Jawhar – City of Waterfalls
Mumbai’s Mahabaleshwar with lots of waterfalls and rich tribal heritage
It’s almost end of May. Southwest Monsoon has already advanced over the South Andaman Sea and most of us are already in the process of identifying unexplored places to enjoy first rain. Look no further than Jawhar!
Few years back, we were searching for a weekend destination near Mumbai within 2-3 hours either by Train or Bus. As usual, most recommendations were around Khandala, Lonavala, Igatpuri etc. One of the unheard recommendations was Jawhar at that time and we started searching more on that. We decided to go by State Transport bus from Thane bus stand which took around 4.5 hrs. to reach Jawhar .
Journey was longer than expected but amazing and memorable on those tiny, winding hilly roads.
Jawhar is known as Mumbai’s Mahabaleshwar as it’s a small hill station situated at around 450 mtr from sea level. It’s famous for waterfalls and also for rich tribal culture. There are many open spaces, farms and grasslands here and hardly any houses or buildings. You will see herds of livestock grazing and roaming alongside the roads. Places to eat are few but they make delicious local cuisine.
Places to visit in Jawhar:
Dabhosa Waterfall
One of the major attractions of Jawhar, Dabhosa waterfall is around 16 km away from main city center. It is surrounded by dense forest and water falls from around height of 300 ft which makes it one of the highest waterfall in Maharashtra. What makes it unique is how it cascades into a crater shaped bowl.
Jai Vilas Palace
Jai Vilas palace was built by royal family of Raja Yashwant Rao Mukane. Made of pink stone, it is a wonderful structure! The architecture style is a blend of Indian and Western culture. Many Bollywood movies have been filmed in this palace due its unique beauty.
Hanuman Point
Hanuman point is located around 2 Km from city center. This point is named after the old Maruti temple surrounded by beautiful valleys. One can see view of Jai Vilas palace from this point.
Sunset Point
Do visit sunset point in the evening which is around 1Km from main city and offers beautiful breathtaking valley view.
Shirpamal
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had stayed at Shirpamal for a night during journey towards Surat which makes it historically important place.
Kalmandavi Waterfall
Recently, Kalmandavi waterfall has become very famous on social media due to its spectacular views. The water is deep here, so do proper research before you include this in your itinerary. It may be dangerous to visit in Monsoon here.
How to reach Jawhar:
By Air
Nearest airport is at Nashik, around 80 Km from Jawhar but there won’t be many flights to and from Nashik. So, Mumbai International Airport will be more feasible which is 125 km from Jawhar. Cabs can be easily hired from the airport.
By Train
Nearest railway station is Igatpuri which is 70 km away. Local cabs or State Transport buses are available to take you to Jawhar.
By Road
Jawhar is very well connected to various cities of Maharashtra by national Highways like NH-848 or NH-48.