Mahabaleshwar is a hill station in India’s forested Western Ghats range, south of Mumbai. It features several elevated viewing points, such as Arthur’s Seat. West of here is centuries-old Pratapgad Fort, perched atop a mountain spur. East, Lingmala Waterfall tumbles off a sheer cliff. Colorful boats dot Venna Lake, while 5 rivers meet at Panch Ganga Temple to the north.
Panchgani is a hill station southeast of Mumbai in India’s Maharashtra state. It’s known for the Table Land, a huge volcanic plateau. Lookouts like Sydney Point and Parsi Point offer views of Dhom Dam lake and Kamalgad Fort, used as a prison by the British in the early 19th century. To the southeast, the Rajpuri Caves are surrounded by sacred ponds and contain a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Kartikeya.