Anjaneri in Nashik - the birthplace of Lord Hanuman
Nashik city has its own importance in religious matters. It has Trimbakeshwar one of the 12 Jyotirlingas. It has Panchvati the place that witnessed the incidents in Ramayana when Lord Ram stayed during his exile period here along with Sita and Laxman. Also, Nashik city is known for the Anjaneri, the birthplace of Lord Hanuman.
Anjaneri is one of the well-known places and favorite treks in Nashik and it is visited heavily during the monsoon season for trekking. Anjaneri is named after the mother of Lord Hanuman "Anjani".
Trekkers of all ages, from children to old, come here for trekking and climb up to the top and visit the temple of Hanuman Ji at the top.
Anjaneri location
Anjaneri hill is situated 30 km from Nashik Road. It is on the way to Trimbakeshwar temple and falls 5 km before the temple.
Hanuman Temple in Anjaneri
Since it is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, a temple dedicated to him was made exactly on the turn i.e. Anjaneri Phata that goes towards Anjaneri village and hill. It is also visible from the main road going towards Trimbakeshwar temple.
Hanuman temple in Anjaneri is very small and simple that comprises a big statue of Hanuman Ji. Also on the top of Anjaneri hill, the destination of trekkers, there is a very small temple of Hanuman Ji. Not in very good condition but people visit here for darshan once they reached the top.
Trekking at Anjaneri
You take a turn from Anjaneri Phata towards the village and drive your vehicle to the base of Anjaneri hill. Parking is available. There you will find several small shops and vendors selling eatable items.
The trekking route is overall good. Steps are made in between to ease the trekking and also there are flatlands after reaching a height. There you will also find seating arrangements. It is awesome all the way and you will always feel like clicking pictures to capture the beauty of the surrounding.
While climbing, sometimes it was difficult to move forward in many places so I was wondering how these small children and oldies are moving without fear and with great courage.
Stairs and rocks slip a lot in the rain, which requires a lot of attention in trekking.
You will find a few shops/vendors selling tea and snacks in between.
Once you reach the top of Anjaneri, you feel like heaven. It is spectacular and offers an amazing view. It is a lot of fun when you reach the top.
You will continue to face frosty winds and rain, so I suggest you to come with full preparation.
Shubham Water Park in Nashik - Review, ticket, attractions, and food
Shubham water park by Jadhav paradise is the only water park in Nashik city. It is small but enough to enjoy the water rides with your kids in summer. Every year we go to the Wet n Joy water park in Shirdi but this year 2022 we couldn't make it so we landed up in the nearest one i.e. Shubham Water park in Nashik. If you are interested to know an overall review along with ticket price, costumes, food, snacks, water rides, and other activities then keep on reading further.
It is located about 30 km from Nashik Road and it falls a little before the Hanuman temple in Anjaneri. This location is easily accessible and you can reach here using any vehicle.
Shubham water park Nashik timing
Shubham water park is open from 10 am to 5 pm. The opening time is 10am but they open it after 10:30 am. All rides start after 11 am only. Till that time you can finish all your ticket and costume processes and get ready for the rides.
Shubham water park Nashik ticket price
Water park ticket price with lunch - Rs. 750 for adults and Rs. 700 for children between heights 3.6 - 4.6 feet.
Water park ticket price without lunch - Rs. 600 for adults and Rs. 550 for children between heights 3.6 - 4.6 feet.
Entry is free for children under 3.6 feet.
You will get unlimited popcorn, candy floss, and ice gola at both ticket prices. Lunch offered is unlimited thali.
Shubham water park costume and locker price
Ladies costume price - Rs. 70 (It includes top and full-length bottom.)
Men's costume price - Rs. 50 (It includes only shorts and NO t-shirt.)
Children's costume price - Rs. 30
Locker price - Rs. 30
Water park costumes were not in proper condition so I suggest selecting water park costumes properly before taking them. Check well costume conditions whether any dress is torn or not. I saw 10-11 dresses, then I got the proper costume. Most pants were torn.
Water rides and attractions in Shubham water park Nashik
There are 6 big water rides, a wave pool, a rain dance area along with family water fun system.
You will enjoy family water fun system slides with your little children. The water level here is such that even a small child of age 2.5-3 years can comfortably stand in the pool.
The wave pool is active 2 times, once around 2 pm and another one at 4 pm.
I loved Turbo Lab the most among the big water slides. The Fast Track water slide does not go smoothly due to joints in between and it is not that enjoyable. Everything else is fine and fun too.
