If you know about a few hill stations in Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar is something you would have heard for sure! It comes alive in monsoons from June to October, when greenery remains intact due to heavy downpours and drizzles. The whole of western ghats comes to life when it rains, and you’ll be welcomed with several waterfalls and small streams. The viewpoints come to life. Panchgani is a plateau area that looks like a meadow in rains-dazzlingly green. When it comes to Kaas, it’s a plateau as well, but its prime attraction is a plethora of blooming flowers in July-August month as far as our eyes wander and a continued flow of beauty.

8 Good to Go Reasons to be in Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, and Kaas:

• Visit Panchgani, known for its green valleys and several beautiful waterfalls in monsoons and post monsoons. From where one can view the Dhom Dam and western ghats, Parsi Point is a must place to be here in monsoons.

• Table Land Viewpoint– the highest point in Panchgani and Asia’s second most extended mountain plateau (about 6+ km) at the height of 4,550 feet MSL is a treat to watch in rains as the whole area remains green with patches of flowers. Plus, a drizzle adds the cherry on the top.
• Kaas Plateau – a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO, offers tourists lush green valleys and plateau along with a plethora of flowers of various colors during July, August and September. Waterfalls like Thoseghar and several little falls can be seen in monsoons.

• Vienna lake in Mahabaleshwar is excellent for boating, and the grand Pratapgarh Fort is an excellent viewpoint for western ghats.
• Mahabaleshwar has several spots and picturesque locations like Arthur’s Seat, Wilson Point, Elphinstone Point, Kate’s Point, Needle hole Point, and Lodwick Points. Don’t forget to switch on your cameras, especially in monsoons!
• Panchgani is a place of strawberry cultivation. Hence, you should visit some orchards and get some products like jellies, candies, and other strawberry-made food items.
• Mahabaleshwar is famous for berries like strawberries, mulberries, and blueberries; hence, get some for your friends and loved ones.

Location: Both Kaas and Mahabaleshwar are 200 km south of Pune and about 40-60 km west of Satara

Tourist Attraction on the spot:

Kaas Pathar is known for seasonal flowering and Kaas Lake; Mahabaleshwar has spots like Pratapgarh Fort, Vienna Fort, Elphinstone Point, Lodwick Point, Arthur Seat, Kates Point, Lingmala Waterfall, Sunset Point, Chinaman Falls, Vienna River, Needle Point, Echo Point, Tiger Spring Point; Panchgani has Table Land, Parsi Point, Sydney Point, Kamalgarh Fort to see.

Tourist Attraction in Vicinity:

You can visit Kolhapur, Ratnagiri,Pune,Mumbai, Dudhsagar Falls, Amboli and Aihole near Satara(300-400 km)

Distance Charts:(Satara)

• Panchgani(50 km)
• Mahabaleshwar(60 km)
• Kaas(30 km)
• Matheran(225 km)
• pune(110 km)
• Mumbai(250 km)
• Hyderabad(550 km)
• Cochin(1100 km)
• Chennai(1090 km)
• Bangalore(730 km)
• Kanyakumari(1400 km)
• Delhi(1600 km)

How to Reach Kanyakumari via Madurai and Rameswaram:

Road Routes:

Pune-Satara-Kaas-Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani-Wai-Pune(for public transport, come back to Satara from Kaas and catch another one for Mahabaleshwar)

IMPORTANT NOTE FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

1)Kaas is best to go in July and August because you for flowers here and rains is when flowers bloom-pink and yellows

2)Mahabaleshwar is best to go for in September and October when it rains lesser, and there’s still greenery around. Western ghats are a pleasure when there are greens.

3)Make sure you reach the Satara bus stand by 6 am to catch the early bus for either of these places. The sooner you go, the more time you spend at the top; buses are every 1 hour for Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. Kaas is a bit less frequent.

4)When you come here in July or August, be prepared to be over the clouds and see waterfalls, but you can’t get good views from viewpoints, and it’s difficult to visit places in windy conditions! However, Kaas is okay because you see the plateau in front of your eyes.

5)Umbrella, water and snacks must be carried-better a raincoat when you are here in the rainy season when it rains bad-it pours!

6)Private car packages are heftily priced depending on spots you choose to visit; see the google images, see if they are worth seeing, select the top 5 places, and visit those for within say 1000-1500 INR. Better-much better is the much cheaper and affordable daily Mahabaleshwar darshan bus which leaves at 9 or 10 am for local sightseeing though you won’t be seeing all the places…

RAIL: For Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, get down at Wai, and for Kaas, Satara is the best way to go.

AIR: Pune Airport is the nearest one.

ROAD: Take the Bangalore expressway from Pune/Mumbai, leave the diversion at Satara/Surur, and continue west to the desired destination. MSRTC buses might help if you want to save some bucks and travel 24/7.

Map:

Time to Visit:

June to January is -the best time to visit, especially from August to October.

Spend Time With:

Family, Friends, Solo, Couple, Groups

Food and Lodging:

Satara will be the best base for cheap hotels, a few of decent quality. Mahabaleshwar will have many hotels, but it will be costly and hard to find a place in peak seasons. Better book in advance using Goibibo or Makemytrip or the Yatra website. Food isn’t an issue, so there is no need to worry about it. Kaas is a place to visit and return to Satara or go to Mahabaleshwar.

Expense:

A 2-day trip for this trip(reach Kaas by morning ten around and reach Mahabaleshwar by 4-5 pm)

Food: INR 100/person/day(3 times a day)X2

Transport: INR 400 for the state bus from Satara to Kaas and back and to Mahabaleshwar is what it should cost. For local sightseeing, there will be Mahabaleshwar local bus tour available for INR 300-500, I guess, and for Kaas, you need to enter the valley and see flowers. For Panchgani, similar shared tours must be at places fixing the price of INR 500. (A car at Mahabaleshwar for sightseeing may cost INR 2500)

Lodging: INR 700/day X1 

Entry Fees include various places (varies): At Kaas and a few places in Mahabaleshwar: INR 200 approx.

Total: 2900 INR(4900 INR in case car availed)

Nearby Attractions(Satara)

• Kaas(30 km)
• Matheran(225 km)
• Pune(110 km)
• Ahmedabad(770 km)
• Ratnagiri(190 km)
• Amboli(240 km)
• Aihole(350 km)
• Jog Falls(480 km)

• Panchgani(50 km)
• Mahabaleshwar(60 km)
• Mumbai(250 km)
• Hyderabad(550 km)
• Goa(340 km)
• Udupi(590 km)
• Wayanad(850 km)