Lonavala is a popular hill station and a municipal council situated in Pune District, Maharashtra. The city is located 64 km from Pune city and 96 km from Mumbai. It lies 625 m above sea level in the Sahyadri Ranges, which separate the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan Coast.

The hill station is spread over an area of 38 square km. The name of the city is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Lonavali’, which refers to a ‘group of caves’. The name was given to the place due to the presence of many caves in and around the city.

Lord Elphinstone, who was the Governor of the Bombay Presidency, discovered the city of Lonavala along with Khandala, in 1871. Present day Lonavala was a part of the Yadava Dynasty, which was taken over by the Mughals, who ruled the region for a long time.

There is also an important role of the Malva warriors and the forts of the city in the history of the Maratha and Peshwa Empires. Lonavala was also the main stay of the Malva Warriors, who were regarded as the fiercest Hindu fighting clan. The city has also witnessed great warriors like Sardar Dabhade, who was the commandant of the Peshwa armies. Later, the nearby villages were used as the battleground for many battles between regional Indian rulers and British armies.

The Governor of Bombay favoured Lonavala in 1811 due to its large forest cover. This forest cover made the city a vacation and hunting spot by the British administrators, which lead to its reputation as a tourist destination.

The Tungi Fort of Lonavala is one of its famous tourist spots. Malik Ahmed founded the fort near the village of Kajrat. This fort is known for its natural strength. Apart from this fort, there are also many caves present around the city namely Karla Caves, Bhaja Caves and the Bedsa Caves. The place has valleys, hills, waterfalls and lush greenery due to which it is also called the ‘Jewel of Sahyadri’.

The city is popular for its sweet chikki. Tourists visiting Lonavala must shop for and eat chikkis from renowned stores, for instance, Maganlal’s Stores, which is the most popular of them all. Travellers can also explore Lonavala by participating in some adventure activities, which need not be arduous. Trekking up Kalri Hills and Duke’s Nose, fishing in the many lakes that Lonavala has or just picnicking near them are great options for tourists.

Lonavala connects Mumbai and Pune via rail. The best time to visit Lonavala is during the monsoon, between October and May, when the scenic spots become lush green and the waterfalls are in full flow.

Hotels in lonavala

Low Budget Hotels

1} La Exotica Hotel Call: +(91)-93236437302

2} Lions DEN Hotel Call: +(91)-(2114)-272954

3} Maharaja Inn Call: +(91)-(2114)-272919

4} Hari International Hotel Call: +(91)-(2114)-271679

5} Sancheti Lawns  Call: +(91)-(2114)-275031

6} Kadamb Sahyadri  Call: +(91)-(2114)-273234

7} Lake View Resort  Call: +(91)-(2114)-272141

8} Ravisharn Hotel Call: +(91)-(2114)-276693  

Medium Budget Hotels

1} Sai Moreshwar Resort Call: +(91)-(2114)-278038
2} Kailash Parbat Hotel Call: +(91)-(2114)-273086
3} Avion Holiday Resort Call: +(91)-(2114)-272755
4} Orchard Resort Call: +(91)-(2114)-645301
5} Sahil Sarovar Portico Call: +(91)-(2114)-270060
6} Sterling Holidays Call: +(91)-(2114)-275299
7} Purohit Holiday Resort Call: +(91)-(2114)-273473
8} Valvan Village Resort Call: +(91)-(2114)-274111   

High budget hotels 

1} Treasure Island Resort Call: +(91)-(2114)-282505
2} Bijis Hill Retreat Call: +(91)-(2114)-322099
3} Kumar Resort & Water Park Call: +(91)-(2114)-273091
4} Basilica Holiday Homes Call: +(91)-(2114)-278141
5} Citrus Hotel Call: +(91)-(2114)-398100
6} Fariyas Holiday Resort  Call: +(91)-(2114)-273852 

Sightseeing in Lonavala & Khandala

Bushy Dam about 6kms from Lonavala is favoured tourist spot. When the water levels of the dam rises the water spills over and manifests into a small waterfall and picnickers like to sit on the steps and feel the cool water gushing over them. One word of caution though, be careful as the force of water tends to increase suddenly

Tiger valley

Tiger's Leap near INS Shivaji is a curiously shaped cliff - a sheer 650 m drop into the valley. From the top one gets sweeping views of the sylvan landscape

sunset point khandala

Khandala (Marathi: खंडाळा) is a hill station in the Western Ghats in the state of Maharashtra, India, about three kilometres from Lonavala and seven kilometers from Karjat.

Khandala is located at one (top) end the Bhor Ghat, a major ghat (meaning valley in Marathi) on the road link between the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan plain. The ghat carries an extensive amount of road and rail traffic. The Mumbai-Pune Expressway, the main link between the major cities of Mumbai and Pune, passes through Khandala.

Mtdc karla water park

Karla Resort Water Park (KRWP), the place is only 2.5 km far from Lonavala and is MTDC’s first project into the this sector after successfully enriching into other activities such a houseboats, water sports, tents, snorkeling, scuba diving, forts, etc.