Other attractions in Shubham water park
Aquarium - Entry is free.
Iguana - You can take selfies with Iguana.
Bird watching
It gets converted into a Flower park in other seasons when the water park is not operational.
Have a look at this video for more details about this water park.
The crowd at Shubham water park Nashik
Shubham water park is small but it is okay to enjoy with your family. Since there are limited water rides, during the whole day, you can take all rides multiple times. During weekdays the crowd is less but there is a lot of crowd on Sunday or any holiday.
When it is crowded, you won't find water tubes easily required for big water rides because they are already occupied by someone else and they do not leave it. Tubes are limited in number so getting them for big rides is a big problem when the water park is overcrowded.
Food
Unlimited veg thali provided in lunch that includes rice, dal, poori, 2 vegetables, 1 sweet item (we got suji halwa), and papad. Food taste is not that great but okay.
Staff
The staff is very casual and not very attentive. Some of them take care in proper way and some of them don't.
Water quality
Water quality is not good and you can clearly see it but you can't do anything. You have to go with it.
Changing room and shower
The shower and changing room are different. After enjoying the water park thoroughly, first, wash under the shower in a commonplace (of course different for gents and ladies in their own space) and then go to the changing room to change the dress.
The shower and changing room were clean enough but it gets dirtier with the continuous flow of the crowd.
Most of the crowd gathers here after 4:30 pm so I suggest finishing your shower and changing work before that time to avoid a rush and then you have a clean changing room.
Address and contact details of Shubham Water park in Nashik
Address:
Jadhav Paradise, Anjeneri Hills, Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Road, Nashik.
Email:
jpshubhamwaterworld@gmail.com
Contact number:
9823306300
website:
http://shubhamwaterworld.com/
Conclusion
Overall visiting Shubham water park in Nashik was a good experience but it needs to be better in terms of water quality, professional behavior of staff, costume quality, and food.
Some of the water slides do not slide only in the Family water fun system where a full family can enjoy it all together. This needs to be taken care of. This water park needs maintenance works to provide better service to the visitors.
For Nashikkars, it is the only water park in Nashik so it is well visited in the summer season but if you need to visit the bigger water park with several big water rides and that too, is not very far from Nashik then you should visit Wet n Joy water park in Shirdi.
Nashik is a beautiful city with wonderful nature and perfect weather. There are many resorts and theme restaurants in the lush greenery of Nashik. I love Nashik city and I want to explore each and every corner of the city to the fullest. Every weekend, most of the time, we try to explore the new misal point in Nashik and this Sunday I found an amazing picnic spot "Floral Sojourn" where we spent our whole day amid nature and it was a great experience. If you are wondering "how can I spend my whole day in Nashik?" then you should come here and enjoy your day.
Floral Sojourn - Picnic spot in Nashik
Floral Sojourn, spread around more than 2-acre land including various types of trees and plants, is a pioneer in the field of landscape farming coupled with agro-tourism. You can come here to celebrate any event or party, or just picnic or day out plan.
Activities or things to do at Floral sojourn
You can cook your own food here. The owner will provide you the utilities such as gas connection, utensils, etc and you have to bring all the items needed to cook.
You are free to play any game here within the premises. If you are there for a picnic then you will be provided with several games such as cricket, dodge ball, badminton, twister, carrom, chess, dart, music chair, mini-golf, and many more. You can also bring your own games if you want.
There is a treehouse that was closed due to Covid and still, it is closed. I loved it and I wish I could stay there once.
You can have your meal amid the peaceful, lush greenery of beautiful nature.
Walk around the property and explore the several trees, plants, and flowers.
There are various types of swings including hammocks.
So many seating areas for tourists to enjoy the view.
You can enjoy rope climbing activity and have a feel of adventure.
Also, the owner will brief you about the property, trees, and plants if you are interested.
Have a look at the below video and explore the Floral Sojourn virtually.
Floral Sojourn entry fee
You need to pay the entry fee of Rs. 150 for 3 hours and Rs. 200 for 6 hours of picnic duration. These are the rates for special days otherwise you can pay Rs. 125 for 3 hours and Rs. 175 for 6 hours. The entry fee is the same for adults and kids.
Food
Now let's talk about the food. As I mentioned earlier in the post you can cook your own food here. If you do not want to cook then you can go with any of the food delivery apps to manage the food. Zomato, Swiggy they all deliver here. If you inform the flower owner in advance about the meal, he will also arrange for your food.
