Igatpuri Near Mumbai – A Perfect Monsoon Destination

“A handy guide to a perfect monsoon destination near Mumbai called ‘Igatpuri, which is just 120 Km from the city For first-timers, Igatpuri hill station is monsoon heaven, A perfect location for waterfalls, Serenity, Greenery, and Mountains, which is what all nature lovers want. Below is my personal experience and travel review of this attraction.”

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Igatpuri Fast Facts

• Location: A Hill station on Central Railway Route for Mumbai Local Trains and Outstation Trains are available.
• Perfect Time & Season to Visit: Monsoon between Mid-June till September End (Better ignore during very heavy rains days).
• Known For: Hill station, Weekend Gateway, Monsoon Destination, Ghats, Waterfall, Valley view.
• Distance from Mumbai: 120 Km, On Mumbai Nashik Agra Highway.
• Total Days Required For SightSeeing : In Maximum 2 days one can complete all sightseeing locations in and around Igatpuri. Although many visit Igatpuri for a day picnic too.
• Other Attractions: Drive ahead to Nashik as there are a couple of Vineyards, A Famous Shiv temple ‘Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling Mandir’. A casual drive from/to this temple via ‘Trimbak Gothi’ Road is a day well spent on a traffic-free road with beautiful villages, No pollution.
• Vehicle Recommended: Yes, If coming via train, Autos are available near the railway station.
• Accommodation: Ample stay facilities for all budgets available.
• Toll Charges: Nashik highway toll charges are Rs.105.

Road Drive Experience

From my experience, I would always recommend starting your drive early, around 6:00 a.m., to avoid city traffic. Once you are on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway and have crossed Shahpur, The monsoon magic greenery wow experience starts.

The waterfall and the Scenic Valley of Igatpuri are still far away. Next comes the mesmerizing experience of driving on Kasara Ghat Road, and I am sure You will love to take a break and click some pictures and selfies at one of the safest points on this road.

I would like to detail a few important points and mistakes to avoid while on such a drive. Read on.

Road Drive Experience

Drive Video

Merely 120 km on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway (NH 160), The Fun starts as soon as you cross Bhiwandi, Vasind, and Shahpur villages. The misty climate and green mountains during the monsoon welcome you, and the clouds play around with you till you reach Igatpuri. The zigzag roads of Kasara Ghat, romancing with nature, are a great experience, with the bonus of music playing if possible. As soon as the perfectly picturesque location starts, most of you will be ready with your mobile and professional cameras.

Cross the Ghat area, and in no time you will reach the Igatpuri highway, which is part of a 15-square-kilometer area that is elevated at 600 meters above sea level. If you are coming from Vasai Virar or far from Gujarat, A shortcut road from the Virar Highway (Shirshad) can save you from Huge traffic ahead, the Nashik toll, and most importantly, time.

Road Cautions: Steep roads near Ghat, Drive slow. Stopping vehicles on Ghat is not permitted. Police vans are on continuous patrol here.

The road route that starts on Virar Phata Usgaon Vajreshwari Ambadi Naka Gondravali and Other small villages on Ambadi Vasind Road, which finally connects to Mumbai Nashik Road.

Road Cautions: The road between Ambadi Naka and Vasind (Nashik Highway) is 24 km, and most of the time, the road condition is bad. You may not go beyond speed 20 here. still worth an experience.

Igatpuri Monsoon Attractions

1. Vihigaon Waterfall: Also locally called ‘Lake Vaitarna Waterfall’ or ‘Ashoka Waterfall’, If lucky and there are no heavy rains, Ashoka waterfall at Vihigaon village is the first thing one should explore before heading to Igatpuri.

   WHY? Because this waterfall is located just after the Kasara ghat and before Igatpuri. A small road on the steep turn of the ghat goes to Vihigaon waterfall. On the left is a very small board that is easily ignored while driving, So keep the map handy here.

   Since it is a one-way road and Igatpuri is 16 Km ahead, A drive down from the hill station towards Mumbai and back to the ghat area towards Igatpuri may not be a good plan.

   It is called ‘Ashoka Waterfall’ because a song called ‘San Sanana’ from the movie Ashoka, starring Shahrukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor, was filmed here inside this waterfall, and since then it has become famous with this name. Most of the shooting for this song was done here at the Igatpuri waterfall.

   Reaching Vihigaon waterfall: If you are lucky (not like me, who missed Ashoka Falls due to restrictions or it being closed due to heavy rains), you will reach and enjoy the biggest waterfall attractions near Mumbai before reaching Igatpuri mountains.

   Since It is a bit of a risky place and a couple of incidents have already happened, the Police restrict this place once heavy rains start, So early monsoon days are best to visit here.

