MAHABALESHWAR - RATNAGIRI - GANPATIPULE (FROM PUNE)

At a distance of 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Mahabaleshwar Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in the Old Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular Mahabaleshwar tourist places.

Mahabaleshwar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the important pilgrimage sites for Hindus. The temple was built by Chandarao More in 16th century and is a model of the Hemadant architectural style of South India. The Mahabaleshwar hills have been named after Lord Mahabali, whose name stands a symbol of strength.

The temple is enclosed by a 5 feet wall and is divided into two areas, inner room and outer room. The sanctum sanctorum has Shiva linga made of black stone, which is 500 years old swayambhu lingam. This self-originated lingam is in the shape of Rudraksha and is called Mahalingam.

The .....

At a distance of 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Panch Ganga Temple is a holy site situated near Mahabaleshwar Temple at Old Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra.

The Panch Ganga Temple is constructed at the confluence of five rivers, Krishna, Venna, Savitri, Koyna and Gayatri. All the rivers come out from the mouth of a statue of a cow in this temple, thus the place being called Panchganga Mandir.

The temple was constructed by Raja Singhandeo, the Yadava ruler of Devgiri in the 13th Century. In the 16th and 17th Centuries, Raja Chandarao More of Jaoli and the Maratha ruler Shivaji improved upon its structure on a large scale.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna and has a beautiful idol of him. The legend behind the temple is closely linked to Savitri's curse on the Trimurtis, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who flow here as Koyna, Krishna and Venna rivers. It is a major religious site and is thronged by devotees .....

At a distance of 300 m from Mahabaleshwar Temple and 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Krishnabai Temple is an old temple situated few meters away from Panch Ganga Temple in Old Mahabaleshwar. It is among the famous Mahabaleshwar tourist places.

Krishnabai Temple is supposed to be source of the Krishna River. The temple was built in 1888 by a ruler of Ratnagiri on a hilltop overlooking the Krishna valley. The temple has a Shiva lingam and a beautiful statue of Goddess Krishna. A small stream of the river flowing from a cow-face (gomukh) falls in a Kund or water tank which is the source of might River Krishna. Stone carved columns and ceilings are the special characteristics of this temple.

The temple also offers enchanting views of the Krishna valley and surrounding countryside. Behind Panch Ganga temple, there is a small and well-marked trail that leads to Krishnabai temple. It is not visited .....

At a distance of 10 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand and 5 km from Old Mahabaleshwar, Elphinstone Point is one of the famous viewpoints situated atop a hill near Arthur Seat Point in Mahabaleshwar.

Elphinstone Point discovered in 1830 by Dr. Murray and has an old mansion in its vicinity. The viewpoint got its name from Mount Stuart Elphinstone, the then Governor of Bombay Presidency. The mansion now lies in ruins and local authorities are planning to demolish to erect a picnic shed in its place for tourists.

Elphinstone Point is one of the highest points in Mahabaleshwar overlooking the two valleys, with rivers Koyna on the left and Savitri on the right. The lofty cliff commands a panoramic view of the Pratapgarh Fort, Koyna Valley and nearby plains. One can also admire the ravine, which lies between Elphinstone Point and Arthur Seat Point.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

At a distance of 1 km from Arthur Seat, 2 km from Eliphinstone Point and 12 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Savitri Point is a popular vantage point in Mahabaleshwar town of Maharashtra. It is one of the top places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.

Popularly called as Suicide Point, Savitri Point is situated between Eliphinstone Point and Arthur Seat Point. This place is known as the originating point of the beautiful Savitri River. Savitri Point is situated atop a hill, from where visitors can get an uninterrupted view of Savitri River and its valley. The point itself is surrounded by dense flora, which serves as a perfect backdrop for photography. Owing to its spectacular beauty, this point is frequented by both tourists and locals year-round.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

At a distance of 13 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand and 7 km from Old Mahabaleshwar, Arthur Seat Point is the most popular viewpoint in Mahabaleshwar and among the top places to visit in Mahabaleshwar.

