district of Maharashtra, India. It is one of the top places of pilgrimage in Maharashtra, and among the prominent places to visit near Hyderabad.

Dedicated to goddess Bhavani, Sri Tulja Bhavani Temple is considered as one of the 51 Shakti Pithas in India. Goddess Bhavani, literally translates to 'giver of life',is considered to be a mother who provides to her devotees and also plays the role of dispensing justice by killing Asuras. The temple was built in 12th century CE by Maratha Mahamandaleshwara Maradadeva of the Kadamb dynasty.

The temple of Bhavani at Tuljapur along with the temples of Renuka at Mahur, Mahalaxmi at Kolhapur, and Saptashringi at Vani forms the four great Shaktipitha in Maharashtra. Goddess Bhavani of Tuljapur is known as the Kulswamini of Maharashtra, and the inspirational deity of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It is believed that goddess Bhavani gave him a' Bhawani sword' that brought success in his various expeditions.

Several legends are associated with the temple. According to one legend, a demon, Madhu-Kaitabh, who was wreaking havoc upon both the gods and humans. Unable to find any solution, they turned to Lord Brahma for help, who advised them to turn to the Goddess Shakti. She took up the form of a destroyer, and powered by the ...

Distance from Kolhapur: 283 Kms

At a distance of 28 km from Mahabaleshwar, Tapola, famously called the Mini Kashmir of the West, is a rural hamlet with a magnificent Shivsagar Lake in the Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the famous tourist places to visit near Mahabaleshwar.

Tapola is situated at the convergence of the rivers of Koyna and Solshi. The primary attraction in Tapola is the Shivsagar Lake, a 90 km long water body infact the reservoir of the Koyna dam. The Koyna Dam is one of the biggest in Maharashtra and the Koyna Hydroelectric Project is the largest completed hydroelectric power plant of India. The lake offers boating, water scooter rides, kayaking and swimming.

Jungle treks from Tapola are very popular with trekkers. There are many unknown forts in the dense forest around the lake in Tapola like Vasota and Jaygad. Tapola is also the base village to the Vasota fort famous for the arduous jungle trek. Vasota located within the Koyna wild life sanctuary is cut off from civilization and can be reached only in a boat. The permit for the trek can be procured from Bamnoli.

Distance from Kolhapur: 214 Kms

At a distance of 13 km from Panchgani, 35 km from Satara & 88 km from Pune, Wai is a small town situated on the banks of Krishna River in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the ideal places for one day trip near Pune.

Wai has some historical prominence; two important Maratha Brahmin queens Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi and Rani Gopikabai, wife of Nanasaheb Peshwa were born here. Wai is the place referred to as Charanpur in the hit film Swades.

Wai is famed for its seven Ghats, including Gangapuri, Madhi Aali, Ganpati Aali, Dharmapuri, Brahmanshahi, Ramdoh and Bhimkund. It is also known for numerous beautiful temples near the ghats. Brahmanshahi ghat contains several temples including Kaunteshwar, Chakreshwar, Kaleshwar and Chimneshwar. Menavali ghat is the most popular sightseeing destination in Wai apart from the backwaters of Dhom dam and the famous Dholya Ganpati temple.

The temple of Dholya Ganapati, built in 1762 by Raja Bhoja, is located on the banks of Krishna River. The temple is made out of finished stone with a spacious inner sanctum and a huge hall in the front. The idol of the deity in the temple is carved out of a monolith, and is about 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. The deity acquired its name Dholya Ganapati from its sheer massive size.

The temple of Mandhradevi Kalubai, Mahalaxmi temple in Dharmapuri and Pandavgadh Fort are the other popular attractions in Wai. Besides being ...

Distance from Kolhapur: 156 Kms

At a distance of 17 km from Guhagar and 72 km from Ganpatipule, Velneshwar Temple and Beach are located at Velneshwar in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

Sri Velneshwar Temple is believed to be one of the ancient temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort Goddess Parvati. Earlier, the temple was built by Gadgils and was later renovated by Sri Trimbak Ravaji Gokhale. Representing an example of ancient Hindu architectural style, the temple houses many small shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Ganesha and Kala Bhairav. The main sanctum of the temple is adorned with paintings and stone carvings representing various episodes of mythology. This temple is flocked by a large number of devotees during the festival of Mahashivratri. It is held in the month of March and celebrated in honour of the deity Lord Shiva.

Another prime attraction of Velneshwar is the Velneshwar Beach which is lined with coconut trees. This is one of the most secluded and pristine beaches in the entire Konkan stretch and with popular destinations like Guhagar and Ganpatipule flanking it on either sides. This beach is quite famous for its location and also the peaceful surroundings. The beach experiences stable waves throughout the year and is an ideal beach for swimming and sunbathing. Water sports are the frequent activities, which are carried out here.

Distance from Kolhapur: 184 Kms