Matheran

India's only car-free hill station and one of its most unusual escapes. At 800 m in the Western Ghats, Matheran is reached only by toy train, horse, or foot — no honking, no diesel fumes, no traffic. Red laterite trails wind through dense forest between 38 named viewpoints looking out over the Karjat plains and Sahyadri ridges. The 1.5-hour toy train ride from Neral alone is worth the trip. Best visited October–May; leeches and trail closures make June–September difficult.