2. Thal Ghat, Kasara: Moving ahead on Kasara roads comes the ‘Thal Bhor Ghat’ area, which is part of Kasara Ghat and can be the second scenic attraction towards Igatpuri. Frankly, nothing much, just a beautiful location from where one can see the Railway tracks and that famous Bridge that is seen in many Bollywood movies like ‘Kabhi Haa Kabhi Na’.

   While on this location of Ghat towards Igatpuri, Vehicle stopping is not allowed. But many still stop clicking pictures. Exact location Hint: On one of the turnings while driving, On the right side, comes a little waterfall (The first one seen on the drive). Exactly from that place, one can see the railway bridge.

   

3. Camel Valley: After enjoying the Ghat drive, you will finally reach the Igatpuri top. No more ghats, Just long, flat roads. Your first monsoon attraction of this hill station is right here on Highway 1. Camel Valley Point is a mountain valley scenic point located exactly opposite the famous ‘Manas Resort & Petting Zoo’, ‘Rain Forest Resort, and ‘Mystic Valley Spa Resort’.

   These are some of the famous and a bit expensive resorts and hotels as soon as one reaches the Igatpuri area on the highway. Many budget-friendly yet great-experience stay options, like ‘Hotel Ashwin’ near Mahindra’s and many others, are available. This place is perfect for a stay and a center point for a monsoon day outing and sightseeing.

   Reaching Camel Valley Attraction Point: As said, It is just a scenic location on the Mumbai-Nashik Highway as soon as you complete the ghat drive and reach Igatpuri. You will easily see a few hawkers, like Sweet corn sellers, and you can make out the location easily.

   It gives a beautiful deep valley view and also has a tiny waterfall and little flowing streams that can be seen deep inside the Camel Valley. There is a single farmhouse bungalow seen on this valley mountain. That bungalow got famous after news broke related to Pakistani actress ‘Laila Khan and her family, who were brutally murdered.

4. Myanmar Gate: 2 Km from Igatpuri railway station and not very far from the highway, Upon crossing over the bridge is this beautiful yellow-looking structure called ‘Myanmar Gate’, a Vipassana and meditation center to learn meditation. A tourist because of its picturesque entry gate for some quick selfies and to spend a few minutes inside the art gallery. No entry fee is charged at this place.
5. Igatpuri Waterfall & Lake View and Trek Point:

   

   5 minutes by car at a distance of 1.6 kilometers are these 4 attractions and sightseeing locations, which are Igatpuri Waterfall, Lake View Point, Trek Point, and Railway Dam with a view point. Igatpuri, being a monsoon heaven, brings charm to these sightseeing points and attracts trekkers and family and friend groups too, just to have some beautiful lake and water body views.

   Trekkers groups do enjoy these hillocks with waterfalls and trekking points, which give a beautiful city view. Lake View Point is family-safe, and your vehicles can easily reach this place to enjoy the scenic views of this location.

   There is also a place called ‘Gerua Spot’ at Korapgaon village if you trekkers want to explore the unexplored and new locations of Igatpuri Hills Station. Gerua Spot looks like a less explored trekking location, Located a little ahead of Trek Point and Lake View Point. I am unsure about the name ‘Gerua, and the only thing that comes to mind while writing about it is the Shahrukh Khan song ‘Rang De Tu Mohe Gerua’.

   The Railway dam and the viewpoint are also worth a visit for an hour or so if you are already at the location. Heavy monsoons are not worth visiting this place, and sometimes it is restricted.

6. Tringalwadi Fort & Talegaon Dam: With the beautiful weather and good waterfall, Igatpuri has one main attraction for trekkers and hikers: The Tringalwadi Fort, which is one place to visit during the monsoon if you are looking for some adventure, and a hiking location at Igatpuri near Mumbai. For those who do not want to climb the mountain, a beautiful dam in the same vicinity welcomes them to spend some serene time. Note that the pathway is muddy during the monsoon and needs to be planned accordingly.
7. Bhavali / Bhawali Waterfall:

   

   

   Photo Credits: Traveller Bidur Vlog

   Saved the best for the last, Bhavli Waterfall is the most attractive place NOT TO BE MISSED if you are already at Igatpuri during monsoons. Just 10.5 Km from the Igatpuri railway station, Or 9 Km from the Highway is ‘Bhavali Dam & Waterfall‘. Two beautiful waterfalls are adjacent at just a kilometer distance from each other on the same village route, making them safe to explore with the family. These waterfalls are multi-level, deep inside a beautiful village.

   Many people just stop by the very first waterfall, which is more crowded, as they do not know about the other one ahead of it.

