His pen fell off the cliff, but, bounced back up !!
Then he threw his handkerchief, and soon it traveled back up!!
Curious, he jumped down the cliff, to see if would bounce back up
Do you know what happened next?
Such is the story of Arthur Wallet. Who, after meeting personal tragedy, visited this viewpoint often. He sat here for hours. And perhaps wrote his experience in his little notebook. But, then, one day, while he was writing, his pen fell down. To his surprise, it bounced back up from the cliff. Totally defying gravity. Intrigued, he threw other small items that he had with him. And they followed suite. So, he decided to jump down the cliff and see what happens. Alas, he didn’t come back up!
Arthur’s point is a famous tourist attraction and a view point in Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra. Which is actually a group of six different view points. These include –
- Savitri Point or Arthur’s seat point
- Castle Rock Point or echo point
- Hunter Point
- Tiger Sprint Point
- Window Point
- Malcom Point
Each one giving the views of surrounding mountains and valleys from a different angle. Amongst the natural wonders that you can see from here are the Sahyadri Range, with Savitri Valley on the left and Brahma-Arayana Valley on the right. In the valley one can also see the Savitri River. And at the last view point, there is a small observation deck as well. From where, you can get a 360 degree panoramic view of the complete valley and the hills surrounding it.
Arthur’s seat is definitely a must visit, and one of the most interesting places to see in Mahabaleshwar. And I thoroughly enjoyed my visit here.
Why do things thrown down the cliff bounce back up at Arthur’s seat ?
Till date, people visiting Arthur’s seat, particularly in the month of May, try to throw little and light things down the cliff. And see them bounce back up. It is believed that in the peak summer months, the air in the valley gets extremely hot. And rises up. As a result of that, when lightweight objects are dropped down the cliff, they are carried back up by this hot air. And it appears like nothing less than magic. That gravity is totally defied at Arthur’s seat. So, if you happen to be here in the summer months, do give this magic trick a try. Although Arthur Wallet’s story is really sad. But, he also discovered a very unique place in India with a very unique phenomenon.
The unique echo at Arthur’s seat
If you think the above gravitational play is the only unique phenomenon at Arthur’s seat. Then wait for more. This place is also famous for it’s unique sound echo phenomenon. Although there are many places in the hills where you would have experienced echo of sound. But, at Arthur’s seat, when you shout out to the valley, the echo comes back after several seconds. Perhaps, because, the distance of the nearby hills is such. It takes quiet a few seconds before the sound bounces back and reaches you. So, another thing you should have in your list of things to try out at Arthur’s seat is a echo.
How to reach Arthur’s Seat in Mahabaleshwar
Arthur’s seat is located almost 10 km further to old Mahabaleshwar Town. As such, you can reach here by driving, hiring a cab from Mahabaleshwar town or even an auto-rickshaw. Tourist buses also bring tourists to Arthur’s seat in large number. The parking at Arthur’s Seat view point is limited. As compared to the amount of tourists that flock here. So, eventually, vehicles get parked at both the sides of the road. Similar to what I observed at Athirapally Waterfalls during my Kerala Road Trip.
Entry Fee to Arthur’s Seat
There is no entry fee to Arthur’s seat Mahabaleshwar.
Timing of Arthur’s Seat
Arthur’s seat is accessible on all days of the week from 9:00am to 8:00pm. However, you must visit here before dark. Otherwise, you can’t get the views of the valley and the hills from here. Overall, you should allocate 1-2 hrs to visit Arthur’s seat. Guides are also available at Arthur’s seat Mahabaleshwar. A guide will charge you INR 200 for complete guided tour of the location.
Trekking at Arthur’s seat
As you approach the view points, there is a flight of stairs to be taken. Which goes up and down through different view points. The stairs are many, but easy to climb up and down. While taking these stairs, hopping from one view point to another, you need not trace your steps back. For, from the final view point, there is a shortcut that will directly take you to the main road.
Facilities available at Arthur’s seat view point Mahabaleshwar
Washroom facility is available at Arthur’s seat. Apart from this, there are vendors selling some refreshments, packaged drinking water and snacks. Also, there are some shops selling handmade local items, small toys, gifts and souvenirs.
General information on visiting Mahabaleshwar
How to reach Mahabaleshwar
Mahabaleshwar is well connected to all the other major cities of Maharashtra through road. Pune is the nearest airport to Mahabaleshwar. Again, if you want to reach Mahabaleshwar by train, Pune is the nearest railway station to Mahabaleshwar. It takes around 2 hours to reach Mahabaleshwar from Pune. We visited Mahabaleshwar as a part of our Bangalore to Maharashtra Road Trip. In this trip, we also visited Kolhapur, and explored Karla and Bhaja Caves in Lonavala. From there, we went further to explore Nashik. And see the world famous Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves amongst places to see in Aurangabad before returning back to Bangalore.
Which is the best time to visit Mahabaleshwar
The best time to visit Mahabaleshwar is between June to February. From March to May it is peak summer season and day temperature soars way too high. Monsoon season is generally cloudy in the plateau region. With the cloud cover and wind it gets pleasant. And in winter months, the day temperature can still be as high as 30 degrees C. But nights tend to get pleasant with temperature dropping to as low as 12-13 degree C.
Where to stay in Mahabaleshwar
Mahabaleshwar being one of the very few hill stations of Maharashtra and a famous tourist spot, there is no dearth of places to stay in Mahabaleshwar. From hostels and dormitory like accommodations and affordable homestay to luxury hotels like Le Meridian Mahabaleshwar, Courtyard by Marriott Mahabaleshwar, Evershine Resort and Spa etc. you will be spoilt with choices.
We stayed at Mountain Breeze Resort in Mahabaleshwar. And had a pleasant stay. If you opt for Mountain Breeze Resort , don’t go for the 2 bhk suite. The ground floor rooms have a verandah that open in the hotel lawn. And I felt they were the best to sit and enjoy the views. While the first floor rooms have balconies. All rooms face towards the valley. So, views are really nice.
You can browse this complete list of accommodation in Mahabaleshwar to choose one suitable to your budget and needs.
I recommend staying a little farther from the main town, on the outskirts. Or, in a hotel with great valley views.
What are other things to do in Mahabaleshwar
- Visit naturally beautiful spots like Vienna Lake, Elephant’s Head, massive waterfall like Chinaman’s falls, Dhobhi Waterfall and Lingmala Waterfalls.
- Offer your prayers at some of the most ancient temples of India like the Mahabaleshwar Temple and the Krishna Temple
- Try Strawberry plucking from a strawberry farm in Mahabaleshwar or visit a Cheese Factory
- Visit Mapro Garden to try or buy organic produces of Mahabaleshwar
- Eat special cuisines of Maharashtra like Misal Pav, Pav Bhaji, Strawberry with cream, Vada Pav and Bhel etc.
- Drive to Tapola – a valley famous as “mini Kashmir” due to it’s green meadows and surrounding valleys that will remind you of the beautiful valleys of Kashmir like Pahalgam Valley or Doodhpathri Valley
- Trek to the highest view point of Mahabaleshwar – Wilson Point
- Visit Panchgani
Last, but not the least, if you are a slow traveler like me, then just book a place with excellent view of the hills and valleys. And soak into the lap of nature right from your accommodation. Basking in the winter sun or taking a stroll in the chilly evenings.