Matheran
To get to the base station you can take the train from Neral (near Karjat) from Mumbai or Pune or if you prefer to drive or walk you can take the old Mumbai Pune Expressway and get off at Chowk to get there via Karjat.
The road from Neral to Matheran is full of sharp turns and if you are unsure you can leave your car/bike in the private parking lot and take the mini train. However, if you decide to drive or take a taxi, you can only go as far as 'Daturi Naka', which is 3 km from the main market in Matheran. Motor vehicles are not allowed outside Daturi Naka, as Matheran Town Hall has a large car park where you can leave your notes.
From there, you have the option of walking to the towns of Clint Eastwood and John Wayne, or perhaps taking a rickshaw or simply taking the train to your favorite destination.
The trip will not take you more than an hour from Dasturi Naka. The train from Neral to Matheran takes about two hours as it crawls uphill.
We went to Dasturi Naka and found a good parking space where we could rest the car for a few days. It was an exciting hike and we crossed the track several times. A car ticket costs Rs 25/- and Rs 10/- per day for parking. Matheran City Council also charges a flat fee of Rs 25 per entrance to Matheran.
When we got out of the car, we were mobbed by horsemen and rickshaw pullers, and when we said we preferred to walk, the porters came and wanted to get our backpacks. We said goodbye to everyone and went to reach the booked hotel. It took us about 45 minutes to get to the hotel, which is a 10 minute walk from Matheran station.
The main market is located around Matheran Station and where you can shop for leather goods and Matheran's famous chikki/fudge.
In Matheran, you still have a few choices: take a walk in any direction and visit one of the "places" or check the map on the back of the admission ticket to see all the tourist sites. There were 38 points scored.
My research reveals that there are a maximum of 4 locations to visit and by visiting them you can visit an additional 20 by default! So, to start our points tour, we decided to visit Sunset Point, also known as Porcupine Point. If you want, you can take a small detour and visit the other 5 points (see map).
At this point we have great entertainers who keep us entertained until the sun begins its spectacular show.
The sunset show only lasted 10 minutes and then we returned to the hotel. Luckily the road is well lit and of course you have to follow the crowd to get back.
The next morning we visited Alexander Point (because it was close), followed by Rambaug Point (also considered a beautiful sunrise point), followed by Chowk Pt. (further south), One Tree Hill Point, then back to hotel for good food. .
Afternoon free to buy the obligatory Chikki/Fudge and I picked up a leather belt which I hoped was (hopefully) cheaper, time will tell.
For those who want to visit more points, you can do the panoramic point (the one in the north) on the way home if you ride by road because it is close to Daturi Naka. You can also sew the fork along the way.
If you have more time, you can also visit Lake Charlotte. We didn't, skip it and head back to the Dasturi Nakara slopes, where you'll find people asking for more car washes, of course for a small fee. The car is bound to be covered in red mud and a layer of bird droppings, so you might want to hire this handsome young man to drive you home in a clean car.
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