Malshej Ghat
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Malshej Ghat is a tourist spot near the city of Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra, India. The site is nestled in the lofty rugged hills of the Western Ghats. The best time to visit is between August and September. At this time of the year, the hills are clothed in a soothing shade of mint green and the weather is cool due to the monsoons. Known for its misty tops and ice cold cascades at this time of the year, the site is a very popular weekend getaway for most of the city's residents at that time of the year.
The site is home to hundreds of different kinds of flora and fauna especially the avian population such as quails, rails, crakes, flamingos and cuckoos.
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[edit] Getting there
Malshej Ghat is situated at a distance of 154 km from Mumbai around a three hour road trip. The nearest railheads are the Central Railway junctions of Kalyan and Karjat.. By road one has to take NH-3 from Mumbai to Bhiwandi via Murbad or state highway via Kalyan, Saralgaon and Vaishakhare. Autorickshaws from Kalyan also take passengers on a shared basis at around 150 rupees per head. Alternatively, State Transport buses leave to the destination at regular intervals. Also, from national highway NH4/NH17/SH35/SH38 one can go to Malshej Ghat via Karjat - Murbad state highway
[edit] Activities
For trekkers and hikers, it is a heaven of sorts as the solitude of unending rolling hills provides quite some experience. One can scale the peaks or explore the intricate jungle paths below. The Shivneri Fort is also the birthplace of Shivaji — one of the great past rulers of Maharashtra. Often dense fog covers the peaks of the hills. The site is also devoid of the mad rush of tourists that normally accompanies most other locations near the city.
[edit] Bird graves
The ghat has the dubious distinction of being a graveyard for small birds during the onset of the monsoons. Most of the birds nest among the cliffs of the Western Ghats. In this season, strong gusts of wind, heavy rain and dense fog often result in the birds getting disoriented. As many of the birds gravitate to the bright lights of the passing vehicles, the birds hit the cliff faces often leading to their deaths. However this phenomenon has decreased in the recent years according to local naturalists.
[edit] Accommodation
Since the area is at a considerable distance from a small town, there are not many posh restaurants and shopping malls. Flamingo Hill is a resort run by MTDC – Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation in the vicinity. You need to book hotel rooms in advance. Hotel booking can be done from any MTDC tourism office or online at http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/ .
