Hyderabad to Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani, Road trip, Monsoon Drive

[sagar]

'Hyderabad to Mahabaleshwar , Panchgani' - Monsoon Drive Meetup - October 8th and 11th 2016
 

Start point - Gachibowli (ORR)

End point - Panchgani hill top (Accommodation)

Start time - 4 :15 a.m.

Total Distance - ~610 kms

Objective - A monsoon drive meet to Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani during a long festive weekend.

 

Participants:

 

1) Maruthi Suzuki Swift

2) Volks Wagen Polo

3) Hyundai Creta (Red)

4) Hyundai Creta (White)

 

Route Taken:

Option 1 

Hyderabad (Gachibowli) --> Pargi --> Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) --> Baramati (Via Akkalkot) --> Solapur --> Indrapur --> Panchgani (Via Wai) --> Mahabaleshwar

Single lane road till Solapur, but some sections are super good and some are average, no potholes. 

 

Option 2

Hyderabad (Gachibowli) --> Zaheerabad --> Solapur --> Indapur--> Panchgani (Via Wai) --> Mahabaleshwar

Last 100 kilometers before Solapur is pathetic, road is filled with potholes.

 

Option 3

Hyderabad (Gachibowli) --> Zaheerabad -->Humnabad --> Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) --> Baramati (Via Akkalkot) --> Solapur --> Indapur --> Panchgani (Via Wai) --> Mahabaleshwar

Smoothest and longest of all. 

 

While you are coming back, would suggest you to take following route, so that you can cover KAS, valley of flowers.

Mahabaleshwar --> KAS --> Satara --> Pandharpur --> Solapur --> Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) --> Humnabad --> Zaheerabad --> Hyderabad (Gachibowli)

Cover Pic: 

 

Places to visit in Panchgani:

Panchgani is a pseudo head quarter for the parasailing which is conducted through out the year except during the monsoons.

1) Table Land

2) Parsi Point

3) Sydney Point

4) Devil's Kitchen

5) Mahabaleshwar

 

Places to visit in Mahabaleshwar:

There are as many as 30 viewpoints in Mahabaleshwar. Few of the major places are,

1) Elephant's head point

2) Arthur's seat

3) Kate's point

4) Kaas Plateau (Valley of flowers)

5) Venna Lake

6) Panchganga Temple

7) Mapro garden

8) Lingmala waterfalls

9) Pratapgad fort

10) Elphinstone point

[sagar]

Having all the recipe ready for the meetup on a long weekend, the drive had begun on a rainy morning when the clock swept 5:15 a.m. It's perhaps surprising but true that driving on a rainy day is more dangerous than driving on a snowy one. Knowing the statistics of how tough the start of the drive was when the visibility showed zero, the convoy was as cautious as it could get until the sun showed up. Pacing up the track towards Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), we took our first pit stop at 'Lumbini's Grand Hotel' for breakfast by 9:30 a.m 

 

After a decent drive in the heavy rain until we reached Kalaburagi, the condition of the road was pretty good.

 

It is a decent 4 lane track with less traffic where you can cover quite a distance in a short while.

 

The track of the road is excellent after you cross Kalaburagi and it starts to deteriorate as you reach a town named Akkalkot. The road from Akkalkot to Solapur is an average track where you come across frequent ditches and pot holes.

 

The moment you get on to the Solapur-Pune Highway, the road is just bliss. We had come across many decent restaurants for families all along the highway and we stopped by the 'Athithi' restaurant for lunch for another pit-stop around 12 30 p.m.

 

After a 100 km drive on this flawless highway, you bifurcate towards 'Indrapur' and proceed towards Baramati. This road is a decent 2 lane track with less potholes and more than decent for a comfortable drive.

 

Having covered most of the distance in quite a decent amount of time, we started taking frequent pit-stops to live the beauty the nature and we proceeded towards Wai before we reached our stay at Panchgani.

