Umbrella waterfall is actually not a natural waterfall, but it is an excess water release from flood gates of Bhandardara dam that flows down on the rocks creating delusion of umbrella. Generally in monsoon tourists will be able to see this falls.

Every year during monsoons, the local authorities generally give an advertisement in local news paper before releasing water, which is very useful for tourist as well as for local people’s safety.

There have been several some movies shot at this location, and when here.. there is just one word to describe it … E N O R M O U S !!!.

Timing: Sunrise to Sunset.
Duration: 1 day outing.
Height of the waterfall: 45 meters (150 feet).
Best time to visit: During monsoon season from June to September.
Entry Fee: N.A.
Open days: All days of the week.
Visit Duration: 2 – 3 hours.
Photography: Allowed.

For Bookings for a visit to Umbrella Waterfalls PLEASE CLICK HERE

How to Reach

Bhandardara is located near a small village called ‘Shendi’ in Ahmednagar district and can be reached by road and rail.

By Road : At a road distance of 149 km (Via National Highway 3, State Highway 44) and 163 km (Via National Highway 222), time taken to reach Bhandardara is about 3 to 4 hours depending on your mode of travel i.e. private / rental car or AC buses. Tour operators from Mumbai ply up to Igatpuri station and from there tourist can board an MTDC / S.T. bus or hire a local vehicle like cab / auto. From Igatpuri, Bhandardara is at a distance of 45 km and takes about an hour to reach.

By Railway : Nearest station is Igatpuri which is about 45 kilometers on central railway route. Once you reach the station, follow the MTDC or ST bus as mentioned above to reach Bhandardara.

How to reach Bhandardara from Pune:

By Road: The distance between Pune and Bhandardara is 162 km via NH50. It can be reached in approximately 3.5 to 4 hours. One can opt to drive through NH50.

This route involves driving from NH 50 to Narayangaon. After that, one has to take Otur-Ozar Road to NH222, and then drive along MH SH21 and MH SH44. There are 2 more routes that lead to Bhandardara from Pune. One involves driving via Rajya Mahamarga 46 while the other goes via Kopargaon-Shirdi-ahmednagar-Pune Highway.

Pune –> Nasik Phata –> Narayangaon –> Otur –> Bhramanwada –> Kotul –> Rajur –> Bhandardara

By Railway: Board a train from Pune to Igatpuri. The total length of this stretch is 133 kilometers by train. After reaching Igatpuri, tourist can hire cabs, taxis or MTDC /S.T buses in order to reach Bhandardara.

Best Time: August – February

Monsoon and winter season is the best time to Bhandardara. The place is famous for 3 major attractions dams, waterfalls, and trekking to mount Kalsubai, all are related to water and rains. Winters are extremely cool, but precautions must be taken during summer as the climate is quite hot.

Activities

• Sightseeing
• Photography
• Picnic with friends and family

For Bookings for a visit to Umbrella Waterfalls PLEASE CLICK HERE

Beware

The waterfalls are a spectacular sight, but tourists must be extremely careful when approaching the water and the water cascades down with great force and could lead to mishaps.

Places to see near Waterfalls

• Bhandardara Lake (Arthur Lake)
• Wilson Dam
• Randha Waterfall
• Trek to the nearby forts and peaks
• Amruteshwar Temple

Where to Eat

There are limited options for eating in Bhandardara. However, there are numerous food stalls offering misal pav and vada pav. Tourist can try out traditional home-cooked food prepared by locals, varan bhat (dal-rice) is easily available but can be spicy.

MTDC offers a multi-cuisine menu and tourist can choose from the vegetarian, non-vegetarian, Chinese and tandoor items on the menu. Recently many new hotels and restaurants have come up in Bhandardara due to the increase in tourism. Bhandardara is also famous for sweet peda which is easily available at every nook and corner.

Camping

There is no official arrangement or infrastructure for camping at the water falls.

But adventure enthusiast seeking adventure can try their luck and seek permission from the local authorities and enjoy a camp near the falls.

For Bookings for a visit to Umbrella Waterfalls PLEASE CLICK HERE

A humble request

While visiting Umbrella Waterfalls please do not litter and help keep the nature and surroundings clean by carrying back your thrash and disposing it in a decent manner.

Kindly support nature as these small actions by each one of us will help preserve our beautiful waterfalls.

Randha Waterfalls is known to be one of the prominent waterfalls in India, and a visit to the falls can be clubbed during a visit to the pretty hill town of Bhandardara.

These falls are formed by the cascading waters of the Pravara River, that plunge from height of 170 feet deep into a deep gorge.

The beauty of the rocky sides of the deep gorge is, that it is home to a colony of bees, and one can see huge hanging hives under the rocky ledges adding to the beauty of the falls.

The sound of the falls can be heard from a distance, and once here tourist can enjoy the views of the falls from 2 observatories. The first observatory is situated at the top of the falls, giving a beautiful view of the falls. The second observatory is located further away, and from here one can get a whole look of the grand falls in one glimpse.