We ate Misal pav there, prepared by the owner itself, and that was good in taste. We had an option of having a village meal but we did not inform them on time so missed it and later we ordered pizza from Swiggy.
Floral Sojourn charged Rs. 90 per plate for Misal pav which does not include curd, papad, and sweet dish. You have to pay extra for all these things.
Misal was good in taste, the sweet dish was okay but I did not like the tea.
If you are planning a trip to the Floral Sojourn then I suggest you must be very clear with your food management. If you are planning to cook then you must carry everything required for cooking after having a discussion with the owner of the property. If you want the owner to manage the food for you then you have to give all the details of the breakfast, tea and lunch you will be having during your whole day picnic there.
Our picnic experience in Floral Sojourn
We spent 6 hrs there and it was so much fun and completely relieving. You need to book your visit in advance otherwise you won't be allowed to walk in inside. The day we visited, there were only 2 groups, one was our group of 6 people and the other group had 3 people. No crowd at all and we had our own space and privacy. I loved it.
When we went there, all the leaves had fallen and there was not much greenery but still, it was fine to be there. Now I would like to visit again in the month of April or May when there will be greenery everywhere and many beautiful flowers will bloom.
Misal destinations in Nashik with activities for kids
Misal pav is a popular food among Maharashtrians and they enjoy it very much. In this post, I will share the best places or restaurants for Misal in Nashik. Every weekend I try to find out new places for Misal pav where we enjoy a few activities also along with our children. They are all at a distance within 20 km from Nashik road.
Promoting Agro tourism, this is located in the inner part of Adgaon, Nashik amid the lush green farm area all around. It takes around 30 minutes to reach here by car. It has an open dining area which gives you the wonderful experience of having food in nature. You will love eating here. This is dedicated to the Misal pav but few other limited snacks like Bhaji, Wada, etc also offered here to the visitors.
Misal is not the only thing, which attracts a huge crowd here. There are so many activities here apart from Misal that you can spend your half-day comfortably. Adults and kids both will enjoy these activities. Rope activities, rain dance, ropeway, tractor ride, boating, etc are the activities offered to the visitors, some of them are free and some are chargeable.
Due to the large crowd on weekends, sometimes there is also a long waiting line. During that waiting period, you may enjoy the activities backside of the restaurant.
Watch the video here.
Grape Embassy
Grape Embassy is situated in Gangapur road, Makhmalabad area in Nashik. This is a unique grape roof restaurant that serves Misal pav under grapevines. Eating misal at a grape farm is a great experience and you will surely enjoy your meal here. During the grape season, they provide two types of grapes (black and green) in the Misal pav plate instead of sweets. Sweets you can order separately.
Grape Embassy misal price - Rs. 100 per plate
There are a lot of activities behind the farm for free. We can swing, shoot with the ball, enjoy mini tractor rides, and do many things. A family picnic can be enjoyed here. When we visited here, due to the huge crowd, we could not find a place to eat under grapevines, so we asked the staff for a backyard service and they agreed. We celebrated our picnic at the same place. Misal lovers, you must visit this place.
You can refer to the Grape Embassy menu card here in this picture.
Grape Embassy menu card
Now Grape Embassy is modified in several ways and the changes you can see in the below video.
Aamchi Maati Aamchi Manas
This is located in the Deolali camp area at a 3.5 km distance from Nashik road. You will reach here in just a few minutes. This is Curry Leaves affiliated restaurant and comprises various interesting activities.
The location of the restaurant is not in the farm area but this is properly surrounded by various trees and successful enough to give a village theme. You will also find several other types of food here along with Misal pav.
Apart from food, there are several activities to explore. Adults and kids both will enjoy this place. There is a mini garden for the children with a few rides and swings. Also, there are some animals including an Ostrich which attracts the visitors. There are 2 or 3 games where you can play and win some gifts. Cricket net area where adults can play cricket and this is chargeable. I love the Cheekoo farm along with seating arrangements, cottages, and statues behind the restaurant. Here I enjoy my tea after having Misal.
You can easily enjoy your 2-3 hours along with family and friends.
Sadhana Misal
Sadhana misal is a popular destination for misal pav in Nashik. Situated in Gangapur road, it takes around half an hour to reach there from Nashik road. This is crowded most of the time and sometimes you may have to sit and wait for your turn. The crowd is well managed by the staff. There are so many activities where you can spend your free time. Kathputli dance, bullock cart ride, horse ride, swing are some of the activities which keep you entertained.