 

 

We got off the road track to explore more of the offbeat and untouched side of the western ghats on our way to Panchgani

 

[sagar]

All the cars have lined up for a photo session

 

After the first leg of enjoying nature, we started to pace up towards our stay at Panchgani and we reached our destination by 8:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

Panchgani - A quaint Hill station..Panchgani is a small town on the way to Mahabaleshwar with an unhurried relaxed charm with its strawberry farms, boarding schools and old British buildings. Panchgani is set at the foot of five hills and blessed with pleasant weather around the year which is an ideal weekend destination from Mumbai and Pune. The five hills surrounding Panchgani set atop a volcanic plateau opens up numerous vistas making Panchgani a photographer's paradise! Major attractions of Panchgani are Sydney Point,Table Land, Parsi Point, Devil's Kitchen.

 

Day : 01 - In Panchgani, we wanted to check out some off-beat locations and explore the untouched sights around the place and hence our drive begun post breakfast

 

As we started our drive towards the Kaas plateau to explore the Kaas pathar and the Kaas lake bed, we had come across a beautiful sight filled with a lot of fog and green land full of flowers... Yes the mother nature started to show good on us as we climbed the Panchgani ghat.

 

[sagar]

Kas Plateau - The Valley of Flowers..Kas Plateau or as popularly called Kas Pathar is a vast plateau in Satara district which during most parts of the year is just a hinterland on the way to Tapola and Mahabaleshwar. It's a plateau situated amidst high hills and grasslands which turns into a 'valley of flowers' during monsoon season, especially in the month of August. The valley of flowers of Kas pathar even overshadows Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani in popularity as a weekend destination during the months of July and August when the vast plateau of Kas transforms itself into a bed of flowers with more than 150 varieties of flowers.

 

We had taken quite a lot of pitstops to cherish the beauty in nature on our way towards the Kas pathar (valley of flowers) 

 

We started to explore the untouched beauty of the Kas plateau. Ask the people of India-Drive about how it is enjoy nature when there is no crowd.. Calm.. Serene and Blissful.. !!!

 

A look down to sight the whole of Panchgani when you stand high above the clouds :rolleyes:

 

Those amazing times when your foot couldn't stand still to cover all the distance and sight every single bit in the scene..

 

And we felt prey to capturing some memories of the place

 

 

 

 

[sagar]

With a score of this beautiful valley offering a panoramic vista, the whole team excites to pose at this natures artistry! 

 

With salubrious weather throughout the drive, we enjoyed every bit of it craning out and cherishing all the beauty that nature had offered

 

 

 

 

We have taken the roads less traveled to absorb all the untouched beauty in and around Panchgani

 

 

How much ever freedom the open roads had offered us, we never miss out on driving in a convoy.. 

 

[sagar]

 

The visibility factor has almost become zero as we moved towards Bamnoli ghat section. We had enjoyed this phase of nature too.

 

Pretty soon, the weather got even colder and the fog turned so intense that we could hardly sight the other end of the lake..The Happy Couple - Tej and Sruthika

 

We have waited until the fog got cleared and commenced our drive ahead towards the top most point of the Kas pathar

 

We have lined up for a short photo session at a beautiful view point to stretch ourselves

 

 

Towards the south of the Kas Plateau is the Kas Lake which adds to the beauty of the flower carpet the plateau adorns. Kas lake looks like a bowl carved out of the green verdant mountains. With mist all around, we hardly found another colour to sight except white.

 

They never miss out on any drive 'India-Drive' does.. 'The fantastic 4'

 

Ascend the ghats from Bamnoli and you are at the beautiful seasonal flower beds of Kas Pathar which is a must do especially in Aug - Sept. For the first time we felt that the mist was spoiling our sight at the 'Valley of flowers' 

 

[sagar]

On our way back from the Kas plateau, we had stopped by numerous view points which were not on the commercial end 

 

Few glimpses of the beautiful Kas Plateau

 

Without these cheerful souls, the trip wouldn't have been so much fun

 

End of Day 01, We have closed down the night with some fun filled interactive games and BBQ ..

