A mystic hill station
located in the periphery of Maharashtra, in the Sindhudurg district, Amboli is
a relatively unexplored tourist destination. It is seated at an altitude of 690
m in the southern ranges of the Sahyadri hills. Given this strategic point of
interest, it combines the chilling weather of a hill station with the lingering
smell of the sea. The Amboli village reminds one of the lost tranquility of the
oriental origin. The source of river Krishna lies in the heart of this village
and owes its holy waters to the Shiva temple at the cave where the water
originates.
This natural ‘Eco Hot
spot’ thrives in a diversified vegetation and houses several species of flora
and fauna. While the wildlife is a primary tourist attraction, the natural
beauty of the forest covered hills, soaked in ambrosial showers is a
breathtaking sight. Mini waterfalls gushing down the slopes, heavy rains and
mist covered horizons are characteristic of Amboli. It is surrounded by a thick
canopy of trees and dense forest cover, especially on the Konkan coast. Those
interested can spend days trekking and observing nature at the Mahadev Gad or
Narayan Gad. Others can enjoy the peaceful echo of the waters at Nagatta Falls
or even go fishing at Hiranya Keshi.
While it remains one of
the lesser known tourist spots, more than 50,000 people visit Amboli each year
to release themselves from their stressful lives and get enchanted in the lap
of Mother Nature. Exotic resorts and cottages are available to pamper the
senses. The people of Amboli are fun loving and helpful. Hindi and Marathi are
the most popular languages spoken.
Some other places to
visit near Amboli include Vengurla, 57 km from Amboli, which is famous for its
beaches; Tarkalri, 101 km from Amboli, a place known for its forts and temples
and the Dajipur Wildlife Sanctuary at a distance of 114 km from Amboli. Some of
the nearest cities in Maharashtra and Karnataka include Kolhapur, Belgaum,
Sawantwadi and Ajara. Belgaumflights to Amboli are easily available and transport people from Bangalore,
Mysore and other parts of Karnataka. Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai are
also connected by air.
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| Mystic roads of Amboli (Photo Courtesy: wonderjourney) |
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| The natural ‘Eco Hot spot’, Amboli (Photo Courtesy: infomela) |
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| Trek errs Paradise Mahadevgad Point, Amboli (Photo Courtesy: Roopesh Kohad, Flickr) |
Even though Amboli is
not a registered wildlife sanctuary, there are many informal places of
observation where the rarest species of plants and animals are found in
abundance. The forests of Amboli constantly surprise animal lovers with some
indigenous species of frogs, geckos, butterflies, snakes and other reptiles.
Bird watchers can have a visual treat of a wide range of birds, given they are
patient and observing.
The summers are mild and
warm, whereas winters are characterised by severe coldness with the
temperature, at times, dropping to less than 10 degrees. However, winters are
the best times to enjoy the transcendental beauty of Amboli, a nature’s gift.
Monsoons begin in June and go in till October. They refresh the scenery and
sprinkle the forests with intermittently spaced waterfalls.
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| Amboli's abundant waterfalls are thronged by tourists looking for a slice of serenity(Photo Courtesy: bestpicnicspots) |
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| While Amboli boasts of spectacular flaura, it only takes a closer to look to uncover its wildlife.(Photo Courtesy: saevus) |
