Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar sits at about 1,350 metres on a plateau in the Western Ghats and was the summer capital of the Bombay Presidency, which left it with a church, a club, bungalows and the layout of a Raj hill town. Viewpoints ring the plateau edge, among them Arthur's Seat above a sheer drop and Wilson Point for sunrise. The old town holds the Mahabaleshwar temple, and beside it the Panchganga temple where five rivers are said to rise, including the Krishna, which runs from here across the peninsula to the Bay of Bengal. Strawberries grown on the plateau supply most of India's crop.

What you actually see

• The cliff viewpoints - Arthur's Seat, Wilson Point and others round the rim.
• The Krishna source - the Panchganga temple where five rivers are said to rise.
• The strawberry farms - plateau fields supplying most of India's crop.
• The Raj town - church, club and bungalows from the summer capital period.

When to go

October to June, with strawberries from December to March; the monsoon here is among the heaviest in India, with nearby Mahabaleshwar and Amboli recording extreme rainfall, and many points close.

Honest expectations

Peak-season and weekend crowds are severe, with traffic jams on the ghat road. Monsoon rainfall is extreme and viewpoints close in cloud. Strawberry stalls sell heavily to visitors at inflated prices.

Nearby

Panchgani lies east; Pratapgad fort is west.