There is a smaller waterfall in the close vicinity, and during monsoons this entire area turns into a popular picnic spot for people from all over Maharashtra.

The falls is 11 km away from the Wilson dam, and its water is the chief source of hydro power to the Bhandardara region.

Timing: Sunrise to Sunset
Duration: 1 day outing (Ideal on a trip to Bhandardara)
Height of the waterfall: 45 meters (148 feet)
Best time to visit: During monsoon season from June to September.
Entry Fee: There is a nominal entry fee to the falls and car parking charges extra
Open days: All days of the week
Visit Duration: 2 – 3 hours
Photography: Permitted

For Bookings for Randha Waterfalls PLEASE CLICK HERE

How to reach

Randha Waterfalls is located on the Ranjur – Bhandardara Road, and is about 10 km from Shendi village. So a visit to the falls can be clubbed with visit to Bhandardara.

By Car

Distance from Mumbai: 185 km i.e. 3 hours 30 minutes.

Mumbai -> Kalyan -> Asangoan -> Khardi -> Igatpuri -> Ghoti Budruk – >Khed -> Shendi – Bhandardara

Distance from Pune: 190 km i.e. 4 hours.

Pune -> Chakan -> Peth -> Narayangoan -> Otur -> Kotul ->Rajur ->Shendi ->Bhandardara

From Pune there are regular buses from Shivaji Nagar to Bhandardara.

Nearest Railway Station: Igatpuri (41 km).

Activities

• Spend time in the lap of nature admiring the beauty of the falls away from the noisy city life.
• Enjoy views of the thundering falls from the 2 observatories
• Enjoy a family picnic
• Enjoy Photography
• Visit the nearby Gorpada Devi Temple

Precautions

• Overall the falls is a safe place to spend time in the company of family, and there are guards that ensure safety of tourist, but on a few sections there are no barricades which one needs to be careful about while viewing the falls from the observatories.

• No changing rooms and wash rooms.

Places to see near Randha Waterfalls

Randha waterfalls is on the way to Bhandardara i.e. about 11 km away, hence tourist can club their visit as there are many attractions within the quaint hill station of Bhandardara i.e. Bhandardara Lake (Arthur Lake), Wilson Dam, Umbrella Falls, Amruteshwar Temple and treks to the nearby forts and peaks.

For Bookings for Randha Waterfalls PLEASE CLICK HERE

Where to Eat

It is advisable to carry your own water and snacks as there are no proper restaurants near the falls, besides a few make shift tea and food stalls.

For proper meals tourist can travel to Bhandardara i.e. 11 km away.
Rajur Pedas are very popular do buy some on the way.

Camping

There is no official arrangement or infrastructure for camping at the falls. But adventure enthusiast seeking adventure can try their luck and seek permission from the local authorities and enjoy a camp near the falls.

A humble request to all tourists

While visiting Randha Waterfalls please do not litter and help keep the nature and surroundings clean by carrying back your thrash and disposing it in a decent manner.

Kindly support nature as these small actions by each one of us will help preserve our beautiful waterfalls.

For Bookings for Randha Waterfalls PLEASE CLICK HERE

Bhandardara sits by the Pravara River, and according to a local legend, sage Agastya meditated here for a year. Pleased with his penance, the Gods blessed him with a stream of river Ganga, now known as river Pravara. Furthermore there are a number of tourist attractions that awaits travelers like a serene, calming lake, enveloped in the embrace of a dam, waterfalls, forts, valley and much more.

Attractions

 Bhandardara Lake (Arthur Lake):

The Bhandardara Lake, also known as the Arthur Lake was created in 1910, when the Wilson dam was built across the Pravara River. The lake is 34 km long and serves as a reservoir for the Wilson Dam.

The lake is situated in the middle of dense green forest and is the most visited tourist spots in Bhandardara and is an ideal place for nature lovers. During sunset the beauty of the place compels travelers to enjoy a pleasant and memorable walk around the lake.

Wilson Dam:

The Wilson dam was built in 1910 across the river Pravara. It is situated at a height of 150 m above sea level and is one of the oldest dams in the country. The opening of the sluice gates creates two 60 to 80 feet cascades of water that plummet to the rocks below. It’s a spectacular view and attracts many tourists.

Tourists can enjoy some quality time in the circular garden located at the base of the dam. The beautiful garden comprises thick greenery, streams and gigantic trees and is home to hundreds of fruit bats. It is one of the most peaceful picnic spots with nature and greenery around.

Randha Waterfall:

One of the major attractions of Bhandardara is the Randha waterfall, which is located at about 11 km down from Wilson dam, and is also a good place to visit during monsoon.

The roaring River Pravara descends down from a height of 170 feet into a beautiful gorge and produces hydro-power. The breathtaking view of the waterfalls leaves the visitors spellbound.

Umbrella Falls:

The beautiful falls is visible only when water is released from the Bhandardara(Wilson) dam. Once the gates are opened, the flowing water from the big rock forms a shape of an umbrella, hence called as umbrella falls.

