PANCHGANI - WAI - PANDAVGAD (FROM PANCHGANI)

At a distance of 2 km from Panchgani Bus Stand, Sydney Point is one of the famous viewpoints in Panchgani hill station in Satara district of Maharashtra.

Sydney Point is situated on a hill that faces Krishna Valley. It was named after Sir Sidney Beckwarth, Commander in Chief, who succeeded Sir John Malcolm as Bombay's Governor in 1830.Sydney Point is famous for providing charming views of the Krishna Valley, Dhom Dam, Kamalgad Fort and the city of Wai. The hillock also offers beautiful views of the hill ranges of Pandavgad and Mandhardeo.

At a distance of 2 km from Panchgani Bus Stand, Devil's Kitchen is situated to the south of Table Land in Panchgani hill station.

According to mythology, this is the place where Pandavas of Mahabharata stayed here for a while during their exile. This place was used to cook their food. Some people claim that Pandvgadh Caves are also built by them and bear their name. The place is now a beautiful sightseeing spot which is popular among tourists.

The place is situated in close proximity to Table Land and visitor can either take a short walk or hire a private taxi for sightseeing.

At a distance of 2 km from Panchgani and 20 km from Mahabaleshwar Bus Stand, Table Land is the highest point in Panchgani and is situated at an elevation of 4550 feet above sea level. This is one of the best tourist places to visit in Panchgani.

Table Land is a vast expanse of flat laterite rock surrounded by hills hence the name Table Land. This volcanic plateau is Asia's second longest mountain plateau after the Tibetan plateau, and among the must-visit places as part of Panchgani tour packages. This place offers an aerial view of the entire Panchgani and nearby valleys.

These naturally flattened hills are a good attraction for nature lovers and adventure seekers. The place also has several activities like horse riding, merry-go-rounds, mini trains, food stalls, and a couple of game counters. Owing to its elevation, the place also offers .....

At a distance of 7 km from Panchgani Bus Station, Rajpuri Caves are one amongst the most ancient attractions of the Panchgani region.

There are four caves and these ancient caves are surrounded by many water kunds. It is believed that these caves were used for penance and religious rituals by Lord Kartikeya. It is also said to be the home of Pandavas during their exile. Devotees believe that taking bath in these holy kunds will provide relief from all kinds of diseases and evils.

The main attraction of Rajpuri Caves is the Lord Kartikeya Temple, which is supposed to have been built with the sand taken from the caves. Entrance of the cave contains several stone plates with inscriptions on them. Two traditional images of Nandi are located in front of the caves. Out of the two images, one lies right opposite to the entrance to the cave. The thaipooyam festival is the main attraction of this temple which is celebrated in the months of January / February.

One of the four .....

At a distance of 11 km from Mahabaleshwar and 7 km from Panchgani, Mapro Garden is a garden situated at Gureghar on Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani road in Satara district of Maharashtra. A trip to Mapro Garden is one of the top things to do in Mahabaleshwar.

Mapro Garden is very popular tourist spot in Mahabaleshwar and is known for their strawberry produce. The name Mapro is short form of Mahabaleshwar Products. Mapro was founded in 1959 by Mr. Kishore Vora and it is very popular in Maharashtra state for its processed fruit products like fruit crushes, squash, etc. Mapro has also diversified into products like chocolates, honey, gulkand and many more.

The major highlight of Mapro Garden is the chocolate factory within the premises. Visitors can also see a small nursery full of beautiful flowers and plants. There are various counters selling different Mapro products. Tourists can .....

At a distance of 2 km from Panchgani Bus Stand, Parsi Point is a scenic viewpoint situated on the way to Mahabaleshwar in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the good points at Panchgani to get a picturesque view. The point is located at the entrance of Panchgani town while coming from Mahabaleshwar.

Parsi Point offer spectacular views of the mountains, Krishna valley and the backwaters of Dhom dam. This popular picnic spot has derived its name from the fact that in earlier days, it was a favourite spot of the Parsi Community. There is small entry free at the entrance of the view the point.

At a distance of 13 km from Panchgani, 35 km from Satara & 88 km from Pune, Wai is a small town situated on the banks of Krishna River in Satara district of Maharashtra. It is one of the ideal places for one day trip near Pune.

Wai has some historical prominence; two important Maratha Brahmin queens Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi and Rani Gopikabai, wife of Nanasaheb Peshwa were born here. Wai is the place referred to as Charanpur in the hit film Swades.

Wai is famed for its seven Ghats, including Gangapuri, Madhi Aali, Ganpati Aali, Dharmapuri, Brahmanshahi, Ramdoh and Bhimkund. It is also known for numerous beautiful temples near the ghats. Brahmanshahi ghat contains several temples including Kaunteshwar, Chakreshwar, Kaleshwar and Chimneshwar. Menavali ghat is the most popular sightseeing destination in Wai apart from the backwaters of Dhom dam and the famous Dholya Ganpati temple.

The temple of Dholya Ganapati, built .....

At a distance of 11 km from Wai and 23 km from Panchgani, Pandavgad Fort is one of the major tourist attractions situated in Wai Taluk of Satara district in Maharashtra. Situated at an altitude of 4177 feet, Pandavgad Fort lies on the Wai-Mandhardev Road.

Pandavgad Fort was built by King Bhoj II of the Shilahar Dynasty. This fort was formerly under the rule of Adilshahi. The fort was taken by Shivaji Maharaj in 1673 AD but in 1701, Aurangzeb captured the fort. The fort was an important line of defense in the battle between Trimbakji Dengle and the British in 1817 AD.

The fort is about six acres in extent and is a square shaped structure. Its defenses consist of a slope of forty to sixty feet high along with several strong masonry ramparts surmounted by a huge wall. The main feature of this fort is that it has the natural protection of a sharp rock which is about 6 m high. All the buildings in the fort except the temple of Pandjai Devi are in ruined state.

The fort possesses .....