[pratheekkunder]

Originally Posted by Saanil

Thanks for the post. Yes - The last few feet where you have to pull yourself is also a good experience. It would be of great help if you could post any contact/location of the hotel.

We stayed at Laxmi Hotel. This hotel is just beside Khandala Point. When you take left for Khandala Point from the Market road, this is just beside that road.You will see a huge board.

Hope you don't mind sharing my pictures which was taken at Louisa Point. The view from there was simply marvelous.

The tall guy wearing blue and while T-Shirt is me

[Saanil]

Originally Posted by pratheekkunder

We stayed at Laxmi Hotel. This hotel is just beside Khandala Point. When you take left for Khandala Point from the Market road, this is just beside that road.You will see a huge board.

Thanks for the location! Louisa point is definately worth visting.

Originally Posted by Zappo

Your thread brought back my memories of a bygone era. This was in my college days.
Matheran is still as beautiful and lush as it was then.

Glad to see the travelogue making you nostalgic - this in fact fulfils the purpose of writing travelogues.

Some random points regarding Matheran:

1. There are lots of monkeys in Matheran. When walking on the roads do not carry any food items in your hand. A bottle of water is fine but do not carry anything in your hand. Also do not offer food to the monkeys – You might think of offering to a single monkey and in seconds you will be surrounded by plenty – They can behave aggressively too. I saw one case where a monkey took a pouch from a guy’s hand and threw it near the tress along the road – the guy eventually got the pouch after searching for it but it is better to avoid keeping things in your hand (especially food items).

2. When going to Matheran you will obviously get down at Neral. What I would suggest is taking a return ticket for Karjat (and not Neral). This is because while coming back we did not board the local train from Neral. We went back to other side of the station, took a Karjat bound train and just sat there as the same train would make its journey backwards towards Dadar. I know we had to move opposite but then we got places to sit. Trying to board the train from Neral (to go to Dadar) will be like boarding a Virar bound train. If you do not get a place to sit, you might have to stand for 1.5 hours – which can be irritating after already being tired from all the trekking.

3. Pack light! Do not carry suitcases over there else you will have to hire someone to pick it up for you. One luggage per person – we carried those normal bags which you can put on your shoulders. I would not prefer wearing jeans – Shorts/3/4ths would be ideal. Do carry a tube of Odomos. There are giant mosquitoes over there. Kindly wear shoes and not slippers. You can wear kittos too (basically something which has a tight grip on your feet).

[thumpingheart]

Hey nice post. My mind suddenly became flooded with memories from my childhood! I've stayed with my parents there so many times! Miss those days Really nice pics. Its really beautiful during monsoons. Hope to go there myself soon.

[silverado]

Matheran - Well i am a very regular visitor to Matheran since one of my relatives stay there

i usually walk along the rail line from dasturi to reach matheran market.

While no can steal its natural beauty, of late illegal hotels have come up and this might hurt the ecology in long term.

Moonsoon is a time when few leopards often visit matheran , though sightings are very very rare as is normally the case with leopards.

The Matheran railway should be operating in next moonsoons once they ensure a section of route is secure from falling boulders.

There is also a talk of creating a new route to matheran and reliance seems to be working on it, not sure if it will be finalised.

Schools in Matheran are closed during Moonsoons.

MSRTC has started a Midi bus ( TATA 407 ) from Karjat - Neral - Dasturi ( last point till where vehicles are allowed ), ticket - 20rs only as compared to Cramped and dangerous OMNI's which charge 50 bucks.

[dZired]

Great travelogue! I went to matheran in December last year. But from your pics it indeed looks totally different (and more beautiful) in monsoons.
I took the train from Neral till Matheran. During my stay there everyone around me kept saying that if you visit matheran then you must walk beside the track. So during my journey back to Neral I decided to do the same. And yes the main beauty of Matheran lies along the tracks.

[Saanil]

Originally Posted by silverado

The Matheran railway should be operating in next moonsoons once they ensure a section of route is secure from falling boulders.

There is also a talk of creating a new route to matheran and reliance seems to be working on it, not sure if it will be finalised.

How much time does the train take to reach Matheran? Any idea about the cost of the ticket? And I suppose we have to book tickets beforehand right?

Originally Posted by dZired

Great travelogue! I went to matheran in December last year. But from your pics it indeed looks totally different (and more beautiful) in monsoons.
I took the train from Neral till Matheran. During my stay there everyone around me kept saying that if you visit matheran then you must walk beside the track. So during my journey back to Neral I decided to do the same. And yes the main beauty of Matheran lies along the tracks.

Well I do not know how Matheran is in Winters but during monsoons it is definately awesome. Was it very cold in December? Even I think along the same lines - atleast one way you should walk along the tracks.

Originally Posted by thumpingheart

Hey nice post. My mind suddenly became flooded with memories from my childhood! I've stayed with my parents there so many times! Miss those days Really nice pics. Its really beautiful during monsoons. Hope to go there myself soon.