 

Day - 02, The next morning started off with a small hike around the valley in the backyard

 

And then our drive on Day 02 had begun to explore the places around Mahabaleshwar

 

Mahabaleshwar - The Queen of Hills

Mahabaleshwar is a vast plateau, bound by valleys on all sides. Celebrated as the Queen of Hills Mahabaleshwar truly lives upto its reputation with its mesmerising beauty. It is a perfect getaway and is well known for its panoramic viewpoints. There are as many as 30 viewpoints in Mahabaleshwar.

 

Mahabaleshwar has different shades during different seasons and offers a delectable experience in all the seasons. The best time to visit Mahabaleshwar is Sept - Nov.

 

[sagar]

 

 

 

There is lots to see and experience in Mahabaleshwar. Amongst the major attraction in Mahabaleshwar are the Venna Lake and Old Mahabaleshwar with the Panchganga temple. If you want to see strawberry farms a good place would be the Mapro gardens. 

 

Our drive towards Tapola was chosen as the first leg to be covered for the day

 

 

Tapola - The Mini Kashmir

Tapola famously called the mini Kashmir of the west. It is a rustic hamlet with a magnificent lake - Shivsagar. It is at the end of the road and practically a dead end! From Mahabaleshwar Tapola is 25 kilometres away and the drive to Tapola is a picturesque one with vistas galore on either side of the road.

 

 

The primary attraction in Tapola is the Shivsagar Lake - a 90 km long water body infact the reservoir of the Koyna dam. If you are a water sports enthusiast Tapola is the place to head to. Be it boating, water scooter rides, kayaking or swimming Tapola. 

 

[sagar]

The whole team pose cheers by the Venna Lake before we drove down to the restaurant for lunch

 

 

 

Our 2nd leg of drive post lunch was to checkout the famous view points of Mahabaleshwar which the dense fog around the place had pulled us aback.. The visibility factor turned out to be absolutely zero which had given us zero possibility of sight at all the view points. A dense fog filled conjuncture which takes us to the Elphinstone point and the famous Arthur's seat view points each..

 

As the sky turned dark, we waited for the fog to clear out which turned out to be of no help and we drove back home for the day.

 

The next day, our drive was all set to hit back to Hyderabad and we followed the same track which felt was apt.

 

On the whole, the drive turned out to be a successful meet-up with a beautiful team all along.. We lived the Dream, We Drove the places to Discover the untouched side of the Western ghats.

 

[Gowtham]

Very nicely composed sagar.

A wonderful meet, Kids to elders everyone contributed to make the drive a success.

4 days and 1600 kilometers in a convoy was fun.

Even though the drive was hectic, It was great to see the high energy levels and lifted spirits.

Thoroughly enjoyed the meet. Looking forwards for the pictures from other cameras as well.

Dream Drive Discover. 

[shammy]

Nice write up @sagar!!! Truly it was an amazing drive !! Places are really worth visiting!! If it isn't for fog,we would have captured more view point beauty!! One of the most memorable drive's so far!!

[Tej]

One of the best drive's i've ever had. Loved the places, climate & fun-filled people. Would love to explore & join the upcoming meet-ups. Cheers!

[hsudhir]

Awesome pictures guys, Looks like you have had super fun. It was the right time you had toured Mahabaleshwar.. I know how disappointing it feels when the fog disturbs your views and schedules

[brteja]

Good write up. Request you to give a heads up to all the members of 'India-Drive' before you venture out for these drives. I don't want to miss this next time..

[mansur]

Excellent travelogue and lovely pictures, I had visited the same place few months ago and they looked drenched in fog & mist! Feel like visiting the place another time in a convoy with 'India-Drive' the next time.. Thanks a lot for sharing flag

[Balakrishna]

All the photographs are superb, and you did it at the right time before monsoon ended. Another informative wanderlust travelogue. Keeps us wanting for more.. Way to go 'India-Drive'

[Naveen1]

Nice pictures Guys.Climate is looks very good from the pictures.

How is road condition between Solapur and Mahabaleshwar?