Arthur Seat Point is located at a height of 1340 m and is surrounded by the deep Savitri gorge on one side and a lush green plateau on the other side. Popularly called as Queen of the Points, Arthur Seat Point has been named after Sir Arthur Mallet who was the first man to build a house at this point. Arthur Seat is the only point that clearly shows the geological contrast between the Konkan and the Deccan territories.

Arthur Seat Point area has 6 points in total, Arthur's Seat Point, Echo Point, Hunter Point, Tiger Spring Point, Window Point and Malcom Point. The barren deep Savitri valley on the left and lush green Jor valley on the right extends a mesmerizing view to the seat. Moving step .....

At a distance of 3 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Sunset Point is one of the most popular viewpoints of Mahabaleshwar and is popularly known as Mumbai Point or Bombay Point. This is the place from where people can view the magnificent sunset over the valleys below at Mahabaleshwar.

The Bombay Point is the oldest point of Mahabaleshwar and the point is named so owing to its location on the old Bombay road. The place has a large open space with a bandstand. It is an ideal place for late afternoon picnic. Sunset point is the most crowded point because of the fact that one cannot view anything at other viewpoints at that time of the day. Many activities like Horse riding, Choupati games are popular with the tourists at this point. There is a lovers point to the left of the Mumbai point.

Timings: 6 AM - 6 PM

At a distance of 4 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Lodwick Point is previously known as Sydney Point. This point lies at an elevation of 4087 feet above sea level.

Lodwick Point area has 2 points; Lodwick Point and Elephant's Head Point. The Lodwick point was rechristened in the honor of General Lodwick, who was the first British officer to climb the hill in April 1824. To honor General Lodwick's achievement, his son erected a memorial pole of about 25 ft. At the base of this monument, the head of the General is sculptured in marble. This point offers unmatched views of the Pratapgad Fort and Elphinstone Point at a distance.

Elephant's Head Point is the extreme end of the mountain range and lies beyond the Lodwick Point. The extended front part of hill looks like Elephant Head. Hence, this point is known as Elephant's Head Point. The point renders breathtaking views of the surroundings. One needs to walk almost 1.5 km from car parking place or taking a pony ride from the parking .....

At a distance of 3 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Venna Lake is a manmade lake situated in Mahabaleshwar. It is one of the popular tourist places in Mahabaleshwar.

Venna Lake was constructed in 1842 by Sri Appa Saheb Maharaja, who was the ruler of Satara. Surrounded by lush greenery, Venna Lake has an area of about 28 acres having a periphery around 7-8 km, and is fed by repeated springs. It is one of the famous places to visit as part of Mahabaleshwar Tour. Pratap Singh Garden is situated on the banks of Venna Lake.

Tourists can enjoy a boat ride in the lake or a horse ride next to the lake. Only Rowboats are available for tourists. Apart from boating and horse riding, funfair games like a toy train, merry-go-round are popular with children. Several small eateries line the banks of the lake.

Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM

Entry: .....

At a distance of 7 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Kate's Point and Elephant's Head Point are the most picturesque viewpoints of Mahabaleshwar in the Satara district of Maharashtra. It is among the best tourist places in Mahabaleshwar.

Kate's Point area has 3 points in total; they are Kate's Point, Echo Point, and Needle Hole Point or Elephant's Head Point. Kate's Point is named after the then British governor Sir John Malcolm's daughter. The original name of the point is Nake Khind and is situated at an altitude of 1290 m. Dhom dam, as well as peaks of Kamalgadh, Pandavgadh, and Mandardeo, can be seen from Kate's Point. It is one of the must include places in Mahabaleshwar tour packages.

Elephant's Head Point or Needle Hole Point is another popular vantage point in Mahabaleshwar, situated next to Kate's Point. The overhanging cliffs .....

At a distance of 6 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, 116 km from Pune & 252 km from Mumbai, Lingmala Waterfall is a mesmerizing waterfall located at top of the Venna Valley in the Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular waterfalls in Maharashtra, and among the famous places to visited as part of Mahabaleshwar packages.

