Monsoon in Maharashtra (Western Ghats) is breath-taking. And there are several options for great getaways from Mumbai. I did a two nights-three days trip in June 2024 to Karjat and Lonavla, with my mom. Here are some travel tips and advice…from me to you!

1. Taxi and Drive:

• We booked a sedan taxi from Savaari. This was the first time I was using this platform and was a wee bit skeptical, but the experience turned out to be very smooth and pleasant – the vehicle was in good condition, well maintained and neat; and the driver was punctual and polite. Savaari turned out to be cheaper (costed me Rs 10k) compared to several local offline taxi services (quotes in the range of 12.5k – 14.0k). This included fuel and driver stay. I only had to pay toll, which was clearly communicated upfront. Extra charges were for additional kilometers (over 750kms) and late-night car usage (10pm to 6am), neither of which we needed
• I strongly recommend taking the Atal Setu route. That bridge is an architectural marvel. Did you know that it is India’s longest sea bridge? It is 21.8 km, out of which 16.5 km is over the sea. It seems never ending when you’re on it, with water on both sides. Magnificent!

2. Things to do in Karjat:

• Our first stop was ND Studio. This is a film studio, where several Hindi and Marathi movies have been shot. Nothing compared to Hyderabad’s Ramoji Film City, but a modest place which you could check out in an hour’s time. Entry fee was Rs 500 for adults, and Rs 250 for senior citizens

• Our next stop was this restaurant called Salt within Oleander Farms. I wouldn’t shy away from saying it is expensive (over 3K for a vegetarian meal for two; and mind you, we are small eaters!), but I guess you’re paying for the overall experience. The complex is beautifully made; very green and great for a walk. It houses 3 different restaurants/cafes, a wine shop, and a few stores for shopping – clothes, organic foods, chocolates and so on. One can easily spend a good 2-3 hours here

• One place we didn’t go to but one should is Kondana Caves. We travelled in the monsoon and were told that the trek might be slippery, so we skipped it. Also, I’ve been to Ajanta and Ellora Caves in Aurangabad and Bhaja Caves in Lonavla, so we were OK to skip this. But if you’d like an easy trek and would like to explore some Buddhist history, do visit the Kondana Caves (*below images sourced from the Internet)

3. Where to Stay in Karjat:

• I had heard a lot about the Radisson Karjat and hence booked our stay there, without even considering any other options. And I’m glad I made this choice!
• The property is very well made. It’s big, open, and green. We took an evening, and again a morning stroll and enjoyed great views of the Sahyadri Mountains and Ulhas River
• Apart from the main section with rooms, they are now also starting luxury tent options, which would have great morning and evening views
• The breakfast buffet is lavish; the spread is very impressive; and it’s organized indoor as well as by the pool, which we enjoyed a lot
• Since it was pouring hard, we decided to stay indoors and enjoy the Spa at Radisson, called Tattva. We enjoyed being pampered with their massages and facials
• Service and hospitality at the reception, the restaurant, and the spa was excellent, to say the least
• When you drive to and from the hotel, you drive along the Ulhas river and there are many stop points where you could get off, enjoy the views, and take pictures

4. Things to do in Lonavla

• Enjoy the afternoon high-tea at the Radisson Lonavla. It was great to sit outdoor, enjoy the rain view, and have some chai pakoda

• Visit the Lonavla Lake; enjoy the monsoon vibe, the greenery & the mist

• If you’re religious, you could visit the Shree Narayani Dham Temple. It is a spiritual retreat spread over 4.5 acres with accommodation options. Very well maintained, idols of Ganesh, Mata, and Hanuman are beautifully adorned. And there is a gaushala, where we could feed the cows

• Close to this, is MaPro. Always a great stop over for strawberry and cream, and to buy some goodies to take back home and for family and friends – jams, toffees, chocolates, khakra, and so on
• Eat chocolate fudge at Coopers; buy chikki from Maganlalm and chane from Dhananjay: the typical and most touristy must-do’s

5. Stay in Lonavla

• There are many many stay options in Lonavla and Khandala. Lots of hotels, resorts, homestays and villas on AirBnb, SaffronStays, Ama Trails, etc.
• I booked my stay through an Instagram recommendation – a resort called 360 South in Khandala
  • I do have to say it was very instagrammable – atop a hill, each room offers splendid views of the scenic landscape of Khandala, with little sit out areas to enjoy the weather

• Unfortunately, I have to say while VIEWS was the biggest pro of this resort, it was the only pro. Service, management, infrastructure, food, hospitality were just about average. I couldn’t believe I paid almost the same amount (infact, marginally more) at 360 South than at Radisson Karjat. The overall experience and value for money was 10x more at Radisson. Next time, I visit Lonavla, my choice of stay would be Radisson Lonavla!
• Another good option seemed Della Resort, on the old Mumbai-Pune highway. The resort is huge and very spread out, consists of about 8 different eateries, lots of adventure activities and experiences. We had just stopped for a meal here – had lunch at Village Bistro – but loved walking around and exploring the property

I hope you all found this post useful. If you have more to add, please leave a comment here and we can exchange notes. Additionally, I am available on YouTube and Instagram – @destinationdialoguesbycharu.