Matheran touring guide
Visiting Matheran - Entrance fee - Attractions & more
Matheran is around 100 kilometers away Mumbai and is located at an elevation of about 800 meters (2,624 feet) above the sea level. Matheran has unique panoramic views and wonderful charm. There are no tarred roads in Matheran and pathways are made of red laterite earth. This is perhaps one of those few places in the world where absolutely no vehicles are allowed. Matheran has fresh unpolluted air free of smoke and its beautiful surroundings make it a popular tourist destination in western India. If you want to sit back and enjoy the spellbinding charm of nature, then Matheran is the place for you. Matheran is accessible year round. If possible avoid visiting during the monsoon season as the pathways become covered in mud making it messy to walk around. The monsoon season in Matheran lasts from mid -June to mid –October. Entry Fee to Matheran: There is Rupees 25 per person entry fee to visit Matheran.How to travel to reach Matheran:
Matheran is located at a distance of 90 Kilometers from Mumbai and 120 kilometers from Pune. Matheran can be reached by Train or Car. As no vehicles are allowed in Matheran, those traveling by Car have to do some walking to get to Matheran. Train: The nearest railway station to go directly to Matheran railway station is called Neral and is approximately 21 kilometers from Matheran. A toy train travels from Neral to Matheran station and covers the journey in about 2 hours.Train timings for Neral to Matheran
• Depart 07:30 am Arrive 09:30 am • Depart 08:50 am Arrive 11:10 am • Depart 10:15 am Arrive 12:10 am • Depart 12:15 am Arrive 02:05 pm • Depart 05:05 pm Arrive 07:00 pm • The cost of a train ticket is Rupees 20 for second class and Rupees 220 for first class. This train is a small train with only four rail car compartments. The first class compartment has only 8 seats and needless to say there is very little space for luggage. Plan not to take excessive luggage if you wish to travel on the train.Taxi to Matheran
Taxis are available at Neral Station and normally charge about Rupees 400. While the taxi drivers may give you the impression they are going to drive you straight to Matheran, please be aware that no vehicles are allowed in Matheran. All taxis from Neral station drop their passengers at a place called Dasturi from where you have to make your own arrangements to get to Matheran. There are three options available:Walking up to Matheran.
This is approximately a 50 minute walk if you take the pathway or a 40 minute walk if you walk along the railway tracks.Hire a horse to ride up.
The horse owners are usually waiting for customers and charge Rupees 300 per horse. One person can ride a horse.
Take a man pulled rickshaw.
Only one person per rickshaw. They charge Rupees 350.Regardless of what mode you decide on, if you have luggage you will require a porter to carry it up for you.Porters to carry luggage to Matheran
Porters are called collies in India and they charge Rupees 200 to take your luggage up to your hotel. When I visited Matheran in December 2010, I found that the majority of porters are women. It is somewhat disheartening to see women carrying your luggage but it is their livelihood. While some are habitual of bargaining in India, this is one service in Matheran where I would not recommend bargaining. It is quite a walking distance to the city and hotels and these porters really earn their living.Driving to Matheran by car:
If you decide to drive to Matheran, you will have to park your vehicle at a place called Dasturi and walk up to Matheran or go by horse or rickshaw. There is ample parking here but by no means is this a organized parking area. While parking is relatively safe and people park their vehicles hers for three or four days, the area is a forested one and you need to find a suitable spot. See the parking area photographs attached to get a better idea of the parking area. I actually drove down in December 2010 to Matheran from Pune and did park our car at Dasturi parking area. The cost of parking a car per day is Rupees 35. Porters, horse renters and rickshaw pullers wait at the parking area to get your business. Matheran has several key points that offer breathless views. Other than walking to these places you can hire horses or rickshaws to take you there. Expect to pay approximately Rupees 300 per point for each person in your party. Hotel rates in Matheran: I visited in December 2010 which is one of the expensive times to visit and was quoted hotel rates from Rupees 800 to Rupees 3500 per day. Don’t book a hotel room until you see it personally. There are plenty of hotels available and what you see in hotel brochures or websites with room photographs is not what you always get.Train timing Matheran to Neral
• Depart 07:00 am Arrive 08:40 am • Depart 09:45 am Arrive 11:25 am • Depart 01:40 pm Arrive 03:20 pm • Depart 02:45 am Arrive 04:25 pm • Depart 04:25 pm Arrive 06:10 pm
