A popular weekend getaway from Mumbai, Matheran is located just 90 km from the big city. Perched on an elevation of about 800 metres on the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, the hill station has a pleasant climate. Literally meaning ‘forest on the head’, Matheran refers to the thick woods at the top of the hill. This is the smallest hill station in India.
Matheran was first frequented in the mid-19th century by British officials and visitors from Bombay, and it has continued to be a popular tourist destination. It is Asia’s only automobile-free hill station. Automobiles are not permitted here, and with ponies transporting luggage, people on horseback and the lack of tarred roads, Matheran retains the vintage charm of hill stations developed by the British.
There are around 38 designated look-out points in Matheran, including the Panorama Point that provides a 360-degree view of the surrounding area, and also the Neral town.
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