A visitor in a hat looking out over the Western Ghats escarpment near Lonavala

Destination · India

Corporate offsites in Lonavala, Khandala and Karjat, and corporate events in Pune

Hill resorts in Lonavala, Khandala and Karjat, about two to three hours by road from Mumbai and Pune, with ballrooms for large meetings and a monsoon landscape for the rest of the agenda. ICE India plans each programme with its nearest team and vetted local suppliers on the ground.

Plan an event in Lonavala
Getting there
About 85 km from Mumbai and 65 km from Pune; fly into Mumbai or Pune, then road or rail
Best months
October to February for dry weather; June to September for the monsoon
Suits
One to three night offsites, board meetings and conferences of up to a few hundred
Delivery
Planned by ICE India's nearest team, with vetted local suppliers on the ground

Why companies choose Lonavala

  • No flight for local teams

    Mumbai and Pune offices reach the resorts by coach or car in two to three hours, so a one-night offsite loses very little time in transit.

  • Resorts built for groups

    Ballrooms of 4,000 to 10,000 sq ft, lawns and several breakout rooms at the larger properties in Lonavala, Khandala and Karjat.

  • Cooler air and green hills

    A hill station at about 620 metres in the Western Ghats, noticeably cooler than Mumbai or the Deccan plateau for most of the year.

  • Activities within minutes

    Viewpoints, forts, caves, dams and resort adventure parks sit a short drive from most hotels.

  • Reachable from every city

    Outstation delegates fly non-stop into Mumbai or Pune and join the drive-to group the same day.

  • One team for venue, coaches and activities

    Venue contracting, coach waves, activities and the event day sit with one team, which suits a short, tightly timed programme.

Lonavala for corporate groups

Lonavala and the neighbouring hill station of Khandala sit in the Sahyadri range, about 620 metres above sea level, on the edge between the Deccan plateau and the Konkan coast.

For companies in Mumbai and Pune it is a convenient place for a short offsite, a night or two within a few hours' drive, which makes it the first stop for corporate offsite venues near Mumbai. The resort stock has grown around that demand: large ballrooms, lawns for outdoor sessions, adventure parks and kitchens used to feeding hundreds of people at a time.

It works for a leadership offsite of 30 people in a quiet suite resort, and for a sales conference of 300 with a plenary and parallel breakouts. It also suits a two-night team retreat where the trek, the lake or the dam matters as much as the meeting room.

The plan is built around the drive: coach waves from each office, staggered check-ins, a first session timed to the last group's arrival, and wet-weather alternatives for every outdoor segment.

Lonavala, Khandala, Karjat or Pune

Three hill bases and one city, each with its own character. The right one depends on group size, how much outdoor programming you want and which side of the ghat your delegates arrive from.

Mist over the green water of Bhushi Dam near Lonavala town in the monsoon

Lonavala

Lonavala, Tungarli and Karla

The largest cluster of event resorts, on the slopes above the town and the Tungarli lake, with Karla and its rock-cut caves in the valley towards Pune. Properties range from suite resorts of under 100 keys to larger hotels with ballrooms of 4,000 sq ft or more.

Lakeside and wellness retreats such as Shillim, off the Pune side, have smaller meeting rooms and a calmer pace, suited to leadership groups rather than large conventions.

Selected corporate venues in Lonavala, Tungarli and Karla
HotelAreaRoomsEvent venuesLargest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Treasure Island ResortsKarla, Lonavala977 (3 indoor, 4 outdoor)Chancery I and II combined: 3,600 sq ft, 325
Radisson Resort & Spa LonavalaTungarli, LonavalaAbout 103Not availableRaj Bhawan Grand Ballroom: about 4,120 sq ft, 400
Rhythm LonavalaTungarli, Lonavala84 suites15 meeting roomsThe Grand Oak: about 4,000 sq ft, 360
The Lagoona ResortTungarli, Lonavala994 hallsOyster: 3,000 sq ft, 300
Fariyas Resort LonavalaTungarli, LonavalaAbout 15911 halls plus lawnsChambers: 2,700 sq ft, 260
Upper Deck ResortLonavala583 hallsNelson: 2,106 sq ft, 225
Dharana at Shillim (formerly Hilton Shillim Estate Retreat & Spa)Shillim, PawnaAbout 993 meeting roomsAMR 1: 2,000 sq ft, 115
Sunset over the wooded hills of Khandala in the Western Ghats

Khandala

Khandala and Kunegaon

The smaller twin hill station on the Mumbai side, closer to the expressway and the ghat viewpoints. A quieter setting suited to board meetings, retreats of 50 to 150 and conferences that want the viewpoints and forts close by.

Selected corporate venues in Khandala and Kunegaon
HotelAreaRoomsEvent venuesLargest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Athiva Resort & Spa (formerly The Dukes Retreat)KhandalaAbout 147Not availableLotus Ballroom: 6,000 sq ft, theatre capacity not available
Della ResortsKunegaon, Lonavala300+ across six properties23 (11 indoor, 12 outdoor)Della Ballroom: 5,000 sq ft, up to 600 guests
A river winding through the green valley near Karjat under a blue sky with clouds

Karjat and Neral

Karjat

River-valley resorts and convention-scale halls of up to 10,000 sq ft, on the Mumbai side of the ghat. The easiest base for groups arriving by rail.

