So, you're looking to ditch the rickshaw-packed roads and heady chowks of Mumbai for something a little different? You've come to the right place. From breezy hill stations perched up in the Western Ghats to unexpected winelands in the hilly backcountry of Maharashtra, there are all sorts of escapes on the menu. This guide runs through 10 of the best, all of which lie within 350km of the sprawling metropolis.
1. Mahabaleshwar – 263 KM away
Sat at a cool and soothing 1,372 metres above sea level, Mahabaleshwar offers a break from both the hubbub and the heat of the city. The adventure actually starts on the trip in, as you zigzag on hairpin bends up to dramatic lookouts in the midst of the Sahyadri Range. Then comes the town's alluring mix of spa hotels and guesthouses, many with pools gazing across the mountains. You can laze in those, or throw in some excitement with hikes to the summit of Arthur's Seat or boating days on Venna Lake.
Ideal Weekend Duration: 3 Days
Places to Visit: Mapro Garden, Venna Lake, Pratapgarh
Activities for Weekend Holiday: Horse Riding, Trekking, Shopping, Mountain Biking, Boating, Fishing, Water Sports
2. Panchgani – 244 KM away
Peaceful Panchgani is draped over the lush Maharashtra Western Ghats. It's a place to relax and unwind in cooler climbs, but also to get the heart a-thumping with adrenaline pursuits like paragliding, horse riding, and hiking. More than anything, you won't want to miss the jaw-dropping panoramas that swirl around Parsi Point. They encompass the rolling plateaus south of Pune, shimmering Dhom Lake, and even the tiger-stalked forests of the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary.
Ideal Weekend Duration: 2 Days
Places to Visit: River Krishna, Dhom Dam, Table Land, Devil’s Kitchen caves.
Activities for Weekend Holiday: Trekking, Walking, Paragliding
3. Lonavala-Khandala – 93 KM away
Travel a whisker under 100km from the big city and you could be stepping into the cloud-haloed peaks of Lonavala-Khandala. Straddling the Mumbai Highway, this duo of hill stations sports eye-watering sights like the crashing Oivas Waterfalls and the viewpoints of Monkey Hill. Bazaars and spice-scented food chowks cluster in their centres to add a little bit of life, but there's extra serenity out at the mystical Karla Buddha Caves – ancient religious sites carved straight into the mountains that are thought to be nearly 2,000 years old!
Ideal Weekend Duration: 2 Days
Places to Visit: River Krishna, Dhom Dam, Table Land, Devil’s Kitchen caves.
Activities for Weekend Holiday: Trekking, Walking, Paragliding
4. Alibaug – 95 KM away
If Goa seems just a little too far for a break of only a couple of days, why not check out Alibaug? One of the jewels of the Konkan coast, it marks the point where Maharashtra slips into the Arabian Sea with a medley of fine-sand beaches – the best of which is probably the wide scythe of yellow sand at Akshi Beach. On top of the come-laze-on-me shores, Alibaug touts old Maratha-era forts and bustling fish markets.
Ideal Weekend Duration: 2 Days
Places to Visit: Varsoli Beach, Vikram Vinayak Temple, Alibag Fort, Kihim Beach, Kaneshwar Mandir, Hirakot Fort, Akshi Beach, Kankneshwar Temple, Kolaba Fort, Korlai Fort, Murud Janjira, Nagaon Beach, Underi
Activities for Weekend Holiday: Water sports, Bird watching in the Phansad Sanctuary,
Photo by Rob Chandler
5. Lavasa – 191 KM away
Inspired by the ice-cream-coloured town of Portofino on the Italian Riviera, Lavasa is an unexpected blaze of ochre and pretty pink amid the emerald hills of the Western Ghats. It sits around 4.5 hours from Mumbai by road, hidden up a crevice on the mountain-ringed Mutha River. European influences flow through the streets, so expect sidewalk cafés and tree-lined promenades, all backed up by romantic nature trails and Italianesque fountains.
