Rathore Adventures — Attraction in Maharashtra

A Hidden Gem Safari Experience in Mahabaleshwar – Highly Recommended!

We had the pleasure of taking a 2-hour private safari tour through the offbeat trails of Mahabaleshwar, and it turned out to be the highlight of our trip! Conducted by Mr. Gopal Rathore—owner of Café Berry and an avid nature enthusiast—the tour offered a refreshing and authentic look into the region, far from the usual touristy spots.

The adventure began in a rugged 4x4 open jeepsy, perfect for the terrain and the immersive experience. The first leg took us on a one-hour drive through the lush biodiversity park of Mahabaleshwar, where Mr. Rathod passionately explained the local flora, fauna, and ecological significance of the area.

Next, we visited a strawberry farm for about 30 minutes, where we not only got a taste of the fresh local produce but also witnessed rural life in its purest form. It was peaceful and grounding to see farmers at work, children playing, and families going about their day.

One of the most memorable moments was a 15-minute stop at an ancient Mahadev temple, tucked deep within the forest. The serenity and spiritual aura of the place were unmatched.

On the way back, we got a quick but delightful glimpse of Bhilar—India’s first book village—adding a thoughtful cultural touch to the experience.

Mr. Rathod’s deep knowledge and love for the region truly set this tour apart. His personal involvement and storytelling made the journey not just informative but also heartfelt. Besides jeep safaris, he also organizes cycling and camping tours, which we’re definitely considering for our next visit.

If you're looking for a unique, offbeat, and enriching experience in Mahabaleshwar, this safari...

On our recent trip to Panchgani, we wanted to experience the hill town differently away from the tourist circle. And that’s why we booked the Cycling tour through Rathore Adventures. There was a confusion and we ended up doing both Jeep Safari and the Cycling tour on 2 consecutive days. I am so glad that the confusion happened and we got to experience both the tours. The open jeep ride, visit to Strawberry Farm, the walk inside the forest with birds chirping around, the visit to an age old temple and then the interesting stories by Mr Rathore (the owner and also our guide for both days) made the tour both enjoyable and informative. He knows the region very well and also has a way of making people feel comfortable.

The cycling tour the next day was even better passing through the most scenic routes and gorgeous views all around. We cycled our way through villages, farmlands and stopped at stunning view points on the way. Yes, it needs a bit of physical fitness, but the effort is absolutely rewarding. This is a must do for all nature and adventure lovers and people looking for something offbeat. We had a great experience and now hope to return next time to do a hiking and camping trip through them. Highly recommend...

Usually, when we hear "Safari" we relate it to Tadoba, Kaziranga or Ranthambore. This was nothing like it.

We were picked up in an old (could be 25 years old), depilated, creaky & rattling vehicle and moved around aimlessly around Panchgani in the most back-breaking & bone-rattling dusty tour. Wonder, why we were not allowed to go into our own comfortable vehicle. Usually in Tadoba & other Safaris outside vehicles are not allowed, which is understandable, given the familiarity with the Maruti Gypsy by the wild-life there, but couldn't understand for the reason here.

The tour-guide will stop at some obscure location explaining that is of some significant interest. This also included a gutter (seriously!) called out as Spring Water. Its not a matter of a couple of thousand rupees, but usually on a family vacation, TIME is extremely short. This road-ride of 1+ hour in a hot, humid weather with sun shining bright, brought us back extremely exhausted with severe back & body ache due to the bumpy ride in an old vehicle on the badly maintained, deteriorated roads. We lost the other half of that day for compulsory rest. For us, (Old Mother, Husband-Wife, Teenager Kids) this was a complete waste of...