This popular hill station was the summer capital of the Bombay presidency during the days of the British Raj. It has pleasant walks and good lookouts, and the area has interesting historical connections with Shivaji. The station was founded in 1828 by Sir John Malcom.

As with most hill stations, Mahabaleshwar closes up tight for the monsoon season (mid-June to mid-September). Local buildings are clad with kulum grass to stop them being damaged by the torrential rain -an unbelievable six meters(around 235 inches) of rain falls during this time.
The small Venna Lake, about four km from Mahabaleshwar, has boating and fishing facilities. The Krishnabai, or Panchganga (five streams), Temple is said to contain the springs of the Krishna, Venna and Koyana rivers.

The local specialities- strawberry and raspberry jam- are good. Elphistone, Babington, Bombay and Kate's Point all offer fine views from this wooded plateau to the plains below. Arthur's Seat, 12 km from Mahabaleshwar, looks out over a sheer drop of 600 meters to the Konkan coastal strip. There are pleasant waterfalls such as Chinaman's Falls (2.5 km), Dhobi (three km) and Lingmala (six km). Most of the walking trails are well signposted.