This is famous for Misal pav but here you will get other types of food items also. Their Jalebi is very tasty, dipped in jaggery syrup instead of sugar syrup. The village theme of the restaurant is loved by everyone.
Mamacha Mala
Mamacha mala is a farm restaurant located in Matori village (Khandesh and Northern Maharashtra region) at 18 km from Nashik road. This is situated in the inner region of the village and promotes Agro tourism.
Misal pav is the specialty here. The village, farms, trees, camel ride, well, the shade under the trees (for seating), horse ride, etc you will see here. Floor seating is available for dining.
Kids can enjoy in the play area and jumping bounce attached beside. I liked visiting the farm behind and it's nice to spend time here. It is advisable to visit this place in the morning as soon as possible because afterward, it is very hot when the sun is upon the head.
Have a look at the below video.
PatilWada Assal Nashikchi Misal
Patilwada is located in an isolated place in the Gangapur area at around 18km from Nashik road. There is a play area and mini-train ride for children, a small farm to roam around, and some selfie spots. There are not many other activities other than this. Some snacks items are also available along with Misal Pav. Misal taste is okay and it costs Rs. 100 per plate.
In my opinion, all the above-mentioned places are very good for having Misal Pav along with your family and friends where you will also enjoy several activities along with children and have a wonderful weekend. Their Misal prices are within Rs. 100 and there is not much difference among them.
MTDC Grape Park Resort, Nashik - activities and booking
Grape park resort in Nashik inaugurated at the end of September 2020 and I was curious to explore this resort since then. At the start of 2021 on the 1st weekend of January, I booked it for one day stay. We also visited the Nashik boat located close to the resort. Here I will give my honest review of the resort as well as the boat club.
Location
This is located in the backwater of Gangapur dam of Nashik city. It measures 25 km from Nashik road station. This is easily reachable by any vehicle. The location is amid pure nature and the silence is everywhere.
This is built over a very large area and near to the Nashik boat club. The infrastructure of this resort is spacious and very good. Greenery is all around the resort.
There are different types of rooms and villas. The accommodation is equipped with all the required amenities. Grape park resort equipped with Deluxe rooms, Heritage rooms, Villas, multipurpose halls, a common swimming pool, a small playground for kids, a playroom for indoor games, a restaurant, and an open-air restaurant.
Also, there is a mini vineyard at the backside. We visited in January month and still, that was dry. You will have a beautiful view of the lake from the balcony attached to every room. All the rooms have their own balcony.
Ample space for parking vehicle available.
Grape Park resort price and booking
You may check out the Grape Park resort prices from the MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism) website that will lead to the booking procedure as well.
We booked a Crimson room (double bedroom with balcony) for a 1-night stay and paid Rs. 2240/- online. This is only room price and excluding food.
You have to pay for whatever you order for yourself such as tea, snacks, breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc.
The food charges are usual.
Also, read their cancellation policy while booking the grape park resort. you will be charged 100% of the booking amount if you cancel the booking 0-3 days prior to the arrival date.
Rooms and cleanliness
The rooms are equipped with all the necessary amenities. It was supplied with proper working AC, TV, and geyser. The bedding is clean, soft, and comfortable. We received a neat and clean room. The washroom was also clean and supplied with mini toiletries and towels.
Food
A common restaurant exists for all and there is also an open-air restaurant, but it was not available to everyone. It was booked for some personal events or party I think. The restaurant is big enough and seemed clean every time.
Food taste was good at the usual price. Room service is also available. Sometimes you receive the food earlier and sometimes you need to remind them that you have ordered and you are waiting for this.
Grape Park resort activities
There is no activity other than indoor games. The playroom is not very big but sufficient to accommodate a few indoor games including a game of snooker. There are 3 ACs in one playroom. Sofa sets are placed for games like chess, carrom, etc.
Other than these, if you are a nature lover and like walking then you can take walk along the way all around the resort and enjoy the natural scene and the silence far from the city.
In Nashik boat club, the entry is chargeable Rs. 100 for adults and Rs. 50 for kids on the weekend days and it is Rs. 70, Rs. 30 on weekdays.
To find out about boating activities and booking boat club services you may visit BookMyShow and proceed further.
Eatable things are not allowed inside the boat club. Inside there is a cafe where you buy snacks for yourself.
At the entrance, we were told that we could not do any water sports activities or boating rides as all the tickets were sold online. So we only entered the boat club, stayed there for 10 minutes and then left. There is nothing much to do.
