Situated at an altitude of 800 mt, Matheran is an undulating hilltop covered with trees that stretch across the entire range of the city. Undoubtedly one of Maharashtra’s most beautiful and well-maintained hill station, the availability of roads and railways have made Matheran accessible to all people. Also, the ban on motor vehicles inside Matheran has preserved its natural look and beauty.

Literally meaning ‘jungle topped' or 'wooded head', the adventure of  'Matheran'  begins  right  from  the  time  you  decide  to  go  there.

Because getting here is half the fun! From Neral, take a tiny, narrow gauge toy train up the 21 kms route to the hill. You are faced with just two choices, train or walk, and the trekking route is an 11 kms long climb! The train twists, turns and slowly winds it's way up the steep two-hour ascent to the center of the town. Food and drink vendors cling to the outside and at one time you pass through the romantic One Kiss Tunnel.

Once here, apart from just soaking up the purity of the place, you can enjoy a number of walking tracks and the incredible views that Matheran provides. From Porcupine, Monkey or Hart points on the north-west of the hill, you can see the mesmerizing lights of Mumbai on a clear night. Porcupine is also a good point for catching the sunset but Panaroma point at the extreme north, is famed for the finest views. The western side, from Porcupine to Louisa point is known as Cathedral Rocks, and Neral can be seen far below. At the south, near One Tree Hill, a trail down to the valley below is known as Shivaji's Ladder, so called because the Maratha leader is said to have used it.

When it's time to pull yourself out of the magical Matheran, do get a sample of the sinfully sweet specialty—Chikki. So that when you are back into the hum-drum of city life, the sweet after-taste of Mantheran still lingers - in your mouth and your mind.

Activities at Matheran

Matheran has 38 points at which you can get a glimpse of nature's beauty. One of the must visit point is the King George Point as it offers a beautiful view of the waterfall formed by the water overflowing from Charlott Lake. Charlott Lake is the only water source atop Matheran and it provides water to the entire city. However, to cover most of these points, you will require at least one night stay in Matheran. Point seeing in Matheran is quite easy due to the presence of sign boards and map.

	The closest airport is Bombay, around 100 km away.
	From Mumbai, you can take a local train to Neral, where a tiny toy train waits to take people to Matheran. Mumbai to Neral takes around two hours, while the toy-train journey takes an hour and a half.

Getting Around in Matheran

No vehicles are allowed inside Matheran. So you can move around on hand-pulled rickshaw or on a pony to the town center or the view points that the place boasts of.