By road
~96 km from Mumbai, ~64 km from Pune
West India · Maharashtra
Lonavala, Maharashtra
Monsoon waterfalls and misty Sahyadri ridges · ~96 km from Mumbai, ~64 km from Pune
Getting there
By rail
Lonavala, on the Mumbai-Pune line
By air
Pune International (PNQ), 65km
Best time to visit
June to September for the monsoon green, October to February for clear, cool days
Don't miss
Bhushi Dam
Tiger's Leap
Karla Caves
Lohagad Fort
Things to do
Monsoon walks to the waterfalls
Trekking to Lohagad Fort
Cave visits
Chikki shopping
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Readysango · CC BY 4.0
What to pack
A rain jacket in the monsoon, walking shoes, light layers
A quieter corner
The rock-cut Bhaja Caves, quieter than Karla
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Lonavala?
June to September for the monsoon green, October to February for clear, cool days. What to pack: A rain jacket in the monsoon, walking shoes, light layers.
How do I get to Lonavala?
The nearest airport is Pune International (PNQ), 65km. The nearest railway station is Lonavala, on the Mumbai-Pune line.
What is there to do in Lonavala?
Monsoon walks to the waterfalls, trekking to Lohagad Fort, cave visits, chikki shopping. A quieter find: The rock-cut Bhaja Caves, quieter than Karla.
What should I eat in Lonavala?
Chikki and fudge from the old sweet shops, vada pav and roadside roasted corn.
About Lonavala
- Hills
Where it is
Lonavala is a hill station in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India, on the crest of the Sahyadri range between Mumbai and Pune, about 64 km west of Pune.
History
The hills around Lonavala hold some of India's oldest Buddhist rock-cut caves, at Karla and Bhaja, carved more than two thousand years ago, and forts such as Lohagad that changed hands between the Marathas and the Mughals. The railway over the Bhor Ghat in the 19th century made the town a retreat for Bombay.
People
Lonavala's people are mostly Marathi-speaking, and the town lives on its visitors from Mumbai and Pune, who arrive in their thousands on monsoon weekends; many shops have sold chikki for generations.
Known for
- Monsoon waterfalls and green valleys
- The ancient Karla and Bhaja caves
- Lohagad and Visapur forts
- Chikki, a sweet made with jaggery and nuts
Did you know?
Lonavala's name for chikki is so strong that the sweet is often simply called Lonavala chikki across Maharashtra.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.