Malshej Ghat - Mountain Pass in Western Ghats in Pune

Located near Thane District of Maharashtra State in India, Malshej Ghat is a tourist spot in Western Ghats. Known for rugged hills and biological diversity, Malshej Ghat offer trekking and hiking options for adventurous tourists. The nature offers its best view at Malshej Ghat and hence opted by nature lovers as holiday destination. The Ghats section nestles rails, quails, cuckoos, flamingos and other variety of migratory birds that choose this place as their monsoon house. Buddhist caves dating back to the 3rd century and Shivneri Fort, birthplace of warrior Shivaji are other places of tourist attraction in and around Malshej Ghat. The fort of Shivneri assumes more historical importance as it was inhabited by none other than Legendary Shivaji, the Great. Heavy rainfalls are a common feature in Malshej Ghat due to its proximity to Arabian Sea and monsoon season is dangerously covered with landslides.

  
Location

Thane District is famous not only for its busy city life but also for its close proximity to Malshej Ghat section which is located at an altitude of approximately 700m above the sea levels. This is one of the preferred destinations for holidays by the nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Climate

Malshej Ghat is a preferred holiday spot in West India with its pleasant climate and temperature ranging between 15 to 35 degrees during winter and summer respectively. The mean temperature stands at 27 degrees. The rainfall during monsoon season starting in the month of June is average giving dangerous surprises of landslides.

Best time to Visit

One, who wants to enjoy the natural beauty at its best, should visit the Malshej Ghat during the monsoon season when the mountains give a picturesque view of mist, greenery and cooling weather. During August to September, the greenery lures the species housing in the forest to come out of their cocoons and give a winking visit to the onlookers, making these three months, the best time to visit. However, advance planning is required that include pre-booking of hotels and proper clothing to support heavy rain-falls.

Trekkers and mountaineers are advised to prefer December to February to try their hands at lofty hills in the Western Ghats section. The many lanes and curves in the forests give adventurous experience to look for unexplored areas.

Irrespective of the season, Malshej Ghat can be visited during any time of the year. Even summers are pleasant i.e. the three months of March to May are also excellent time to visit.

Things to Do in Malshej

Malshej Ghats are known for keeping its tourists busy in variety of activities. These include the swooping pink flamingoes during monsoon season of July to September. Also, the waterfalls, variety of flowers, plants and biological diversity give picturesque serene environment to the nature lovers. On the other hand adventure lovers can opt for trekking trails exploring new paths and traversed hills to spend their time.

Shopping enthusiasts will get a little bored in Malshej Ghats as there are very less avenues to shop. The mountain passes do not allow variety of shopping articles which becomes a negative mark for ladies to shop around.

How to Reach

Tourists intending to visit Malshej Ghats by train can drop at Karjat or Kalyan Railway Stations and from there hire tourist taxis are available abundantly. In peak seasons like monsoon, the charges will be higher. Pre-paid taxi service is the best option for new visitors to avoid excess charges. Alternatively, if one wants to fly by airways to Malshej Ghats, the nearest airport is the Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport which is well connected to all cities in India. Also connectivity is available for flights from Singapore, Middle East and New York too. From here, pre-paid taxi services are available to cover a distance of 150 kms to reach these Ghats.

The Maharashtra State Transport Corporation provides bus facilities to and from major points of Maharashtra to Malshej Ghats at affordable prices. Fort Mumbai, Kalyan, Pune are some of the major stops where tourist buses are available for a comfortable drive.