Matheran the Smallest Hill Station in India

Matheran, which is considered to the smallest hill station in India, is located in the Raigad district of Maharashtra.
Situated at an altitude of 2516 feet above the sea level the term “Matheran” means forest on top. True to its name it is surrounded by lush green trees and forest making the environment extremely pleasant and soothing. The green, serene and unpolluted ambience fills in your heart with love and magical feelings. This hill station was located by a British official Hugh Mallet who was a collector of Thane, in the year 1850 and developed by the British. 

Matheran is one of the only few places in the world where vehicles are not allowed which helps to protect its natural purity. It has been declared as an eco-sensitive region by the government of India, and this this place is very different from others. It is a peaceful and quite place where people come to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature in its purest form. Even though thousands of tourists come here every year, this place still has one of the cleanest environments. From here you can get a fantastic view of the surrounding hills and valleys and the dense forest cover that surrounds it. 

Once here you can do a lot of things to enjoy the surrounding beauty. The absence of vehicles makes the environment soothing and pleasant. There are about 35 big and small viewpoints which can be explored on horsebacks and hand pulled carts. The sunrise from Panorama point and the fiery sunsets from the Porcupine point or Sunset point is something you cannot miss. You can also take a trek or leisurely nature walks. It is the best place to rest and refresh, far away from the noises and the maddening crowd of the cities.

Out of the 35 viewpoints, 2 are lakes, 2 parks and 4 places of worship and a race-course. If you want to cover all of them it will take you about 2 to 3 days. Some of the important points you can visit are the Alexabder point, Rambag point, Charlote Lake, Echo point, Garbut point, Hart point, Khandala point, King George point, Lookout point, Louisa point, Monkey point, Mount Berry, Nawroji Lord Garden, One Tree Hill Point, Panorana point, Panthers cave, Paymaster Park, Pisharnath Temple, Prabal fort, Rambag Point, Roman Catholic church and many more. 

This place is located about 100 kms to the east of Mumbai. The journey to this place itself can be quite interesting. First you need to reach Neral from Mumbai which can be done in a train or taxi and then you have to reach the Dasturi Car Park, about 1.8 kms from Neral. Form there onwards you have to take a hand pulled richshaw or horses to reach Matheran. You can also take a leisurely toy train ride from Neral which takes about 2 hours. 

Best time to visit – mid September to mid-October. 

Entry charges – Rs 25 for adults and Rs 10 for children, which needs to paid upon arrival at the toy train station.