Skip Lonavala, Head To These 12 Places Instead For A Perfect Getaway

This is Asia's only automobile-free hill station. Located in the Western Ghats, it is tucked 2,620+ feet above sea level and lends a similar hill station feel as Lonavala. Picture lush green hills traversed with clean, long roads. The hill station is known for its viewpoints, like Panorama Point, One Tree Hill, Louisa Point, Echo Point, and Alexander Point. You will love visiting Charlotte Lake, which is Matheran's primary water source. Reaching here is a beautiful journey in a narrow-gauge toy train that connects Neral in Mumbai to Matheran. It is a pedestrian-only place, so expect a lot of nature walks and horse riding adventures. 

Main attractions: Panorama Point, Charlotte Lake, Echo Point, Belvedere Point, Prabal Fort, Dodhani Waterfalls, Chanderi Caves

Best time to visit: Winters, October to March

Distance: 90 km from Mumbai

Closest city: Mumbai

Reach by: Local train till Neral, then a toy train. 

This is a beautiful mountain pass in the Western Ghats that makes for a scenic weekend getaway from Pune. Mirroring the serene, narrow roads of Lonavala, Malshej Ghat has fewer crowds frequenting it. The place is filled with several milky waterfalls, especially during the monsoon, and is a hub for birdwatching. There are various trekking places through villages and forts here, including some places to try rappelling and rock climbing as well. You get to boat through a dam and hike through forests to get to a beautiful waterfall, so your natural weekend getaway writes itself here. 

Main attractions:  Harishchandragad Fort, Ajuba Hill Fort, Malshej Waterfalls, Pimpalgaon Joga Dam, Konkan Kada

Best time to visit: August to September

Distance: 120 km from Pune

Closest city: Pune

Reach by: Via road from Kalyan Nagar station. 

Also called the 'ghost town,' Lavasa is a planned hill station based on the Italian town of Portofino. It features beautiful lakes and picturesque townscapes that look straight out of a movie. While construction of the city was stopped midway several times due to funding problems (owing to little to no crowd here), this hill station in Mulshi valley still invites travelers with its nature-hugging trails and intriguing treks. The city features beautiful Italian-influence architecture and hosts adventure sports like rappelling, hiking, boating, and rafting on its pristine waters. The art villages here will treat you to beautiful creations by local artisans. 

Main attractions:  Tikona Fort, Devkund Waterfall, Dasve Viewpoint, Tamhini Ghat, Bamboosa, Lavasa Lakeside Promenade

Best time to visit: October to March

Distance: 65 km from Pune

Closest city: Pune

Reach by: Cab or your own car. There are state-owned buses too that ply here often. 

Igatpuri is another hill station in the municipal district of Nashik and is famous for the Vipassana International Academy. Popularly known as the Dhamma Giri, this academy will help you master Vipassana for self-discovery and focused observation. Apart from the meditation hub, this hill station has jaw-dropping scenic views and raging falls that will quieten your mind. It has mist-clad hills on one side and winding trails leading to pristine valleys on the other. There’s also camel riding, adventure sports, and mountain passes that interlude the magnificent Sahyadri hills. 

Main attractions:  Myanmar Ghat, Vipassana International Academy, Sandhan Valley, Kulangadd Trek, Kasara Ghat, Tringalwadi Fort, Ghatandevi Temple

Best time to visit: December to February

Distance: 136 km from Mumbai

Closest city: Mumbai

Reach by: It's a 3-hour road trip from Mumbai. You can also take a flight to Nashik and then board a cab. 

If you are an art and environment enthusiast, then this option is the best one for you. This hill station bordering Gujarat has an artist village culture centre that displays and sells tribal arts and crafts by the local Dang tribes of the region. It has a lot of green spaces like the Lake Garden that are  ideal for picnics or simply enjoying the beauty of nature. The hill town is blessed with serene hill trails that make for good road trips. 

Main attractions: Sunset Point, Lake Garden, Gira Waterfalls, Vansda National Park, Saputara Lake, Step Garden, Saputara Museum, Ahwa village. 

Best time to visit: October to February

Distance: 120 km from Gujarat

Closest city: Gujarat

Reach by: The nearest station is Bilimora, which is 50 km away. You can board a cab from here. Regular trains travel between Bilimora and Ahmedabad, Mumbai, and Pune. 

Lush tea estates, powerfully raging falls, and untouched natural views; that's Valparai for you. This south Indian hill station is situated in Tamil Nadu, in the Anaimalai Hills of the Western Ghats. This hill station is sought after especially by adrenaline junkies due to its nine steep hair pin bends while reaching it via road. It is located 3,500 feet above sea level and is home to a lot of indigenous tribal communities. Expect trekking, camping, wildlife safaris, bird watching, and tea estate tours in this serene landscape. 

Main attractions: Aliyar Dam, Birla Waterfalls, Grass Hills National Park, Tea Estate Garden, Nirar Dam, Nallamudi Viewing Point, Anaimalai Tiger Reserve. 

Best time to visit: October to February

Distance: 112 km from Coimbatore

Closest city: Coimbatore

Reach by: Pollachi and Coimbatore are the nearest train stations. From here, you can travel by road to Valparai. 