Walking to Matheran
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Matheran touring guide
Visiting Matheran - Entrance fee -
Attractions & more
Matheran is around 100 kilometers away Mumbai and is located at an elevation of about 800 meters (2,624 feet) above the sea level. Matheran has unique panoramic views and wonderful charm. There are no tarred roads in Matheran and pathways are made of red laterite earth. This is perhaps one of those few places in the world where absolutely no vehicles are allowed. Matheran has fresh unpolluted air free of smoke and its beautiful surroundings make it a popular tourist destination in western India. If you want to sit back and enjoy the spellbinding charm of nature, then Matheran is the place for you. Matheran is accessible year round. If possible avoid visiting during the monsoon season as the pathways become covered in mud making it messy to walk around. The monsoon season in Matheran lasts from mid -June to mid –October. Entry Fee to Matheran: There is Rupees 25 per person entry fee to visit Matheran.How to travel to reach Matheran:
Matheran is located at a distance of 90 Kilometers from Mumbai and 120 kilometers from Pune. Matheran can be reached by Train or Car. As no vehicles are allowed in Matheran, those traveling by Car have to do some walking to get to Matheran. Train: The nearest railway station to go directly to Matheran railway station is called Neral and is approximately 21 kilometers from Matheran. A toy train travels from Neral to Matheran station and covers the journey in about 2 hours.Train timings for Neral to Matheran
• Depart 07:30 am Arrive 09:30 am • Depart 08:50 am Arrive 11:10 am • Depart 10:15 am Arrive 12:10 am • Depart 12:15 am Arrive 02:05 pm • Depart 05:05 pm Arrive 07:00 pm • The cost of a train ticket is Rupees 20 for second class and Rupees 220 for first class. This train is a small train with only four rail car compartments. The first class compartment has only 8 seats and needless to say there is very little space for luggage. Plan not to take excessive luggage if you wish to travel on the train.Taxi to Matheran
Taxis are available at Neral Station and normally charge about Rupees 400. While the taxi drivers may give you the impression they are going to drive you straight to Matheran, please be aware that no vehicles are allowed in Matheran. All taxis from Neral station drop their passengers at a place called Dasturi from where you have to make your own arrangements to get to Matheran. There are three options available:Walking up to Matheran.
This is approximately a 50 minute walk if you take the pathway or a 40 minute walk if you walk along the railway tracks.Hire a horse to ride up.
The horse owners are usually waiting for customers
and charge Rupees 300 per horse. One person can
ride a horse.
Take a man pulled rickshaw.
Only one person per rickshaw. They charge Rupees 350.Regardless of what mode you decide on, if you have luggage you will require a porter to carry it up for you.Porters to carry luggage to Matheran
Porters are called collies in India and they charge Rupees 200 to take your luggage up to your hotel. When I visited Matheran in December 2010, I found that the majority of porters are women. It is somewhat disheartening to see women carrying your luggage but it is their livelihood. While some are habitual of bargaining in India, this is one service in Matheran where I would not recommend bargaining. It is quite a walking distance to the city and hotels and these porters really earn their living.Driving to Matheran by car:
If you decide to drive to Matheran, you will have to park your vehicle at a place called Dasturi and walk up to Matheran or go by horse or rickshaw. There is ample parking here but by no means is this a organized parking area. While parking is relatively safe and people park their vehicles hers for three or four days, the area is a forested one and you need to find a suitable spot. See the parking area photographs attached to get a better idea of the parking area. I actually drove down in December 2010 to Matheran from Pune and did park our car at Dasturi parking area. The cost of parking a car per day is Rupees 35. Porters, horse renters and rickshaw pullers wait at the parking area to get your business. Matheran has several key points that offer breathless views. Other than walking to these places you can hire horses or rickshaws to take you there. Expect to pay approximately Rupees 300 per point for each person in your party. Hotel rates in Matheran: I visited in December 2010 which is one of the expensive times to visit and was quoted hotel rates from Rupees 800 to Rupees 3500 per day. Don’t book a hotel room until you see it personally. There are plenty of hotels available and what you see in hotel brochures or websites with room photographs is not what you always get.
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