Leisure Tours India

One of the very known of hill station is Lonavala. As the place is popularly known, Lonavala is very famous for Chikki. INS Shivaji - A Navy training center also makes Lonavala a vital place. Many well known Boarding schools are located nearby Lonavala. There are lots of dams, caves and forts in and around Lonavala and Khandala. LONAVALA LAKE Going beyond Ryewood Park & taking a left at the Woodland Hotel junction. You come across the Lonavala Lake or the Monsoon Dam as it is more popularly called. This in reality is a vast shallow expanse of water that disappears by end of February leaving behind a huge expanse of dry land. This lake was created by the TATA Electric company to conserve the catchments area's of its two other reservoirs namely Valvan &Shirota in the same vicinity.
During monsoon's the water is throttled down an open duct-line first and then through huge pipes to run the turbines at the Khopoli Power Station. The dam by itself in the evenings is thronged with casual visitors who enjoy the view and with fitness enthusiasts who find it an ideal place for a brisk walk or a jog.

Korigad Fort The hill fort of Korigad in Amby Valley is located roughly 3050 ft. above sea level. To get there, you travel from Lonavala to the village of Shahpur using any available means of transport and then proceed by foot to the fort through rugged hills and forests. Tiger’s Leap When viewing the valley from a certain point at this location, one has the illusion of a tiger leaping across the valley, hence the name. The echo caused by dropping rocks into the crevasse is another attraction. Lohgad Lohgad attracts visitors with its wide, refreshing waterfalls, an ancient fort and, of course, those famous caves – atop a steep flight of steps. Karla & Bhaja Caves Nestling in the hills of Lonavala, these rock-cut caves rank amongst the oldest finest examples of Early Buddhist temple art in India. The Karla Cave, the largest Early Buddhist shrine in India, imitates the look of more familiar wooden architecture. Completed in 80 BC, the impressive structure includes a representation of the Buddha and an aisle made up of 37 pillars and carved elephant heads, which once had real ivory tusks. The Bhaja Cave complex comprises 18 caves and 14 stupas. Dating from around 200 BC, these architectural curiosities lie amidst thick greenery in a setting that’s so calm, it’s almost mystical. Just outside Karla Caves. Ekvira Temple is visited by thousands of devotees, mainly fisher folk. Location Khandala and Lonavala lie 5 km apart, on the western slopes of the Sahyadris, straddling the Mumbai-Pune highway at an altitude of 625 m. Karla is 8 km from Lonavala. Languages spoken Marathi, Hindi and English. Climate and clothing Temperatures vary from 12 C in winter to around 36 C at the height of summer. The annual rainfall averages 450 cms. Best time to visit October to May The nearest airport is Pune, 66 km away. The convenient railhead is Lonavala, on the Mumbai-Pune line (118 km from Mumbai). Pune-Lonavala: 64 km. Mumbai -Lonavala, 104 km. Pune-Lonavala, 66 km. Besides a number of luxury and budget hotels in both Khandala and Lonavala, the MTDC runs a resort at Karla and another at Rye Woods, Lonavala.