Selected corporate venues in Karjat
HotelAreaRoomsEvent venuesLargest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Discover ResortsNeral, Karjat2003 hallsPortico Convention Centre: 10,000 sq ft, up to 700 guests
Radisson Blu Plaza Resort & Convention Centre (formerly Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Karjat)Karjat2278 meeting roomsAster: 9,899 sq ft, 750
The suburbs of west Pune from Baner and Balewadi to Hinjewadi, seen from a distance under a hazy sky

Pune

Pune: Hinjewadi and Kharadi

Pune is a corporate events city in its own right, and ICE India services it. Its IT clusters sit on opposite sides of town. Hinjewadi, in the west, has the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, a business park of 2,800 acres with offices of more than 800 companies. Kharadi, in the north-east, is an IT and business-park hub about 15 minutes by car from Pune Airport.

Both suit IT firms. Hotel meeting rooms and lawns near the offices take town halls, product briefings and client events, and the same team can then go up the expressway. Lonavala is 64 km from Pune, about 1h 15m to 2 hours by road, so a Pune office can hold the working day near its campus and take the offsite night in the hills.

Selected corporate venues in Pune: Hinjewadi and Kharadi
HotelAreaRoomsEvent venuesLargest indoor venue (sq ft, theatre)
Courtyard by Marriott Pune HinjewadiHinjewadiNot available4 meeting rooms plus a lawnCourtyard Lawns: 14,531 sq ft, 480 theatre, 800 reception
Fairfield by Marriott Pune KharadiKharadi, 8 km from the airportNot available2 meeting rooms plus a lawnOrchid and Lotus combined: 974 sq ft, 100 theatre; open-air lawn: 1,700 sq ft, 150
The Orchid Hotel PuneBalewadi, near HinjewadiNot availableNot availableLawns of 18,000 and 55,000 sq ft; an indoor hall for 200 or more

Flights to Lonavala from the main Indian cities

Delegates from Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata fly non-stop into Mumbai or Pune and join the drive-to group at one assembly point. Friday and Sunday evening expressway traffic can add an hour or more, so arrivals are timed around it.

Reaching Lonavala
CityAirportNon-stop flightsRail and road
MumbaiChhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (BOM), about 85 to 90 km awayDelhi (about 2h 5m to 2h 25m), Bengaluru (1h 45m to 2h), Hyderabad (1h 45m), Chennai (2h) and Kolkata (2h 45m to 3h 10m). Some Delhi flights now land at Navi Mumbai instead.Two to three hours by road. The Mumbai to Pune Expressway is 94.5 km long, with Lonavala about 83 km from central Mumbai. The Missing Link bypass, opened on 1 May 2026, avoids the Khandala ghat section and saves about 6 km and 25 minutes.
Navi MumbaiNavi Mumbai International (NMI), opened December 2025, about 65 to 70 km awayIndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air and Star Air.About 65 to 70 km by road to the main resort belt, over the same expressway.
PunePune (PNQ), about 65 to 70 km awayDelhi (about 2h 5m to 2h 30m), Bengaluru (1h 20m to 1h 40m), Chennai (1h 30m to 1h 55m) and Hyderabad (1h 20m), plus Kolkata. The better gateway for groups from the south and for Pune-side resorts.1h 15m to 2 hours by road; Lonavala is 64 km from Pune.
LonavalaNone; fly into Pune or MumbaiNone; connect through Pune or MumbaiOn the Mumbai to Pune main line, and every train between the two cities halts here. The Deccan Queen leaves Lonavala at 08:07 and reaches Mumbai CSMT in 2h 18m; Pune to Lonavala locals run through the day.
KarjatNone; about 75 km from Mumbai's main airportNone; connect through MumbaiOn the Mumbai suburban network, 1.5 to 2 hours from CSMT. By road about 63 to 70 km from Mumbai in two to two and a half hours, and about 33 km from Lonavala in under an hour.

Where to hold it

The right cluster depends on group size, the arrival point and how much outdoor programming you want. For banquet halls in Lonavala for corporate events, the Tungarli and Karla resorts have the deepest choice.

  • Lonavala, Tungarli and Karla

    The deepest choice of event resorts, from suite properties to hotels with ballrooms for 300 or more.

    • Fariyas Resort Lonavala
    • Rhythm Lonavala
    • Treasure Island Resorts, Karla

  • Khandala and Kunegaon

    Quieter hill settings close to the expressway, for leadership groups and mid-sized conferences.

    • Athiva Resort & Spa, Khandala
    • Della Resorts, Kunegaon

  • Karjat

    Convention-scale halls for large groups, closest to Mumbai and to suburban rail.

    • Radisson Blu Plaza Resort & Convention Centre
    • Discover Resorts, Neral

  • Pune

    City hotels with meeting rooms and lawns near the Hinjewadi and Kharadi IT campuses, for town halls and client events.

