DAY 1 : TRAVEL TO KOLHAPUR & SIGHTSEEING
Pilgrimage
Duration of visit: 1-2 Hours
Timings: 5 AM - 10 PM, Aarti : 5.30 AM Kakad Arati, 6.30 PM Dhoop Arati, 8 PM Main Arati, 10 PM Shejarati
Entry Fee: Free
At a distance of 2.5 km from Kolhapur Railway Station, Sri Mahalakshmi Temple is a prominent Hindu temple situated in the city of Kolhapur, Maharashtra. It is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in India, and among the must include places in Kolhapur Tour Packages.
Sri Mahalakshmi Temple is dedicated to the goddess of wealth, Sri Mahalakshmi, also known as Goddess Ambabai, the guardian deity of Kolhapur who killed demon Kolhasura. Also known as Dakshin Kashi, Shri Mahalakshmi Temple is one of the six abodes of 'Shakti' (Goddess of Power) from where one can attain fulfillment and salvation of desires. The temple was built in the 7th century by Chalukya ruler Karandev. King Gandaraditya of the Shilahara dynasty, built the circumambulation path along with two sanctum sanctorums for Goddess Mahakali and Mahasaraswati in the 11th century CE. It is one of the prominent places to visit in Kolhapur.
The .....
Museum & Gallery
Duration of visit: 30 Mins
Timings: 10.30 AM - 1 PM & 1.30 PM - 5.30 PM, Closed on Monday
Entry Fee: Rs. 10 for Adults & Rs. 5 for Children
At a distance of 1 km from Mahalakshmi Ambabai Temple, and 2 km from Kolhapur Railway Station, Town Hall Museum is a museum situated at Shaniwar Peth, Kolhapur. It is one of the interesting places to visit in Kolhapur.
The Town Hall Museum is situated in a heritage building with elements of neo-Gothic architecture. The building served as an administrative office during the British period and later became home to the diwan of the local monarch, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj. The structure was built along with a bandstand during 1872-76 under the supervision of a British engineer, Charles Mant, and required an investment of 80,000 from the royal treasury. The museum was inaugurated in the year 1945.
The museum was established to preserve the items obtained from excavations at the Brahmapuri Hills in the 1940s that belonged to the Satavahana, and Shilahara-Bahmani periods. Later paintings of renowned local artists were added to the collection in 1953. The collection of the museum .....
Museum & Gallery
Duration of visit: 30 Mins
Timings: 9 AM - 1 PM & 2.30 PM - 6 PM, Closed on Mondays
Entry Fee: Rs. 40 for Adults, & Rs. 20 for Children
At a distance of 2.5 km from Kolhapur Railway Station, and 3 km from Sri Mahalakshmi Ambabai Temple, New Palace Museum is a heritage museum located on Kasaba Bawada Road in Kolhapur. Also known as Shri Chhatrapati Shahu Museum, it is one of the popular museums in Maharashtra, and among must-visit tourist places in Kolhapur.
The New Palace was constructed in 1877-84 and has been the residence of Chatrapati Shahu Maharaj. It is one of the most famous places to visit as part of Kolhapur packages. The beautiful palace is built in black polished stone and is a marvelous architectural feat. The whole building is eight-angled and has a tower in the middle. The principal south facade presents a double-storeyed range, with Neo-Mughal lobed arches beneath and temple-like columns and brackets above. This scheme is interrupted by trefoil arches capped with curving .....
Lake & Backwaters
Duration of visit: 30 Mins - 1 Hr
Timings: 6 AM - 10 PM
Entry Fee: Free
At a distance of 2 km from Sri Mahalakshmi Ambabai Temple, and 4 km from Kolhapur Railway Station, Rankala Lake is a picturesque lake in Kolhapur. Marked by the natural beauty and serene environment, make it one of the must-visit places as part of Kolhapur Tour Packages.
The Rankala Lake was constructed by late Maharajah, Shri Shahu Chhatrapati. It is believed to be linked directly to a well in Panhala Fort which Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is believed to have crossed.
