Situated in the Sahyadri range of the Western Ghats close to Pune and Mumbai, Lonavala is the most visited hill station in Maharashtra and the place to be during monsoons. With lots of waterfalls, lakes and hills around, it is a popular destination for camping, trekking and other adventure sports.
Surrounded by dense forests, waterfalls, and dam alongside lakes, it is a must-visit if you admire nature. Located at an elevation of 624 m above sea level, Lonavala is one of the twin hill stations - Lonavala and Khandala (these two can be easily visited together). The popular tourist attractions in Lonavala are Bhaja caves, Bushi dam, Karla caves, Rajmachi fort, Ryewood lake, among others. Lonavala is also popular for the treks like the Andharban trek that starts from a village called Pimpri and ends in Bhira.
Lonavala is famous for its production of the hard candy chikki which is a sweet eatable thing made from different nuts mixed with jaggery. It is also a major stop on the railway line which connects Mumbai and Pune.
The name Lonavla has its roots in the Sanskrit words Leni and Avali - which means a stone-carved resting place, and series, respectively. Hence, Lonavli basically translates to mean a place which has a series of these carved stone resting places.
Restaurants and Local Food in Lonavala
Being a popular tourist destination, Lonavala is laid out with a number of restaurants offering diverse options. Other than these, it offers a number of refreshing, spicy and delicious local treasures. One should definitely try the hot Masala Chai with spicy Vada Pav (from Golden Wada Pav) and Bhajiyas in Lonavala.
The chola bhaturas at Rudra, the butter chicken of Rama Krishna, and Cooper’s fudge are popular favourites. Hotel Sainath provides the famous Maharashtrian usal, made out of curried sprouted lentils and beans. Manashakti is the perfect choice for a traditional vegetarian Maharashtrian thali. Also make sure to sample some of the sweet chikkis, pedas and other savouries from Maganlal & Sons. Also, try the pristine and cool Coconut Water. Be sure to purchase some Chikki and fudges to take back to your friends and family back home.
Pleasant climate. Beautiful scenery. Liquor banned in most places of tourist interest.
What is not so good about Lonavala?
Heavy traffic on roads leading to Lonavala. Limited number of hotels.
Who should visit Lonavala?
Situated between Mumbai and Pune, Lonavala is a perfect weekend getaway for Puneites and Mumbaikars. A popular attraction for adventure and nature lovers, biking to Lonavala is known to be a thrilling experience for youngsters.
What is the best time to visit Lonavala?
Lonavala has something to offer all around the year. The best time to visit Lonavala is from December to February. However, the monsoon months of June to September experience heavy (almost 24-hours) rainfall, and if you don't mind getting wet, this is considered to be a great time to visit Lonavala. Do check the weather conditions before visiting as the roads might be slippery and difficult during peak monsoon. All the dams and waterfalls are full to the brim, and you can lose yourself in the greenery and mist. Summers in Lonavala are hot and humid. Read More
What is the local food in Lonavala?
Being a popular tourist destination, Lonavala is laid out with a number of restaurants offering diverse options. Other than these, it offers a number of refreshing, spicy and delicious local treasures. One should definitely try the hot Masala Chai with spicy Vada Pav (from Golden Wada Pav) and Bhajiyas in Lonavala. The chola bhaturas at Rudra, the butter chicken of Rama Krishna, and Cooper’s fudge are popular favourites. Hotel Sainath provides the famous Maharashtrian usal, made out of curried sprouted lentils and beans. Manashakti is the perfect choice for a traditional vegetarian Maharashtrian thali. Also make sure to sample some of the sweet chikkis, pedas and other savouries from Maganlal & Sons. Also, try the pristine and cool Coconut Water. Be sure to purchase some Chikki and fudges to take back to your friends and family back home.
An hour or two drive away from Mumbai, this place can be visited easily by a private vehicle or by private buses. Lonavala also has its own railway station that is well connected by Pune and Mumbai. The nearest airports to this hill station are Pune international airport and Chhratrapati Shivaji airport making it easier for the travellers. Read More
What are the top hotels in Lonavala?
