Amboli, Sindhudurg

Amboli is a hill station in south Maharashtra, India. At an altitude of 690 m (2,260 ft) it is the last hill station before the coastal highlands of Goa.

Amboli
Town
Amboli Hill Station
Amboli
Location in Maharashtra, India
Coordinates: 15°57′45″N 73°59′52″E
Country India
StateMaharashtra
DistrictSindhudurg
malvani
 • OfficialMarathi
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Telephone code02363
Vehicle registrationMH-07

Amboli lies in the Sahayadri Hills of Western India, one of the world's "Eco Hot-Spots" and it abounds in unusual flora and fauna. However, as in the other parts of the Sahaydri Hills, denudation of the forest cover and unregulated government-assisted development are gradually ruining a once-pristine environment.

Historically, Amboli village came into being as one of the staging posts along the road from Vengurla port to the city of Belgaum, which was extensively used by the British to supply their garrisons in south and central India.

The source of the Hiranyakeshi river lies in the hills around Amboli village, and an ancient Shiva temple (called Hiranyakeshwar) sits at the cave where the water emerges. The main attraction for tourists is the incredibly-high rainfall (7 m average, per year) and the numerous waterfalls and mist during the monsoons. Legend has it that there are 108 Shiva temples in and around Amboli, of which only a dozen have been uncovered, one as recently as 2005.

Transport

Amboli is well connected by road to the surrounding cities of Kolhapur (128 km (80 mi)), Belgaum 68 km (42 mi), and Panjim (90 km (56 mi)) by road, and the nearest airport is at Belgaum Airport.

Accommodation

There are a few hotels at Amboli. Most of them provide hot water baths and have facilities like restaurant, room service and cab services.

Local transport

The only local transport is motorised three-wheeler rickshaws and a couple of private taxis.

Tourist attractions

There are in total 8 places that are listed by Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).

Nearest cities

Nearest railway stations
  • Sawantwadi Railway Station - 28 km (17 mi)
  • Kudal Railway Station - 47 km (29 mi)
  • Pernem Railway Station - 58 km (36 mi)
  • Belgaum Railway Station - 70 km (43 mi)
  • Kolhapur Railway Station - 110 km (68 mi)
  • Miraj Railway Station - 140 km (87 mi)
  • Madgaon Railway Station - 140 km (87 mi)

Tourists coming from Mumbai, Goa, Delhi and trains on the Konkan railway can reach Amboli from Sawantwadi Railway Station. There are buses from Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation that travel frequently between Belgaum and Sawantwadi via Amboli. Private cars are available from Sawantwadi Railway Station to Amboli. Buses travel to Amboli from Sangli and Kolhapur stations via Nippani-Gadhinglaj-Ajara.

  • Waterfall in Amboli
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