All heat, no play makes Mumbai a dull place to spend these last days of summer in. You may be an eternal traveler, an adventure enthusiast or simply seeking TLC (Tender Loving Care) but if you’re looking for a weekend getaway a few kilometres away from Mumbai, you are in for quite a pleasant surprise.
Sajan Nature Club
Situated 120 kms away from Mumbai in the village Sajan, if you’re looking for a place that lets you chill in your room with a TV complete with room service, Sajan Nature Club is NOT the place for you. An activity centric getaway from Mumbai, Sajan Nature Club is spread over 35 acres of forest cover. You can keep yourself busy with rappelling, kayaking, valley crossing and even visit the Moho Khurd Dam, Jawahar Palace and Kohoj Hill Fort. The place is ideal for day picnics, corporate outings and for family outings. If living in a tree top cottage, eating fresh vegetables right from the organic farm and indulging adventure sports are your idea of a perfect getaway; Sajan Nature Club is just all that.
Address: Sajan Dam, Vikramgadh, Thane, Off Jawhar Road, Maharashtra 421303
Call on 2266557777
Kundalika Rafting Camp
One word, White Water Rafting! Yes, the exact same adventure sport that you’ve seen in numerous movies and have always been keen on trying. River Kundalika is located near Kolad, which in a way can easily be called as the adventure capital of Maharashtra. The rafting in Kundalika is dam controlled and done in the morning at 8:15 am when the water from the dam is released which makes it ideal for rafting. However, certain things advised are to make a one night stay at the resort before venturing into the waters and also, one needs to be above 14 years of age. Even the non-swimmers can participate in this adventure sport, the duration of which approximately 1 hour 45 minutes. You can choose to stay overnight at any of the resorts near Kundalika or proceed for trying other activities at the Kolad Adventure Centre. Also, don’t forget to check out the special summer packages they are offering.
Address: Raigad, Maharashtra 402304
Call on +91 20 66447777/9272882874
The Gold Beach Resort, Daman
If luxury is what you’re seeking, and don’t wish to travel far from Mumbai, the Gold Beach Resort in Daman may just be the right deal for you. Located in Daman at Devka Beach, the resort is located on the beach giving a complete ocean view. Complete with amenities like luxury suites, themed restaurants, swimming pool, boardroom and ambience to die for, the resort is an excuse to get away from the ever bustling city and live life king size! One can travel by road or train via Vapi and the nearest airport is in Mumbai, 177 kms away from the resort.
Address: Plot No. 2/1-B, & 2/1-C, Devka Beach Rd., Marwad, Nani Daman.
Call on (0260) 240 5000
Zbac Adventure Resort
Pick this as your getaway and gear up to train yourself in adventure sports that you didn’t even know about! Be it water activities like white water rafting, water zorbing and raft building to land activities like artificial rappelling, rifle shooting, valley crossing, commando clue hunt and much more, the place is a treat for all you adrenaline junkies. The resort is located in Sutarwadi in Kolad, which is very well known for adventure sports in Maharashtra.
Address: Sutarwadi, Yeral Road, Off. Mumbai – Goa Highway, Kolad, Roha – Dist. Raigad.
Call on 952194- 255198 / 197 or 02194-690403
Della Adventure
The largest adventure park in India, Della is also a popular corporate training destination. No matter what your idea of a getaway is, with a Della Luxury Resort, Camp Della Resort and Della Adventure Resort, the options are limitless. Apart from the 100 adventure sports options like Bungee jumping, ATV Racing, Swoop Swing, Flying Fox, Aqua Zorbing and many more, there are countless options of the ones who aren’t too fond of adventure sports. A swimming pool and lounge, gaming street, restaurants like Café 24, Crème Della and Carbon Café, Fudge and Chikki Store, a nightclub and lounge called P18, a gym and even a salon are the many options available for the non adrenaline junkies.
Just a 90 minute drive from Mumbai, located in the scenic hills of Lonavala, Della Adventure is a must visit weekend getaway.