It was quite crowded even though there was no boat ride. People enjoy sitting there and clicking pictures.
Apart from the Boat club, you may visit several wineries/vineyards like Sula, Soma, York situated at around 10 km.
Staff
The staff of the Grape park resort is very co-operative and polite. They all put on the mask all time and behaved with manner.
Disappointment
DCM Ajit Pawar along with few other VIPs arrived in the evening on the same day as they had some planned movement in the same resort that day itself. We had no idea of this. We checked in after 12 pm and after lunch, we stepped out of the resort as there was nothing left to do inside. So we left the resort to explore the boat club and Sula wines. We returned back at 5 pm in the evening and we were stopped to enter just a short distance from the resort by Police. They did not permit anyone to enter the resort and asked us to be back after 2 hours.
They said we won't be allowed to enter the resort area till the VIP's meeting going on. We called up in the resort and the resort staff tried to convince the policemen to let us enter the resort but unfortunately, they did not succeed. We were forced to stay outside. We had already finished our local tour and now we were forced to roam around here and there with no purpose. It was really irritating.
I don't understand why police need to block common people for the sake of the security of VIPs. Don't they have any other security system? This VIP culture of blocking common people is not right and it should move off.
Finally, the so-called VIPs left and at around 7 pm we entered the resort in a bad mood because for almost 2 hours we wandered aimlessly. This incident spoiled our evening.
My conclusion
The Grape Park Resort in Nashik is one of the best MTDC resorts to explore. This is a brand new resort and everything is good. If it is maintained in a similar way, then it will be very good for MTDC as it will raise trust in government tourism.
I would advise you to confirm with the resort once before booking that there are no VIPs during your visit, otherwise you may face problems arise from VIP culture as we experienced.
Rainforest Resort Igatpuri reviews - Our visit after lockdown
After 6.5 months of lockdown, I was very stressed and I wanted an outing plan to refresh myself and get some relief from daily routine. So I planned to visit the Rainforest Resort in Igatpuri. This is approx. 55 km from our place in Nashik.
Igatpuri is well known for its natural scenic beauty which makes us feel fresh and relaxed. There are so many resorts in Igatpuri amid nature and they are in high demand among the tourists/travelers from Mumbai and Nashik as a weekend destination or short trip.
I chose the Rainforest resort in Igatpuri as my weekend destination last week. We searched everything about it online such as types of accommodation, rooms, prices, activities, facilities, food, and customer/guest reviews. I was happy to see the online rating 4.5/5 but I can give it a maximum of 2.5/5 after my visit, not more than that.
I chose this resort only after seeing 4.5 ratings and so many good reviews but what I experienced was something else that is far away from those great reviews. I was not satisfied at all, in fact, I was disappointed.
Price:
We booked a luxury room for 1 day and 1 night. We paid Rs. 4,500 including the charge for our daughter. This price included the 3-time meal (i.e. lunch, dinner, and next day breakfast) and evening tea with snacks.
Rooms and cleanliness:
The room was good enough with the balcony. But the cleanliness was zero. So-called clean rooms were showcasing the dust everywhere clearly. Even the towels and bedsheets were looking dirty.
We saw spider web and dirt all over in the gallery and the rooms. Garbage was lying down everywhere outside the room. The dustbin was not only loaded with garbage but surrounded by it. I was surprised to see all this. We didn’t expect this from a 4.5 rated resort.
During this corona period when everybody is taking extra care for cleanliness then nobody can expect this irresponsible approach of the resort.
They took the whole price in advance otherwise we could have been shifted somewhere else. The half-price we paid 1 day earlier while booking the rooms online and the rest of the amount was asked to pay at the time of check-in only as per their policy they said.
So we adjusted ourselves there somehow and complained about cleanliness. The staff came and cleaned it; also we changed the towels and bedsheets.
Activities in Rainforest resort Igatpuri
If you see their website then you come to know that there are several indoor and outdoor activities being offered.
When we visited that time we could only enjoy indoor games such as carrom, badminton, and table tennis. The indoor play area on the 4th floor is spacious enough to accommodate all the indoor games but not well maintained.
Maintenance and cleanliness is the main problem everywhere in this resort. The properties used for the games were not in good condition and spread everywhere.
The dirt you can see in every corner. Sofa kept there for rest was in very bad condition. Why they need to keep this type of property? It will be better if it is removed from there.
Also, there are other water activities and adventure park but it was not available during our visit. I suggest you must do an inquiry about these activities on the phone in advance to plan your visit in a better way.