Kolli Hills understands the assignment of being a hill station and features 70 hairpin bends that wind up to this scenic paradise! It features the beautiful Agaya Gangai waterfalls that can be reached after a trek of 1,000 steps. Kolli Hills is known for its coffee plantations and the many other trekking trails that flank this natural paradise. It also hosts a government-maintained medicinal farm that helps you understand the flora and fauna of the region. If you are tired of the hype surrounding Lonavala and want a challenging yet fun getaway, Kolli Hills would do. 

Main attractions: Agaya Gangai Waterfalls, Pineapple Farms, Puliancholai, Arapaleeshwarar Temple, Botanical Garden, Siddhar Caves, Nakeerankoil Waterfalls, Boat House, Trekking Trails. 

Best time to visit: October to March

Distance: 93 km from Salem

Closest city: Salem

Reach by: The nearest railway station is Salem, which is 90 km away. You can take a state-run bus or a cab from here. 

Amboli, located in Sindhudurg, is one of the world's ecological hotspots as it is abundant in flora and fauna. It is about 700 metres above sea level and is known as the 'Queen of Maharashtra.' Like Lonavala, this is one of the best places for a serene getaway, with not much to do but marvel at the natural beauty. It has a few temples that you can visit and a sunset point for a mesmerising evening view. 

Main attractions: Nangartas Waterfall, Mahadevgad, Kavlesaad, Shri Hiranyakeshi Temple, Sunset Point, Shirgaonkar Point, Parikshit Point

Best time to visit: June to August

Distance: 118 km from Goa

Closest city: Goa

Reach by: The nearest railway station is Sawantwadi, and the nearest airport is Dabolim in Goa.

This is a scenic village in the East Khasi district of Meghalaya that is known as the 'cleanest village of Asia.' It is often called 'God's own garden,' due to its no-vehicle-inside policy. Visitors are supposed to pay an entry fee of INR 200 and leave their vehicles where the village starts. The village is inhabited by the Khasi tribe, who are matrilineal, meaning they take the surname of the wife/woman of the household. Even though it is a village, you'd be surprised to know that it has a 100% literacy rate. For sights, the village has naturally built root bridges nearly 300 years old, churches, waterfalls, and best of all: nature.

Main attractions: Skyview Point, Borhill Falls, Byrdraw Falls, Nohwet View Point, Rymben Falls

Best time to visit: June to November

Distance: 80 km from Shillong

Closest city: Shillong

Reach by: You can drive from Shillong to Mawlynnong, which takes about three hours. 

Also known as 'Satpura ki Rani,'  Pachmarhi is a hill station in the Hoshangabad district of Maharashtra. Recognised as an UNESCO Biosphere Hotspot, it is known for its beautiful sights as it is tucked away in natural surroundings. Expect a lot of calming waterfalls, serene trekking opportunities, and national parks that house endangered species of fauna. Its highest point provides a vast view of the Satpura hills. As it is close to Mumbai, it is perhaps the closest alternative to Lonavala. 

Main attractions: Dhoopgarh, Jatashankar Temple, Priyadarshini Point, Satpura National Park, Apsara Vihar, Bee Falls

Best time to visit: March to June

Distance: 135 km from Bhopal

Closest city: Bhopal

Reach by: The nearest railway station is Piapriya, which is 40 km away. You can take a cab from there. 

Tirthan Valley is famous for being the gateway to the Great Himalayan National Park. Picture crystal-clear streams, scenic views of the Himalayas, and unspoiled villages at the foot of the hills. Jibhi is a charming village in this valley and allows you to stay in tree houses. While it misses the long waterfalls of Lonavala, it is a similar, serene getaway if you ever want to embrace some slow living away from the city. 

Main attractions: Chhoie Waterfall, Serolsar Lake, Jalori Pass, Raghupur Fort, Jibhi Village, Gushaini Village, Shringi Rishi Temple, Great Himalayan National Park. 

Best time to visit: October to March

Distance: 200 km from Shimla

Closest city: Shimla

Reach by: The nearest airport is Bhuntar, which is two hours away from Tirthan Valley. If you prefer bus, you can get down at Aut and take a cab to Jibhi. 

Ziro Valley is quite underrated and off-beat. It is home to rare orchids and other flowers like Rhododendron arboreum (Sanji Apu), Hedychium ellipticum (Pappi Apu), and Hedychium densiflorum. Snow-clad and peacefully green, Ziro in Arunachal Pradesh is a hill station with pleasing paddy fields and mighty pine hills. It is a UNESCO heritage site that hosts the Kile Pakho viewpoint, from where you can view the Himalayas on one side and the Ziro plateau on the other. In September, the town comes alive with the Ziro Music Festival. 

Main attractions: Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Apatani Villages, Kile Pakho, Meghna Cave Temple. 

Best time to visit: September to March

Distance: 98 km from Jorhat, Assam

Closest city: Jorhat

Reach by: Tezpur Airport and Guwahati International Airport are fairly close. The nearest railway station is Naharlagun.