Lonavala, a popular hill station, is a part of the Sahyadri slopes between Pune and Mumbai. Tourism peaks during the monsoon season. With lots of waterfalls, lakes and hills around, Lonavala is frequented by all sorts of people, especially hikers and trekkers.
This tourist destination has many attractions to its name like the Bhaja caves, Bushi dam, Karla caves, and Rajmachi fort, Ryewood Park, among others. The host of caves like Bhaja, Bedsa and Karla, are believed to be the reason why Lonavala derives its name from the Sanskrit word lonavli, which means caves.
The hilly landscape makes it an ideal destination for adventure sports such as trekking, fishing, and camping. Lord Elphinstone, the Governor of Bombay Presidency in 1871, is credited with the discovery of Lonavala.
Another place of interest is the Tungi Fort; one of the forts captured by Malik Ahmad nears the village of Karjat, known for its natural strength. Several forts including Lohagad, and Tikona were important battle stations during Shivaji’s reign, and fell into Mughal hands under the ‘Treaty of Purandar’.
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