You can explore the surrounding nature by cycling. You will get cycle on chargeable basis. Rs. 100 per hour for 1 cycle.
Facilities
Rainforest resort is widespread over a very large area that accommodates all types of rooms like deluxe, luxury, superior luxury, villas, and tent house. Tent rooms are provided with all the required facilities but they were closed when we visited.
All villas are provided with a small personal pool. This is very small but okay for small kids. They will enjoy it.
A common swimming pool is also there which was closed at that time. We asked for a separate pool for my daughter and they managed it for us. We were permitted to use the private pool of one of the villa rooms which was unoccupied.
Food
The taste of the food is good here. You need to walk to the restaurant (located nearby) for food, tea, and snacks. You won't have food service in the room. Veg and non-veg food are served in different restaurants and they are located very near to each other. It was a buffet system.
Disappointments from Rainforest resort in Igatpuri - based on my review after visiting
Lack of cleanliness and maintenance everywhere.
They did not follow the preventive measures set by the government (regarding coronavirus). There is no body-temperature checking and no oxygen level checking at the entry point. They mention on online travel websites that they follow everything but in actual we saw nothing like that.
The staff is very casual and not professional. Some of them appear in front of you without masks during this corona crisis.
When we entered the room the first impression was too bad. The so-called clean rooms claimed by the resort staff did not seem clean at all. In fact, we were angry to see this.
Not only the dust present in the room which is noticeable easily but also the towels and the bedsheet on the bed were looking dirty. There was a huge difference in the picture of the room on the website and the actual room.
I don’t know what was wrong with the AC. It was not that effective.
The miserable condition of the play area.
Good things - Rainforest resort Igatpuri reviews
Since it is surrounded by fascinating natural beauty, the location of this resort is beautiful. You will capture the amazing view.
Food taste is good enough.
If this place is cleaned and maintained perfectly then it is one of the good options for the wedding ceremony, friends get-together, family event, and other party/events.
Conclusion
According to my view, the Rainforest resort is the perfect example of saying "Naam bade aur darshan chhote".
Learned so many things about it online but what we saw was just disappointing. This resort needs a lot of cleanliness and maintenance work to deliver what they promise online.
I think it is a lockdown effect that turned this resort into a miserable condition. Whatever it is but if they are welcoming customers then it is their duty to deliver the best and leave the customers satisfied which did not happen in our case.
There are numerous dance classes in Nashik city, some are large scale and some are medium-scale offering training for different types of dance forms. If you are looking for dance classes for yourself, for your kids or for the preparation of an event like a stage performance, wedding or any other program then you may contact any of the listed below as per your requirement and nearer to your location.
Karan's Dance Institute in Kathe Galli, Nashik
Address: Plot No 1/2, Sadguru Villa, Near Bankar Mala, Kathe Galli, Nashik – 422011.
Contact: 9527777742, 9923423444
Navin’s Dance Academy in Canada Corner, Nashik
Address: 2nd Floor Fitness Lounge, Above Biba Showroom, Next to Old Jalaram Sweets, Opposite Janakalyan Bank, College Road, Nashik – 422005.
Saputara hill station is located in the district Dang in Gujarat and this is situated on the border of two states Maharashtra and Gujarat. Since this is located on the border of Maharashtra and Gujarat so this is one of the weekend destinations for the tourists coming from Mumbai, Nashik, Surat, Vadodara, and many more nearer cities. My journey for Saputara started at Nashik. The distance between Nashik and Saputara is around 80 km and it takes a journey of 2 hours. Many tourists drop by here from Nashik in various seasons due to the lesser distance between Saputara and Nashik city.
Best time to visit Saputara hill station in Gujarat
Till now I have visited Saputara hill station twice, in the month of November and January. I would suggest the best time to visit this place in the winter season. Mid of December would be okay since that time you won’t feel too much cold. During monsoon or rainy season, this place looks amazing and offers a fascinating scenic beauty but I don't think that it would be a comfortable trip if it rains as you won't be able to reach some of the places here.
How to reach Saputara hill station in Gujarat
Saputara is well connected by road. The nearest railway station is Waghai station at Billimora. Also, several government buses are communicating from Saputara to various cities of Gujarat and Maharashtra and they are very economical.
Places to visit in Saputara hill station in Gujarat
Saputara is a small hill station and this can be fully explored within a day. There are several places to visit, all mentioned below one by one, and they are located not very far from each other so one can discover all one by one by walking also.
