Satara Sightseeing, Quick Facts, History, Packages, Tours & Excursions

Sightseeing Highlights

Gove: This small hamlet on the banks of the river Krishna River is famous for the Koteshware mandir, a 16^th century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is 16 km north to the Satara city. While driving to it you can catch glimpses of typical villages are farms of the Maharashtra countryside.

Pateshwar: The green and lush Pateshwar hills lie on the Satara-Solapur state highway, just 10 km from Satara city. The jungle is made up of semi-deciduous trees like teak, banyan, Jajmun, Karvee and other varieties. The entire area is dotted with ancient temples with stone sculptures. The most important among them is the famous Shiva Temple with the Maha Shiva Lingam engraved with intricate carvings.

Kalyangad Fort: Perched high on a ridge of Nandgiri hill in the Mahadev range, fourteen miles north-east of Satara, this Maratha fort is a place for adventurous explorers and trekkers. The approach is through a steep trek up the mountainside. The fort has two gateways, and many ruined structures and water reservoirs along the way. Inside the fort is a temple dedicated to Lord Maruti and the tomb of Abdul Karim, a Muslim Saint. This is an excellent spot if you are interested in trekking, hiking and rock climbing.

Thoseghar Waterfall: While in Satara do not forget to check out the beautiful Thoseghar Waterfall which is situated 27 km from the city. The height of the falls is almost 150 ft. The beauty of the surroundings is enhanced by a clean lake, dark woods and beautiful hilly landscape.

Kaas Lake: This man-made lake is situated on Kaas Platau and is 26 km from Satara and easily reached by road. Built in 1875 the reservoir is the main source of drinking water to the old city. It is a popular picnic spot and especially pretty during the rainy season.

Mayani Bird Sanctuary: This place, situated near Vaduj, is a haven for birdwatchers. Migratory birds like the Flamingoes come here in large numbers during winter. Other birds like the Northern Shoveller, Stork and Kingfisher are also found here.

Near-by hill stations:

Mahabaleshwar: This famous hill station is the most developed and largest of all hill stations in Maharashtra. Mahabaleshwar was the summer capital of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency during the British Raj. This hill station remains an extremely popular place for people seeking to get away from the summer heat during the months of April-May. Places to check out here are Wilson Point (for spectacular views of the sunset). Connaught Peak, Elphinstone Point and Marjorie Point which all offer panoramic views of the Sahyadri Ranges.

Panchgani: This is a small but popular hill-station of Maharashtra. It is located amidst five small hills, from which it derives its name (panch in Marathi means five). The surroundings are extremely green and there are many trekking and walking trails along the hill-side.

Satara is a town located in the Satara district of Maharashtra. It lies in the heart of West Maharashtra. Satara is also a district headquarter. It was the capital of the old Maratha kingdom. It is bound by Pune district to the north, Solapur district to the east, Sangli district to the south and Ratnagiri district to the west. An ancient centre of cultural heritage, the city has several mythological, historical, cultural and even political references.  Eminent historians, well-known authors, poets and great political leaders made this city famous from time to time. The physical settings of Satara shows a contrast of immense dimensions and reveals a variety of landscapes influenced by relief, climate and vegetation. Satara was regarded as the celestial abode of great seven sages on the hill fort of 'Ajinkyatara', which was known as 'Fort of Sapta-Rishi' (Seven Sages) and hence the name ?Satara? which is derived from the seven (sat) hills (tara) surrounding the town.