But this happens only when dam is full and it’s raining continuously. Monsoon is the best time to enjoy the unspoilt beauty of the Umbrella Falls. Due to rain the water level is high and thus, the falls are a treat to watch. The water from the falls is also used for the generation of hydro-electric power.

Trek to the nearby forts and peaks:

Bhandardara provides plenty of opportunity for small treks and hikes for adventure lovers.From Bhandardara, one can climb up to see the Ratangad and Harishchandragad fort.

Or, you can follow the trails that lead to Ajoba and Ghanchakkar peaks. Also, if you are up for a challenge, the highest peak in Maharashtra, Mount Kalsubai (1646 m), stands tall for you to conquer. Standing at the summit, you can have a panoramic view of Sahyadris and Bhandardara.

Amruteshwar Temple:

Bhandardara is also a hot-spot for the religiously inclined, who visit the Amruteshwar Temple an ancient Shiva Temple built during the 11th century and is located in Ratanwadi village.

Apart from being a religious place the temple is an interesting place to study and admire the unique architecture and carvings of the temple.

Bookings for a trip to Bhandardara Please CLICK HERE

Things to see and do:

Bhandardara is ideal for all kinds of tourists. If you are an adventure lover there are ample walks to take, sights to explore and peaks to scale. However, for the laid-back tourist, there is the option of cozying up in a chair with a book, or taking a leisurely walk by the lake.

You can also bring your fishing line and tackle along and find a suitable spot for some angling. The lake offers great opportunities for anglers. With just the right combination of patience and luck, you may secure yourself a good catch.

There are jeeps and rickshaws available at the village square in Shendi, just 3 km away, to take you on a tour of the predetermined points of interest around  Bhandardara.Tourist can also their set your own itinerary and take the hired jeep only to places of their choice.

The best way to explore Bhandardara’s beauty is to take walks along the shores of the lake. After the first monsoon showers, with the valley shrouded in a green veil and the lake overflowing with water, the views are simply spectacular.

Furthermore, there are local guides that usually hang around the MTDC resort, who are willing to show you around for a nominal fee. They are the best choice if you have a car and driver at your disposal and their knowledge of the area is pretty extensive.

Best time to visit:

Best Time: August – February

Monsoon and winter season is the best time to Bhandardara. The place is famous for 3 major attractions dams, waterfalls, and trekking to mount Kalsubai, all are related to water and rains. Winters are extremely cool, but precautions must be taken during summer as the climate is quite hot.

Bookings for a trip to Bhandardara Please CLICK HERE

How to reach Bhandardara from Mumbai:

Bhandardara is located near a small village called ‘Shendi’ in Ahmednagar district and can be reached by road and rail.

By Road : At a road distance of 149 km (Via National Highway 3, State Highway 44) and 163 km (Via National Highway 222), time taken to reach Bhandarda is about 3 to 4 hours depending on your mode of travel i.e. private / rental car or AC buses. Tour operators from Mumbai ply up to Igatpuri station and from there tourist can board an MTDC / S.T. bus or hire a local vehicle like cab / auto. From Igatpuri, Bhandardara is at a distance of 45 km and takes about an hour to reach.

By Railway: Nearest station is Igatpuri which is about 45 kilometers on central railway route. Once you reach the station, follow the MTDC or ST bus as mentioned above to reach Bhandardara.

How to reach Bhandardara from Pune:

By Road: The distance between Pune and Bhandardara is 162 km via NH50. It can be reached in approximately 3.5 to 4 hours. One can opt to drive through NH50. This route involves driving from NH 50 to Narayangaon. After that, one has to take Otur-Ozar Road to NH222, and then drive along MH SH21 and MH SH44. There are 2 more routes that lead to Bhandardara from Pune. One involves driving via Rajya Mahamarga 46 while the other goes via Kopargaon-Shirdi-ahmednagar-Pune Highway.

Pune – Nasik Phata – Narayangaon – Otur – Bhramanwada – Kotul – Rajur – Bhandardara

By Railway: Board a train from Pune to Igatpuri. The total length of this stretch is 133 kilometers by train. After reaching Igatpuri, tourist can hire cabs, taxis or MTDC /S.T buses in order to reach Bhandardara.

Where to stay in Bhandardara:

There are now many hotels and resorts that offer comfortable accommodation at Bhandardara.

Some of the best hotels and resorts are situated around the lake and waterfalls making the stay even more memorable. Budget hotels are also available and there are small lodging located on the outskirts of Bhandardara.

For hotel and resort stays in Bhandardara Please CLICK HERE

Best places to eat in Bhandardara:

There are limited options for eating in Bhandardara. However, there are numerous food stalls offering misal pav and vada pav.Tourist can try out traditional home-cooked food prepared by locals, varan bhat (dal-rice) is easily available but can be spicy.

MTDC offers a multi-cuisine menu and tourist can choose from the vegetarian, non-vegetarian, Chinese and tandoor items on the menu. Recently many new hotels and restaurants have come up in Bhandardara due to the increase in tourism. Bhandardara is also famous for sweet peda which is easily available at every nook and corner.