Koyna – A weekend getaways from Mumbai
Are you in search of the best weekend getaway from Mumbai? Long gone are the days when people stay at home watching movies and television shows during weekends, especially in metropolitan cities like Mumbai. The crowd at public places, long unending queues at restaurants and movie theatres, thickly over populated parks and entertainment zones does make you think twice on local outing.
So why not sneak out of the bang in the city to a hill station in the outskirts?! Pack your bags and escape from the humid heat and busy roads to one of the best holiday destinations near Mumbai. It is true that the typical category of tourist attractions that one finds is hill station, which itself has a long list of destinations for those searching for weekend getaways near Mumbai. Lonavala, Khandala, Amboli, Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani being the major ones, the options of best weekend getaways from Mumbai range within a distance of 100 to 500km.
While travelling with families and children, people usually settle for destinations that can be reached within 3 hours and this narrows down the options to the two most popular hill stations near Mumbai – Khandala and Lonavala. Unless you have newly moved in to the city of Mumbai, the possibility that any Mumbaikar not have visited these nearby hill stations is scarce. Situated at an average of 85km from the city, and well connected by road and rail from both Mumbai and Pune, Lonavala and Khandala can be reached within 2 hours.
Most of the best things to do near Mumbai can be found here too, but the question is what is new about this already developed tourist spot and are there other options to explore as best holiday destinations near Mumbai. Also, all the above listed common holiday spots are already overcrowded during peak season, forcing you to either stay at home, or look beyond Lonavala!
With increased connectivity between places by roads and rail, distance should not be a criterion for finalizing your upcoming weekend getaways near Mumbai. The deciding factor more or less should be the quality of time that can be spent in the chosen place, the kind of activities that it offers for travellers and availability of resorts or home stays where you and your family can comfortably rest. You will find all this in ‘Koynanagar’ – The upcoming best holiday destination near Mumbai.
It is a small township in the Patan Taluka in Satara district of Maharashtra, seated in the Sahyadri Mountain ranges of Western Ghats. This region is part of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves, open to explore as Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary, which forms the northern part of the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve. The jungle safari, forest trekking to Bhairavgad Fort, wildlife spotting and bird watching, Ozarde waterfall trekking and camping, makes it the best weekend getaways from Mumbai.
The famous Koyna Dam with its hydroelectric projects and Kaas Pathar/Kaas Sadas (The plateau of flowers) along with the Wind Energy Park gives Koyna the title of renewable energy capital of Maharashtra. The view from Ghatmatha – the highest peak in Sahyadri with sunset point, the Sri Ram Temple at Chafal, the Nehru Botanical Garden and boating at Shiv Sagar Lake are other best things to do near Mumbai, making Koyna one of the must visit weekend getaways near Mumbai to live the fantasy of a laid back life in the cradle of nature.
When to visit Koyna from Mumbai
This small town is located well above the mean sea level, giving it a pleasant weather all throughout the year. Out of all other most popular hill stations near Mumbai, the one thing that gives Koyna the special status is this climate which makes it an attractive best holiday destination near Mumbai suitable to visit all year long; However, the south-west monsoon amplifies the beauty of the scenery and waterfalls; If you are going during winter you get to see some of the rare species of flora and fauna in the bio reserve.
Reaching Koyna from Mumbai
Koynanagar is gaining fame as one of the most popular hill stations near Mumbai. It is reachable from Mumbai by road – A 6 hour drive covering 295km and the mode of transport is the choice you can make, based on how adventurous you are! You can either make the travel more exciting by renting out a car or driving your own road queen from Mumbai.
The spectacular view of tall trees, thick forest plantations and farming lands will refresh your senses. If you are travelling alone or prefer to ride with the locals, hop on a red bus direct from Mumbai to Koynanagar or take a local train from Mumbai to Chiplun and then continue to Koynanagar in a taxi or bus. It is guaranteed that the overall experience of the journey in reaching this place will be equally memorable as the best things to do near Mumbai in Koyna!
Stay in Koyna
Once on reching Koyna, your stay is sorted with Agreen Hotels. Agreen Hotels offers Hotel stays In Koyna for every taste and budget. For a Luxurious stay look no further than ‘Forest Escapes Koyna’ & for a budget group travel ‘Wind Chalet Resort’ is the best place to be in Koyna. ‘Riverside Inn’ offers budget rooms by the stream & ‘Backwater Cabins’ gives an amazing view of Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and Backwaters.