❖ Saputara Lake
This is the center of attraction in Saputara hill station. Amidst mountains and green lush trees, Saputara Lake looks beautiful. Boating facility is available there for visitors. Boating charges are very nominal. Boating is not very pleasant in the afternoon period due to harsh sunlight.
There is a small amusement park for children beside Saputara Lake which comprises various kids ride. Also, numbers of rented fancy bicycles (with the flower in the basket) are provided by various boys on the street next to the Saputara Lake.
❖ Saputara Adventure Park
Saputara Adventure Park is situated in the vicinity of Saputara Lake, just a few steps away. It offers kids joy activities, sky cycle, rope activities, game zone, ATV bike, bumper car, zip line, bungee injection, zorbing ball, and toy train. I have never seen a crowd of visitors exploring the various activities here.
❖ Honey Bee Center
Honey Bee Center is situated just next to the Adventure Park. This is a small honey farm where honeybees collect nectar and prepare honey out of it. There are several boxes at various places on the farm which is a house for honeybees and where they make honey. Here you will get 300 grams of pure honey for Rs. 150 only.
❖ Step Garden
Another place in the list of places to visit in Saputara hill station is Step Garden and as the name suggests so it is. This is a beautiful unique garden that is developed not only on the ground but also on several levels i.e. steps hence the name is Step garden. There are so many different types of beautiful, colorful, and attractive flowers. This is a great place for selfies or photography and you will get wonderful shots here. A small café also included inside the garden so you can have your evening tea with beautiful surroundings.
❖ Sunset Point
Sunset point, this is one of the places in Saputara hill station which most of the tourists do not miss. Visitors or tourists explore the whole Saputara full day and at the end of the day, in the evening period, they all gather here for a wonderful view of the sunset. After capturing the view of sunset they all start leaving for their home.
You need to pass through a bit tiring and hilly road to reach sunset point by walking since driving your vehicles are not allowed there. However, you may opt to have a ride on the chargeable bikes available there.
There are a few stalls offering tea, Maggi noodles, and some snacks items. Enjoy the wonderful sunset view with the tea in your hands.
❖ Ropeway
Saputara is also famous for ropeway activities done here. Visitors are charged an affordable fee for the ropeway. It takes you to the Sunset Point and then returns back. If you have your own vehicle then you may reach there easily otherwise you have to book any transport which will take you there because walking to this place, hilly area, might be a bit tiring. Also, note that there is a huge crowd in seasonal months so you may have to stand up in a queue for a few minutes.
❖ Tableland
Ropeway and tableland both are situated just next to each other. If you reached for ropeway activity then you should not miss this place and go ahead. This is a land on the hills where you will find several activities such as Camel riding, bike riding, horse riding, kids play area, etc. along with eatable items offered by the vendor. A wonderful view of Saputara hill station can be seen from here. You may capture good shots for you.
❖ Saputara Museum
Saputara museum is a tribal museum which is dedicated to the tribal culture. It has everything which is sufficient to showcase the tribal lifestyle such as the equipment or tools used in home or land, ornaments, various instruments, etc. Visitors are allowed to enter at a nominal fee. This is good but the infrastructure of the museum needs maintenance.
❖ Fish aquarium
There is a minor fish aquarium close to the Saputara museum with few fish tanks. This is not in good condition and you may skip visiting this place if you are running of time.
You will find a small street market in the vicinity of the Saputara museum and fish aquarium where visitors do shopping. There is nothing special to buy but a few handmade items are worth it.
❖ Rose Garden
Rose Garden, as the name suggests, is dedicated to the flower Rose. Many rose plants are grown here but this is not in so good condition. You may skip visiting this place.
❖ Artist Village
When we planned for the Saputara trip then we searched for different places to visit and found artist village also one of them but the reality is something different. There is nothing on the name of the artist village. There were a few small houses like you see in the village. Also, we saw an exhibition hall where various items prepared by the local artists are showcased for the visitors. When we visited that time it was empty with a few items left in the hall. You may skip this part also as you see won’t see anything special here.
Saputara in the rainy season:
During monsoon season Saputara is more beautiful and you will enjoy it fully. Below is the video that we captured during the rainy season. Tableland and Saputatra Lake were fully crowded and everybody was enjoying the rain with fog all around.
Few FAQs
Q. What is famous in Saputara hill station?
Ans: Saputara is a small hill station and one of the good ideas for short trips or weekend destinations. This is famous for Saputara Lake, boating, ropeway activity, paragliding activity, and sunset point. Also, several tourists plan camping here and enjoy their time amid nature.
