Mahabaleshwar is a town in Satara district of the state of Maharashtra, India. It is also a popular hill station in the state and is located in the Western Ghat of India. It is elevated at the altitude of 1372 m and is adorned with many beautiful natural sights. It was developed by the British as summer resort. It was also the summer capital of Bombay Presidency in the British rule. Marathi is widely spoken language here and Hindi is also spoken by some. Mahabaleshwar is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire state. It houses many places of attraction. Morarji Castle is one of them. The castle is old one and built in British style architecture. The castle is surrounded by many other colonial structures. . Mount Malcon is a mansion built in the memory of John Malcom. It was built in the year 1829 AD. It is fascinating place in Mahabaleshwar and one of the earliest edifices to be found here. Pratapgarh fort is another interesting place near Mahabaleshwar. It is the same place where Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj killed Afzalkhan, a Mogul knight. The fort is 24 km from Mahabaleshwar and it was built in 1656. Mahabaleshwar temple is a temple of lord Shiva. The temple is visited by locals and tourists as well. Connaught Peak is another yet another places of attraction in Mahabaleshwar. It is the second highest peak in Mahabaleshwar. Earlier it was known as Mount Olympia.
Road connects Mahabaleshwar to other parts of the state and country. Many state run buses and other private vehicles are available from Pune, Satara, Mumbai and many other cities and towns of the state. It is just 58 km away from Satara while it is 120 km from Pune. Satara railway station is nearest railhead to this hill town and well linked by many trains to many other cities and towns of the state. Pune Airport serves the nearest airbase to it and is well connected by several domestic flights to other major cities of India. There are many hotels and resorts which provides accommodation facilities to tourists. It is better to book your rooms in advance.
