Lonavala
Lonavala or Lonavla is a hill station in the western state of Maharashtra in India. It is about 64 km away from the city of Pune and 96 km away from the city Mumbai. It is famous throughout India for the hard candy sweet known as Chikki and is also a major stop on the rail line connecting Mumbai and Pune. It is also an important town on the Mumbai-Pune road link. Both the Mumbai-Pune Expressway as well as the Mumbai-Pune highway pass through Lonavala. Lonavala comes to life during the monsoon season as the countryside turns lush green with waterfalls and ponds.
Tourist destination
Lonavala and the adjacent Khandala are beautiful twin hill stations, 622 m. above sea level, in the Sahyadri ranges that demarcate the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan coast. The hill stations sprawl over an approximate area of 38 km². These popular holiday destinations are lush and beautiful during the monsoons. People prefer visiting Lonavala and Khandala in the rainy season. Lonavala and Khandala were discovered in 1871 by Sir Elphinstone, the Governor of the Bombay Presidency. The name Lonavla is derived from the Sanskrit lonavli, which refers to the many caves like Karla, Bhaja and Bedsa that are close to Lonavla. A trip to Lonavla and Khandala can be combined with sight-seeing visits of Karla, Bhaja and Bedsa caves and also the two fortresses, Lohagad and Visapur.
Places to See
Rajmachi Point Rajmachi Point is located about 6.5 km from Lonavla. This point commands a magnificent view of Shivaji's famous fort, Rajmachi (Royal terrace) and the surrounding valley. Regular State Transport buses ply between Rajmachi Point and Lonavla from the State Transport Bus Stand. The famous Vaghjai Dari is also located here.
Ryewood Park & Shivaji Udyan This is a big and beautiful garden situated in Lonavala. This garden covers a lot of ground and it is full of majestic tall trees. There is an old Shiva temple in this park. This garden has plenty of place for children to play.
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).
Valvan Dam Valvan Dam has a beautiful garden at its foot, and is a popular evening spot 2 km from the town. This exquisitely-built dam supplies water to the Khopoli power station at the foothills of the Sahyadris for generating electricity. The Kundali River feeds into the dam's reservoir.
Lonavla Lake Lonavla Lake is a picturesque spot surrounded by natural scenery, about 1.6 km from the town. The lake dries up during the hot summer months.
Duke's Nose Duke's Nose stands 12 km from Lonavla, clearly visible from the highway while driving towards Mumbai. This 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 Tiger's Leap is a cliff-top with a sheer drop of over 650 m. The magnificent view from Tiger's Leap is enthralling. Buses are available up to I.N.S. Shivaji and the remaining distance of about 1.6 km has to be covered on foot.
Lonavala, West India Hill Station
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