The Summer is on a High! With the mercury reaching new heights each week, dreaming about monsoon is the only respite from the dry and hot winds blowing all day. Pune, luckily, transforms into lush green carpet pretty quickly once the rains set in. Surrounded by the Western Ghats, there are a ton of one day picnic spots near Pune you can go to enjoy the rains and thick green forests. Almost all roads leading out of the city give you an experience of a nice drive. But if you are looking for places to visit near Pune in rainy season, you have come to the right post.
One Day Picnic Spots Near Pune
There are a few one day picnic spots near Pune and these can be as near as just 50 KM, or if you want to enjoy a drive, can go up to 200 Km. Checkout our list of some traditional spots that you must visit each year and some new ones you want to explore near Pune this rainy season.
Lavasa
Lavasa is the newest addition to one day picnic spots near Pune. With just 60 Km drive, you can reach the picturesque spot in less than a couple of hours. Along with occasional concerts and other entertainment programs, the location offers good restaurants and water sports options. But what is most enjoyable is the drive through Mulshi around Temghar Dam during the rainy season. There are many place on the way that you will want to stop get out of the car and take a few photos and breath some cool, fresh air.
Matheran
Matheran is one of the oldest and pristine travel spots around Pune. To cover that in one day is a bit of a stretch, but can be done. You can hop on to the early morning 6 am train to Neral and then take the toy train up the hill. Spend a few hours an retrace your steps by the evening. Though one-night stay will give you an opportunity to experience the oxygen-rich pollution free environment a bit more. You can’t have a more healthy vacation than this.
Bhandardhara
This little known travel spot is a bit far and you will have to start at the crack of the daylight if you wish to cover it in a day. Just short of 200 KM, Bhandardhara, resort village is located on Mount Kalsubai, which is the highest spot in Maharashtra. There is a lot to see here and you can spend a couple of days, if you wish t stay over.
Bhimashankar
Just over a 100 km, Bhimashankar is a temple town and hosts one of the Jyotirlinga shrines – one of the five in Maharashtra. The steep drive can be a bit intimidating for new drivers, but it is another monsoon drive in the mountains that you will want to make to enjoy the green cover in the rainy season.
Lonavala
Closer to home is Lonavala and Khandala. You can never get tired of these two towns in the hills covered in clouds and mist. Roughly an hour away, it is one of the best places to travel on a rainy weekend and get drenched in the rain. With lots of resorts and restaurants, it is one of the best places to visit and enjoy natural beauty with a crowd.
Purandar Fort
If you are fond of History and like to visit historical places, Purandar Fort on Satara Road is a place you will love to visit. Now famous as the proposed site of Pune International Airport, the fort played a key role in Shivaji’s fight against the Sultanate of Bijapur to the South. Less than 100 Km, the drive to this location in the hills is as enjoyable as the trek through the fort.
Sinhagad
Closer to home and Pune is the Sinhagad Fort looking over the city. Enveloped in a green cover, the hour long drive gets you to the foot of the fort. You van then trek up the fort and enjoy a 360 degree view from different points of the fort.
Rainy season is perhaps the best time to drive around Pune when the air is cool and the ground is green. So start planning your monsoon weekends with these one day picnic spots near Pune and tell us which of these places you plan to visit this rainy season.
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