The Best Road Trips That You Should Take in Maharashtra

When your life suffocates in the concrete-jungle; when, your driving excellence gets confined to home to office and then office to home straining all your energy among the forest of cars; when driving alongside Juhu beach or on the Marine drive no more creates enthusiasm in you, you know it’s a high time to give yourself a break! A break from the daily routine, a break from the urban chaos, a break from the regular hustle-bustle to some distant places where you can endlessly and aimlessly drive your two or four wheelers and feel the nature up, close and personal.

Maharashtra really offers more than a few good options where you can indulge yourself in the driving spree. Even if you can manage to get a few holidays, just pack your bag, take out your car or bike, either gather some good friends or family or just sit behind the steering and just lead off and vroom. Before that, do not miss to check out the list of the best road trips in and around Maharashtra you should take, at least once in your life time!

Mumbai to Pune through Pune Expressway

The best road trip experience you’re going to have in Maharashtra is undoubtedly on the Mumbai - Pune Expressway. This 93 km long journey offers some of the most stunning scenic views one can ever experience on a road trip. The serpentine smooth somewhat hilly road, greeneries at both the sides and your two o four wheelers- travelling on road was probably never so good. To add more joy to your trip, you can find the famous Kinara Village Dhaba and Sunny Da Dhaba to get a gastronomic break. 

Mumbai to Goa (NH17)

If road trips mean having some laid back yet utterly enjoyable moments on the way with your best buddies, then this would be the best choice for you! The road from Mumbai to Goa was famous even before 'Dil Chahta Hai' happened. It has always been adored by those wandering souls who love to roam around on wheels. The NH17 is a butter smooth road covered by plenty of greeneries through which you can reach Goa from Mumbai in around 10 to 12 hours. If the nights in Goa you wish to spend partying, then kickoff your journey at an early morning which is good for the least-traffic trip as well. And for some food halts, there lie numerous options on the road. So just pack your bags and let the journey begin!

Mumbai to Nashik

Driving on the roads in Maharashtra is always a great experience. If you are in love with road trips, the trip from Mumbai to Nashik would certainly be a lovable one for you. The smooth broad road and changing landscapes at both the sides would make your unruffled journey even more memorable. From green Baobab trees to vast grassland or from semi dense forest to the beautiful grape yards and the fuzzy sights of the smaller hills at a far distance- the long drive on the highway will give perfect satisfaction to all of your senses. And for the pit stops, there are plenty of food joints lying along the highway.

Mumbai to Alibaug, Kashid and Murud

Sometimes, we think to do some things but actually do something completely different than them. What if you begin your journey towards Goa but suddenly you take a different turn and your wheels lead you to elsewhere? If your sudden turn reaches you Alibaug, then the journey would definitely be a great one. This one is a long but peaceful and scenic road trip that Maharashtra offers. You would happily ramble through the smooth and traffic-free (almost!) road.   


If you go further than Alibaug towards Kashid and Murud, the journey on the winding road would make a happy trip for you. This road runs alongside the sea coast which makes the drive even more pleasant. For those super enthusiasts, you can take another route via Roha while returning back from Murud to experience another smooth, green and pleasant road trip. And for the pit stops, there are several good dhaba style restaurants on the way to Alibaug, but after this there are no options for food-stopping on the way to Murud. So, it is advisable to store some foods and liquids while leaving Alibaug to avoid an uncomfortable journey. 

Mumbai to Khodala

Maharashtra becomes more beautiful during the season of monsoon. And the state certainly offers several destinations which are popular during the rainy season. But while most of these hot-spots remain uncomfortably crowded, a few lesser known places in the state would welcome you with absolute and longed freshness and tranquility.

Khodala village is such a lesser known place holding a lovely serenity that soothes mind. But it is the road to Khodala from Mumbai that would stun you with its sheer beauty. The rain dribbling on the smooth meandering road, the rain-poured rivulets flowing through the nooks and corners of the Western Ghats, those numerous roaring waterfalls, and the surrounding getting greener than ever- the road to Khodala would let you immerse in the beauty that nature provides! The journey of 124 km from Mumbai would mark a permanent place in your heart, for sure.         

Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar

The distance from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar is around 300 km and this drive-away is an advisable one for those who love long drive. The Pune - Bangalore road offers some stunning views towards the hill station. But the beauty that the mighty hills and the surroundings hold in them should be the main reason to those in love with road trips for choosing Mahabaleshwar as destination. And who would not love to enjoy the view of beautiful strawberry gardens and tasting some of them at the same time during the trip? Let your long drive begin! 

Kalyan Nirmal Highway (NH222)

Now it has to be one of the best rides in Maharashtra. The National Highway 222 runs between Maharashtra and Telangana and provides some of the most marvelous sights on the way. Especially if you are on your two wheels, this would certainly be one of the most memorable trips for you. The sun soaked clean road, greeneries at both the sides, the road side trees giving shadows in hide-n-seek manner and your roving soul- a perfect combination for an awesome road trip. But on a safety note, try to avoid the trip after sunset.

Malshej Ghat and Beyond...

There is nothing new for Malshej Ghat; it is indeed a popular monsoon destination for people across Maharashtra. But if you are on your bike, or if you are behind the steering, and just waiting to vroom, you need to go beyond Malshej Ghat. For this trip, instead of the traditional route via Kalyan take the Mumbai-Pune expressway and take a left turn near Wadgaon; then drive towards Narayangaon and Junnar.

You can even spend the night at Junnar and at leave for Malshej Ghat via Lenyadri at the early morning. The voluminous road to Malshej Ghat from Junnar is so stunning that you would cherish the experience for quite long. The numerous waterfalls, foggy mountains, little drizzle drenching the path and the ever beautiful mountain greeneries- you would have everything to make your road trip a memorable one.    

Pune to Lonavala and Khandala

Again it is true for both Lonavala and Khandala that there is nothing new about these popular places in Maharashtra. In fact, the monsoon in Maharashtra has become so much popular for these places. But here as we are talking about road trips, we should, by every mean include the roads to both Lonavala and Khandala in our list; the roads those would take you to some heavenly journeys.

The misty hills, the roaring waterfalls, the rain-fed rivulets flowing here and there of the mountains and the silky smooth winding road are the main attractions of this trip. Though driving on a hilly road during rainy season could be a little more dangerous but the love for trill that pushes you to take this journey would definitely make it a cherished road trip. The road remains less crowded, so it takes around 1.45-2 hours to reach Lonavala.

Mumbai to Mt. Abu via Vadodara & Ahmedabad

Now this one is literally a long drive. The distance between Mumbai and Mount Abu is around 750 km and the main road which is national Highway 8 runs via Gujarat. This 12 hour (approximately) journey through Vadodara and Ahmedabad would let you experience some of the most blissful moments of being on a road trip. The part of the road which lies at Gujarat is really sophisticated maintained hence offers a great drive. Altogether this long drive lets one feel amalgamation of cultural diversities of three different states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.   

Saputara, Mumbai-Gujarat Border

Saputara is a well-known hill station and is situated in Gujarat, precisely at the border of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Mostly a tribal area, the road to Saputara provides with a stunning driving experience. Take the road further from Nashik and go straight via Dindori and Vani to reach Saputara. The road to Saputara runs through mountain forests, waterfalls and numerous streams of local rivers. Monsoon is again the best time to pick up a road trip to Saputara as the hilly area become even more magical and startling after getting bathed in rain. To add more, consider yourself lucky if you can experience the sunset while driving on the road, it is a delightful sight!