When I first started planning a visit to Mahurgad and Renuka Mata Temple, I realized that the difficult part was not deciding to go—it was figuring out which route actually made sense from my city.
Mahurgad is in Mahur taluka of Nanded district, Maharashtra. The Renuka Devi Temple sits on a hillock about 2.4 km from Mahur village. The Nanded district administration lists Nanded as the nearest airport at roughly 100 km and Kinwat as the nearest railway station at about 50 km. It also confirms that frequent buses operate from Nanded bus stand.
For 2026, I would not plan this journey using distance alone. Road conditions, highway connections, monsoon weather, traffic around major cities and your final climb to the temple all matter.
At a Glance: Which Route Should You Choose?
| Starting City | Approx. Road Distance to Mahur | My Preferred Approach | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nanded | ~122–130 km | Nanded → Mahur | Short pilgrimage |
| Nagpur | ~223 km | Nagpur → Wardha → Yavatmal → Arni → Mahur | Road trip |
| Pune | ~545–575 km | Pune → Solapur/Latur side or suitable Samruddhi connection → Mahur | Long road trip |
| Mumbai | ~770 km | Mumbai → Nashik/Sambhajinagar side → Mahur | Multi-day journey |
Distances are approximate and can vary according to the exact starting point, destination pin and route selected by your navigation app. Current route planners put Nanded–Mahur at about 122 km by road, Nagpur–Mahur at about 224 km, Pune–Mahur around 545–575 km, and Mumbai–Mahur around 770 km.
1. How to Reach Mahurgad from Nanded
For anyone starting from Nanded, this is by far the simplest journey.
The road distance from Nanded to Mahur is roughly 120–130 km, depending on where you begin and which road your navigation app selects. A current route planner estimates about 122 km and around 1 hour 44 minutes of driving without significant delays.
My preferred plan
I would leave Nanded early in the morning, especially if my main purpose was Renuka Mata darshan.
The basic journey is:
Nanded → Umarkhed/Mahur side → Mahur → Mahurgad
Rather than trying to reach the temple immediately, I would keep some buffer time for local traffic and the final approach.
The Maharashtra government tourism information specifically says that frequent buses are available from Nanded bus stand, making Nanded a practical transport hub for pilgrims without a private vehicle.
Why I like starting from Nanded
- Shorter road journey
- Easier to make a same-day pilgrimage
- More transport choices
- Easier access to food, fuel and accommodation
- Convenient option for families
Pro Tip — 2026: Before leaving Nanded, download the route for offline use. Mobile connectivity can vary once you move away from larger urban areas.
2. How to Reach Mahurgad from Nagpur
Nagpur is surprisingly convenient for a Mahurgad road trip.
Current route information places Nagpur to Mahur at approximately 223–224 km by road, with one route estimate around 3.5 hours under normal conditions.
A practical route is:
Nagpur → Wardha → Yavatmal → Arni → Mahur
This corridor is also discussed by experienced road travellers, who have reported a largely good four-lane/cement-road experience on the Nagpur–Yavatmal–Arni–Mahur stretch.
For me, the biggest advantage of this route is that the distance is manageable enough for a comfortable daytime drive.
My 2026 planning advice
I would:
- Start after an early breakfast.
- Keep fuel topped up before the longer stretches.
- Stop at Yavatmal or another major town rather than waiting until the last moment.
- Reach Mahur with daylight remaining.
- Keep the temple visit separate from the driving schedule.
Pro Tip: Don’t calculate your arrival time using the fastest navigation estimate. Add at least 30–60 minutes for breaks, traffic and road conditions.
3. How to Reach Mahurgad from Pune
The Pune journey needs more planning.
Depending on the route selected, current sources put the road distance at roughly 545–575 km, while another route planner reports approximately 558 km.
One practical approach is to travel toward the Solapur/Latur side, while another option can involve connecting toward the Samruddhi Mahamarg through the appropriate interchange and then continuing toward the Nanded/Mahur region.
I would check the live road situation on the morning of departure instead of blindly following an old route.
