Tourist Destinations in Khandala

When you think of taking off somewhere for the weekend, what place comes to your mind? You think of some cool place surrounded by natural beauty. Somewhere in the hills, near a lake or a quiet town,etc. are the places of interest for such a vacation. Hill station is one such place. In fact, it is the preferred choice of many.

Khandala is one of the many hill stations that comes to our mind when we think of hill stations in Maharashtra. Along with its twin hill station Lonavala, Khandala is one of the popular weekend getaways from Pune. Located at one end of the Bhorghat (valley), Khandala is about 3 kilometers away from Lonavala. Also, the Mumbai-Pune expressway passes through Khandala. So, it is easily accessible from either of the cities.

There are so many beautiful spots places in and around the hill station, which makes this place a perfect place for a mini vacation during the weekend. Some of the major attractions are:-

●     Karla caves - This is one of the most popular attraction of the city. They are rock cut Buddhist caves dating back to 2000 years ago. These caves were built during the reign of Satavahana rulers. Known for their amazing architecture, these caves have maximum number of Chaityas built for the Buddhist monks. Chaityas are Buddhist shrines with a stupa at one end.

●     Bhaja Caves - These primitive caves are very close to the Malavali railway station. Their structure is quite similar to the Karla caves, but they are smaller in size comparatively. There are a lot of intricate sculptures in this cave of human figures and deities. Many interesting mythological stories form the basis of these images and sculptures. One of the characteristic attributed to its uniqueness is that the rays of the setting sun enters the interiors of this cave.

●     Duke’s nose - This point is named after the Duke of Wellington.  This is because the Duke had a pointy nose that resembled this cliff.  This point offers a breathtaking view of Khandala; all the natural elements such as mountains, forests and valleys. This makes it a popular tourist spot.

●     Kunefalls - It is located at the center point of the KhandalaLonavala valley. It is a beautiful tourist spot surrounded by greenery. Nearly every part of this waterfall is almost 100 meters high. Local transport buses ply in this area, making it easily accessible. It is a popular picnic spot for the locals as well as the tourists.

●     Tiger’s leap - It is another popular point that offers a magnificent view of the surrounding area. Also, it has its own uniqueness. While viewing the valley from certain spots in this location, it appears as if a tiger is leaping across the valley. The illusion of leaping tiger makes it a major attraction for the tourist.

●     Reversing Station - Formerly a station used by the railway department, the Reversing station has now become a pleasantly charming spot. Although unused by the railway department, it has become a popular destination for those who want to have a magnificent view of the area. Even during the night, one can enjoy the picturesque view of the lighting of the nearby cities. It is as if the stars have descended on earth from the sky.

Amazing Nature's Water Beauty

India is not just famous for Taj Mahal and Population. It is, in fact, blessed with natural beauty. India has more natural beauty than man-made beauty. It has many amazing places like backwater of Kerala, snowy lands of Ladakh and the beautiful beaches of Goa. Also, there are some amazing waterfalls in India. They are in full swing during the monsoon season. There are many falls in India that can give competition to NiagaraFalls. 

Jog Falls, Shimoga, Karnataka

Karnataka has been blessed with one of the highest waterfalls, known as Jog Falls. It has the second highest plunge of waterfall, and that makes it one of the most-beautiful waterfall in India. You can feel the force of water on the rocks as it is falling down the cliff from a height of 253 meters. 3.4 million Tonnes of water falls down, during the monsoon season. 

Dudhsagar Falls, Goa

The Dudhsagar Falls, located in Goa is known as "Ocean of Milk." It looks like milky water when the water falls down from the cliff height of 310 meters. This falls is amazingly packed of force, when it is in full swing. 

Iruppu Falls, Coorg

Coorg is known for its natural beauty that makes it the most-popular hill station in India. The natural beauty of Iruppu Falls is the highlight of Coorg. It is located in the Nagarhole National Park. People gather at this Waterfall during Shivratri to wash off their sins before heading over to the Lord Shiva temple. 

