matheran / bhandardara?

Question

Hi friends

I want to go out next weekend to a nice, cosy hill station near mumbai and I am already done with mahabaleshwar/lonavala etc.

I have heard a lot about bhandardara , can anyone out here guide me about best and most economical way to reach there ( don mind train/bus) and economical accomodations and contact numbers. Not getting much info thru google.
Would be great help if I get from someone who has been there.

Also if someone can guide me about accomodation at matheran , it will be great

Thanks

Answer 1

my dear bhandardara is nice place if you visit in the end of November or December. as i was there some two years ago i went in April and local people told me to come in November or December when after monsoon the forestry there will be fully green and eye catching.
the nearest station is igatpuri and you can have lot of train to igatpuri from mumbai and from there it is 40 km to bhandardara you have lot of Maharashtra state bus but frequency is less in evening and nil in night. or you can have luxury bus directly from mumbai to bhandra but they are package tour in weekends and there charges also are high.
my advice to you to have your own or hired cab for going there as you have to go lot of place nearby if you have your own car it Will be usefull to you as there is no such facility there and you will waste your time searching for a vehicle and bargaining with them. it is near about up and down 400 km from mumbai so it wont be costly if you hire a car to go there and enjoy this natural beauty. my advice is also that you go in November and you have lot of medium and small lodge and hotel there if you want to stay there there charges are from 250 to 1000 depend which you choose. not to miss randha falls . my advance happy journey.

Answer 2

Bhandardara at this time of the year is pleasant. Wilson dam is the known place in Bhandardara. Further ahead is Randha Falls, another pleasant palce to have a look at.....but be very very cautious when you are there. You can cross the dam in a ferry ride and visit a very old temple in Ratanwadi. Nice scluptures. You can trek on the highest peak of Maharashtra - " Kalsubai" which is near Bhandardara ( actually about few kms before you reach Bhandardara.. Get down at Bori village).

To reach from Mumbai: you can catch a late night passenger train from Mumbai. It will drop you at Igatpuri around 4 a.m. Take a state transport bus from there and reach Bhandardara. It's as simple as this. Alternately you can catch a bus from Mumbai ( any bus going beyound Igatpuri towards Nasik will do) and get down at Ghoti and connect from there for Bhandardara.

MTDC has a facility to stay at Bhandardara. Book and confirm before you start. There are no quality accomodation facilities in and around Bhandardara except MTDC property.

My best wishes to you to enjoy the green and rejuvenating enviorns of Bhandardara.

Answer 3

Hi dear!

I had been to Bhandardhara in monsoon 3 years back and it was a really nice trip and we all enjoyed it. It is a less crowded place. But I feel you should have your own vehicle to enjoy the points around(even bike will do). As there are many waterfalls around with no crowd, you can have lots of fun. But I feel mid-October may not be a good time to visit as it will be quiet hot and you may not be able to enjoy the trip. You can try in December end or January, but the real fun is in monsoon. You can even track up to Ratangad or Kalsubai (highest peak in Maharashtra). You can stay in MTDC resort (Rs.600-2500)or in a private hotel(Rs.500-1000).

But I will advice you to try Amboli in Sindhudurg (by Konkan Railway) or Chikhaldara near Akola (by Central Railway) but you will require overnight journey.

You can get more information on MTDC website.

Best luck.