Ideal Weekend Duration: 2 Days
Places to Visit: Lakeside Promenade, Bamboosa, Temghar Dam
Activities for Weekend Holiday: sightseeing
6. Ratnagiri – 346 KM away
From the powdery sands of Ganapatipule Beach to the great maharajah citadel of Bhagawati Fort, the salt-sprayed port of Ratnagiri is filled with surprises. A weekend here could see you lazing on the side of the Arabian Sea, stalking Bengal tigers in the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, or sipping coconut water under the shade of coastal pines. Still not enough to tempt you into the 346-kilometre journey? How about those Alphonso mangoes – they are said to be the sweetest in India!
Ideal Weekend Duration: 3 Days
Places to Visit: Ganapatipule Beach, Anjarle Beach, Guhagar Beach, Bhagwati Fort or Ratnadurga, Thiba Palace
Activities for Weekend Holiday: Mango plantation tours, Beach hopping, Historic tours
7. Shirdi – 241 KM away
Shirdi is the revered home of Saint Sai Baba. More than 100 years on from his passing, it remains a major pilgrimage site, revolving around the vast complex of the Sai Baba Temple. Within is where you'll find his tomb and great honorific statues to the spiritual master, along with countless devotees come to pay their respects. A trip to Shirdi isn't only meditative, though. The drive in from Mumbai is an odyssey through the wilds of western India, pushing past misty mountains and sun-baked plateaus.
Ideal Weekend Duration: 2 Days
Places to Visit: Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Temple, Shani Shingnapur, Gurusthan, Dixit Wada Museum
Activities for Weekend Holiday: Visit museums, art galleries, gardens, long drive
8. Kamshet – 105 KM away
The small village of Kamshet has established itself as an unexpected adventure sports hub in Maharashtra. With the rising foothills of the Western Ghats next door, it's got hiking paths and horse-riding routes by the bucket load. More than anything, it's considered a mecca for paragliding. So, this one's for a weekend of whizzing off the hillsides and getting the adrenaline pumping, if you dare!
Ideal Weekend Duration: 1 Day
Places to Visit: Kondeshwar temple, Karla Caves, Bedsa Caves, Bhairi cave, Bhandar dongar, Vadivali Lake, Uksan Dam, Raikar Farm
Activities for Weekend Holiday: Paragliding, Rock Climbing, Trekking, Boating, Swimming, Angling
9. Karjat – 62 KM away
An easy 62 kilometres from the buzz of Mumbai is where the lush mountains of Karjat crown the horizon. Coming here is about trading ramshackle bazaars for jungle-clad ridges and deep valleys pierced by rivers. The locals will tell you that there's nothing that can beat Karjat during the monsoon, when the Bhivpuri Waterfalls roar over the high bluffs and the Ulhas River beckons with challenging rafting courses.
Ideal Weekend Duration: 1 Day
Places to Visit: Ulhas Valley, Bhor Ghat, Kondana Caves and Peth Fort.
Activities for Weekend Holiday: Rock Climbing, Trekking, White water Rafting, Waterfall Climbing, Rappelling, Boating, Picnics
10. Nashik – 167 KM away
Winelands? In India? You bet. Cue Nashik, a city that straddles the revered Godavari River around 3.5 hours up the 160 Highway from Mumbai. Before you even get to the town itself, you'll be immersed in swathes of green vineyards all dotted with cellar doors (the best of them are the Sula Winery and the York Winery). If you do manage to pull yourself away from the tasting rooms, check out the sacred shrines of the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple and the gold-glimmering Kalaram Temple.
Ideal Weekend Duration: 2 Days
Places to Visit: Sula Vineyards, York Winery & Tasting Room, Soma Vineyards, Pandavleni Caves, Muktidham, Trimbakeshwar, Mhasoba Temple,
Activities for Weekend Holiday: Wine Tasting, Vineyard tours, Religious visits, Sightseeing
It's not hard to escape the pandemonium of Mumbai. Historic hill stations, uber-romantic Italianate towns, tiger-filled forests, crashing waterfalls – there's all sorts within reach of the megacity!