Top Holiday Destinations in Maharashtra
Maharashtra Tour
These top Maharashtra tourist places offer a diverse mix of ancient cave temples, forts, mountains, wineries, and beaches. Of course, there's cosmopolitan Mumbai as well.Maharashtra is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. As the home of the Marathi people, Maharashtra is the second-most populous state and third-largest state by area in India.
Maharashtra Sightseeing
MUMBAI
Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra, is the financial capital of India and the home of India's Bollywood film industry. Also called India's "maximum city", Mumbai is known for its extreme standards of living, fast-paced lifestyle, and the making (or breaking) of dreams. Captivating examples of colonial British architecture can be found all over the city and make up many of Mumbai's top attractions, including the Gateway of India and Haji Ali. Mumbai also has a pulsating nightlife, with unforgettable bars, live music venues, national park, and traveler hangouts.
AJANTA AND ELLORA CAVES
The Ajanta and Ellora Caves are located near Aurangabad in northern Maharashtra, around 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Mumbai. There are 34 caves at Ellora dating from between the 6th and 11th centuries AD, and 29 caves at Ajanta dating back to between the 2nd century BC and 6th century AD. While the Ajanta caves are rich in paintings and sculptures, the Ellora caves are renowned for their extraordinary architecture. The most incredible thing about all these caves is that they were crafted by hand, with only a hammer and chisel.
MAHABALESHWAR
For fresh strawberries (as well as mulberries, raspberries, and gooseberries) head to Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghat mountains (known as the Sahyadri mountains in Maharashtra). Strawberry season runs from November to March and you can feast on them at Mapro Gardens and Archie's Farm. Otherwise, go trekking, fishing, boating, horse riding, or take in the views at one of the many sightseeing points and lookouts (there are nearly 30 of them!). .
LONAVALA
Just two hours southeast of Mumbai, and halfway between Mumbai and Pune, Lonavala provides an eclectic blend of hills, history, and adventure. It's a popular misty monsoon destination, and its lush surroundings have been the backdrop of many Bollywood movie song and dance scenes. Attractions include forts, lookouts, lakes, dams, and waterfalls (during the monsoon season). Nirvana Adventures conducts paragliding in Kamshet, close to Lonavala. The ancient rock-cut Karla caves are also worth visiting.
SHIRDI
At a distance of 58 km from Manmad, 82 km from Ahmednagar, 90 km from Nashik, 180 km from Pune and 258 km from Mumbai, Shirdi is a small town located in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. This is one of the holiest places in India and also one of the popular pilgrimage places you must include in Maharashtra packages. Shirdi, also known as the Land of Sai, is famous for the shrine of Shirdi Sai Baba, which is the main attraction for the devotees who visit this holy shrine. This is also one of the best pilgrimage places to visit near Mumbai.
NASHIK
Nashik, approximately four hours northeast of Mumbai in Maharashtra, is a city of contrasts. On one hand, it's an ancient and sacred pilgrimage destination with a fascinating Old City and temples, such as Naroshankar and Kalaram. On the other, it's home to the biggest winery region in India. Situated at an altitude of 700 m, Nashik is the places where Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana has stayed during their 14-year exile. Nashik is famous for its numerous temples constructed during the reigns of different rulers. These include the magnificent ones at Sinnar, Anjaneri, Trimbakeshwarand those in the city itself. Panchavati, Someshwar, Ram Kund, Muktidham Temple, Coin Museum, Pandavleni Caves.
PUNE
Situated at the confluence of Mula and Mutha Rivers, Pune is one of the most popular cities in India and the second-largest city in Maharashtra. About 161 km from Mumbai.Pune boasts of several historical monuments from the Maratha period and many places of tourist interest. Shaniwar Wada, Osho Ashram, Dagdusheth Ganapathi, Pataleshwar Cave Temple, Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, Shinde Chhatri, Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, National War Museum, Bund Garden, Saras Baug, Parvati Hill, Aga Khan Palace, Rajgad Fort, and Darshan Museum are the some of the prominent attractions one must visit.