BHANDARDARA TOURISM | TOURIST PLACES TO VISIT & TRAVEL GUIDE TO BHANDARDARA
Hill Station
About Bhandardara
Country: India | State: Maharashtra
#18 of 24 Places to visit in Maharashtra
Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days
Nearest City to Bhandardara: Mumbai (172 Kms), Pune (157 Kms)
Best Time to Visit Bhandardara: September to March
Peak Season: October & December to January
At a distance of 70 km from Nashik, 104 km from Shirdi, 157 km from Pune, and 172 km from Mumbai, Bhandardara is a small hill station and a holiday resort located in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. It is one of the lesser-known hill stations in Maharashtra, and among the beautiful places to visit near Mumbai city.
Bhandardara is situated at an altitude of 750 m on the banks of river Pravara. The place is known for its natural beauty and its soothing environment. This is also one of the popular Maharashtra tourist places. According to a legend, sage Agastya meditated here for a year. Pleased with his penance, Gods blessed him with a stream of river Ganga, now known as river Pravara.
This tiny hill station is a blend of natural beauty, waterfalls, mountains, tranquility, greenery, refreshing air, and pristine ambiance that can be experienced as part of Bhandardara tour packages. It is an excellent place for trekkers and a popular stopover for tourists traveling to Nashik and Shirdi. It attracts a lot of tourists every year because of its eco-tourism opportunities. Arthur Lake, Randha Waterfalls, Umbrella Falls, Bhandardara Dam or Wilson Dam, and Amruteshwar Temple are some important tourist places in Bhandardara.
Bhandardara provides plenty of opportunities for small treks and hikes for adventure lovers. The most interesting and exciting trek is the small trek to Ratangad Fort. It commands an excellent view all around and is said to be the favorite fort of the Maratha king, Shivaji. The Harishchandragad Fort was built during the 6th century when the Kalchuri dynasty ruled. The famous Mount Kalsubai (1646 m), the highest peak in Maharashtra, is a favorite trekking place. Bhandardara can also be visited along with Lonavala tour packages.
Mumbai International Airport is the nearest airport, which is about 163 km from Bhandardara. Igatpuri Railway Station is the nearest railhead, which is 40 km away from Bhandardara. It has regular trains from Mumbai, Shirdi, Howrah, Darbhanga, Kolkata, Amritsar, Patna, Gorakhpur, Faizabad, Nagpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Firozpur, Puri, Pune, Delhi, Kochi, Ranchi, Goa, Lucknow, Nizamabad, Kazipet, Guwahati, Agra, Bangalore, Chennai, and Manmad. Regular buses are available from Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Shirdi, and Igatpuri to reach Bhandardara.
There are many accommodation options in the form of resorts and budget hotels. All good hotels and resorts are situated around the lake. The MTDC Holiday Resort, Anandvaan Resort, and Yash Resort are the popular accommodation options in Bhandardara.
The best time to visit Bhandardara is from September to February when the weather is convenient to explore the outdoors post-monsoon. It is very hot and dry during the summer season from March to May.
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