Lonavala and Khandala

Lonavala and Khandala sit a few kilometres apart on the Sahyadri escarpment at around 620 metres, on the old road and rail line between Mumbai and Pune, which made them weekend towns for both cities. The season is the monsoon: from June the escarpment runs with waterfalls, the valleys fill with mist and the plateau greens completely, which is the opposite of most Indian hill stations. Tiger's Leap and Rajmachi Point look off the edge, lakes at Bhushi and Pawna fill, and the Karla and Bhaja Buddhist caves, cut from the second century BC, are a short drive away. Chikki, a hard nut brittle, is the local product.

What you actually see

• The monsoon escarpment - waterfalls and mist along the ghat edge.
• Tiger's Leap - a cliff viewpoint over the valley.
• Karla and Bhaja caves - early Buddhist rock-cut halls nearby.
• Bhushi dam - the stepped spillway crowded with monsoon visitors.

When to go

June to October for the monsoon, which is the point; the rest of the year is dry and much less striking. Weekends bring enormous crowds from Mumbai and Pune, and the expressway jams.

Honest expectations

Monsoon weekends are extremely crowded, with Bhushi dam packed and litter heavy. Waterfall areas have seen drownings and are policed. Outside the rains the towns are ordinary.

Nearby

Karla and Bhaja caves lie east; Pune is southeast.