The lake has a circumference of 4.5 miles and a depth of 35 ft. The water of the lake is used mainly for irrigation, and the water is let through a sluice gate in the bound. This gate was operated from a minor type of beautiful structure called 'Rankala Tower'. Near the tower is the Rajghat, a flight of board steps leading to the water. On the northern bank of the lake stands the regal Shalini Palace and on the eastern side & slightly in the lake stands the 'Sandhya-Math'. It is a structure of stone columns .....
DAY 2 : VISIT SATARA & TRAVEL TO MUMBAI
Pilgrimage
Duration of visit: 30 Mins - 1 Hr
Timings: 7 AM - 12 PM and 3 PM - 8.30 PM
Entry Fee: Free Entry
At a distance of 3 km from Satara Bus Station, Natraj Mandir, also known as Uttara Chidambaram Temple, is a popular temple located off NH4, connecting Satara and Solapur. It is one of the places to visit in Satara.
The Natraj Mandir is dedicated to Lord Natraj, a manifestation of Lord Shiva performing the Tandava dance. The foundation for the temple was laid in 1981. Samanna, a resident of Satara gifted the land for building the temple. The funding was given by the state governments of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu while the timber needed for the entire construction of the temple was given by the government of Kerala. It is one of the popular temples to visit as part of Satara tour packages.
It is a replica of Sri Natraj Temple at Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu, in a much smaller size, and is a desire of Sri Chandra Shekharendra .....
Historical & Heritage
Duration of visit: 1 Hour
Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: Free Entry
At a distance of 4 km from Satara Bus Stand, 58 km from Mahabaleshwar, and 52 km from Panchgani, Ajinkyatara is an ancient hill fort situated on one of the seven mountains surrounding the city of Satara in the Sahyadri Mountains of Maharashtra. It is one of the major heritage places in Maharashtra, and among the must include places in Satara tour packages.
Situated atop Ajinkyatara Mountain, at an altitude of 3,300 feet, Ajinkyatara Fort offers a panoramic view of Satara City. Among the top places to visit in Satara, Ajinkyatara Fort was built by Raja Bhoj of the Shilhara dynasty. In 1673 CE, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took control of this fort from Adil Sha and further Aurangajeb controlled this fort between 1700 CE and 1706 CE. In 1708 CE, Shahu Maharaj won Ajinkyatara, remained with the Marathas till .....
Nature & Scenic
Duration of visit: 1 Hour
Timings: 9 AM to 6 PM
Entry Fee: Rs. 50 per Person on Weekdays, Rs. 100 per Person on Weekends & on Public Holidays
At a distance of 24 km from Satara, 37 km from Mahabaleshwar, and 50 km from Panchgani, the Kaas Plateau, also known as the Kas Pathar, is a vast volcanic lateritic plateau situated in the Satara district of Maharashtra. It falls under the Sahyadri Sub Cluster and is among the top Satara tourist places.
Popularly known as the Plateau of Flowers, Kaas Plateau is one of the famous tourist attractions in Maharashtra and also a popular picnic spot among nature lovers during late monsoons. The plateau is situated at an altitude of 1200 m and is approximately 1,000 hectares in area. The name 'Kaas' originates from the Kaasa tree. It is one of the most visited tourist places as part of Satara packages.
Kaas Plateau was formed by volcanic activities and is covered by a thin soil cover as a result of which, .....
Waterfall
Duration of visit: 1-2 Hours
Timings: 8 AM to 5 PM
Entry Fee: Free Entry
At a distance of 6 km from Kas Pathar, 28 km from Satara, 41 km from Mahabaleshwar, 53 km from Panchgani, 144 km from Pune & 299 km from Mumbai, Vajrai Falls is a picturesque waterfall located near Kas Flower Valley in Satara district of Maharashtra. This is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Maharashtra, and also one of the top monsoon tourist places near Pune.
Vajrai Falls is a three-tier waterfall cascading down from a height of around 853 feet (260 m). This is a perennial waterfall but is very spectacular during monsoons. People from different parts of Maharashtra flock to this fall during the monsoons as part of Satara tour packages to watch the beautiful flow of the stream. Urmodi River is believed to start from the Vajrai Waterfalls. There are many small caves near Vajrai Falls which can be visited along .....