Maharashtra

There's a great range of travel experiences in Maharashtra, one of India's largest states. Home to 96.8 million, the state stretches inland over 250 miles from its capital of Mumbai (Bombay) to the remote Navagaon National Park, 85 miles west of Nagpur the geographic heart of the subcontinent. Maharashtra's most popular tourist stops are the World Heritage-listed cave temples of Ellora and Ajanta, both accessed from the tatty city of Aurangabad. Closer to Mumbai is the hill station of Matheran, a relaxing, green escape from the heat and pollution of urban India where you can revive with gentle forest walks. The cooler climate around the holy ...

There's a great range of travel experiences in Maharashtra, one of India's largest states. Home to 96.8 million, the state stretches inland over 250 miles from its capital of Mumbai (Bombay) to the remote Navagaon National Park, 85 miles west of Nagpur the geographic heart of the subcontinent. Maharashtra's most popular tourist stops are the World Heritage-listed cave temples of Ellora and Ajanta, both accessed from the tatty city of Aurangabad. Closer to Mumbai is the hill station of Matheran, a relaxing, green escape from the heat and pollution of urban India where you can revive with gentle forest walks. The cooler climate around the holy city of Nasik has contributed to it becoming one of India's main wine producing areas; drop by Sula Vineyard's modern tasting room for one of the more unexpected Indian experiences. The IT boom town of Pune is famous for the Osho Meditation Resort, the chicest of Indian ashrams, and the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, where it's possible to take classes. Heading south, in Kolhapur you can watch wrestlers train and tour an extraordinary museum in the maharaja's elaborate old palace. The quiet, largely tourist-free beaches around Tarkali and Malvan are a good alternative to those in nearby Goa.

About the Expert

Simon Richmond has written Rough Guides to Malaysia and Japan; Lonely Planet guides to India and Russia; and adventure travel guides for Frommer's on Australia, India, South America, and Southeast Asia.