Just 60 Km away from Mumbai, the Karnala bird sanctuary on the Mumbai-Goa road is easily accessible from the city. It has an immensely beautiful forest stretching in green splendour over 4.5 km. It is Maharashtra’s first exclusive bird sanctuary and has two distinct seasons for bird watching. They are the monsoon and winter seasons. The monsoon season from July to September brings paradise of flycatchers, shamas, Nalabad whistling thrushes and racket-tailed dongos. Winter season, which is from October to December, attracts migrants like blue throat, the large cuckoo and shribe. Though essentially a bird sanctuary, it also has wild animals like panther, antelope, common langur and the African monkey.

Karnala bird sanctuary is a 2 hour drive from Mumbai via Thane creek and Panvel. You can use the local trains (harbour line) from CST to get down at Panvel. The sanctuary is 12km away from panvel station. From the station, you have regular buses and autorickshaws going towards Pen. They are not very expensive and will costs you only Rs 10/-.