Matheran

The only pedestrian hill station of Asia. Green. Pristine. Untouched. Undulating roads and monkeys. Gujarati food and horse rides. And ah, what views.

Nothing rejuvenates like Matheran with its abundance of fresh air. The nearest hill-station to both Mumbai and Pune, Matheran is just the place to recharge your city-battered batteries. The name literally means 'jungle topped' or 'wooded head', not a surprise considering Matheran is on an undulating hilltop, cloaked with thick trees. And since no motor vehicles are allowed here, the air is wonderfully crisp and clean.

At 700-800 metres altitude, Matheran has many points with sheer, vertical drops providing a breath-taking view of the plains below. On clear days, you can even see as far as Mumbai!

Since Matheran is such a popular weekend getaway, its main market street jostles with honeymooners and families. The market itself is lined with hawkers selling all kinds of paraphernalia, everything from chikki to fudge to chaat to slippers. Video game parlours do brisk business, as do puppeteers and other games stalls.

The adventure of Matheran begins right from the time you decide to go there, because getting here is half the fun. From Neral, take a tiny, narrow gauge toy train up the 21 km route to the hill. The train twists, turns and slowly winds its way up the steep two-hour ascent to the town, offering the most inspiring views on the way and going through numerous tunnels. You come to know what delights lies in store for you the moment you pass through the 'One Kiss Tunnel'!