do not venture to places with human activity. Leopard Sightings There have been reports of leopard sightings in Matheran a few times in last decade. Leopards are not known to dwell in Matheran however. Dense forests in the valleys surrounding Matheran have been suspected of housing them. Their dwindling population in India however has led their sightings to be extremely rare nowadays. There have been zero reported incidents of leopard attacks in Matheran. Demographics As of the 2001 India census, Matheran had a population of 5139. Males constituted 58% of the population and females 42%. Matheran had an average literacy rate of 71%; male literacy being 75%, and female literacy being 66%. In Matheran, 11% of the population was under 6 years of age. Languages spoken include Marathi, Hindi, and English. Geography and Climate Matheran is located at . It has an average elevation of 800 m (2,625 ft) above sea level. Lying in an elevated region, it has a cooler and dryer climate relative to its surroundings, which makes it popular during the summer months. Temperatures range from 32°C (90°F) to 16 °C (61 °F). October to November The monsoon retreats prior to this time period, making the temperature cool, but not humid. Such weather facilitates sightseeing. December to February The winter months are cool with the temperature usually staying above 11 °C. While the days are mostly sunny, evenings and early mornings tend to get a bit chilly. Couples prefer this time period to visit Matheran for their honeymoons. March to May The temperatures can go over 35 °C during the day. However, tourists do not report displeasure despite the tempereature. June to September This time period sees heavy rainfall in Matheran. Transportation Matheran is connected to Mumbai (100 km) & Pune (120 km) by rail and road, with the closest railway station being in the foothill town of Neral. The nearest airport is the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. Rail Matheran has a narrow gauge railway station in the town center. The old Matheran Hill Railway offers several daily trains to Neral. The toy train is connected to the mainline rail route at the Neral Junction. Mini train or toy train service started between Neral and Matheran from 22nd October 2022 . The train between the Aman lodge and Matheran is also in place at intervals of approximately every hour having approximately 85 seats. Presently 2 up