Escape Mumbai to Explore Nature Trails with Sterling Holidays

Mumbai is a land of dreams, the city that never sleeps, is a dynamic, electrifying, exciting concrete jungle. The chaotic life Mumbaikars lead with an insane amount of hustle and bustle every single day calls for an escape that leads to nature to calm the nerves. And the best way to achieve that kind of inner peace is to take a weekend away from the city and spend some quality time with your family or friends, or maybe even on your own. Apart from the zillion things that make Mumbai the 'it' place to be at, an additional positive is that it is close to numerous weekend getaways that allows you to #ExploreNature. Resorts near Mumbai are easily accessible both by road and rail, starting from Karjat which is a mere 60 km from Mumbai to Phaltan that is 250 km. It is easy to plan your weekend getaways from Mumbai for its naturally gifted and beautiful landscapes by the Western Ghats.

So for International Father’s Day weekend, when Sterling Holidays invited us to experience one of their prime eco-friendly properties, the Nature Trail Resorts, Durshet Forest Lodge, we threw caution to the wind and headed out. For the two-day getaway, we checked into the place that offered a quaint and serene place to unwind and get close to nature. The lodge merely a few hours from Mumbai is set against the stunning Sahyadri mountain ranges and beautifully caresses the Amba river to give a glimpse of what tranquillity really is.

During our stay, we lodged in a super luxury tent cottage with the best of urbane comforts and breathtaking views. In case travellers are looking for varied accommodation options, the lodge also offers Cocoon and Cottage rooms, Dome Tents and Dormitories. It boasts of a perennial waterfall and a 35-acre natural forest that serves as a nature trail for adventure activities like rappelling, kayaking, zip lining, Burma bridge, and much more. These activities are covered within the room tariff and can be enjoyed free of cost. However, if travellers are looking to enjoy just a day-out, the lodge also offers a ‘Nature Break Without Room’ adventure option. There are numerous activities for kids as well as adults that will keep you away from all your gadgets for the day. To know all about the tariff plans and activity costs, check here.

The father-daughter duo hiked up the hilly terrain with gusto and participated in the thrilling activities, much to my amazement.

As we retired for the day, it was wonderful just to sit outside the cottages sipping some green tea, gazing into the night sky counting stars.

The next morning we headed to the Kundalika Rafting Camp in Kolad to experience the White Water Rafting over Kundalika river, for a stretch of 13 km. The rafting activity is coordinated with the release of water through the dam controlling the river flow. Once the water is released, the rafting experience is nothing short of enticing with sailing past the mountain ranges of the Sahyadris, creating Grade 2 and Grade 3 rapids. Apart from rafting, activities like rappelling, kayaking, river and valley crossing, etc are also offered under the supervision of an expert. Since the activity is for kids above the age of 12, we decided to let Daddy enjoy the Kolad Rafting activity while momma and princess went on to explore the other offerings of the Nature Trails. The company operates properties in four unexplored yet easily accessible destinations close to Mumbai, Pune and Nashik.

So the next weekend, do not let any excuse work in his favour, pack your bags and head to a luxurious property in the lap of nature to #ExploreNaturalTrails. 

Until next time, 
~ Heena