Maharashtra travel guide

Top places to visit in Maharashtra

One place from each district that our guide covers in depth.

1. Ahilyanagar (district headquarters)

   Ahilyanagar district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Ahilyanagar district. Formerly Ahmednagar; the state cabinet approved the name Ahilyanagar on 4 October 2024 after central approval (Aaj Tak). Gazette notification not seen.

2. Akola (district headquarters)

   Akola district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Akola district. District of Amravati division (Wikipedia).

3. Chikhaldara

   Amravati district · Hills and forest

   Hill station at 1,118 m (Incredible India); MTDC resort near Goraghat Point.

4. Beed (district headquarters)

   Beed district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Beed district. District of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division (Wikipedia).

5. Bhandara (district headquarters)

   Bhandara district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Bhandara district. District of Nagpur division (Wikipedia).

6. Buldhana (district headquarters)

   Buldhana district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Buldhana district. District of Amravati division (Wikipedia).

7. Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

   Chandrapur district · Tiger reserve

   1,727 sq km; national park 1955, Andhari sanctuary 1986, merged 1995; closed Tuesdays (Incredible India).

8. Ajanta Caves

   Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district · World Heritage caves

   30 Buddhist rock-cut caves from the 2nd century BCE; open 9 AM-5 PM, closed Mondays (Incredible India); UNESCO 1983.

9. Dharashiv (district headquarters)

   Dharashiv district · District headquarters

   Headquarters of Dharashiv district. Formerly Osmanabad; renamed by notification in September 2023 (The Hitavada).

10. Dhule (district headquarters)

    Dhule district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Dhule district. District of Nashik division (Wikipedia).

11. Gadchiroli (district headquarters)

    Gadchiroli district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Gadchiroli district. Formed 1982 (Wikipedia).

12. Gondia (district headquarters)

    Gondia district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Gondia district. Formed 1999 (Wikipedia).

13. Hingoli (district headquarters)

    Hingoli district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Hingoli district. Formed 1999 (Wikipedia).

14. Jalgaon (district headquarters)

    Jalgaon district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Jalgaon district. District of Nashik division (Wikipedia).

15. Jalna (district headquarters)

    Jalna district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Jalna district. Formed 1981 (Wikipedia).

16. Mahalaxmi Temple

    Kolhapur district · Temples

    7th century; sunlight falls on the deity at the equinoxes (Incredible India).

17. Latur (district headquarters)

    Latur district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Latur district. Formed 1982 (Wikipedia).

18. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus

    Mumbai City district · World Heritage

    Built 1887 by F. W. Stevens (Incredible India); UNESCO 2004.

19. Bandra (district headquarters)

    Mumbai Suburban district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Mumbai Suburban district. Formed 1990 (Wikipedia).

20. Deekshabhoomi

    Nagpur district · City

    Where Dr B. R. Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in 1956 (Incredible India).

21. Nanded (district headquarters)

    Nanded district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Nanded district. District of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division (Wikipedia).

22. Nandurbar (district headquarters)

    Nandurbar district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Nandurbar district. Formed 1998 (Wikipedia).

23. Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga

    Nashik district · Pilgrimage

    One of the twelve Jyotirlingas (Incredible India); Simhastha flag hoisting at Kushavarta Tirtha on 31 Oct 2026 (FPJ).

24. Palghar (district headquarters)

    Palghar district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Palghar district. Formed 2014, the newest district (Wikipedia).

25. Parbhani (district headquarters)

    Parbhani district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Parbhani district. District of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division (Wikipedia).

26. Shaniwar Wada

    Pune district · City heritage

    Listed by Incredible India.

27. Raigad Fort

    Raigad district · World Heritage

    One of 11 Maharashtra forts in the Maratha Military Landscapes, UNESCO 2025 (UNESCO; News on AIR).

28. Ratnagiri (district headquarters)

    Ratnagiri district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Ratnagiri district. District of Konkan division (Wikipedia).

29. Sangli (district headquarters)

    Sangli district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Sangli district. District of Pune division (Wikipedia).

30. Mahabaleshwar

    Satara district · Hill stations

    About 4,500 ft; Venna Lake 28 acres; viewpoints such as Arthur's Seat (Incredible India).

31. Oros (district headquarters)

    Sindhudurg district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Sindhudurg district. Formed 1981 (Wikipedia).

32. Solapur (district headquarters)

    Solapur district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Solapur district. District of Pune division (Wikipedia). An additional collector office at Pandharpur was approved in 2026; it is not a new district (Saam TV).

33. Thane (district headquarters)

    Thane district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Thane district. District of Konkan division (Wikipedia).

34. Wardha (district headquarters)

    Wardha district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Wardha district. District of Nagpur division (Wikipedia).

35. Washim (district headquarters)

    Washim district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Washim district. Formed 1998 (Wikipedia).

36. Yavatmal (district headquarters)

    Yavatmal district · District headquarters

    Headquarters of Yavatmal district. District of Amravati division (Wikipedia).

Districts of Maharashtra 36

36 (unchanged since 2014; three renamed) — 36. Viral claims of 21 new districts were fact-checked as false.

