Toranmal
Forgotten Satpura hill station of lakes and sunset cliffs
Best time to visit Toranmal
- Jan, peak season
- Feb, peak season
- Mar, shoulder season
- Apr, best avoided
- May, best avoided
- Jun, off-season
- Jul, off-season
- Aug, shoulder season
- Sep, shoulder season
- Oct, shoulder season
- Nov, peak season
- Dec, peak season
peak shoulder off-season avoid
- Go: November to February
- Shoulder: March and August to October, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
- Skip: April to May
Toranmal season by season
Winter December to February Prime time
Nov-Feb is ideal: 8-25 C, boating on Yashwant lake, Sitakhai and Sunset Point clear, and you may be the only outsider in town.
Summer March to May Shoulder
Apr-May the Khandesh plains below hit 44 C and the plateau turns brown and hazy; the season here is simply over until the rains.
Monsoon June to September Shoulder
Jul-Sep the ghat road from Shahada threads waterfalls and fog; the plateau goes green, drives are slow and occasionally blocked.
Autumn October to November Prime time
Oct-Nov clears to washed skies and a full lake, lotuses bloom on Kamal Talav and evenings already ask for a light jacket.
What Toranmal is actually like
Forest rest house and a handful of plain lodges by the lake; pilgrims, school trips, almost no travellers
Things to do in Toranmal
The local places worth your time in and around Toranmal, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.
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Yashwant Lake
Lake · in town
The lake the hill station sits around, pedal boats and a path all the way round; misty mornings, mosquitoes at dusk
-
Gorakhnath Temple
Temple · 2 km out
Old Nath shrine in a hollow below the plateau with a spring beside it; steps down, and a big fair at Mahashivratri
-
Sitakhai
Viewpoint · 3 km out
Sheer gorge cut into the plateau edge, named for Sita; no railing at all, keep well back from the lip
-
Khadki Point
Viewpoint · 4 km out
Cliff lookout over the Tapi plains and the Satpura folds, the sunset spot; no lights on the road back, leave before dark
-
Lotus Lake (Kamal Talav)
Lake · 2 km out
Small tank under lotus cover, a short walk from the main lake; the flowers open early and close by midday
Getting to Toranmal
ST buses from Shahada (52 km) and Nandurbar, the nearest railhead 90 km; slow ghat climb, arrive before dark
Practical ways in: trainroad
Trip facts
- How long to stay
- 2 days
- Budget
- Shoestring
- How busy
- Quiet at its peak
- Solo travel
- Doable solo with some planning
- Altitude
- 1006 m
- State
- Maharashtra
- Coordinates
- 21.8833, 74.4667
Common questions
When is the best time to visit Toranmal?
November to February is peak season in Toranmal. March and August to October is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid April to May. Oct-Nov clears to washed skies and a full lake, lotuses bloom on Kamal Talav and evenings already ask for a light jacket.
How many days do you need in Toranmal?
2 days is the usual stay. Forest rest house and a handful of plain lodges by the lake; pilgrims, school trips, almost no travellers.
How do you get to Toranmal?
ST buses from Shahada (52 km) and Nandurbar, the nearest railhead 90 km; slow ghat climb, arrive before dark. Practical ways in: train and road.
Is Toranmal expensive, and does it get crowded?
Shoestring by Indian travel standards, and it runs quiet at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.
Is there a festival in Toranmal?
Feb/Mar: Mahashivratri yatra at the Gorakhnath temple (dates shift yearly). Time a trip around it and you see the place at its loudest, but book beds early.
What are the best things to do in Toranmal?
Yashwant Lake, Gorakhnath Temple, Sitakhai, Khadki Point and Lotus Lake (Kamal Talav). The lake the hill station sits around, pedal boats and a path all the way round; misty mornings, mosquitoes at dusk.
Nearby, and where to go next
-
Bawangaja (Barwani)
Madhya Pradesh
India's tallest rock-cut Jain colossus on a Satpura slope
60 km from Toranmal, roughly about 1 h by road
-
Bagh Caves (Bagh village)
Madhya Pradesh
Buddhist rock-cut caves and block-print dyers on the Baghini
80 km from Toranmal, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Ninai Falls (Dediapada)
Gujarat
Monsoon cascade in the teak forests behind the Statue of Unity
90 km from Toranmal, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Statue of Unity
Gujarat
World's tallest statue, 182m, over the Narmada dam
100 km from Toranmal, roughly about 2 h by road
-
Mandu
Madhya Pradesh
Ruined Malwa plateau city famous for its monsoon mist
150 km from Toranmal, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Champaner-Pavagadh
Gujarat
UNESCO ghost capital below the 800 m Pavagadh hill
150 km from Toranmal, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Maheshwar
Madhya Pradesh
Narmada ghat town of forts, handloom sarees and calm
160 km from Toranmal, roughly about 3 h by road
-
Mahal (Purna Sanctuary)
Gujarat
Forest camp on the Purna river in Gujarat's densest jungle
180 km from Toranmal, roughly about 3 h by road
More places to visit in Maharashtra
- Ajanta-Ellora Maharashtra
- Alibaug Maharashtra
- Amboli Maharashtra
- Bhandardara Maharashtra
- Bhigwan (Kumbhargaon) Maharashtra
- Bhimashankar Maharashtra
- Chandoli National Park Maharashtra
- Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) Maharashtra
- Chikhaldara Maharashtra
- Dajipur (Radhanagari) Maharashtra
- Gaganbawda Maharashtra
- Ganpatipule Maharashtra
- Guhagar Maharashtra
- Harishchandragad Maharashtra
- Harnai (Dapoli) Maharashtra
- Igatpuri Maharashtra
- Jawhar Maharashtra
- Junnar (Shivneri) Maharashtra
- Kaas Plateau Maharashtra
- Kunkeshwar (Devgad) Maharashtra
- Lonar Crater Lake Maharashtra
- Lonavala Maharashtra
- Mahabaleshwar Maharashtra
- Mahur (Mahurgad) Maharashtra
- Malvan-Tarkarli Maharashtra
- Matheran Maharashtra
- Mumbai Maharashtra
- Murud-Janjira Maharashtra
- Nagzira (Pitezari Gate) Maharashtra
- Naldurg Maharashtra
- Nanded (Hazur Sahib) Maharashtra
- Nashik Maharashtra
- Panchgani Maharashtra
- Pandharpur Maharashtra
- Panhala Maharashtra
- Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) Maharashtra
- Raigad Fort Maharashtra
- Rajgad Fort Maharashtra
- Ramtek Maharashtra
- Sahastrakund Falls Maharashtra