Address: Kunegaon, Lonavala – 410 401, Maharashtra, India.
Call: +91 – 2114 – 662 700/+91 – 96644 88
Malshej Ghat
Since the place is notorious for landslides in monsoon, the best time to explore it is the summer. Gather your friends or family, get into the car and drive to the Malshej Ghat, a mountain pass located in the Thane district of Maharashtra. Close to the ghats is the Shivneri fort, the birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj. A few places you must visit when at Malshej Ghat are the Malshej Falls, Khireshwar village, Pimpalgaon Joga Dam and Harishchandragad. If you’re fan of flora and fauna and love trekking, Malshej Ghat is the perfect summer getaway for you.
Apart from the various resorts available near Malshej Ghat for accommodation, one can also opt for Flamingo Hill which is a resort run by MTDC or go to Madh village which is only 6km away from Malshej Ghat.
Address: Pune district near the borders of Thane and Ahmednagar districts
Karnala Bird Sanctuary
If bird watching tops your list of interests, Karnala Bird Sanctuary is a one summer getaway you cannot miss. Located in Panvel, near Matheran and Karjat, Karnala Bird Sanctuary is not only home to extremely rare species of birds like Ashy Minivet, three toed kingfisher and Malabar Trogon but also animals like common langur, African monkeys and barking deer. The sanctuary is a 60 km drive from Mumbai, on the Mumbai-Goa highway.
However, it’s advisable to avoid camping at this site and leave the sanctuary before 6 pm as there is a risk of wild animals’ attacks in the evenings. One can drive back to Mumbai or find accommodation at one of the hotels or resorts in Panvel.
Address: NH 66, Karnala, Maharashtra
Harihareshwar
This kind of getaway is for the ones looking for a religious journey or enthusiasts of ancient Indian architecture. Harihareshwar, popular for its temples, is located three hours south of Mumbai in the Raigad district of Konkan. Also known as the Temple Town, it is most well known for its Shiva temple built in the 16th Century.
Apart from being a major pilgrimage centre, it is also a popular beach resort with two beaches. There are plenty of accommodation options available at Harihareshwar like private resorts and even Beds and Breakfasts.
The town is 230 kms away from Mumbai and the nearest railway station is Mangaon, 65 kms on Konkan Railway.
Address: Raigad district, Maharashtra
Durshet
Another adventure camp located only 2 hours away from Mumbai, Durshet is an ideal location for day picnics with families and corporate training programmes. An ideal place to stay at when in Durshet is the Durshet Forest Lodge which is a 35 acre natural forest and is in close proximity to various adventure sports destinations like Kundalika River Rafting, Hot Springs at Uddhar, Amba Valley, Koyna Nagar, Wildlife Sanctuary and much more. The camp boasts of various activities like rappling, rifle shooting, rafting, trekking, rock climbing but also various facilities like swimming pools, conference halls and even an artificial waterfall.
Address: Khopoli – Pali Rd, Maharashtra.
Call on +91 22 66557777
Dabhosa Waterfall
Finding waterfall in this concrete jungle of a city is next to impossible and that’s why we have Dabhosa Waterfall, a 3 hour drive from Mumbai. Located 20 kms on the Jawahar-Silvassa route, Dabhosa is a perennial waterfall. In fact, it is easily one of the highest waterfalls in Maharashtra.
Close to the waterfalls is the Dabhosa Waterfall Resort which offers all adventure centric activities like kayaking, rappelling and flying fox along with complete accommodation and all other necessary facilities.
The best time to visit the waterfalls is June-October, especially since it’s a treat to watch the waterfall in the season of summer.
Address: Dabhosa, Jawahar Taluka, Thane district, Maharashtra
Forget the heavy baggage, booking airline or rail tickets, because all you need to do to reach these picturesque destinations near Mumbai is your car and an equally enthusiastic company.
Featured image: fb.concreteplayground.com.au