Nohkalikai Falls, Meghalaya

One of the tallest plunge fall in India is Nohkalikai Falls. It is one of the spectacular falls with the height of almost 1100 meters, and it's a true gift from Nature and make its one of the best for Waterfalls Tours India. This waterfall is in full flow almost throughout the year, which results in rainfall for almost the whole year in Meghalaya.

Jang Falls, Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh

The Jang Fall is located close to the Jang Village in Arunachal Pradesh. You would need to trek for nearly 200 meters from the power station to reach this waterfall. This waterfall is famous as a tourist spot and also as a source of electricity and hence, serves the people of Arunachal Pradesh.

Kune Falls, Maharashtra

Mumbai is well known as a commercial Jungle. But the whole Maharashtra is blessed with natural beauty. Khandala and Lonavala region have many waterfalls during the monsoon season and a perfect hill station. Kune Falls is the one that stands out. These falls are three tiered waterfalls with a height of 200 meters. This waterfalls runs only during the monsoon season, but the sight of this waterfall will amaze you.

Bhimlat Falls, Rajasthan

One of the preserved secrets of Rajasthan is the Bhimlat Falls. As Rajasthan is known for its hot afternoons, rugged terrain and sand dunes, this waterfall smashes all those imagery. This waterfall stands 60 meters high and has an amazing view. The Bundi Village near this waterfall receives more rainfall than the whole of Delhi put together.

There are many packages and tour guides for Waterfalls Tours India. This waterfall can give you a different kind of vacation experience. Nature's beauty is everywhere in India and thus, it makes the tour or trip a unique and memorable experience.

Nature Trails offers monsoon getaways in maharashtra, Resorts near Mumbai, Resorts near Pune, rafting near kolad and more.

Charismatic Kolad With Ingenious Advantages Of White Water Rafting

Don’t you love the feeling of the wind against your face as it whips your hair back and forth? The feeling of the breeze as it teases your clothes, ruffling them up along with the scent of salt water in the air near the rivers. The air whispering around you, calling out your name as the sun smiles upon you from the heavens above. Does it not feel like freedom away from the worries of the real world? Those few moments that make us forget about all our stress, problems, impending workloads and any other negative occurrences filling us up with positive thoughts and joyous feelings. Here is a way to feel like that, but with the added anticlimactic thrill of adventure. River rafting!

Here are a few details to remember and follow while going rafting near Kolad. These are for your own good. It is best to be in comfortable clothing, preferably shorts and a T-shirt. Wear footwear you can get wet in or shoes that you don’t mind drenching entirely. A towel and a change of clothes are almost a necessity to keep with you. Carrying a bottle of sunscreen and some water will only work out in your benefit. Life jackets and helmets that are provided on the spot are mandatory to be worn before you enter the raft and NOT to be taken off until you get off.

Every single raft will be guided by a professional Rafting Guide who is very well trained and has a great deal of experience. Please remember to leave your belongings on your vehicle or your accommodation. DO NOT carry them on the raft. The speed of the rapids ranges from 1 to 3. Everyone on board must paddle. This is not a fun filled ride and is not for the weak hearted or people with ailments. It is a session of approximately two hours and is entirely adventure and thrill based. It takes place in the state of Maharashtra in Kolad at the Kundalika River.

Here are some safety tips to follow. Always listen to the guide when he’s telling you about the safety talks and weather conditions. Do not panic no matter how dire an unfortunate situation can get. Hold the paddle properly- in a “T” grip over its shaft. Learn all the hand signals properly so getting in danger is a far off state temporarily. When getting your life jackets tied to see to it that you get yourself outfitted by a licensed professional. In most places the guides are trained for minor medical emergencies like CPR, basic first - aid and the like. Most of the rafting joints have a proper two way radio communication and don’t charge extra on weekends either. They also have safety orientations before the rafting sessions.

All this said you have to remember that all thrill, excitement and adventure apart, this is a sport to enjoy and laugh in. Do not let your fear overpower you or you may just miss this once in a lifetime opportunity. Rafting near Kolad will provide you with the perfect thrill and excitement at an extremely reasonable and family or group friendly rate too. So all you daredevils out there - gear up and get ready!