Situated at an altitude of 1278 m, Lingmala Waterfall is formed by the Venna River. It is one of the prominent tourist places near Pune in monsoon. There are two waterfalls, one mini waterfall, and the main waterfall which falls from a height of 500 feet. The mini waterfall is safe & suitable for swimming and playing in the water. One has to walk for 30 minutes to reach the viewpoint of the main waterfall from the mini-falls. There is no way to get into the water at the main falls .....

At a distance of 11 km from Mahabaleshwar and 7 km from Panchgani, Mapro Garden is a garden situated at Gureghar on Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani road in Satara district of Maharashtra. A trip to Mapro Garden is one of the top things to do in Mahabaleshwar.

Mapro Garden is very popular tourist spot in Mahabaleshwar and is known for their strawberry produce. The name Mapro is short form of Mahabaleshwar Products. Mapro was founded in 1959 by Mr. Kishore Vora and it is very popular in Maharashtra state for its processed fruit products like fruit crushes, squash, etc. Mapro has also diversified into products like chocolates, honey, gulkand and many more.

The major highlight of Mapro Garden is the chocolate factory within the premises. Visitors can also see a small nursery full of beautiful flowers and plants. There are various counters selling different Mapro products. Tourists can .....

At a distance of 2 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Thibaw Palace is a historical building situated on a small hillock in Ratnagiri Town of Maharashtra. This is one of the major tourist attractions of Ratnagiri.

Thiba Palace is an architectural grandeur that was created for King Thibaw of Myanmar (Burma) who was in exile here. It is said that the Palace was built by the British in 1910 to keep the king of Burma under house arrest. The palace came into use from 1910 up to the king's death on 16th December 1916.

The palace is a beautifully constructed three storied structure with sloping roofs. Semi-circular wooden windows with beautiful carvings are the main attraction of this structure. There is a dancing hall with marble floor on the first floor. One Buddha idol is installed at the back side of the palace. This idol was brought to India by king Thibaw. Presently the palace is maintained by ASI and it is currently under renovation. There is also a museum in the palace which displays .....

At a distance of 2.5 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Marine Aquarium and Museum is located on Ratnagiri - Bhagwati Mandir Road next to Mandavi Beach in Ratnagiri Town.

The Marine Museum was established in 1985 by the Marine Biological Research Station of Ratnagiri. The Marine museum has some rare and beautiful specimens like Sea horse fish, Lion fish, Trigger fish, Sea turtles, Eels, Sea cucumbers, Star fish, Lobsters, sea snakes and many more. This museum also possess well mounted precious and age-old skeleton of Whale. The original length of the whale being 55 feet long and 5000 Kg in weight is strongly appreciated by everyone who visits this station.

Taking into consideration the growing demand of general public about aquarium, a beautifully arranged and well decorated separate freshwater aquarium section has been recently developed. In this section, along with beautiful and fancy colour fishes, one can also observe locally available freshwater aquatic species like prawns, .....

At a distance of 4 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Ratnadurg Fort is a historical fort situated on the shores of the Arabian Sea in Ratnagiri. It is one of the popular forts in Maharashtra, and among the top Ratnagiri places to visit.

The fort of Ratnadurg was constructed during the rule of Bahamani Sultans. It was captured by Adilshah and then Chhatrapati Shivaji conquered the fort in the year 1670 AD. Later, the fort was controlled by Kanhoji Angre, and later handed over to Peshwas. The British captured the fort from the Peshwas in the year 1818 AD. It is among the must-visit places during your Ratnagiri trip.

Spread over a vast area of 120 acres, Ratnadurg Fort was once a stronghold of the Maratha Empire. The fort was used as a watchpoint for keeping vigil on the pirates. Ratnadurg Fort is .....

At a distance of 3 km from Ratnagiri Bus Stand, Bhatye Beach is a marvelous beach situated at Bhatye in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Situated along the Konkan coast, it is one of the popular beaches that can be visited as part of Ratnagiri packages.

Bhatye Beach is a wonderful beach in the background of the jagged Sahyadri mountain ranges provides a panoramic view of the surroundings. The length of the beach is approximately 1.5 km and is very flat and straight. Bhatye Beach and Mandvi Beach are next to each other separated by a creek. One can enjoy nature at its best here. With the bluish water, a vast expansion of silvery sands, and the clean environs sprinkled with casuarina trees, Bhatye Beach is one of the best tourist places in Ratnagiri to admire the mesmerizing sunset.

