Weekend Destinations From Pune

From the is legacy of past empires to swanky gardens, this emerging metropolis has it all. Pune is a wonderful place to explore, not only because of the co-existence of colonial-era charm and contemporary beauty, but also for its remarkable dining and wining scene and a handful of destinations nearby. With Mahabaleshwar on south and Lonavala in the north, Pune is an ideal gateway to some of the beautiful weekend destinations.

Destinations within 25 km

Khadakwasla

Distance from the city- 20 km Travel time- 44 min How to travel- Bus Type - Picnic/Romantic What to do - Visit Khadakwasla Dam, Kudje village, Peacock Bay and Neelkanteshwar. Best time to visit- During monsoons Weather - Tropical Brief History - Khadakwasla is a perfect destination for couples and teenagers who want to spend time together and go for long rides. In the vicinity of Khadakwasla Dam, there is a popular National Defence Academy and Central Water & Power Research Station (CWPRS). Additionally, there is a ‘Chowpatty’ that offers excellent food and non-alcoholic drinks.

Khed Shivapur

Distance from the city - 23 km Travel time - 52 min How to travel - Buses and Rent-A-Car facility available from Pune Type - Adventure/ Picnic What to do - Visit Ananda Valley, Rajgad Water Park, Kids Café, MKS Pool & Snooker Best time to visit - During & Post Monsoon Weather - Moderate Brief History - Khed Shivapur is a village in Haveli Taluka in Pune district of Maharashtra. With Marathi being the local language at Khed Shivapur, the village belongs to Desh or Paschim Maharashtra region. Gram Panchayat is the government body at Khed Shivapur.

Destinations within 50 km

Jadhavgadh Fort

Distance from the city- 33 km Travel time - 1 hr 11 mins How to travel - Road from Pune to Jadhavgadh Fort is marked with easy-to-understand directions. Type- Heritage/Picnic What to do - Best for conferences, corporate get-togethers, meets and royal weddings. Best time to visit - Throughout the year Weather - Unpleasant summers and chilly winters Brief history - Jadhavgadh Fort takes you on a journey through 300 years of history of the Maratha regime. It is a perfect destination for hosting corporate events and a royal wedding. As one of a kind resort in India, the Jadhavgadh Fort has a poolside spa along with plenty of activities for entertainment and relaxation.

Sinhagad Fort

Distance from the city - 32 km Travel time - 1 hr 11 min How to travel - Buses, Taxis, Trains, Flights Type - Historical/Adventure/Campaigns What to do - Trekking Best time to visit - July to February Weather - Too hot during March-June Brief history - Sinhagad Fort in Pune offers a glimpse of the glorious past of Pune. It is located on a hilltop and has been a favorite ground for trekkers. Here, you can observe the simplicity of the tomb of Tanaji, Shivaji’s favorite general. Additionally, the fort also has an interesting track worth exploring.

Panshet Dam

Distance from the city - 50 km Travel time - 1 hr 28 min How to travel - Car Hire facility & Deluxe buses are available Type- Picnic/ Adventure What to do - Visit Panshet Lake & Panshet Water Park. Best time to visit - Between October and May Weather - Moderate rainfall from July-September, Temperature rises up to 42 degrees from March to June. Brief history - Panshet Dam is a one-day picnic spot near Pune. During the rainy season, you can view multiple waterfalls. Boating and other water sports can be enjoyed at the Panshet Dam. Enjoy your breakfast, tea and lunch alongside the dam and soak in a brilliant view.

Kamshet

Distance from the city - 48 km Travel time - 1 hr 9 min How to travel - Private vehicles/Public Transport Type - Trekking/Pilgrimage/Adventure What to do - Vadivali Lake, Kondeshwar Temple, Vidveshwar Temple, Karla, Bhaja & Bhedsa Caves Best time to visit - Oct-Jun Weather - Tropical Brief history - Kamshet is surrounded by small villages and is dotted with several old temples and medieval hill fortresses. The place is well known for paragliding and flying schools. Other vital attractions include Pavana Lake and Shinde Wadi hills.

Destinations within 100 km

Lavasa

Distance from the city - 57 Km Travel time - 1 hr 52 min How to travel - Private car Type - Picnic What to do - Take a day out just to marvel at lush green hills. Best time to visi t- Throughout the year Weather - Pleasant throughout the year Brief history - Lavasa is a planned hill city based on the Italian town Portofino. It is spread across seven hills, covering an area of 25000 acres with a perfect blend of beauty and infrastructure.

