Living in Mumbai is great, after all this is the city that never sleeps. It can get a little exhausting though, so we thought of a great solution to help recharge those batteries – a weekend getaway. So we picked up the Hyundai Xcent and set off for Saputara, just across state borders and into Gujarat.
We took the route that goes via Nashik, which entailed a drive of about 250 km to get to this popular hill-station. The road en route was great, and the climb before reaching Nashik was basically oodles of twisty fun. Soon enough, the road levelled out onto a plateau and we reached Saputara. This quaint little hill-station has a quite the reputation as a holiday destination, and well deserved too as it happens. The first thing you notice is the temperature, its so much cooler and less humid here than it is in good ol’ Mumbai. There’s also way less traffic, so you can drive all around Saputara in the time it would take you to cross two signals back home.
The Saputara lake is one of the most popular tourist spots in the city, because it offers some family-friendly boating activities. There are also a bunch of beautifully manicured gardens around town, one of the best is Step Garden. You can take some time out and just enjoy the panoramic views and breathe in the fresh air as the faint perfume from colourful flowers in full bloom wafts through the air. Next, as darkness descended we visited the market area. The market becomes vibrant at night, and a huge variety of locally sourced and imported wares are available here.
The following morning, our first destination was four kilometres away from the town centre and towards Hatgadh Fort. This fortress was built by Shivaji in the 17th century, and the inside of the actual peak was excavated so that the natural rock face doubled-up as the fort’s wall, making it very difficult to spot from the foot of the hill. After storming the fort, we headed to the cable car ride, and took in the 360-degree eagle-eye view of the city. It is windy, and loads of fun up there. Lastly, we stopped by the Saputara Museum.
The museum is extremely culturally-oriented and is focused on the rural tribes found in the Dang district around Saputara. Everything from artefacts to dwellings ,costumes, tattoos and weapons are all displayed here. Finally having had our fill of the town, and with daylight beginning to fade, we decided to head back to Mumbai. Only this time, we took the 300-odd km route via Vapi and NH8 instead, and had a brilliant time navigating back down the hill on the way home.
A fun trip and one that was perfectly matched to the Xcents skill’-set. The boot took all our luggage including our photo and video equipment, the car’s compact dimensions meant it fit in the tightest spots in the small by-lanes of Saputara, and its equipment-rich interior and comfortable suspension made a trip of this sort even more fun.
