Panchgani literally means five hills. It is situated 19 km away from Mahabaleshwar and is 38 meters below Mahabaleshwar. Like Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani also has the British era charm and boarding schools. It also has many Parsi bungalows. The river Krishna flows through Panchgani and runs through ravines and farms into the plains below. The most visited place in Panchgani is the Table Land which is a plateau.
Scenic Panchgani was discovered by the British during the British Raj as a summer resort, and a superintendent named John Chesson was placed in charge of the hill station in the 1860s. He is credited with planting many plant species from the western world in Panchgani, including silver oak and poinsettia, which have flourished since then in Panchgani.
Source: wikipedia
Breathtaking views of the valleys and the plains below
British era architecture
Table land plateau
Dhom Dam water sports complex.
Horse riding trips through the woods.
Panchgani has a cool and pleasant climate throughout the year. The temperature ranges from 16 o C to 30 o C. Monsoon is very heavy here. The best time to travel to Panchgani is from October to May.
No permit is required to travel to Panchgani. Just a visa to India is all what is needed.
Only a few good hotels in Panchgani accept international credit cards. There are no ATMs nearby. So it is best to carry cash to this place.
The nearest airport is the Pune airport from where one can take a bus or a private taxi to reach Panchgani in around 4 hours. On arrival at the Mumbai airport, one can travel to Panchgani by road which is around 290 kms via Pune and 240 km via Wai.
The nearest airport is the Pune airport which is around 98 kms. You can also land at the Mumbai airport and travel to Panchgani by road which is around 240 kms. All major international flights come to Mumbai airport.
Table Land which is a laterite plateau giving a scenic view of the plains below. Various caves can also be seen near it.
Parsi point overlooks the Krishna valley and the clear water of the Dhom dam.
Dhom Dam has a water sports complex and is 21 km from Panchgani
Sydney point which is on the way to Wai village gives a nice view of the village below.
Devil’s kitchen located towards the south of Table Land has a mythological importance as it is believed to be the place where the Pandavas cooked food during their stay.
Nearby excursion from Panchgani include:
Mahabaleshwar which is another hill station. Lingamala waterfalls which are on the MahabaleshwarPune road are a must see. Rajapuri caves and Karthikeya temple are located at a distance of 10 km from Panchgani.
Where To Eat:
The Panchgani market has small shops selling ice creams, sugarcane juice and chana. The Lucky bakery is an Iranian bakery which serves pastries and buns. Akbaralli’s serve delicious hot parathas with various fillings inside. Sher baug which is an exotic plant garden also serves great food.
Where To Stay: MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) has a decent medium budget resort in Panchgani. Il Palazzo is a scenic heritage hill resort within walking distance from the market. Other hotels are Cliff Inn Resort, Blue country Resort, Comfort Inn etc Many bungalows are also available for rent.
