Mumbai to Lonavala is about 83 km on the map and takes around 2 hours 15 minutes in a car. In one of our vehicles, plan for roughly 95 km and 3 hours 15 minutes. Khandala is 5 km further on the same road, so the two are one trip rather than two.
It is the easiest weekend escape from Mumbai and the one we run most often. Same day is entirely doable, which is why most groups treat it as a day trip rather than an overnight.
The drive itself
01
0 kmStart
Your pickup point. Leaving before 7 am makes a real difference to the whole day.
02
35 km1 h 15 m
The slow part. Once you are on the expressway the rest is straightforward.
03
70 km2 h 15 m
Fast and well surfaced. Our vehicles are limited to 80, so we do not gain as much here as a car would.
04
80 km2 h 45 m
The standard stop. About 20 minutes for tea and washrooms.
05
95 km3 h 15 m
Drop at your hotel, or at the market if you are starting with chikki.
Google Maps assumes a car on an empty road. Our vehicles are speed limited to 80 km per hour as RTO rules require, they carry a full load, and they halt on the way. Plan for roughly 10 to 15 per cent more distance than the map says, an hour more on trips up to five hours, and two hours more beyond that.
Some venues and rural roads on this route cannot take a large vehicle. Send us the exact pickup and drop addresses, including any unpaved or monsoon affected stretches, and we will confirm access before you book rather than on the day.
Matching the fleet to your group
How many are travelling?
13people
Group size
The most comfortable choice on a short trip
| Group size | We suggest | Why on this route | Trip shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 to 6 | Kia Carens, Ertiga or SUV | Quick and flexible on a short run | Same day |
| 7 to 13 | 14 seater Tempo Traveller | One vehicle beats two cars from seven adults up | Same day |
| 9 to 16 | 16 seater Force UrbaniaPopular pick | The most comfortable choice on a short trip | Same day or 1 night |
| 14 to 26 | Tempo Traveller | Best cost per seat for a larger group | Same day |
| 19 to 33 | Mini Bus | Office and society outings | Same day |
| 45 and above | Luxury AC Bus | Large picnic and corporate groups | Same day |
The bigger the vehicle, the less each person pays. A 13 seater on a Lonavala day trip works out around ₹615 a head. A 49 seater on the same trip works out around ₹367. If your group sits close to the next size up, going up usually costs less per person.
Travelling with elderly passengers or small children? Book one size above your headcount. The spare row means somebody can put their feet up and lie down, or the children have somewhere to play.
Lonavala is close enough that vehicle comfort matters less than it does on a Shirdi or Mahabaleshwar run. On a three hour drive most groups are better off putting the money into a bigger vehicle than a more comfortable one.
Planning the day
Our recommendation Same day works for most groups. The overnight is worth it in monsoon, when the waterfalls are running and you want to be there early before the crowds arrive from Pune as well as Mumbai.
Recommended
The other way
Before you go
The year on this road
Monsoon, between June and September, is when Lonavala is at its best and also at its busiest.
October to February is easier going and still green.
The ghat sections and the approach roads to the points get slippery.
Our drivers know which ones to avoid when it is raining hard.
Bhushi Dam, Tiger Point, Rajmachi Point and Karla Caves.
In monsoon the waterfalls are the whole reason people come.
Weekends bring traffic from Pune as well as Mumbai.
A weekday trip is a different place entirely.
The market is the standard last stop.
Most groups budget an hour for it whether they planned to or not.
Five km further on the same road.
There is no reason to choose between them and no extra charge for including both.
Before you ask about price
About 2 hours 15 minutes for the 83 km in a car. In a full vehicle with a speed limiter and a halt, plan for around 95 km and 3 hours 15 minutes. Leaving before 7 in the morning saves most of the difference.
Easily. It is the most common way groups do it. Leave around 7 and you are back by 8 in the evening with a full day there.
No. Khandala is about 5 km from Lonavala on the same road, so both are covered in one booking at no extra charge.
It is the best time to see it and the worst time for crowds and road conditions. If you are going in monsoon, go on a weekday and start early.
Monsoon weekends fill up, so book those early. Otherwise a week or two is usually fine, and we take last minute bookings up to an hour before pickup depending on availability.
From Lonavala