Camping in Lonavala Overview
Lonavala is a small hill-station in Pune district of Maharashtra, located at a distance of 64 km from Pune and 96 km from Mumbai. It is located in the part of the Western Ghats that demarcates the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan Coast.
Lonavala is considered as the jewel of the Sahyadris and is a hotspot for nature lovers, bird watchers, and trekkers alike. The surrounding region is full of trekking routes, caves, forts, and lakes, along with its proximity to Mumbai and Pune, making this a perfect weekend getaway for the city-dwellers.
Camping in Lonavala
Lonavala and the surrounding region is perfect for pitching your tents, and there are various camping packages depending on your choice of location and type of accommodations. While camping in Lonavala, you spend the nights in weatherproof tents with foam mats as well as comfort facilities like dry toilet tents with western commodes.
Most Lonavala camping packages include an afternoon or evening check-in, an easy day of fun amidst nature, and a bonfire and barbeque session before dinner. After that, you'll retire for the night to your tents. In the morning, you'll awaken to the wonderful misty views and fresh clean air. After a hot cup of tea and breakfast, your trip ends.
Camping in Lonavala: Lonavala top
This campsite is located halfway up to the Rajmachi Fort and overlooks the scenic valley on one side and the towering hills on the other. This campsite is at a distance of 8 km from Lonavala town. During the monsoon season, it is an absolute thrill to camp here as the landscape turns into a green paradise riddled with ponds, waterfalls, and streams with gorgeous views of the rolling clouds and green Sahyadris.
Camping in Lonavala: Pawna Lake
Another popular campsite in Lonavala is the Pawna Lake campsite, which is another great option for camping. The lake is located deep in the hills of the Western Ghats and here, you get to camp on its banks. The lake gives plenty to explore like cozy corners and charming gazebos, plant nurseries, well-manicured gardens, etc. You can also indulge in various adventure activities like kayaking, river crossing, swimming, Burma bridge, Tarzan swing, etc. Click here for Pawna Lake camping packages.
Camping in Lonavala: Kolad
This riverside village is located one and a half hours from Lonavala and is a perfect destination for those who are looking for an extra dose of thrill on their camping trip as this is one of the best places to go rafting in India. There are many Kolad rafting packages with overnight stays which offer accommodation in tents, swiss tents, cottages, villas, etc. Click here for Kolad rafting packages.
Trekking in Lonavala
Lonavala also has various trekking routes in its vicinity, ranging from easy treks to challenging ones. Some of the top 10 treks in Maharashtra are in the region around Lonavala. It is a popular place for trekkers and you can pair your camping trip with a short trek. Lonavala is abundant with forts, hills, rock-climbing areas, etc. where you can trek to. Below are some of the treks that you can do on your visit to Lonavala:
Lohagad Fort
One of the most popular fort treks in Maharashtra, the Lohagad trek offers you a chance to explore the gorgeous landscape. On this easy trek, perfect for beginners, you trek 11 km to the iron fort called Lohagad, a once-formidable battle station used by Shivaji.
Duke's Nose
This is one of the best spots for a short trek in Lonavala and offers epic views. It is also a spot for some very exciting adventure sports like rappelling, slacklining and more.
Visapur Fort
This is another popular fort trek located near Lonavala and is great for fit beginners. It has a rugged and interesting structure, spotted here and there with caves, cannons and a shrine.
Visit our page on Trekking in Lonavala to explore other treks that you can do when you're in Lonavala.
Trekking in Sahyadris is a mesmerizing experience and should not be missed out on. Visit our blog about trekking in the Western Ghats.
Other interesting places to visit
Lonavala has many other interesting places which you can visit while camping in Lonavala. Here are some of the suggestions:
Della Adventure Park: This is India's largest adventure theme part which is perched at 3000 feet above sea level and houses over 52 adventure activities.
Tiger's Leap point: This is a famous cliff-top with a sheer drop of 650 metres and it gives extensive views of the gorgeous valley.
Karla Caves: This is a complex of cave shrines that dates back to the third century BC. It was built by Buddhist monks and it also houses a temple of goddess Ekvira Devi.
How to get there
There are two ways to get to Lonavala from Mumbai and Pune. The easiest and cheapest is by train as Lonavala is a major stop on the railway line connecting Mumbai and Pune. From Pune, there are local trains to the town at an interval of 2 hours. From Mumbai, you can either catch the trains heading to Pune or catch a Khopoli local and catch a bus/taxi to Lonavala which is 15 km from Khopoli.
The road option is the best way to get there as the drive is quite scenic, especially during the monsoon season. You can either catch a state/privately run bus or a taxi to reach Lonavala. If you're driving your own car to Lonavala, then you can take the Mumbai-Pune expressway. However, the expressway has a toll which can be avoided by taking the old Mumbai-Pune highway (NH4). The old highway is also the perfect route for bikers as the road is thrilling with few hairpin bends, and also because no bikes are allowed on the expressway.
Best time to go camping in Lonavala
The best season to go camping in Lonavala is winter. During this season, the mornings are misty and the nights cool, and the atmosphere is quite calm and serene. For the adventurous, the monsoon season is the best during this time, the landscape turns into a lush paradise full of ponds, streams, and waterfalls, etc.
Summer is a great season only if you're going camping by a water body as the climate can be humid and hot during this season.
Packing list for camping in Lonavala
For your camping trip to Lonavala, the campsite operator will provide all the basic amenities like sleeping bags and mattresses along with all camping equipment, so you don't need to worry about those. But do check the inclusions section of the package you're booking as some budget operators might not provide sleeping bags or mattresses.
What you need to carry is a strong backpack, trekking shoes, sandals, a pair of extra clothes that are weather appropriate, a light towel, sunglasses, cap, insect repellent, raincoat, sweater, etc. It is suggested that you wear full pants and full-sleeved shirt/t-shirts after sundown as mosquitoes can be quite a nuisance in the Western Ghats.
Camping in Lonavala Trip Summary
- State: Maharashtra
- Nearest city: Mumbai or Pune
- Total days: 2
- Grade: Easy
- Max altitude: 1991 feet
- Season: Year round
- Avg temperature: 12 to 35 degree Celsius
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