Panchgani

The Panchgani plateau stands at an altitude of 1334 mts. The top of the plateau provides a breathtaking view of the waters of Krishna valley on one side and the coastal planes on the other. The Dhom dam that is located to the north is responsible for the beautiful lake that the Krishna waters form. Dandeghar, Khinghar, Godawali, Amral and Taighat are the five villages that surround the plateau or table land of  Panchami.

The weather in Panchgani is extremely pleasant with the temperatures going down to 12 degrees Celsius in the winters and a maximum of 34 degrees Celsius in the summer. Although the weather is comfortable around the year the best time to visit Panchgani is from September to May.

There are various places in Panchgani which offer nice views of the surroundings. The Sydney point is a small hill 2 kms away from the Panchgani bus stand. The hill stands facing the Krishna valley. It offers a beautiful view of crystal clear waters of the Dhom Dam, Pandavgarh and Mandradeo. Another such place is Parsi point, a spot situated on the way to Mahabaleshwar which also offers a nice view of blue shiny waters of Dhom Dam. Other than the picturesque spots, wandering around the quaint little town of Panchgani is a joyous experience. The surroundings are a botanist’s paradise as a number of rare varieties of plant species are grow here. British style architecture of the colonial period together with Parsi settlements give postcard like look to the town Panchagani is also very popular for its boarding schools that offer high quality education. The Bazaars in the town are brimming with fresh produce from the farms nearby as well as handicrafts, leather goods and delicious eatables. Seasonal fruits like strawberries, mulberries, gorgeous baby carrots are few of the things you just cannot while here. Bakeries like the Kerala Bakery, Roach and Sons., etc provide delicious pastries, cakes and baked goodies. Shivaji Circle and Budha Bazaar are the two main markets.