[Gowtham]

driveking said:

Nice pictures Guys.Climate is looks very good from the pictures.

How is road condition between Solapur and Mahabaleshwar?

Road is fine 

We took the longer route

Solapur --> Indapur --> Baramati --> Lonand --> Khandala (not the main Khandala) --> Wai --> Panchgani --> Mahabaleshwar.

Solapur to Indapur : 4-lane excellent.

Indapur to Wai : 2-lane average , but we get a 4-lane road for 15 kilometers which is amazing.

Wai to Mahabaleshwar : 2-lane Ghat section, Beautiful views.

[balag]

Amazing pictures and it looks like a fun convoy. I shouldn't have missed this.. Can any one suggest me some decent accommodations around Mahabaleshwar or Panchgani..?

[nitin88]

 @gowtham, you didn't invite me for this trip :fight:

[Gowtham]

[uSER=9]sagar[/uSER], @gowtham, you didn't invite me for this trip :fight:

You should join back in the WhatsApp group. We are missing you there. Let me know, If I can add you back.

Drive was unexpected, It was decided in a week. Next drive for sure.flag

[nitin88]

ha ha ha. i try to stay from phone and keep my hands on my steering and thoughts on trip

[Gowtham]

ha ha ha. i try to stay from phone and keep my hands on my steering and thoughts on trip

We will have a drive in November. (Mid-End of the month)

Post will be up in second week of November.

Hope you will join the drive.

[ramuc]

Lovely write up there, great images and they have come out foggy in bits, given the post monsoon situation in that belt... I have planned to visit the place last month, but had to drop the plan at the last moment.. Will the flowers still be blooming if I visit it in coming days?

[ullas]

Hi I have done the Mahabaleshwar drive last week...The trip was truly satisfying and enjoyable. Sure will share the travelogue and photos sometime as time permits. Kaas was a bit of a disappointment, Though sceneries and vistas around are pretty good, we did not see many flowers as expected, nothing like coloured landscapes. I would suggest you to start early as the crowd multiplies by around noon.

[karthik]

My brother is planning to drive from Hyderabad to Mahabaleshwar during Christmas week.

Any latest updates on routes and places to visit?

[veeran]

planning to do this trip during this  coming monsoon 

[sagar]

3 hours ago, veeran said:

planning to do this trip during this  coming monsoon 

 

Don't miss it. Try the routes mentioned here from Panchgani.. IT will be isolated and you can enjoy the nature in peace. Usually other places and routes around Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani are a way too commercial and crowded.

[veeran]

On 1/19/2018 at 4:47 PM, sagar said:

 

Don't miss it. Try the routes mentioned here from Panchgani.. IT will be isolated and you can enjoy the nature in peace. Usually other places and routes around Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani are a way too commercial and crowded.

thank you sagar gaaru.... 

[Pralay]

On 1/19/2018 at 1:20 PM, veeran said:

planning to do this trip during this  coming monsoon 

Do consider the latest road condition..

[Gowtham]

12 minutes ago, Pralay said:

Do consider the latest road condition

 

Agree on it, there are multiple roads leading to Pachgani and Mahabaleshwar.

 

We need to plan in such a way that we can cover few places(kaas..) while driving back to Hyderabad. 
 

 

[veeran]

5 hours ago, Ranger said:

 

Agree on it, there are multiple roads leading to Pachgani and Mahabaleshwar.

 

We need to plan in such a way that we can cover few places(kaas..) while driving back to Hyderabad. 
 

 

AGREED

[mansur]

Awesome drive meet at an awesome place. All the pictures look so perfect

[Sridhar Tandra]

what's the name of the place you stayed at Panchgani @sagar?

[sagar]

3 hours ago, Sridhar Tandra said:

what's the name of the place you stayed at Panchgani @sagar?

 

We have stayed at a BNB in Panchgani. It was an 8 bedroom villa if I'm not wrong with a small pool and a BBQ place in the Lobby. It seemed perfect for a group of 15 to 20  

[uday]

We are planning a drive along with my office mates. We are considering Goa. But I have shown this post to them. Now they are inclined towards Mahableshwar. Is it right time to visit?

