The strawberry festival is also celebrated at Mapro gardens with full glitz and glamour at the Mapro gardens in Mahabaleshwar. Different varieties of strawberries are displayed during this festivity. Farmers from all corners of Mahabalswhar and villages of Maharashtra gather at Mapro gardens to display their freshly grown varieties of strawberries. Organized in the first week of April, strawberry items like strawberry pizza, strawberry biscuits and strawberry sandwich are put on sale by the employees working at the Mapro farms.
Besides this, festivals like Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Holi, and regional festivals are celebrated with full vigor. The travelers visiting Mahableshwar during the festive season can make a visit to the local villages where all the festivals and events are celebrated with complete vivaciousness.
Adventure Activities: Mahabaleshwar is an excellent trekking country (also very engrossing for those interested in medicinal plants and herbs). But there are softer options like a taxi or the conducted bus tour which traverses through the treacherous hills, river and old roof hut villages. If travelers feel intimidated by trekking, they can try also to hire their own vehicle and use the guide to show the travelers the right place to go. To feel the wind, the travelers can hire a bicycle and can pedal way around.
Around Mahableshwar: Thirty kilometers from Mahabaleshwar, a placid Koyna river cuddled by the mountains at the far end looks inviting. Highly recommended is the scooter boat ride---Rs 40 for a two-minute ride. Several longer boat ride options are also available. But charges for some of these can go up to more than Rs 1,000
Nature is sinfully generous in Mahabaleshwar — steep valleys, strawberry farms, 30 points, waterfalls, temples and green mesh of verdure evidence the munificence. The weather at its moderate best is pleasance which means you never sweat out at Mahabaleshwar. One thing for sure, irrespective of the place you visit narratives and tales of suicide incidents or shooting of Hindi movie will be generously peppered on. However, Mahabaleshwar’s thirty sightseeing points keep your senses engaged every moment of your vacation.
Mahabaleshwar Temple
Mahabaleshwar Temple is flanked with a 5 ft high stone wall around it. Devoted to Lord Shiva Shankar, the temple is an edifice of yore that has maintained its sanctity and hallow to the highest. It is believed that Mahabaleshwar Temple lends the name Mahabaleshwar Hills to the place … read on
Mahabaleshwar Waterfalls
Mahabaleshwar is wet with those cascading beauteous waterfalls that languorously make their way out amidst the valleys, gorges, jungle thickets, heights and beyond. Waterfalls, lakes and numerous other water bodies embellish Mahabaleshwar with roaring music and sequestered enchantment … read on
Venna Lake
Venna Lake is tourists’ faddish run-after spot adorned with facilities for boating, fishing, sightseeing and many more to catch. Sprawling astray on 28 acres in the very centre of Mahabaleshwar, Venna Lake is an exact spot to go for boating, fishing and game stalls (new addition) … read on
Mahabaleshwar Points
Mahabaleshwar has almost 30 designated sightseeing points, from Hunter Point to Wilson Point a row of needle-pointed peak crest have some or other story woven around it. Mahabaleshwar’s attractive points are crowded throughout the year for nature’s glimpses of heaven ... read on
Arthur’s Seat and Window Point
Arthur’s seat was a discovery of British actor Arthur Mallet who had built a house for himself in Mahabaleshwar at the point. Views of Savitri River, Jor Valley, and other adjoining valleys are truly exhilarating when seen from the top
Strawberry Farms
Proudly, Mahabaleshwar is India’s sole strawberry estate with 1500 hundred acres of land under its farming, and to complement a trip to the picturesque home is always incomplete without a small trip to strawberry farms
Connaught Peak
The advantageous height of the Peak allows a sneak-peek into abutting valleys and lakes like Krishna Valley and Venna Lake. Sunrise is a temptation and one cannot afford to miss this spectacular beauty of orangish dusk. Down below the Connaught Peak, the obtuse gaze of the impenetrable jungle green uncovers the inquisitiveness
Panchganga Temple
Location: Adjacent to the Mahabaleshwar Temple
In the heart of the Mahabaleshwar stands tall the Panchganga temple blessing people with its sight and holiness. The temple is named so due to its location at the confluence of five rivers those are: Koyna; Venna; Savitri; Gayatri and Krishna. Quite interestingly, these rivers flow out of cow’s figure (Goumukhi Spout) carved out of the stone. The temple was constructed by the then Raja Singhandeo, the Yadava ruler of Devagitri in the 13th century. Later, two centuries after the establishment of the mandir, it was renovated by Maratha Emperor Shivaji.
