Jun 13, 2009 09:26 PM
5863 Views
(Updated Jun 13, 2009 09:28 PM)
Matheran is an ideal weekend trip for many nature lovers . It is a lovely sylvan retreat pretty close to both Mumbai and Pune .No motor driven vehicles are allowed in Matheran – hence it allows a fresh breath of air to all metro dwellers
Matheran is accessible by road as well as by train . By road one can reach here by old Bombay Poona Road easily, as well, can be approached by Expressway after taking Khopoli Exit and finding the way to old Bombay Poona Road .There are boards on the highway which direct you where to turn for Matheran . Neral, the base station for Matheran is on local train route from Mumbai .The journey from Neral to Matheran can be done either by road or by toy train .The road journey is quite risky but will take you up to Dasturi Stand very fast – from Dasturi stand one has to walk for over 35 minutes to reach Matheran or one can hire a horse or a handcarts pulled by men .The toy train is painstakingly slow, but many people enjoy the ride . The toy train drops you right in the market place in Matheran .
Matheran has many places to stay . It has 3 star hotels and simple homestays . Accomodation is not very expensive nor is the food .Most of the hotels offer reasonably good meal options, which may be included in the hotel rent . My personal advice would be to stay at the hotel, rather than homestays and try different eating outlets .
As is the case with all the hill stations there are several so called ‘points’ which show the valley or the mountain ranges . Matheran has Louisa point, Echo Point etc etc .Frankly there is nothing worth seeing at any of the points in Matheran .However the walk in the woods for reaching the points is a fabulous experience . There is a thick forest on both the sides of the road, with chirping of birds to give you company . The roads are neither paved nor tarred but covered by red soil . It is an exhilarating and fascinating experience . Horses and handcarts are available for those who don’t want to walk, as the walks can be pretty tiring to those who are not used to. But these modes of travel are quite expensive and definitely less pleasurable than walking .It is fun to see the really handsome horses though with very intelligent names .This place is so full of monkeys! Kids and adults have a lot of fun watching the funny things they do
Market though small has many avenues to entertain and spend the money . Slippers and shoes are the best thing to buy – they are cheap and good . Belts, wallets and leather purses are also available . There are several gaming options like videogames, rifle shooting, darts etc . There are several hotels offering reasonably good food .Local fruits are tangy and delicious – blackberries, jujubes, quaint sapotas .
All my visits to Matheran have been in summer . The weather was comfortable and rather enjoyable . Adventurous people are believed to visit the place in rains to see the waterfalls .I could see a few people climb the entire mountain up from Neral . There are camps held for mountain climbers and kids in and around Matheran .
Overall Matheran is definitely worth a visit particularly for its truly pristine natural setting unspoilt by industrialization and motorized pollution .
