Lonavala is a beautiful and charming Hill Station at a height of 625 Meters above sealevel. It is without any doubt blessed by nature’s beauty. The hill Station is only 128 Kms from Mumbai and around 70 kms from Pune, and is one of the favored hill stations and weekend getaways for people from Mumbai.

The best Season to visit Lonavala is throughout the year, except perhaps May when it can get warmer.
* October to March is ideal for sight seeing, with the best weather.
* April is bit warm, but suitable for outings, but as you get to May, it gets hotter.
* June to September offers some great views of natural beauty of Lonavala in the rainy season with rainfall all around, and can be a good time to visit if you like to look at natural settings when water is pouring all around, and the overall feel is soft and romantic.

Set in the lush green hills of the Sahyadris, Lonavala is the most popular weekend destination from Mumbai and Pune. For a lot of people, it is a regular outing from the busy life in hectic cities, and there are no problems in going to the same place again and again. Lonavala is known as the Jewel of the Sahyadri; if you look at what all it offers, the praise seems justified - it offers the tourist pristine woods and valleys, gurgling and gushing waterfalls, historic caves, and many scenic vistas.
Historically, Lonavala has been there for many centuries, with the surroundings hills being the stronghold of the Maratha rulers, in their fights against the Moghuls and later the British. The Maratha warriors practised guerrilla warfare from here in their battles against these sets of enemies. However, now Lonavala is the epitome of peace and tranquility, with a lot of rich and famous people having setup holiday homes here for their use as a rest away from the city.
Lonavala also provides thrills of adventure sports in terms of rock climbing, including rock climbing at Duke’s Nose.

PRIME ATTRACTIONS :
- Karla & Bhaja Caves: These rock-cut cave temples date back to the 2nd century BC and are amongst the oldest and finest examples of Buddhist rock cut temple art in India; they belong to the Hinayana sect of Buddhism.
- Rajmachi Point: Located about 6.5 km from Lonavla. Why is it famous ? It is famous for the view; this point commands a magnificent view of Shivaji’s famous fort, Rajmachi (Royal terrace) and the surrounding valley.
- Ryewood Park and Shivaji Udyan: The stunning gardens are amongst the favorite picnic spots of the children, owing to the soaring trees and spacious open spaces provided by them.
- Valvan Dam : Located about 2 km from Lonavla. Located at the foot of the dam is a blooming garden, adorned with a wide variety of colorful flowers and other plants, which attracts a number of tourists.
- Tungarli Lake : The lovely Tungarli Lake supplies water to Lonavla town. There are no buses to the site, but taxis and autorickshaws are available from Lonavla Station (3 km).
- Lonavala Lake : The tranquil surroundings and serene atmosphere offered by the Lonavla Lake are enough to lure tourists here. The lake is also visited by a number of birds, making it a bird watcher’s delight.
- Duke’s Nose : It stands 12 km from Lonavla, it is the finest landmark in Khandala and is popular with hikers. The cliff owes its name to the Duke of Wellington, whose famous and ample nose it resembles.
- Tiger’s Leap : It is a cliff-top with a sheer drop of over 650 m. The magnificent view from Tiger’s Leap is enthralling.
- Christian Cemetery : It is worth a visit for the century old tombstones with work on them. However, as happens in a number of such places, vandals have been at them, with most of them having been desecrated and their precious engravings stolen.
- Bushi Dam : During the monsoons, the dam fills with water and the water overflows on the ’steps’. People can sit on these steps and get wet. There are also a few waterfalls around.
- Lohagad Fort : Lohagad (literally ‘Iron fort’ in Marathi) is one of the many hill forts of Chatrapati Shivaji. It is situated 52 km from Pune in western India. Lohagad is at an elevation of 3,450 feet. A robust climb of about 11.2 km from Malavali Railway Station takes you to the ‘Iron Fort’, once a formidable battle-station of Shivaji. The fort commands a view of the surrounding hills and hamlets.
- Yoga Center: Lonavala has a Yoga center that provides

How to get there ?
Air: The nearest airport from Lonalvala is Pune, which is 64 km from Lonavala.
Train: Lonavala is on the main railway line between Mumbai and Pune, all express trains plying between the two cities stop here.
Road:The bus service between Lonavala and Pune is good (2 hours). However, the ride is rough and it takes 4 hours to reach Lonavala from Mumbai. Buses shuttle between Lonavala and Khandala (5 km from Lonavala; 15 minutes trip).

PLACES TO STAY
- Fariyas Holiday Resort
- Treasure Island Resorts
- Velvett Country
- Dukes Retreat
- Kumar Resort
- Swiss Resorts
- Sahil Sarovar Protico
- The Upper Deck Resort
- Hotel Whispering Brook
- Basilica Holiday Home
- La Exotica Resort
- Biji’s Hill Retreat
- The Lagoona Resort
- Orchard Resort
- Country side Inn

Population : 50,000
Languages : Marathi, Hindi and English