• Ahilyanagar

  HQ Ahilyanagar · 4 placesShirdi, Shani Shingnapur and Bhandardara; renamed from Ahmednagar.Highlights: Shirdi Sai Baba Samadhi Mandir

• Akola

  HQ Akola · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Amravati

  HQ Amravati · 3 placesChikhaldara hill station, Melghat Tiger Reserve and the Ambadevi temple.Highlights: Chikhaldara

• Beed

  HQ Beed · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Bhandara

  HQ Bhandara · 1 placesChandpur, Sakoli and Pauni.

• Buldhana

  HQ Buldhana · 2 placesLonar meteor crater lake.Highlights: Lonar crater lake

• Chandrapur

  HQ Chandrapur · 1 placesTadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve.Highlights: Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve

• Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

  HQ Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar · 5 placesAjanta and Ellora, both World Heritage Sites since 1983, with Bibi Ka Maqbara, Daulatabad Fort and Grishneshwar.Highlights: Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves and Kailasa temple, Bibi Ka Maqbara

• Dharashiv

  HQ Dharashiv · 1 placesRenamed from Osmanabad in 2023; official tourism content still to be collected.

• Dhule

  HQ Dhule · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Gadchiroli

  HQ Gadchiroli · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Gondia

  HQ Gondia · 3 placesNavegaon Bandh lake and forest, and Bodhalkasa.Highlights: Navegaon Bandh

• Hingoli

  HQ Hingoli · 2 placesAundha Nagnath temple.Highlights: Aundha Nagnath

• Jalgaon

  HQ Jalgaon · 3 placesBanana and gold-trade city; Farkande's swinging towers.

• Jalna

  HQ Jalna · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Kolhapur

  HQ Kolhapur · 4 placesMahalaxmi temple, Panhala Fort (UNESCO 2025), New Palace and Rankala Lake.Highlights: Mahalaxmi Temple, Panhala Fort

• Latur

  HQ Latur · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Mumbai City

  HQ Mumbai · 10 placesCSMT and the Victorian and Art Deco ensembles, the Gateway of India, Marine Drive and Kala Ghoda's galleries.Highlights: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Gateway of India, Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles (Oval Maidan, Marine Drive)

• Mumbai Suburban

  HQ Bandra · 3 placesSanjay Gandhi National Park and Mount Mary Church.Highlights: Sanjay Gandhi National Park

• Nagpur

  HQ Nagpur · 4 placesDeekshabhoomi, Ramtek and the gateway to Tadoba.Highlights: Deekshabhoomi

• Nanded

  HQ Nanded · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Nandurbar

  HQ Nandurbar · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Nashik

  HQ Nashik · 6 placesTrimbakeshwar and Ramkund, where the 2026-28 Simhastha Kumbh begins on 31 October 2026; Pandavleni caves, Salher Fort and the vineyards.Highlights: Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga, Panchavati and Ramkund

• Palghar

  HQ Palghar · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Parbhani

  HQ Parbhani · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Pune

  HQ Pune · 8 placesShaniwar Wada and Aga Khan Palace, Shivneri, Lohgad and Rajgad forts (UNESCO 2025), Sinhagad, Karla caves and Bhimashankar.Highlights: Shaniwar Wada, Aga Khan Palace, Shivneri Fort

• Raigad

  HQ Alibag · 5 placesRaigad Fort and Khanderi in the Maratha Military Landscapes (2025), Elephanta Caves, Matheran and Harihareshwar.Highlights: Raigad Fort, Elephanta Caves (Gharapuri)

• Ratnagiri

  HQ Ratnagiri · 4 placesSuvarnadurg sea fort (UNESCO 2025), Ganpatipule and Velneshwar.Highlights: Ganpatipule, Suvarnadurg Fort

• Sangli

  HQ Sangli · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Satara

  HQ Satara · 8 placesMahabaleshwar and Panchgani, Pratapgad Fort (UNESCO 2025), the Kaas flower plateau and Koyna.Highlights: Mahabaleshwar, Pratapgad Fort, Kaas Plateau

• Sindhudurg

  HQ Oros · 5 placesSindhudurg and Vijaydurg sea forts (UNESCO 2025), Tarkarli and Kunkeshwar.Highlights: Sindhudurg Fort, Vijaydurg Fort

• Solapur

  HQ Solapur · 2 placesPandharpur's Vithoba temple, focus of the Ashadhi and Kartiki pilgrimages.Highlights: Vithoba Temple, Pandharpur

• Thane

  HQ Thane · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Wardha

  HQ Wardha · 1 placesDistrict town on the Wardha river.

• Washim

  HQ Washim · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

• Yavatmal

  HQ Yavatmal · 1 placesofficial tourism content still to be collected.

Festivals and dates to plan around

• Simhastha Kumbh flag hoisting — Ramkund, Nashik and Kushavarta, Trimbakeshwar: 31 Oct 2026, 12:02 PM; President expected (FPJ; PTI)
• Ramkund access restrictions — Nashik: For 15-20 days from mid-October 2026 while works finish (FPJ)
• Simhastha Amrut Snans — Nashik and Trimbakeshwar: 2 Aug, 31 Aug, 11-12 Sep 2027 (PTI)
• Kartiki Ekadashi — Pandharpur, Solapur: Kartika month (November); 2026 date to confirm
• Ajanta weekly closure — Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Mondays (Incredible India)
• Elephanta weekly closure — Raigad: Mondays (ASI)
• Tadoba weekly closure — Chandrapur: Tuesdays (Incredible India)