Lonavala

Distance from the city - 65.2 Km Travel time - 1 hr 38 min How to travel - Private/Rented Car/Bus, Lonavala Railway Station is well connected to Pune & Mumbai Type - Adventure/Family What to do - City Shopping/ Visit Tiger’s Leap, Lonavala Lake, Amrutanjan Point, Celebrity Wax Museum Best time to visit - Throughout the year Weather - Moderate with warm summers Brief history - As a popular hill station, Lonavala is appealing to hikers and trekkers. The place is well-known for its historic caves, pretty lakes and striking forts. Lonavala is surrounded by dense forest, dam alongside lakes and waterfalls. Some of the best tourist attractions in Lonavala include Bhaja Caves, Karla Caves, Bushi Dam, Rajmachi Fort and Ryewood Lake.

Rajmachi

Distance from the city - 78 km Travel time - 2 hrs 4 min How to travel - Follow the route to Rajmachi via Vadgoan and Pangoli. Type - Historic/Adventurous What to do - Visit Shrivardhan Fort and Manaranjan Fort. Best time to visit - September to March Weather - Pleasant throughout the year Brief history - Rajmachi is a small village located within the Sahyadri ranges. It has a fort which is quite popular among the hikers who trek up to here on routes starting from Lonavla. Rajmachi has trekking and camping programs organized throughout the year.

Destinations within 150 km

Panchgani

Distance from the city - 101.5 km Travel time - 2 hrs 17 min How to travel - Cabs Type - Picnic What to do - Visit Sydney Point, Table Land, Parsi Point, Devil’s Kitchen & Mapro Garden Best time to visit - Sep-May Weather - 12 degree celsius during winters, 34 degree celsius during summers Brief history - Panchgani is a well-known hill station near Mahabaleshwar and is recognised for its multiple sunset/sunrise points and scenic valley view. Panchgani is also popular for its strawberry farms and the Strawberry Festival that's held every summer.

Mahabaleshwar

Distance from the city - 120 Km Travel time - 2 hr 59 min How to travel - Hire a car/Bus, Follow the route Pune-> Shindevadi-> Shirwal-> Wai-> Mahabaleshwar Type - Historic/Family/Pilgrimage What to do - Boating in Venna Lake, Visit Mapro Garden, Elephant’s Head Point, Pratapgarh Fort, Lord Mahabaleshwar Temple, Wilson Point. Best time to visit - Oct-June Weather - Very moderate around the year Brief history - Mahabaleshwar is well-known for its evergreen forest and has emerged as a renowned pilgrimage site for Hindus. Set amidst lush, green hills, Mahabaleshwar has been recognized as a brilliant holiday spot for nature lovers. Some of the best resorts situated in Mahabaleshwar include Saj Resort, Brightland Resort & Spa, Citrus Chambers, Evershine Resorts, Bella Vista Resort and many more.

Alibaug

Distance from the city - 141 km Travel time - 3 hr 8 mins How to travel - Autos/Own vehicle Type - Romantic What to do- Visit Kihim Beach, Alibaug Beach, Kanakeshwar Devasthan Temple, Kanakeshwar Forest, Kolaba Fort and Hanuman Temple. Best time to visit - Nov-March Weather - Tropical Brief history - Alibaug is a sub-division in the Raigad district in Maharashtra. It is endowed with serene and beautiful beaches along with many historical temples with intricate artwork.

Matheran

Distance from the city - 126 km Travel time - 2 hr 31 min How to travel - Hire a car/ Take a train from Pune to Mumbai and then journey by taxi Type - Adventure What to do- Trekking Best time to visit - Throughout the year Weather - Cool and less humid climate throughout the year Brief history - Matheran is a beautiful hill station which has been declared an Eco sensitive region by the government. No automobiles are allowed in Matheran and you can find a huge variety of medicinal herbs and plants.

Bhimashankar

Distance from the city - 100 km Travel time - 2 hr 45 min How to travel - State transport buses, Cabs, Six-seater rickshaw Type - Religious/Adventurous What to do - Trekking, visiting Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary and Hanuman Lake. Best time to visit - Nov-Feb Weather - Low temperature with heavy showers during monsoon Brief history - As a populat temple town, Bhimashankar is among one of the 12 traditional ‘jyotirlingam’ shrines of Lord Shiva in India. Surrounded by hills, Bhimashankar is also loved by trekkers. The place is covered by lush green rainforests.

Mumbai

Distance from the city - 148.3 Km Travel time - 2 hr 40 min How to travel - Volvo buses and trains like Deccan Express, Sinhagad Express and more Type - Heritage/Family What to do - Visit Marine Drive, Gateway of India, Haji Ali Dargah, Siddhivinayak Temple Best time to visit - Oct-Feb Weather - Tropical wet & dry, moderately hot with high level of humidity Brief history - Better known as the Financial Capital of India, Mumbai is known for multiple forms, dimensions and faces. Tourist attractions include Mount Mary Church, Juhu Beach, Colaba Causeway, Bandra Worli Sea Link, Elephanta Caves and many more.

