Panchgani Reviews

Overview of the destination
One of the few weekend getaways close to Mumbai that is still quite old-town and sluggish unlike Lonavala and other commercialised destinations. Panchgani is primarily an educational hub with a multitude of residential schools and institutes set up. The best thing about Panchgani is that there's so much to explore, all you need to do is back a picnic basket and set out for the day. Food and water is no problem. As for the weather, you will enjoy it best when not raining. Monsoons last from June to September and while the rains are off-season, I don't recommend it unless you plan to rest in your hotel all day.

Food, sight-seeing and shopping
Hotel Apsara in the main Bazaar was our favourite (non-veg) for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their rates are super economical and the quantity very satisfactory. Not to mention extremely hygienic. Don't forget to visit Hill Top for the most fresh and mouthwatering Strawberry with Fresh Cream (you can't leave without trying at least 1 cup) and their homemade natural ice-creams. Mark these places to see: Sydney point, Parsi point, Table land, Devil's kichen, Dhoom dam lake & boating, the lingmala falls and Rajapuri caves. The Sydney point is located on a small hillock facing the Krishna valley and overlooking the waters of the Dhom Dam and Pandavgad and Mandhardeo. Table land is situated around 60 mts high and is the second highest natural plateau in Asia. From here we can easily see devil's kitchen. Parsi point is a windy road situated enroute Mahabaleshwar and overlooks the Krishna valley. This is the best view. Doom dam is a beautiful boating spot, which is situated 21 kms from the Panchgani. Rajapuri caves is 6 kms from the town. It has a religious importance as there is a temple of Lord Karthikeya, (Lord Shiva's son).

Activities & things to do
We hired bicycles to get about the place. You can hire these at a store right opposite the Panchgani police station at Rs. 100/- per day. In the month of November, the weather is ideal to roam around any time of the day. However, the town wakes early and sleeps early, so plan to start by 8 am and get back to your room by 10-11 pm. You can also visit Sherbaug, which is a theme park around 1km on the main road and spend 3-4 hrs there. Great if you're with kids. Rs. 100/- per head is the entry charge. (Extra charges if you have a camera) There are 2 Para-Sailing and Para Gliding establishments from where you can choose to take up a crash course or just have a single jump. Go to Mahabaleshwar market (23Km) and spend half a day shopping and eating. You can also take a tour of the points at Mahabaleshwar if you like.

Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc.
Panchgani can only be approached my road. Take a Volvo bus from Mumbai for Rs. 400. We stayed at the MTDC, Five Hills resort which is inexpensive but can be better maintained. (Rs. 1050 per night) Within Panchgani, the cheapest way to roam is by bicycle. To visit Mahabaleshwar, there are frequent ST buses from the ST stand (Rs. 14). When at Mahabaleshwar, you could avail the 'Mahabaleshwar Darshan' ST bus at Rs. 72 per seat for a complete guided tour of the famous points. Last bus back for Panchgani is at 9:30 pm. Don't forget to reconfirm your return bus journey back to Mumbai by calling the number on your ticket or you could get left behind.