Top 10 places to visit in Matheran

When life in a metro is taking over your existence too swiftly and your heart strongly desires to escape to a timeless zone for some peaceful self-realisation moments far from the deafening, tainted and fast city life—don't you just wish to time travel to a peaceful world? We don't have a time machine, but we are blessed to have Matheran, which is India's lowest hill station positioned 800 m above sea level in Western Ghats in the Indian state of Maharashtra (90 km from Mumbai).

It's not Maharashtra’s summer capital, but it deserves to be. With its abundant greenery that calms a ruffled mind, the hill station has plenty great sights for a traveller visiting from any part of the globe. This hill station has blossomed over the decades into a destination for taking a breather from the hectic city life, adventure activities, and to spend ample time with your best mate.

The peculiar thing about this place is its pollution free environment as no motor vehicle is permitted inside the town, making it Asia's only automobile free hill station. Fresh air, picturesque beauty and enchanting landscapes make it a serene place. Most of the tourists unwind themselves during a day trip or a weekend trip, but those who love nature won't mind spending an entire week here.

1

Nature

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

Panorama Point

Panorama Point is the most exciting and the farthest viewpoint in Matheran. It is almost 7.5 km away from the marketplace. Taking a horse is probably the best. Another option is to take a toy train from the marketplace t...more

2

Nature

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

Alexander Point

Alexander Point is almost 1.5 km from the marketplace (a 20-minute walk), and is easy to reach in terms of distance, navigation and slope. It's a very pleasant walk from one's hotel to this point as you walk through wood...more

3

Nature

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

One Tree Hill Point

One Tree Hill Point is almost 4 km away from the marketplace, taking around an hour to walk up to this place. It's better to take a horse or a hand-pulled rickshaw. This point is named as One Tree Hill Point because a tr...more

4

Nature

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

King George Point

​King George Point is almost 2.7 km (a 40-minute walk) from the marketplace. It takes around 10 minutes to walk here from Charlotte Lake. Many people say that it's a sin to go to Matheran and come back without visiting t...more

5

Lake

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

Charlotte Lake

Charlotte Lake is almost 2.5 km away from the marketplace, which is approximately a 35-minute walk. Although the walk is a bit tiring, the breathtaking view and cold breeze take away all the fatigue. There is a little wa...more

6

Nature

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

Honeymoon Point

Honeymoon Point is very tranquil and offers a wonderful view of Matheran's splendid mountains. From here, one can see Prabal Fort, various valleys accommodating civilisations and a beautiful sky that changes colours at d...more

7

Nature

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

Echo Point

Echo Point lies in the vicinity of Louisa Point, which can be seen from here. As the name suggests, you hear your screams and yells echo at this peak. High-pitched kids are a common sight here. We even saw adults going c...more

8

Nature

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

Louisa Point

Louisa Point is almost 1.5 km away from the marketplace and will take around 20 minutes to reach here on foot. If it's a clear sunny day, this place will offer you breathtaking views that will compel you to settle down h...more

9

Nature

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

Sunrise Point

Sunrise Point, also known as Khandala Point, is located alongside the marketplace. This place is serene in the morning as very few people are able to make it to the sunrise. Sitting here quietly works wonders as you hear...more

10

Nature

SIGHTSEEING, MATHERAN

Sunset Point

Matheran's Sunset Point, also known as Porcupine Point, is almost 2 km away (25 minutes’ walk) from the marketplace. To reach this vantage point, you walk through the woods, admiring greenery and antique cottages. Indivi...more

What to see
There are many places to visit in Matheran, such as Sunset Point, Sunrise Point, Louisa Point, Echo Point and Honeymoon Point. Louisa point Matheran is one of the best places to visit in the town and a shutterbug’s delight. It is a place that offers the best views of the Lake Charlotte and the surrounding hills touching the playful clouds. Also popular are King George Point, One Tree Hill Point, Alexander Point and Panorama Point that compel you to appreciate nature even more. Hand-pulled rickshaws and horses are used as modes of transportation inside the town. One man quoted INR 600 (negotiable) for a horse for 3 hours for around 10-15 sightseeing points. We thought of not doing things in a hurry and hence decided to walk on foot so that we can closely interact with the place. Horses are a good option if you are in Matheran just for a day or you want to visit some place too far with a steep hike. Mainly old people are seen availing the facility of hand-pulled rickshaws.

How to reach
Mumbai is the nearest metro city to Matheran. You can take a local train till Neral (don't get confused with Nerul—another station in Mumbai—as the two are very far from each other). After reaching Neral, you can either opt for a toy train or a shared taxi to reach Matheran. Both these options cost almost the same (INR 70), but with a trade-off between an enjoyable experience and time. Toy train takes almost 2.5 hours while halting at various small stations. It provides a closer view of varying landscapes on one side and mountains on the other. On the other hand, taxi takes a maximum of 20 minutes to reach the town. I enjoyed the experience of toy train while going to Matheran, and decided to save time by taking taxi while heading back to Mumbai. A compulsory tax of INR 50 is levied on every visitor, and it has to be paid while entering the town.