   

   

   

   Bhavali Waterfall Videos
8. Gavhande Waterfall: Gavhande Waterfall is a little ahead of Bhavali Dam Waterfall at about 7 kilometers, which takes about 15 minutes. I can say this is still not as well explored and famous as Bhavali waterfall. Exploring this attraction from a distance is recommended, as reaching the waterfall base to enjoy it like Bhavali is a bit tough, Especially during heavy monsoons.
9. Kapareshwar Mahadev Temple: Kapareshwar Mahadev Temple is a small temple below a cave at 3.2 kilometers from Igatpuri Railway Station that takes about 12 minutes by vehicle and is located inside Talegaon village. If you are already out for sightseeing and on the Mumbai-Agra Highway (The Main Highway Road From which major Sightseeing tours are done), you can walk to this temple, which is just 1.5 Km away and takes about 20 to 30 minutes.

   

   

   

   From the highway via car, the same location (i.e., Shiva Temple) will take about 7 to 10 minutes (2.3 kilometers) via Talegaon dam road walking Trekking Locations Near Mumbai Park your vehicle at a suitable area of the narrow village road and start walking, bypassing the Dam.

   The main attraction of this temple is the little cave, which is just about 7 to 10 meters in depth and under which there is a ‘Shiva Linga’. On top of this Shiva Linga is a continuous flow of fresh water through the vessel, which is connected via a pipe to a bottle that collects fresh rainwater from above the cave all the time in the monsoon. It is a beautiful & serene place to explore. A tiny waterfall (Which becomes a fully forced one during heavy rain) keeps flowing above the cave, which makes this cave look really awesome.

   Youngsters and kids with parents should explore such a beautiful place and take blessings while enjoying the little muddy trek along the green grass patches while on an Igatpuri sightseeing tour.

   Important Note Before You Plan Kapareshwar Shiva Temple Visit: This is a Hindu place of worship located on a small Hillock in Talegaon Village. It has a compulsory walking trek of 5 to 10 minutes on an uneven, muddy road, and one needs to reach the temple by climbing this hillock trek with no other options.

   Strongly NOT RECOMMENDED for the elderly and those having walking and climbing problems, leg joint problems, etc. Keep in mind that the road conditions on Highway 1 are not good and the roads are not concrete. Vehicles do not reach the temple. I recommend wearing sports shoes or any Non-Slippery rainy shoes that are easy to climb and trek in.

   

More Monsoon Sightseeing Attractions

Below Details of Places to See Around Igatpuri Nashik Area

Day 2 of our trip brought huge smog and heavy rains at Igatpuri Hills, and our plan to visit Bhavli waterfall was unsure. So we decided to head to Nashik, which is about 50 km from this place, to explore the famous vineyards and the famous ‘Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple’.

1. Sula Vineyard Nashik: We routed our map to Nashik for a great wine experience and reached ‘Sula Vineyard. One should not ignore Soma Vineyard. If that heavy rain was not around, we would not have explored Nashik and would have been back in Mumbai without experiencing the famous Wine factories. Many know Nashik is famous for its grape yards, and nothing is better than these Vineyard experiences at just 55 Km from Igatpuri, which take hardly an hour or so.

   

   At the vineyard, one can taste wines and take a 15-minute tour that shows the wine-making process. A special cafe for wine lovers on level one to enjoy beautiful green mountains and the vineyard right in front while sipping your favorite flavor of red or white wine. Some 30 to 50 varieties (Both White and Red) are available.

   It was worth the time spent during the Igatpuri monsoon trip, as the rain was moderate here. Cover charges at the main entry gate of the vineyard are Rs. 100 per person (Adults only) and can be redeemed by purchasing your favorite wine. There is no cash refund. The minimum cost per pint of water is about Rs. 470.

2. Shri Trimbakeshwar Shiva Jyotirlinga Temple, Nashik/em>: Another 22 Km inside Nashik is this oldest and most famous Shiva Temple. We went for some divine blessings. There are a few important things to note if you are visiting Trimbakeshwar for the first time.

   Your car will be stopped at the entry gate, charging Rs. 30 as some kind of local tax and car parking. Then another person will approach you at the main entrance gate of the village, asking you to pay Rs. 150 to let you park your car near the temple area; otherwise, you will need to walk about 500 to 600 meters to reach the temple.

   

   We ignored them and went ahead (They directed us to take another route and not the main gate). We thought it might be the way barricades, etc., were in place. As soon as we went, there was another barricade gate with a person asking for the same amount, Rs. 150, which was definitely offending as we understood the motive of earning from the first-timer. We were helpless, it was raining, and we had 2 kids and a pregnant lady alone. Frustrated,  we decided to give Rs. 150 to reach the temple as it was raining too.

   Earning method 2: Direct entry inside the temple for those willing to spend Rs. 200 per person, Shiva Shiva Shiva. I thought it would be helpful for you if you were planning to visit Nashik as we planned from Igatpuri. I hope that helps you decide.