Thanks! So how far is Matheran from Pune? I guess you will be coming from Karjat right?

[thumpingheart]

Thanks! So how far is Matheran from Pune? I guess you will be coming from Karjat right?

Its about 130-140 km from Pune. And ya we will come from Karjat. Really waiting man!

[gtonsing]

Nice report there mate. One good thing I see from your pictures is nothing seems to have changed much from the time I had been there I think back in 2005 or so and now, not much new business places, tress and grass seems to have been the same which I think is good.

[honeybee]

If you want to be close to, rather within, nature, visit Matheran in any season. In the rains the train service is shut down and the only options are by foot, horse or the pulled rickshaw. The rickshaw would charge you around 300 from Dasturi to the market, but then everything is negotiable.

At present the train takes around 1.5 hour to reach Matheran from Neral, but this year I read in the papers they are carrying out tests to increase its speed and also add two more coaches. Tickets must be bought beforehand, and the rates should be in the range of 150 one way first class (but never travelled on the train, so this is just a guess).

Walking in the rains is not much of a problem unless you are wearing chappals or slippers or something like that. Sandals are the best because the mud and water will get washed away. Though it's muddy, the ground is solid.

[silverado]

Originally Posted by Saanil

How much time does the train take to reach Matheran? Any idea about the cost of the ticket? And I suppose we have to book tickets beforehand right?

Time taken is around 2.5-3 hours now since they have better locomotive engines now, earlier it used to take 3.5-4 hours.

In comparision taxis take only 30-45mins for the upward journey.

Cost - Please login to irctc.co.in ( It was 50 bucks when i used in 2 years ago)

[amitwlele]

Wonderful travelogue Saanil. Used to visit Matheran a lot during school days but now it has been more than 8 years since the last visit. Longing to go there now.

Originally Posted by Saanil

2. When going to Matheran you will obviously get down at Neral. What I would suggest is taking a return ticket for Karjat (and not Neral). This is because while coming back we did not board the local train from Neral. We went back to other side of the station, took a Karjat bound train and just sat there as the same train would make its journey backwards towards Dadar.

I don't think the return ticket that you take the previous day would be valid to do the journey the next day till Karjat. The ticket is valid on the 2nd day only for the return journey.

[Saanil]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

Wonderful travelogue Saanil. Used to visit Matheran a lot during school days but now it has been more than 8 years since the last visit. Longing to go there now.

Thanks for reading it! Now is the perfect time to go there, a bit messy but good fun nonetheless. The return ticket thing will be valid if you are traveling on the same day..I know many would prefer to stay at least a day but in case someone is returning the same day

[silverado]

Just came back today, its raining really hard in patches and its mostly foggy throughout day.
Temp is really pleasant hovering around 22, but its quite cold and windy outside.

Number of tourists is much less than usual, and scenes are as fantastic as they always have been.

Best Part : Ghat road is butter smooth now right up till Dasturi.
It has also been widened in places where you take hair-pin turns.
Driving has never been this easier to Matheran.

Just be carefull when you park, since with rains sharp rocks are now exposed and I got a small sidewall chip which resulted in puncture.

Worst part : Railway has been shut down for infinite period. Even shuttle service from Dasturi to Matheran has been closed.
So just ensure you don't carry much stuff, since hand pulled ricks and ghodawallas are making merry.
Walk from Dasturi to Matheran hardly takes 30 mins if you walk along tracks.

[auto_enthusiast]

Originally Posted by silverado

Best Part : Ghat road is butter smooth now right up till Dasturi.
It has also been widened in places where you take hair-pin turns.
Driving has never been this easier to Matheran.

Just be carefull when you park, since with rains sharp rocks are now exposed and I got a small sidewall chip which resulted in puncture.

Worst part : Railway has been shut down for infinite period. Even shuttle service from Dasturi to Matheran has been closed.
So just ensure you don't carry much stuff, since hand pulled ricks and ghodawallas are making merry.
Walk from Dasturi to Matheran hardly takes 30 mins if you walk along tracks.

Hi

Me and my friends are planning to go to Matheran during the coming week. What are the car parking charges and is it safe to park the car there?

Any recommendations for good hotels?

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by auto_enthusiast

Hi

Me and my friends are planning to go to Matheran during the coming week. What are the car parking charges and is it safe to park the car there?

Any recommendations for good hotels?

It's quite safe to park your car near Dasturi naka. However off late there were a few car burglary cases.
It's better to take a local train to Neral Jn. and then a share taxi to Dasturi which takes just 15 min. Shuttle train services from Aman Lodge (near Dasturi naka) and Matheran have started, so you can take this to avoid the long walk to Matheran centre with luggage and also enjoy the mini train ride.
Regarding hotels, you can check online and compare as per your liking.