The reason is simple: highway connections and roadwork can change the fastest route. The Samruddhi Mahamarg is now a major east-west corridor, but its maintenance and repair activity can also affect travel conditions.
If I were travelling with family
I would divide the journey into manageable sections rather than trying to drive continuously.
Pune → major highway stop → central Maharashtra stop → Mahur
For an elderly family member, I would especially avoid scheduling the temple climb immediately after a very long drive.
4. How to Reach Mahurgad from Mumbai
Mumbai is the longest of these four journeys.
Current route planners estimate approximately 770 km by road, although exact distance varies depending on your starting point in Mumbai and the selected route.
A sensible road-trip strategy is to travel through the broader Nashik–Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar–Marathwada direction, then continue toward Mahur.
I would personally treat Mumbai–Mahur as a two-day travel option if travelling with family rather than trying to turn it into an exhausting single-day drive.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar is an important intermediate city because it is well connected to Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur by road and rail. The district administration lists the city at approximately 334 km from Mumbai and 235 km from Pune.
My practical Mumbai plan
Day 1: Mumbai → Nashik/central Maharashtra → Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar or another suitable overnight point
Day 2: Continue toward Mahur → check in/rest → Renuka Mata darshan
This approach gives me much more flexibility than trying to arrive at Mahurgad tired after an extremely long drive.
Road vs Train vs Flight: What Makes Sense?
| Option | Best Starting Cities | Advantage | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | Nanded, Nagpur, Pune, Mumbai | Flexible stops | Driver fatigue |
| Bus | Nanded/Pune and regional connections | Budget friendly | Less flexibility |
| Train + Taxi/Bus | Longer-distance travellers | Reduces driving | Requires transfers |
| Flight + Road | Mumbai/Pune | Saves long-distance driving | Nanded-to-Mahur transfer required |
For rail travellers, Kinwat is an important access point. Maharashtra tourism information puts the nearest railway station at around 50 km from Mahur, while Indian Railways material gives the nearest railhead as Kinwat at approximately 43 km.
For air travellers, Nanded is the nearest airport listed by the district administration, at roughly 100 km from Mahur.
The Part I Would Not Ignore: Mahur Village to Mahurgad
One mistake I would avoid is treating reaching Mahur town as reaching the temple.
The Renuka Devi Temple is on a hillock approximately 2.4 km from Mahur village.
So my route calculation would always have three stages:
Your city → Mahur town → Mahurgad/temple area → Darshan
That final section deserves its own time buffer.
2026 Pro Tips
- Check live navigation immediately before departure.
- Save the temple location offline.
- Carry drinking water for the final part of the visit.
- Avoid scheduling darshan immediately after a long overnight drive.
- During monsoon, allow additional travel time.
- Keep some cash available even when digital payments are widely used.
- If travelling with elderly people, plan rest stops before reaching Mahur.
- For festival days such as Dasara, expect significantly higher visitor numbers; the district administration notes that a large annual fair is held for Renuka Devi on Dasara.
My Final Mahurgad Travel Checklist
Before leaving, I would tick off these items:
- Confirm the exact Mahurgad/Renuka Devi Temple destination pin.
- Check the live route rather than relying on an old distance.
- Download offline maps.
- Check fuel before entering longer rural stretches.
- Keep water and basic snacks in the vehicle.
- Carry comfortable footwear.
- Allow extra time for monsoon travel.
- If travelling from Mumbai or Pune, consider an overnight stop.
- If using rail, check the current connection to Kinwat.
- If flying, check the current Nanded flight schedule and arrange onward transport.
- Keep the final Mahur-to-Mahurgad section in your timetable.
- Check local temple arrangements before your journey, particularly on major festival days.
Final Thoughts
After comparing the four approaches, I would choose Nanded for the easiest pilgrimage, Nagpur for a manageable road trip, Pune for a carefully planned full-day journey, and Mumbai for a multi-day pilgrimage road trip.
The biggest lesson for my 2026 planning is simple: don’t plan Mahurgad only by kilometres. Plan by road conditions, daylight, breaks, transport connections and the time you need at the temple.
That small change can turn a tiring journey into a much more peaceful Renuka Mata darshan experience.