Amongst the expensive vineyards of Nashik, the MTDC Boat Club Nashik was nothing less than a great discovery that we had for budget travel!!
When one thinks of Nashik – the historical town that hosts the Mahakumbh Mela and the place where you find 3000 year old Pandavleni caves. Which is better known as the “Wine capital of India” due to the numerous vineyards in Nashik. Then a boat club is not something that pops as a first thing in mind. Right? Well when we headed to Nashik on our Maharashtra Road Trip, even we had the usual bucket list of places to see in Nashik. Which included experiencing a Nashik Vineyard Tour, staying in a Vineyard in Nashik. Visiting the Pandavleni Caves. And offering our prayers at the holi Trimbakeshwar Temple.
It was by sheer chance that while browsing through what else to do in Nashi, we stumbled up the MTDC Boat Club Nashik. And what a wonderful afternoon it turned out to be!!
Location of MTDC Boat Club
The address of MTDC Boat Club Nashik is slightly outside the city, almost 10 km to the famous vineyards like Sula Vineyard and 15-20km from the main city of Nashik. You can easily reach here using google map.
Facilities at MTDC Boat Club
To be honest, I had not really expected the MTDC Boat Club to be as clean and well maintained as it was. It surpassed all my expectations.
There is a very good parking space outside MTDC Boat Club entrance.
Then they have a kids play area – small but well appointed. An on premise restaurant with a wide variety of menu and very affordable cost, an open seating across the large cafeteria hall with beautiful views of the Gangapur Lake. Very neat washrooms and a boating facility that includes many different type of boating experiences that you can select from. There are life jackets also provided on the boats. And the whole place is sparking clean and well maintained. I would say, it is a perfect place to chill out in Nashik on a budget. And surprisingly, I found much less crowd here as compared to the Sula Vineyard when I headed there next !!
Things to do at MTDC Boat Club Nashik
- Dine at the on premises restaurant at MTDC Boat Club, called the MTDC Boat Cafe. The food menu is really extensive and prices are very affordable.
- But, you need not purchase the food from the Boat Club. Outside food is very much allowed. You can bring your own packed lunch and have here.
- Enjoy the breezy winds from the lake sitting inside the restaurant of MTDC Boat Club.
- Kids can play in the playarea at the club.
- There are benches in the park where you can sit.
- You can go on boating on the picturesque Gangapur Lake. There are several boating options to choose from varying from large motor boats to more adventurous banana boats and bumper boats.
- Go for adventure water sports like kayaking and jet skiing
- If you can be around here in the evening, watch a perfect sunset across the horizon through the backdrop of the beautiful green mountains across the aqua blue waters.
General Information on visiting MTDC Boat Club
Opening hours of MTDC Boat Club : 9:00am to 8:00pm
Entry ticket to MTDC Boat Club : Rs 70 per person, entry is free for kids below 5 years of age.
There is a separate charge for each of the water sports activities and boat rides. And there is a billboard near boating area that displays the charges. However, you can also prebook the activities through bookmyshow app.
Best time to visit MTDC Boat Club
Morning or evening hours when the climate is cool and comfortable. Many people come here during the evening hours to enjoy a beautiful sunset across the lake.
General Information on visiting Nashik
When is the best time to visit Nashik
Except for the summer months of March – June, you can visit Nashik anytime. It is pleasant when it is cloudy in winter season with small spells of rain here and there. And it is very comfortable towards the evening and in morning hours in the winter season.
What are the things to do in Nashik
Apart from visiting the MTDC Boat Club visit, there are a lot of other things to do and places to see in Nashik. These include –
- Experience a stay in a lush green Nashik Vineyards – like a stay in a vineyard in Tuscany
- Winery Guided Tour in one of the Vineyards
- Visiting places of worship like the world famous Trimbakeshwar Temple where the Mahakumbh is held every 12 years and which is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India.
- From Nashik you can do a day trip to Shirdi as well to visit this pilgrimage place
- Explore the Pandavleni Caves – one of the oldest and very ornate Buddhist caves of India.
How to reach Nashik
Nashik has an airport that connects it to most of the other airports in India. It is also well connected by road and rail from Mumbai and Pune. Since it is a major city and there’s a lot to do here, there are plenty of options to commute as well as for food or stay. You can hire a cab, rent a car and self drive or take a local taxi through your accommodation for just the activities that you want to do.
Where to stay in Nashik
Vineyard resorts : Source at Sula located right in the middle of the plantations. And Beyond by Sula – which is very near to the Gangapur Lake, Soma Vine Village
Luxury to mid – budget segment hotels : Ibis, Express Inn and Radisson
Economical stay options : OYO Rooms, Hostler and even airbnbs are available
Here’s a complete list of accommodations in Nashik.
Overall, I highly recommend visiting MTDC Boat club Nashik. And particularly if you are on a budget travel then this is a perfect location for you to enjoy the natural scenes and indulge in food and activities without breaking the bank. We spent a couple of hours here mostly chilling out and enjoying the views from across the cafeteria. Actually we were not very keen on boating as we had done boating on Nainital Lake while sightseeing in Nainital on our Uttarakhand trip just a couple of months before. Overall we came out highly satisfied with our choice of place to spend this time.