Introduction:

Karjat is a picturesque village in the state of Maharashtra in India. Karjat is located in the Konkan coast perfectly in the foothills of Matheran, the renowned hill station in Maharashtra. Just a hop, skip and jump away from Mumbai, Karjat makes for a great escape from Mumbai especially for the adventure and outdoor buff. Located on the banks of the River Ulhas, Karjat is a pretty adventure sports hill resort with the rushing river and verdant fields and surrounded by low green-topped hills.

Destination Facts:

Location: Maharashtra, Raigad.
Altitude: 194 m (636 ft)
Temperature: (Summer 27 °C to 39 °C) & (Winter 11 °C to 27 °C)
Languages spoken: Marathi, Hindi & English.

Getting There:

Nearest Airport: The nearest airports are Mumbai Airport. The Nhava Sheva PT Port is the nearest seaport.
Main Railway Station: Karjat railway station is a major rail terminus, connected via local trains to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai, Khopoli and Panvel. Local trains go from Mumbai CST (Mumbai VT) to Karjat. It takes 2 hours and 40 minutes to reach Karjat by a slow local train.
Main Bus Station or Road: Karjat is well connected to other cities in and around by state owned public transport buses. Many private owned buses also provide transport service between Karjat and neighboring cities, including Mumbai and Pune.

Distance of a few Major Towns from Karjat:

Mumbai (70km), Pune (104km), Kolhapur (336km)

Eating Around:

 Famous for fresh bread, nankaties, khari biscuits, toasts, and pastries.

Places of Tourist Interest:

Ulhas Valley :
This valley glitters with large flowing streams of Ulhas River. It offers breathtaking sights during the monsoons, when the waterfalls gush through the thick greenery of the valley. There are a number of tunnels in the Ulhas valley, which helps the trains to pass through the valley.

Bhor Ghat: 
This ghat has a historical significance. It was the ancient trade route connecting the ports at Choul, Revdanda, Panvel, etc. on the Konkan coast and the hinterland on the Deccan plateau.

Kondana Caves:
These caves are famous because of their Buddhist style .These caves offer an ancient life style of Buddhist followers. There are many Sculptures and stupas which are the architecture of the ancient period of Buddhist.

Peth Fort:
This fort is also known as the Kotligad. This fort is conical in shape and gives an amazing view of the foothills. This fort is placed on the back of the Western ghats and Matheran ranges.

Kotligad:
 Kotligad also known as Peth Fort, is about a distance of 29 kms away from Karjat. The conically shaped hill of Kotligad and the scenic beauty of the foothills is the major attraction here. Peth Fort is located at the peak of the mountain against the back drop of Matheran ranges and the panoramic Western Ghats. You can enjoy the majestic view of this place. Near Peth Fort, Phansad wildlife sanctuary and Nethersole Dam are the places that one may visit from here.

Matheran:
Matheran is situated at a distance of about 23 kms from Karjat and has many view points to enjoy the scenic beauty of the place. The Hart Point, Prabal Fort, the Charlotte Lake, the temple of Pisarnath and Morbe Dam can be visited. The old British architectures that are mostly in ruins.

Lonavala:
Lonavala located 43 kms away from Kajrat, offers breathtaking views, especially during the monsoon season. This hill station is located in the lap of the Sahayadri hills and is popular for lakes and dams. The Tung Fort, the Pavna Lake, Tungarli Dam, Valavan Lake, Tungarli Lake and the Rajmachi Wildlife Sanctuary are the places to visit in Lonavala. Adventure enthusiasts can enjoy trekking in Lonavala.

Getting around the Destination:

Lots of 8 seater Autorickshaw (Tuk-Tuk) around the town to take you to your destination Walking in Karjat is best idea to explore this village.

Shopping:

You can visit the local markets in karjat for some shopping.

Best time to Visit:

July to September is the best time to visit Karjat.

Festivals:

The main festivals in Karjat are Dahi Handi or Krishna Janmashtami – August / September, Diwali- October.