There are 567 in Lonavala which can be booked through Holidify. The most popular hotels in Lonavala are Mount Palace, Princess Villa by Vista Rooms, Hill Top Home Near Amby valley, Taraangan Farm, EKO STAY- SUNSHINE VILLA, Luxury 5 BHK Villa. You can see all the hotels in Lonavala here
What are the things to do in Lonavala?
The top things to do in Lonavala are Tiger's Leap, Bushi Dam, Lonavala Lake, Imagica, Sunil's Celebrity Wax Museum, Rajmachi Fort. You can see all the places to visit in Lonavala here
What are the places near Lonavala?
The top places near to Lonavala are Matheran which is 30 km from Lonavala, Mumbai which is located 66 km from Lonavala, Lavasa which is located 39 km from Lonavala, Kamshet which is located 15 km from Lonavala, Khandala which is located 3 km from Lonavala
Have a Question on Lonavala?
Ask a question from the travellers who have experience.
November is a great time to visit Lonavala as the place enters the prime of winter season. Many people prefer to visit Lonavala during October and November as scanty rains are still present and natur (Read More)e remains to be coated in dew. Several day treks and hikes are also organised during these months.
There are a a lot of different options in Lonavala to satiate your night soul. There's Volcano in Bijli's Hill Retreat, and Tavern in Fariya's resort, which are clubs where you can enjoy a few cockta (Read More)ils and groove to some lively music. You can also take a night trek to Rajmachi or Tungarli Fort, or take a walk in the wilderness among nature in Lonavala.
The average cost of 2 night package to Lonavala is around 8000 per person approximately. You can check the detailed packages here- http://www.holidify.com/custom-package/?referrer=utm_source%3Dwebsit (Read More)e%26utm_medium%3Dheader%26utm_campaign%3Dheader
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Lonavala Reviews
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Shah Naresh
on Imagica Adlabs 4 years ago
VERY COSTLY AND TOTALLY PROFESSIONAL. NO FREQUENCY OF ANY BUS DIRECT FROM LONAVALA TO IMAGICA. AUTOS CHARGE VERY HIGH. IN IMAGICA, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED EVEN WITH YOUR WATER BOTTLE. THEY CHARGE RS.40 F (Read More)OR 500 ML BOTTLE!!!! NEVER VISIT SALIMGHAT IN IMAGICA IT IS DREADLY. YOU MAY LOOSE YOUR LIFE.IF YOUR ABOVE 40 DON'T TAKE RISK IN ADVENTOUROUS RIDE. IT CAN PROVE RISKY
blue unicorns
3 years ago
One can also Enjoy Camping near Lonavala. Enjoy best Pawna lake camping, mouthwatering BBQ, Dinner beside lake, Bonfire and Music to create awesome memories on your holiday at Pawna lake. "Link Hidde (Read More)n"
Ratneesh Nijjar
4 years ago
Me and my wife visited Lonavala in the month of Oct 2017 from Pune. It took us around 1 hour to reach the base market of Lonavala by car. There are a couple of places you can visit in Lonavala for si (Read More)ght-seeing, such as Lion's point, Tiger point, and Bhushi Dam. All of them are on the same route when from the base market. Put Lion's point on Google Maps and move ahead. Bhushi dam will come first on your left, then Lion's point and at last it will be Tiger point. We did not visit Tiger point as it was extremely foggy that day and visibility was very less. So, there was no point going further from Lion's point. Loin's point comes to your right after Bhushi dam on the same route. You will see a big parking and couple of guides waiting for you to help. Parking charges were 50 rupees when we visited. Pay and enter the area. You will see a number of small eating joints all around that parking area. So having food is not an issue. Remember one thing, do ask for the price before you eat else you may end up paying extra. In case you are visiting from Pune, then there is no point staying in Lonavala. However, there are plenty of hotels which are good and reasonable too. You can easily make a selection after negotiating. Have a great visit and stay.
