Khandala is a beautiful hill station in the state of Maharashtra. The hill station has magnificent natural landscape, green grassy hills, lustrous valleys and lakes. It is the pride of Sahyadri Mountains.
Located at an altitude of 625 m, Khandala is definitely a popular and trendy destination. People from Mumbai and Pune often visit this place as it is in close proximity with these cities. Khandala is the twin hill station of Lonavala, which is another exotic location, just 5 km away from Khandala. The hill station has a pleasant climate, with mild summer and cool winter. In Monsoon season when it rains, the surroundings look green and fresh, which allures lots of tourists throughout the year.
| Time zone | GMT/UTC +5:30 |
|---|---|
| Territory | Maharashtra |
| Area | 38 sq km |
| Population | 55,652 (as of 2001) |
| Climate | Summer 22 to 40°C, Winter 12 to 33°C |
| Elevation | 625 m |
| Main languages | Marathi, Hindi |
| STD code | 2167 |
| Pincode | 410301 |
There are many good eateries in Khandala that offer good vegetarian and non-vegetarian food for everybody. Some of the popular restaurants are:
The Duches Restaurant serves cuisines with a mix of regional variations like, Mughlai, Marwari, North Indian and Gujarati along with continental and Chinese food. It is among the best place to enjoy a variety of cuisines in Khandala.
The Panorama Restaurant will offer you food from snacks to main course; one can order from their extensive menu and enjoy their food.
The High Point Bar offers customers with a wide range of drinks, cocktails and mocktails in a casual ambience.
Khandala is a beautiful natural paradise and offers lots of attraction to tourists. Beside all these natural features the hill station does offer some things which can be bought in this hill station.
The Khandala hill station is famous for fast foods and varieties of 'chikki', a sweet preparation made of jaggery, peanuts and other nuts. Shops in Khandala are well known for other food items like canned jams, chivda, wafers and sev.
Make sure to buy several packets of these items. For other items in the Khandala Market, Just browse around, get deals, discounts or simply bargain prices for various commodities. Some famous Chikki shops in Khandala are: Maganlal Chikki Center, Navratan Chikki, Super Chikki, National Chikki and A1 Chikki.
The beautiful little hill station of Khandala is well linked by various means of transportation. Situated at a strategic location between the major cities of Mumbai and Pune, the hill station is easily accessible by road, railway and air.
Generally every bus or train that goes towards South India from Mumbai passes through hill stations of Khandala and Lonavala. From Khandala, Mumbai and Pune are located at a distance of about 80 km and 70 km, respectively.
By Air
The nearest domestic airport to Khandala is located in Pune and the international airport is located in Mumbai. All major domestic and international flights have services to these airports from major cities in India and around the world. From here people can avail local modes of transportation like buses, taxis or trains to reach the hill station.
By Rail
Khandala has a railway station and most of the south bound trains from Mumbai stop at this Station. Lonavala (4 km) is also another station which is connected by Pune and Mumbai by regular local trains. From these two stations Khandala can be easily reached by bus or taxi. The major railway junctions in close proximity are Mumbai and Pune which connects to major cities across India.
By Road
The roads which connect Khandala are well-maintained. The hill station can be reached by road via the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the National Highway Number 4. Maharashtra State Transport runs regular bus services to and fro from Khandala. Private tour operators also offer luxury/non-luxury bus and taxi services to reach Khandala. One can even drive his own vehicle to this hill station as the drive along picturesque landscapes is amazing.