Kolad

Distance from the city - 113.3 km Travel time - 2 hr 49 min How to travel - Own vehicle Type - Adventure What to do - Water Rafting Best time to visit- June-March Weather - Tropical Brief history - Kolad boasts of natural beauty which is best witnessed during the monsoon. Majestic valleys and picturesque backdrops make Kolad a delightful treat for nature lovers and shutter bugs. River Kundalika is Kolad’s main tourist attraction.

Bhandardara

Distance from the city - 163 km Travel time - 5 hr How to travel - State transport buses, taxis Type - Adventure What to do - Trekking, small off sites, OMD program (Outdoor Management program). Best time to visit - Jun-March Weather- Tropical Brief history - Bhandardara is a hill station situated in the Sahyadri ranges of Maharashtra. Expansive greenery and humble waterfalls make Bhandardara a perfect holiday spot. The place also serves as an excellent stepover en route to Shirdi and as a suitable base point for multiple treks in the area.

Panvel

Distance from the city - 114.7 km Travel time - 3 hr How to travel- Passenger trains, buses, taxis and autos Type - Heritage/Religious What to do - Trekking Best time to visit - Jul-Feb Weather- Tropical Brief history - Panvel is well-known for its forts and is also called the Gateway of the Konkan coast. As a popular trekking spot, Panvel houses beautiful migratory birds like the Magpie Robin, the Malabar Whistling Thrush and the Paradise Flycatcher. Destinations within 250 km

Shirdi

Distance from the city - 199 km Travel time - 4 hr 6 min How to travel - Tourist cabs/taxis/buses Type - Religious/Family What to do- Visit Khandoba Mandir and witness Thursday Palki procession Best time to visit- Jul-March Weather- Dry weather with hot summer and pleasant winter Brief history - Popularly known as the land of Sai Baba, Shirdi comprises various temples apart from the main Sai Samadhi Temple. The small town of Shirdi is dotted with religious spots and activities which can easily calm your soul. Other places worth visiting in Shirdi include Chawadi, Samadhi Mandir, Dwarakamai Masjid and Shani Shignapur. Destinations within 350 km

Silvassa

Distance from the city- 303.7 km Travel time - 5 hr 9 min How to travel- No direct trains, buses or flights. For bus & train travel, follow route: Pune-Vapi-Silvassa Type - Family/ Historical What to do - Visit Vanganga Lake, Island Garden, Hirwa Van Gardens, Tapovan Tourist Complex Best time to visit - Nov- Jun Weather - Tropical Brief history - Silvassa is located in the southern region of Gujarat and close to Vapi. It is famous for its greenery, exotic resorts, industries and tax-free alcohol. Kilvani Road is the main market in Silvassa and you can find a range of cuisines with main focus on Gujarati cuisine in addition to international cuisines like Italian, Chinese, etc.

Daman

Distance from the city - 307.7 km Travel time - 5 hr 10 min How to travel - Sedan cars/Sleeper Buses Type - Heritage/Family What to do - Visit Devka Beach, Jampore Beach, Cathedral of Bom Jesus, Lighthouse Best time to visit - Oct-April Weather - Sub-tropical Brief history - Daman is a beautiful city, surrounded by Gujarat, Maharashtra and Arabian Sea on the sides. With a history of 2000 years, Daman is excellently tinted with colours of simplicity and festivity. Beaches add to the exquisite beauty of Daman, adding to the tourist experience and natural splendour.

Destinations within 500 km

Dandeli

Distance from the city- 439.3 km Travel time - 7 hr 23 min How to travel - Cab/Train route is Pune-Belgaum-Dandeli Type - Historical/Pilgrimage/Family What to do - White water rafting, kayaking, coracle rides, wildlife and bird watching, camping & trekking Best time to visit - Oct-May Weather- 33 degree celsisus in summers, pleasant winters and heavy rains during monsoon Brief history - Dandeli lies close to the Kali River. It is surrounded by wildlife sanctuaries and its forests are home to numerous species of birds and wild animals. Dandeli also has some native tribes staying in its forested land. Festivals like Dasara, Ramleela, Ganesh Chaturthi and Deepawali are celebrated here. This depicts the diversity of population staying in Dandeli.

Tarkarli

Distance from the city - 391 km Travel time - 7 hr 46 min How to travel - Car/Bus, Pune to Tarkarli via Kolhapur has a convenient Gagan bawada ghat road Type - Historical/Family What to do - Visit Sindhudurg Fort, Devbaug Beach, Bhogave Beach, Tondavali Beach, Bharadi Devi Temple Best time to visit- Oct-March Weather- Pleasant throughout the year/ cool breeze blowing all day long Brief history - Tarkarli is a coastal village in the Malvan region. It has gained recognition for its beach and resorts. Tarkarli has the Karli River flowing nearby and meeting the Arabian Sea at the Devbaug Beach. Also, there is the Sindhudurg Fort at the edge of the village. Amusement Parks in Pune: Diamond Water Park Krushnai Water Park