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lonar travel information guide

Lonar - The Destination


It has a history that goes back more than 50,000 years, carved out when a meteor struck it. Lonar Lake, near Lonar village in the Buldhana District of Maharashtra, is a source of excitement not only for tourists but also for the scientist community.

Lonar is the third natural salt-water lake in the world, with a diameter of 1800 meter. It ranks third amongst the world’s five largest craters.
The Lonar Crater is the only meteorite crater in basaltic rock, very much like the craters on the moon. It is a scientific phenomenon and a

national treasure that must be preserved. The crater has not only been attracting numerous foreigners to study the impact of a meteorite that occurred 50,000 years ago, but also tourists from around the country to enjoy the beauty and visit the temples, some of which date around the 11th century. A road moves around the upper edge of the crater with lookout areas. Unfortunately the path inside the crater, along the lake runs only part of the way. Though there are others that one can stroll along, admiring the beauty and tranquility of the place. Peacocks and monkeys are sighted in abundance as are numerous ducks and partridges. Winter, brings migratory flamingoes.

The soil where the meteor hit and created the crater is extremely fertile. The area in and around became lush green and has led to the growth of an incredible ecology, supporting numerous species of birds and animals. The animals and birds visible here are migratory Flamingoes, Indian Moorhen, Coot, Dabchick, Langoors, Chinkaras, Peacocks and Gazelles.

Lonar - Facts at a Glance

State : Maharashtra
Area : 1.80 kms (Diameter)
132 mts (Deep)
Best Season :
Lonar can be  visited any time of the year . However the best time is winter -
January to be precise. An excellent month since the sun is not too hot, the crater is full of water and you can explore it at leisure.

History of Lonar

According to scientists, about 50000 years ago a massive meteor entered into the Earth's gravitational forces range. 60 meter long and weighing 20 lac ton it was racing at a speed of 25 kms per second towards the planet.

When it struck the earth the energy released was equivalent to that released by six-megaton atom bombs. The impact was so severe that rocks from all sides came to the surface and reached the height of 20 meters. So strong was the impact that it left a massive crater 170 meter deep and with 1800 meter in diameter. Today it is a natural salt-water lake.

The lake was first brought to notice in 1823 by British officer C J E Alexander. In 1896, American geologist G K Gilbert conducted studies to prove that Lonar was created due to meteor strike.

An extensive study conducted on the spot under the leadership of Prof. K Fredrikson by officials of Geological Survey of India, United States Geological survey and other institutions, proved using Cosmic Ray-dating that the lake was created by a meteor hit 50000 years ago.

The officials dug up the heart of the lake and conducted experiments on the material gathered from there, before making their announcement public. The scientists also found some minerals found mostly in meteor hit areas. Traces of Sodium Carbonate and magnetic properties were also observed in the soil there.
                                Lonar Holiday Packages

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