Marjori Garden
Morarji Castle is worthy to watch this structural spectacle in the very heart of Mahabaleshwar. A senescent enveloped in the charms of British influence, Morarji Castle is a huge draw for the people here. During the freedom struggle movements, Morarji Castle served as the halting-place. Close by, there are other colonial structures near the castle.
Pratap Singh Garden
Next to the Venna Lake, Pratap Singh Garden is a botanical garden running into several acres. The garden is facilitated with children’s park and recreation facilities for young and adult alike. Pratap Singh Garden is appliqued with variegated flora species that light up the park with its beauty. Pratap Singh Garden falls under the aegis of the Forest Department of Maharashtra.
Nearby Places & Excursions
Panchgani: Soothing, balmy atmosphere helps to get Panchgani touristy appraisals every time someone leaves this place smitten. Apart from the hospitable people who help to institute Panchgani’s charm, the greenery overhaul your senses in the strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, mulberry, gooseberries and loads of other English fruit orchards
Pratapgarh Fort: This Fort has had a great role in the Maratha history and it was here the warrior Maratha King Shiva ji slain Muslim King Afzal Khan in cold blood. Pratpagarh Fort rises 900 m above the sea and was architected under the aegis of King Morpantha Pingle in the year 1648. Exteriorly, the behemothic Fort of Pratapgarh is vast beyond the
Tapola: Bestowed with the title of ‘The Mini Kashmir’, Tapola is a popular hill station near Mahabaleshwar, unsung of its beauty till date. Large dams, teeming valleys draped with Sahyadri hills rightly spins off the Kashmir magic. The weather is not-so-benign as Kashmir’s weather and there is no sight of snowfall. Koyana and Solshi in Tapola give sit due in beauty as both of these valleys are embellished pinnacle
Mapro Garden: A temptation for the passer-by, motorists, and visitors, Mapro Garden is right ahead of the hoardings and billboards overhead advertising Mapro’s scrummy delicacies like jams, jellies, strawberry milkshakes and loads of ice-creams. The garden today has 21 varieties of squashes, syrups, crushes and jellies varieties on display as well as sale
Old Mahabaleshwar: It is an interesting place to trek up above to 1372 m high and seek blessings at its number of temples that are known to sanctify the divine aureole at the height. If new Mahabaleshwar is famed for strawberries
Kiomoi Must-Dos while you are in Mahabaleshwar
1-Mahabaleshwar is full of Points, and each spun with a tale of suicides or romance. There are thirty points to explore.
2-Trek up to the heights to seek blessings of the Gods in Old Mahabaleshwar.
3-Maharashtra is just not famous for Chikoo/Chikus, Chikki is another taste tickler of Mahabaleshwar.
4-Add some sensuality to your trip by visiting strawberry farms that blanket 1500 acres of land in tinges of red.
5-Sunsets and sunrise are aboriginal to Mahabaleshwar. Never miss it from the famous points.
6-A little off road, Mapro Gardens befits the concept of food tourism. Taste jams, jellies and other concoctions in new tastes and mouth-watering flavours.
7-Do visit the lakes and waterfalls in Mahabaleshwar. It is an excellent experience.
8-Get a snap at the places where once your favourite stars andhunks created the magic in movies. Mahabaleshwar has many points that were shot in Bollywood movies. Trust your memory and knack to identify the place.
