About
Getting to Matheran
*Railway ticket reservation (also return) is available at Churchgate / V .T. and on the neton Express trains, from V.T. – Neral + on the mini train, from Neral – Matheran.* From V.T. and Dadar local trains are also available.They are Karjat (S) and Khopoli (KH).
*Mini train timings: Contact Matheran Railway Station on T. No. 02148-230264, traveling time: 2 hours +
*Hope Hall Hotel is 10 minutes from the Matheran Railway Station. *From Neral take a tourist taxi (sharing, Rs.70/-, per person) to Dasturi Car Park, Matheran, traveling time: 30 mins.
*Dasturi Car Park is 2.5 k.m., a 45 minute walk, from Hope Hall Hotel, in the center of Matheran. Follow the railway tracks, then from Matheran Railway Station follow the main road. We are located just before the Police Stn.
*Please get a coolie to carry your luggage, seat the sick / elderly in a hand pulled rickshaw, or ride a horse.
*If traveling by your own motor vehicle for your safety please park at Neral (Hotel Rahi car park), or ask a local driver to drive you up hill to Dasturi Car Park.
*MSRTC buses also ply between Neral – Matheran.
History of Matheran
The MATHERAN plateau was discovered by an English man, Hugh Malet, Collector, Thane, in 1850. He started from the village of Chowk, ascended via One Tree Hill and descended from Rambhag Point. In 1875 Matheran had four hotels including Hope Hall Hotel.
The Matheran Steam Light Railway was completed by Sir Adamji Peerbhoy in 1907.
The area of Matheran is 7.25 sq. kms. of which 60% is reserve forest. Matheran is approx. 800 m. ie. 2,650 ft. above sea level.
Flora and Fauna
Matheran’s charms are its red soil (laterite), crystalline quartz rocks, thick evergreen forest and the prohibition of all vehicles, except an ambulance within the hill station. There are several medicinal plants and flowering trees and shrubs, and (in season) fruit bearing, Jambul trees. There are wild boar, barking and roe deer, hyenas, leopards, two types of monkeys: Rhesus macaques and the black faced Hanuman langurs, giant squirrels, wild cats and several insect species including glow worms, beautiful butterflies and moths. Also, snakes, but mostly non-poisonous. Bird species include bulbuls, hawks, kestrels, mynhas, owls, paradise fly – catchers, sun – birds, wood peckers, etc.
View Points
There are some 38 viewpoints in Matheran and several beautiful old bunglows and hotels. Some of the view points are: Khandala Point, Alexander Point, Rambhag Point, Olympia, Little Chowk Point, Chowk Point, Shivaji’s Ladder, One Tree Hill, Marjorie’s Nook, Belvedere Point, Lumley’s Seat, Danger Path, Charlotte Lake, Celia Point, Echo Point, Landscape Point, Honeymoon Point, Louisa Point, Malet Springs, Malang Point, Coronation Point, Porcupine (Sunset) Point, Our Point, Peb, Maldunga Point, Monkey Point, Hart Point, Mary Point, Panorama (Sunrise) Point, Simpson Tank, Myra Point, Mount Barry, Garbut Point, Artist Point etc.