    • Courtyard by Marriott Pune Hinjewadi
    • Fairfield by Marriott Pune Kharadi
    • The Orchid Hotel Pune

What groups do around Lonavala

  • Fort treks

    A guided climb to Rajmachi, Lohagad or Visapur, run as a team challenge with a packed breakfast at the top.

  • Viewpoint sessions

    Open-air discussions at Tiger Point or Lion Point, looking out over the valley.

  • Waterfalls and dams

    Bhushi Dam and the monsoon waterfalls nearby, for relaxed afternoons in the wet months.

  • Karla and Bhaja caves

    Rock-cut Buddhist caves close to the main resort belt, visited with a guide.

  • Lakeside camping

    An evening at Pawna Lake with a bonfire, boating and a barbecue dinner.

  • Resort adventure parks

    Ropes courses, zip lines and obstacle formats at the larger resorts, with facilitated team challenges.

When to go

Lonavala has two distinct seasons for events. Typical formats are one night and two days for local teams, or two nights and three days with an evening activity and a half-day excursion.

October to February
Dry and cool, with nights near 10°C in January. Every outdoor session, trek and lawn dinner is available.
March to May
Hot, best kept for indoor programmes.
June to September
The monsoon is when Lonavala is greenest and busiest with weekend visitors. July and August bring the heaviest rain, so every outdoor segment has an indoor alternative and coach timings allow for slow roads. Monsoon Fridays and Saturdays are booked early.

Events ICE India has run in Lonavala

  • Participants at a workshop during the Rockefeller Foundation summit in Khandala

    The Rockefeller Foundation

    A four-day summit for the Foundation's grantees and partners at Athiva Resort, Khandala, from 30 March to 2 April 2026: venue, accommodation, visa letters, transfers and production.

  • I've had the pleasure of working with ICE India on multiple events in the past 5 years. Mufaddal gives a special touch to every event with his innovative ideas, personalized service and kick­ass execution! The ICE India team is easily accessible and attentive to our needs. I've found them to be very organized, creative and thoughtful of all aspects leading up to the event and the event day itself. Mufaddal gets personally involved in all matters from ideation to execution and uses his experience to execute all events seamlessly and always has a "plan B" in place for any potential issues. They have a good vendor partner group and have been able to accommodate all event planning seamlessly, exceeding our expectations every time. I would highly recommend ICE India for event planning and have referred them to other companies in my contact sphere.

    Sopan UpadhyayChief Manager - Marketing, IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co. Ltd.

  • We have been associated with ICE India for more than 5 years to manage our Annual Customer Networking Event. Mufaddal has an eye for detail and perfection. As our audience is more or less the same every year, we need new concepts and ideas every year. Mufaddal is our “go to man” for creative ideas. We strongly believe he thinks “out of the box”. We have been in a tough situation during one of our events. We thank Mufaddal for making last minute arrangements to ensure that the show goes on flawlessly. This could not have been possible without his strong network and equity that he has built over the years. Kudos to team ICE India. Keep up the great work. Wish you more success in years to come.

    Brajesh ThakurAssociate Director, Sales - West India, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group

  • The acronym ICE stands for Impressive, Capable, and Efficient. It was so calm and well-managed that they were able to handle the whole event from scratch. The company is experienced in handling things such as negotiations, customisation, and creativity. Our event was managed by ICE India in such a way that our client was unstoppable in appreciating it. It is Mufaddal who is the backbone of ICE India and he has a wonderful team to support him in managing any event. We had a great time working with ICE India, and I am sure they will go far in this industry. A big thank you to the team at ICE India.

    Priti SinghLead - Human Resource, KlinEra

Planning an event in Lonavala: questions

Can Lonavala host a group of 300 or more?

Yes. The larger resorts have ballrooms for 325 to 750 people in theatre style, and Karjat's convention properties go higher. For very large teams ICE India splits the plenary and breakouts across two adjacent properties or uses an outdoor tent on the lawn, with the same coach plan for both.

Can a Lonavala offsite run for a single night?

It is the most common format for Mumbai and Pune teams. A morning departure, a working afternoon, an evening programme and a late breakfast session the next day fit between two coach journeys, with check-out timed to avoid Sunday traffic.

What does a corporate offsite in Lonavala cost?

It depends on the season, hotel category, group size and activities. For reference, ICE India's published bands put a one-night conference for 200 people at ₹35-70 lakh including stay on twin sharing, F&B and AV, before GST. ICE India quotes each programme after a short brief. See corporate MICE.

Does ICE India run corporate events in Pune as well?

Yes. Send the headcount, the date and the part of Pune you prefer. ICE India's nearest team comes back with hotel options and a quote, and can add a night in Lonavala to the same plan.

Can Lonavala follow a conference in Mumbai or Pune?

Yes. A common plan is the main conference in the city, then a smaller leadership group takes the coaches up the expressway for a night of strategy sessions and a dinner. ICE India schedules the conference, the coaches and the Lonavala programme as one itinerary.

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Photographs via Wikimedia Commons: Vivek Shrivastava (CC BY-SA 3.0); Ujjawal.Gayakwad (CC BY-SA 4.0); Tushar Vhankate (CC BY 3.0); Oleg Yunakov (CC0). Other photographs from Unsplash.