Lion Point

I will never forget the previous monsoon trip with my mates. A sudden plan that would be imprinted in our memories forever. A trip to Lonavala ... …!!

From travelling through our city of the concrete forest to being surrounded by lush greeneries and some stunning waterfalls, the Lonavala won our hearts. The eternal unspoiled beauty of Lonavala is just the perfect relaxation for our body and soul. It is one of the best places that we can visit in Monsoon. The beauty Lonavala made me keen to know more about this place. The number of waterfalls changes the whole picture of this place. The heavy downpour of rainwater and gusty rushing flowing waterfalls are prominent monsoon attractions. It is almost impossible to imagine that this small place with its heavy rainfall during the rainy season attracts such a large number of tourists. Tourism peaks during the monsoon season.

It is said that the name “Lonavala” is derived from the words 'leni' which means caves and 'avail' which means series. i.e. 'a Series of Caves' which is a reference to the many beautiful caves like Karla and Bhaja Caves. One of the prime picnic sites in Lonavala, Bushi Dam is positioned in the setting some hilly terrains and blooming green surroundings. If you're an adventurer then the huge forts like Rajmachi, Tikona, Visapur and Shrivardhan are the places for you.

Bhushi Dam

Another most notable place is ‘The Lonavala Lake’, Lonavala Lake mesmerizes the visitors with simplistic beauty and soothing nature around. It is popularly known as the monsoon lake because it gets filled with water during monsoon and dries up during winter season. This lake is the best tourist attraction in Lonavala especially during monsoon, when the birds of unique species and fauna can be spotted on the edges of this charming lake. The lovely weather is complemented with the many delicious local food items. Rajmachi Wildlife Sanctuary is also a popular site surrounded by green dense woods, it is the perfect place for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. It is one such destination where visitors can witness the wild creatures freely wandering in their natural habitat. There are also some famous sightseeing like Duke's Nose, Ghangad, Tiger point and Lion's Point.

September to April is the perfect time to travel to Lonavala. This hill station is basically situated in Pune district in Maharashtra. It is about 64 km west of modern-day Pune city and 96 km to the east of Mumbai. There are a number of budget friendly as well as luxury hotels in Lonavala which provide visitors with impeccable services and friendly hospitality. The nearest airport to reach Lonavala is at Pune. Lonavala is well connected with all major stations of India through the main city of Mumbai. From there one can easily get a bus to arrive at Lonavala, which is situated at a distance of 42 miles. The frequent bus services are available from the major cities in and around Maharashtra. It takes just 2 hours to reach Lonavala from Mumbai.

Tiger Point

Lonavala is one of the important hill stations of Maharashtra, with wide geographical variations with its landscape with regard to natural resources and tourist attractions. The markets of Lonavala are full of small shops selling colourful handicrafts, toys, wooden figures, products made from cane and sweets like fresh Chikkis and handmade keychains. Lonavala has the potential of giving employment to a number of labours i.e. especially unskilled, due to the number of chikki shops, jelly, honey, jam and other local products of this place. The small scale industrial units have developed in this place and so the place has witnessed some development.

This place can evolve into a fully developed and fully equipped tourist centre. Lonavala has incredible tourism potentials having tourist resorts, health centre and other aspects to cater to the needs of tourists. On the other hand, the industrial development in Lonavala has not been quite fast, though the population growth is quite steady, therefore, better management of tourists while treating tourism as “industry” along with agricultural and industrial development requires our interest to improve the tourist's inflow in Lonavala with increased tourists facilities to make this place remarkable.