Adventures in India

Nestled in the misty beauty of the Western Ghats hills of India is Malshej Ghat. This city is popular for native and foreign tourists alike, both for the natural beauty of the place and for its history and nearby sights and attractions. Many visitors also choose the city because it is traditionally missing the overcrowded and bustling environment of many other neighboring towns and cities.

In fact, the nearest city to Malshej Ghat is Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, and home to approximately 13 million people. Many residents of Mumbai will head into the Western Ghats to escape the heat of the city, and it is to Malshej Ghat that most naturalists or outdoors oriented people choose to go. Here city dwellers can take in the rolling hills, shrouded in mist, the many small rivers and waterfalls and the deep green of the fields and hillsides.

The most common season for guests to visit the region is during the typical monsoon season – which occurs during the months of August and September. People choose to head to the region at this time because of the cool and cloudy weather, which makes the hiking and trekking in the area even more popular.

Trekkers can enjoy a variety of terrain, including steep mountain paths, verdant rolling hills with lush valleys or jungle paths at their feet. Many trails will take them to other popular or well known destinations like Harishchandragad and Shivneri Fort.

Some come strictly for enjoying the unique animal and plant life in the area, and many make a point to head out to do some bird watching. The Malshej Ghat and Western Ghats areas area noted for the remarkable bird populations which can include flamingos, quails and cuckoos.

For many visitors to Malshej Ghat and its surroundings, the trip to the region is a distinct part of the pleasure. Many people are glad for the chance to roll down their car windows, turn off the air conditioning and enjoy the crisp cool air of the region in the cool, moist monsoon season. The roads leading into Malshej Ghat from Mumbai take travelers past miles of rice fields lining both sides of the road, through small and peaceful villages, and then transition into woodlands and mountain streams as the road begins to head up into the hills.

During this journey an entertaining and quite frequent sight is often o­ne of individuals or groups of people taking a plunge into or underneath o­ne of the frigid waterfalls created by the heavy rains of the monsoons in the mountains above. During the weekends this activity has been known to cause some traffic issues, so it is best to visit the region o­n a weekday for an uninterrupted soaking beneath o­ne of these seasonal wonders.