With the Sea at its feet and charming mountain ranges close by, Mumbai is one city which can keep both, a beach and a mountain person happy. If you are the sand and surf types, there’s a vast coastline to explore which extends from the city, right till the southernmost tip of the country. If you like being closer to the clouds, there are many scenic hill stations where you may enjoy the view from up above, along with some nip in the air. So, we’ve pulled out five destinations which are not too far, are well connected to the city with some fabulous roads and make for some of the best road trips from Mumbai.
Nashik
At a distance of 170 kilometres from Mumbai, getting to Nashik is a breeze, thanks to a 4-lane highway which is well maintained and fun to ride on. The Kasara ghat with its many twists and turns is a favourite among bikers and there are many who often mention coffee or tea as an excuse on a Sunday to ride through this section. Towards Nashik, the hill-top town of Igatpuri is a famous day-trip destination, where you may find a quiet and picturesque spot of yourself and enjoy a little picnic.
About 50 km from Igatpuri is the town of Nashik, famous for its world-class vineyards, rosy weather and dreamy windmill farms. An ideal weekend destination, the road trip from Mumbai to Nashik is an enjoyable affair, thanks to a brilliant road which gets you there, along with the vistas one has for the company. Try being there during the harvesting season and you might find your way to an event where they let you jump inside a wooden bucket with a lot of grapes underneath your bare feet. And then you may head to the place where there’s music, good food, great people and fine wine.
Panchgani
A tiny little hill station about 250 km from Mumbai, Panchgani offers amazing weather all-year round. There are two routes one may take to get there. One of them is a relatively straighter route via Pune, while the other lets you enjoy the many twists and turns of the Mumbai-Goa highway before you take an exit towards a thoroughly exciting, 50km long, mostly well maintained hilly road.
Close to the famous, but mostly crowded hill station of Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani offers magnificent views of the tall Sahyadris on one side and the grandeur of the Deccan plateau on the other. The valleys around this place are home to some of the biggest man-made lakes in Maharashtra. The world famous Kaas Plateau is nearby, and if you are here in the right season, the place is filled with the aroma of Strawberries. If you are someone who loves the charm of the hills, this is the best road trip from Mumbai one can undertake, unless you have the time to get to the Himalayas or the Nilgiris further South.
Konkan
If sights of the Sea float your boat, there are countless destinations where you can live your dreams of lazing around in a hammock. Depending on your appetite for munching miles, you may pick Alibag, which is only a couple hours away from Mumbai by road and about an hour by boat. Or you may keep travelling parallel to the Arabian Sea in the southern direction until you find a beach you can call your own.
Along the way, you will come across orchards of mango trees, tall coconut plantations swaying merrily in the wind, and picturesque patches of roads which run parallel to the coastline. When you’re hungry, there’s always a place around which will serve you the freshest of the day’s catch along with some Sol curry which will recharge your weary city bones in an instant.
Raigad Fort Natural Reserve
Combining the rich history and natural reserves of Maharashtra, the Raigad Fort Reserve is an offbeat, but fantastic place to travel to. At a distance of 200 km from Mumbai, the place is home to the Raigad Fort, what used to be the Capital of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s kingdom. If you are the adventurous types, you may take the stairs to get to the fort. If not, you can take an exciting cable car ride to the top, which offers panoramic views of the naturally rich periphery.
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Around the fort, there are countless locations with views which will take your breath away. Take any of the byroads which circumnavigate the area around the Raigad Fort and you are bound to witness the sight of a peacock crossing the road or a rabbit at the very least. If you get there during the rains, the place drapes itself in a surreal cloak of green, with low hanging clouds often giving way to sights of some magnificent waterfalls.
Pawna
If you are the busy types and a Sunday is all you have, Pawna is the ideal natural remedy for your concrete filled vision. A little further away from the perennially crowded town of Lonavala, Pawna offers breath-taking views of a lake, which you can settle for from a spot of your choice. The place allows you to indulge in paragliding if you’re there during the right season. On all other days, just a couple of hours away from Mumbai, it lets you reconnect with yourself or with any friends or family you travel with. If living in Mumbai has made you forget the magic of stargazing, carry your camping gear or simply book one of the places by the lakeside which will let you enjoy that simple luxury along with good food and great weather.
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So next time you’re being mournful about lack of holidays to visit the Himalayas, just pack in a few basics and head out to any of these destinations. You’d come back a happy, content soul.