Matheran
Matheran is the only hill station in Asia with a complete ban on motor vehicles — meaning the only way to get around is on foot, horseback, or hand-pulled rickshaw. This makes horse riding here a genuinely unique experience: cantering through misty, car-free forest paths, through market lanes, and to viewpoints along red laterite tracks with not a single exhaust fume in the air. It's Matheran's defining leisure activity and the perfect pace at which to absorb its old-world colonial charm.
Always confirm the exact route, duration, and price before mounting — clearly communicated expectations avoid disagreements mid-trail.