Child Friendly trip to Matheran

The reason we were missing all of last week was only because we went to a hill station. Yeah its truly been a while since I did that with my daughter. With all the attractive foreign travels and time share holiday destinations like Mahindra & Sterling we had somewhere forgotten that close to home there are fun getaways too.

We boarded a local train from CST to Neral and then the mini train from Neral all the way upto Matheran. This can be an adventurous journey if you are planning to do it on a weekday as the train is crowded and the train stops at Neral station for just about a minute. So yes it can get really rushed to get out with children and bags. The other option is to take a car all the way upto Dasturi and then either get a hand cart, horse ride, walk or take the mini train from Dasturi to Matheran. I would suggest the latter for sure. The former gets too rushed with kids.

Matheran as a variety of hotels basis your budget so please do check them out online. The good ones could be Usha Ascot, Byke, Regal, Rugby, etc. Most of the hotels serve vegetarian Indian food like Gujarati food for lunch and multi cuisine in the evening. So food is never a problem in Matheran.

To carry:

1. Nibbles & in between snacks like dry fruits, biscuits and other finger foods. This is essential for the train journey and for snacking at teatime.
2. Easy and comfortable shoes in which the children can walk and don’t break on an uneven mud road. Crocs are recommended.
3. Comfortable clothing with tracks or tights if your kids intend to horse ride. Matheran is known for riding so this is a must.
4. Sun screen, Hat & glasses. The sun gets very sharp during the afternoons
5. Swimwear with a cap Most hotels have a pool so don’t skip this
6. Light to heavy jacket depending on the month you intend to travel
7. Medicines & Specific toiletries. While most of the local stuff is easily available if you use a specific brand then please carry it
8. Diapers: you may need to be well stocked only because even though its easily available the hotels are far from the main market areas and therefore the walk can be overwhelming.
9. Stroller: Even though I didn’t see a lot of parents carry this simple because of the mud roads this may just be important given the long distances you need to walk. Either carry a baby carrier or a stroller to walk to and from with your children. Else you will be bound to take a horse or hand cart each time

To do:

1. Horse Riding: You can get a range of horses from ponies to some really tall & cool race horses. Don’t miss this one. Please accompany your child along for all horse rides.
2. A ride in a hand cart: The kids love trying a new mode of transport so this one is a lot of fun for them
3. The mini train: A short ride too any of the stations could be a fun trip too
4. Shop: We not only shopped for some great Indian footwear for the daughter but also some miniature doll slippers These are a must buy They are exclusive to Matheran
5. Park & Giant wheelâ€_x009d_ Right in the middle of the market is a clean park for kids to play and enjoy a few rides like a boat ride, train ride & a giant wheel over looking the valley.

Watch out for:

Matheran has some wild monkeys so be careful not to walk with food or a bag that looks like a food basket in your hand. The monkeys will leave no opportunity to grab it before you even realize. Also ensure your room windows are always shut. The monkey scan create a havoc if they find a way into your room.