The Ratnagiri Lighthouse and the famous Mandavi Beach .....

At a distance of 9 km from Ganpatipule Bus Stand and 14 km from Ratnagiri, Aare Ware Beach is a beautiful secluded beach situated near Nevare village in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. This is one of the best beaches on the Konkan coast and also one of the famous places to visit in Ganpatipule.

Actually, Aare and Ware are two beaches with clean blue water and are a delight to watch. Aare Beach is one of the lesser-known beaches of the Ratnagiri district. This is a very long beach having a length of approximately 3 km and is mostly an untouched beach. A beautiful and dense plantation of Suru dotted the seashore. This quite long beach is an isolated one covered with smooth sand and offers a breathtaking view of the sunset. The beach is still unspoiled and virgin, making it one of the best place for travelers seeking sheer solitude and tranquility as part of Ganpatipule tour packages.

Aare .....

At a distance of 6 km from Ganpatipule Bus Stand, and 25 km from Ratnagiri, Kajirbhati Beach is a scenic beach situated at Nevare village. Situated between Ganpatipule & Ratnagiri, it is one of the pristine beaches on the Konkan Coast, and among the top places to visit as part of the Ganpatipule tour packages.

Also known as Nevare Beach, Kajirbhati Beach is a beautiful, serene beach located on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, India. The beach is lined with casuarina trees and the views are breathtaking. This secluded beach is less crowded and is an ideal spot for those who are seeking a peaceful and tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. The beach is clean and well-maintained, and the water is crystal clear. The small rocky area on the side adds to the beauty. One will also be able to see small crabs on the beach.

The white sandy shoreline is a great place to relax and soak up the sun while enjoying .....

At a distance of 1 km from Ganpatipule Bus Stand, Swayambhu Ganapati Temple is an ancient temple situated on Ganpatipule Beach in Maharashtra. It is one of the top places to visit in Ganpatipule and also one of the popular Ganesh temples in Maharashtra.

The Ganpati Temple is about 400 years old and is the prime attraction in Ganpatipule packages that draws thousands of pilgrims every year to seek blessings of the Lord. According to one legend, after being insulted by a local lady, Lord Ganapati moved to Pule from his original abode of Gule. Thus the place was named as Ganpati-Pule.

The idol of Ganesha is believed to be a monolith which is self-created and discovered over 1600 years ago. The other idol of Lord Ganapati is made of copper and placed in the sanctum sanctorum. This copper .....

At a distance of 1 km from Ganpati Pule Bus Stand, Ganpatipule Beach is a spectacular paradise along the Konkan coast in Maharashtra. It is one of the top places to visit in Ganpatipule and also one of the popular beaches in Maharashtra.

Ganpatipule is one of the only two white sand beaches in Maharashtra, the other being Kashid Beach. It is a perfect gateway that captivates beach lovers, adventure enthusiasts, and pilgrims as part of Ganpatipule tour packages. The 6 km long beach simply looks stunning with the Ganapati Temple on the shores that offer a soothing atmosphere. With several shacks, horse riding, and camel rides, the beach has become a perfect holiday destination for visitors.

The pristine Ganpatipule Beach is the main attraction among tourists and mainly adventure enthusiasts. .....

At a distance of 600 m from Ganpatipule Bus Stand and 1 km from Ganpatipule Beach, Prachin Kokan is an open air museum situated in Ganpatipule. It is one of the top places to visit in Ganpatipule.

Spread over an area of 3 acres, the museum has several exhibits depicting the traditional Konkan way of life. The museum was constructed in 2004 by Vaibhav Sardesai who succeeded in not only providing interesting information about Konkan to the tourists but also employment opportunities for the locals. One can get the glimpses of local rural life including the local deities, the lifestyle, barter trade of the olden days, various professions of the people, etc. inside the museum.

The museum showcases the ingenuity of the Kokan with sculptures of the Maratha hero Shivaji maharaj depicting historical moments, and models of the amazing sea forts in the Kokan region. Prachin Konkan has a counter for exhibiting .....