Pune India – Top 10 Exciting Activities to Do

If you’re looking for exciting and fun activities to pass the time between sightseeing, Pune is certainly the right city for it. There you will find everything from adventure-driven tours and trekks to amusement parks, creative courses, therapy treatments, relaxation centres and much more!

1. Appu Ghar Amusement Park

Situated in Nigdi, just over 10 miles from Pune’s railway station, is the Appu Ghar Amusement Park, known among the locals as the city’s Disneyland. The Park is famous for its roller coasters, helicopter rides, and merry-go-rounds. This urban amusement institution has been going for over 20 years and is set in a scenic location with a serene lake among a hilly terrain. This is definitely one for the whole family. We recommend you get there early, pack a lunch and get ready to have a fun-filled day out.

The Appu Ghar is open daily from 12:00pm to 8:00am; the entry fee is IRN30 (excluding rides).

2. Mystery Rooms Adventure

This is a group activity with a difference. If you enjoy a good challenge then this one will set your pulse racing. Mystery Rooms offers a “real-life escape experience” from a theme based room in a race against the clock. The prime purpose of the game is to set yourself free using logic, teamwork and your puzzle solving skills. Everything else you need is in the room. There are four-themed rooms including; The Hurt Locker (a bomb defuse mission), Lockout (a prison break challenge), Abduction (a kidnap rescue) and Cabin in the Woods (a mystery murder challenge).

Prices vary according to team size and peak times, but a challenge for three people on the weekend will set you back INR900 per person. Mystery Rooms offices are located in Koregaon Park, Above ICICI Bank.

3. Tulsi Baug Market

Located less than two miles away from Swargate bus station, Tulsi Baug is a historic temple district with a large market, which is famous in Pune. The bustling bazaar, in the centre of town, offers the perfect opportunity to do some souvenir shopping, sample some street snacks and spend some time socialising with the locals. The market street is lined with small shops, and stalls, selling various knickknacks, jewellery, cosmetics, cooking utensils, traditional Maharashtrian wear and Puja items, which may come in handy if you plan to visit any one of the numerous temples in the vicinity.

This place is certainly worth exploring if you’re after a bargain, a local chai or some interesting photo opportunities. Free.

4. Osho International Meditation Resort

Located in Koregaon Park the famous Osho Ashram is renowned for its courses in meditation and other esoteric relaxation techniques. The Ashram is a large-scale complex with a five-hectare garden, its own swimming pool, sauna, basketball courts, beauty parlour and a luxury boutique guesthouse. Internationally famed, this particular Ashram in honour of the late Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh is one of the priciest in the whole of India.

It is open daily from 9:00am to 4:00pm; the entry fee is around INR1550 for one day. Additional costs include two mandatory robes: one white and one maroon, costing INR200 each. Subsequent days of visitation will set you back an extra INR700. All bookings must be made a day in advance.

5. Heritage Walk

If you enjoy sightseeing and walking then we recommend you take a guided tour around the city of Pune, which has a rich and interesting history and numerous monuments which attest to that. The Pune Heritage Walk, organised by a group located on Senapati Bapat Road, is designed to introduce a first time visitor to the city and its cultural heritage. The one and a half mile walk commences at 7:00am every Saturday and Sunday from Pune Municipal Corporation and ends at the Vishrambaug Wada by 9:00am. During the walk, you will visit 18 famous heritage sites all of which combined contain over two thousand years of history.

The tour is led by a trained guide, who will talk you through each historical site along the way. We suggest you have a hearty breakfast before setting out, or take something along. Free.

6. Paragliding over Sahayadri

For an infusion of adrenaline into your trip, we recommend you book a paragliding day out. Temple Pilots, a Paragliding School, located 27 miles away from Pune at Kamshet, near Lonavala, is among the best. It is set up by a team of nine instructors, who are really passionate about what they do and offer a wide range of flying courses. They are certified with APPI International (Association Of Professional Pilots & Instructors, Switzerland), have excellent quality and safety standards and will additionally provide you with an internationally recognised APPI Pilot License after you complete your certificate.

This is certainly one of the most thrilling activities on the list, which will fly you over one of the most beautiful routes of the Sahyadri range dotted with ancient caves, a hill fortress, and mountain stations. The courses start from INR10,000.

7. Darshan Museum

This particular museum, dedicated to the noted Sindhi Saint and scholar, Sadhu T. L. Vaswani, is a museum like no other. Located near the city’s railway station, Darshan Museum offers a 90-minute multimedia experience based on the life and teachings of the Sindhi Saint. It is masterfully orgnaised and set-up, offering an excellent overall experience of historic Indian religious traditions that can be enjoyed by the whole family. The mansion itself is an imposing building, decked-out inside with the latest technology, which showcases the Saint’s life story and expounds his teachings with the aid of visual and sound effects as you pass through eight different rooms.

Entry is free, and opening hours are 10:00am to 6:00pm daily (closed on Thursdays).

8. Rajuls Cookery Classes

Rajul Sanghvi has been running cooking classes and workshops for over 10 years and is an excellent cook herself, who is genuinely passionate about what she does. Every class and workshop is differently themed so you can choose one to suit your own culinary tastes. Her cookery school, located on Tatyaba Sadhuji Gaikwad Road, near Mangla theatre, offers cooking workshops that range from traditional Indian dishes to classic desserts, delicious pastries, and International cuisine. Each class is well organised, set-up and great fun! We recommend you try taking one of the desert making courses.

Prices start from INR900; booking in advance is mandatory; timings vary.

9. The Spa Experience

The Eden Aisle Spa, in Baner Gaon, is a luxurious contemporary relaxation centre offering a wide host of treatments ranging from Aroma foot relaxology to Swedish couple-connect body massage. This is the perfect place to unwind and relax after a full day of exploring the city. It is run by a group of very professional therapists who will knead out the stress from the roots of your nerves. The place itself has first-class facilities, courteous staff and soft background music that is sure to lull you into a state of deep relaxation.

The Eden Aisle Spa is open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm. Prices start from INR2000 for an hour-long full body massage.

10. Rooftop Cinema and Bar

Lost the Plot, located on Laxmi Road, nearby Darshan Museum, is Pune’s only rooftop cinema and bar, where you can enjoy both an excellent cocktail and a desert in a chilled-out atmosphere under the open sky. It also premiers various movies including, screen classics, world cinema, new releases, independent and short films. They have a large, outdoor, screen with top-quality projection and individual wireless headphones for sound.

This is definitely a great way to spend the evening, especially a romantic one. Ticket prices range from INR250 to INR550. Some features are free. Opening hours are 7:30pm to 12:00pm (midnight) daily (closed on Saturdays).