Q. Hotels and restaurants in Saputara
Ans: Since this is a tourist spot, you will find several restaurants and hotels around. Saputara Lake is the main point so most of the tourists go for hotels which are offering a lake view. We stayed in the Patang Residency in front of Saputara Lake and it was great.
Q. What type of food is available there?
Ans: You will find vegetarian food in most of the restaurants and hotels. Finding non-vegetarian food in Saputara is difficult I think because wherever we asked for non-vegetarian food we were denied.
Q. Is alcohol allowed in Saputara hill station in Gujarat?
Ans: Alcohol is banned all over the Gujarat state so you won’t get here also.
Conclusion based on our experience
Overall Saputara hill station in Gujarat is a nice place to visit that can be fully discovered within a day. This is one of the weekend destinations for visitors from Nashik, Mumbai, Pune, and Surat. A one-time visit is okay. If you are visiting afterward, then that may be boring for you. Do not miss the ropeway activity here. Drop by here in the morning till 10 am so that you have sufficient time to explore each and everything comfortably. Finish your entire excursion till 5:30 pm so that you reach sunset point before sunset. Confirm the sunset time in Saputara with any of the local people. Grab some fresh strawberries from the street vendors; they are really good and cheaper also.
Panchavati holds major importance in Ramayana. This is the place where Lord Ram, Laxman, and Sita stayed and spent a few years of their exile period. There are many places to visit in Panchavati and most of them are temples. Panchavati is not a one-place tourist spot but there are several different parts around to look for within a walking distance. You do not need any vehicle to explore Panchavati but you can easily find and walk to all the temples nearby. While exploring Panchavati, you will see many small temples on each street. The infrastructure of the town is very old.
Location of Panchavati:
Panchavati is located at around 10 km from Nasik Road railway station. This is easily accessible by any vehicle. Park your vehicle in a spacious parking area near to the Ramkund and then start your exploration. Sacred Godavari River originated from Bramhagiri hill in Trambakeshwar flows through Panchavati.
Ramkund is a significant part of the Panchavati. This is the place where Lord Ram used to take bath when he stayed here. People come here for ash immersion (asthi visarjan) of their loved ones. People visiting Panchavati do not miss a holy dip in Ramkund. During Kumbhmela in Nasik, this place is congested as all saints and devotees come here to be blessed with the holy dip in Ramkund. On the banks of Ramkund, there are several small temples holding their own importance for a different reason. Sitakund and Laxmankund are also there close to the Ramkund.
Kapaleshwar temple:
Kapaleshwar temple is very close to the Ramkund, just a few steps. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and this is the only temple where you will find no Nandi statue in front like in other Shiva temples. Here Lord Shiva considered Nandi his Guru, therefore, no statue of Nandi here as a guard.
Kalaram Temple:
This temple is devoted to Lord Ram. This temple is situated at 5 minutes walking distance from Ramkund and made up of black stones. Also the statues of Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita are black in color hence the name of the temple is Kalaram temple. Black colored statue of Lord Hanuman is facing his Lord Ram just before the entrance of the temple. This temple is quite spacious.
Goreram Temple:
In this temple the idols of Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita are made of white marbles. Unlike Kalaram Temple this one is white in color hence the derived name is Goreram temple. This is located a few steps from Kalaram temple and smaller in size than Kalaram temple.
Sita Gumpha:
Sita Gumpha is situated very close to the Goreram temple. This is the place where Sita stayed during exile period and Ravana captured her from here only. There are 5 banyan trees around Sita gumpha and Panchavati name derived from these 5 banyan trees only. Panch means 5 and vat means banyan trees, hence Panchavati. You may enter Sita gumpha and visit statues of Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita inside.
Tapovan:
Tapovan is situated at 2 km distance from Ramkund in Pachavati. Here Laxman performed his penance and cut the nose of Surpanakha. There is nothing much for sightseeing. Godavari River flows through Tapovan from Panchavati. Two more sacred rivers merge here with Godavari River.
Naroshankar temple:
The name of this temple is derived from its founder Naroshankar Rajebahadur. Seeking for the makeover and situated near to the Ramkund, this temple is devoted to Lord Shiva.
There are many more other temples such as Laxmi Narayan temple, Balaji temple, etc which you can visit when traveling to Panchavati in Nasik. What do you say, have you visited Panchavati and how was your tour here?