Any recent road condition update from Hyderabad to Mahabaleshwar? 

[sagar]

36 minutes ago, uday said:

We are planning a drive along with my office mates. We are considering Goa. But I have shown this post to them. Now they are inclined towards Mahableshwar. Is it right time to visit?

Any recent road condition update from Hyderabad to Mahabaleshwar? 

 

This is not the right time to visit this region. The place looks all dried up with absolutely no greenery. August to October would be perfect to plan your trip to Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar  

[Naveen1]

19 hours ago, uday said:

Is it right time to visit?

 

Evenings and mornings are good. Don't expect greenery. Grass is completely dry during our visit on feb. If it is a relaxing drive. Book a resort with view and enjoy. 

If you are planning to explore, avoid till monsoon. 

 

19 hours ago, uday said:

Any recent road condition update from Hyderabad to Mahabaleshwar? 

 

Hyderabad to Solapur is excellent except for 40 kilometres patch, road work under process. 

Solapur to Mahableshwar is not so great. Most of it is a single lane road. But roads are manageable. 

[sagar]

On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 4:52 PM, uday said:

We are planning a drive along with my office mates. We are considering Goa. But I have shown this post to them.

 

 

Hey @uday, You can check out the link below to know how the greenery turns its colours to dry grass in the western ghats region from late October until the rains begin  

[sahil]

On 2/27/2019 at 12:07 PM, driveking said:

 

Evenings and mornings are good. Don't expect greenery. Grass is completely dry during our visit on feb. If it is a relaxing drive. Book a resort with view and enjoy. 

If you are planning to explore, avoid till monsoon. 

 

 

Hyderabad to Solapur is excellent except for 40 kilometres patch, road work under process. 

Solapur to Mahableshwar is not so great. Most of it is a single lane road. But roads are manageable. 

What's the best rout now from Hyderabad to Mahabaleshwar?

Is it a good time to visit in the last week of December?

Any good stay options?

Or the areas need to be considered for stay near Mahabaleshwar and Panchagni?

[PareshBhinde]

Hi Sahil,

 

I completed Hyderabad-Mahabaleswar trip day before yesterday. Let me try to answer your queries.

 

1. Best Route : BHEL - Zaheerabad - Humnabad - Solapur - Mohol - (Take left from Mohol) - Pandharpur -  Phaltan - Wai - Panchgani & Mahabaleswar . ( You will find more than 80% good roads ). 

2. You will get lot of strawberries in December and you can directly pluck them in the fields. Moreover you will get great views from each view points. Clear blue sky all the time. Temp around 12-15 Degree at night.

3. We stayed in Evergreen Holidays ( 3kms from Mapro Garden towards Mahabaleswar) , Got a very good price  since it was weekday. From Dec 21st, the prices of the hotels will be high for year end. 

4. Metgutad and Bondarwadi are the places, you will get less prices for sure. 

 

Moreover, I would suggest anyone to travel to Mahabaleswar and Panchgani after Jan 10 till March end, to get the cheapest prices for hotesl and Sweetest Strawberries. Its off-season time there, confirmed by the property where I stayed. If you need any more information, I can help. 

Edited December 19, 2019 by PareshBhinde

[Murali205]

A member to this forum.

Hi,

I am planning a drive to Mahabaleswar next week. (Jan 12 to 15).

Going to take  BHEL - Zaheerabad - Humnabad - Solapur - Mohol -  - Pandharpur -  Phaltan - Wai - Panchgani & Mahabaleswar  route as mentioned by PareshBhinde.

Expecting your valuable suggestions.

Thanks

Murali.

 

 

 

 

[Gowtham]

On 12/19/2019 at 9:50 AM, PareshBhinde said:

I completed Hyderabad-Mahabaleswar trip day before yesterday. Let me try to answer your queries.

 

Thank you for the update.

 

15 hours ago, Murali205 said:

Expecting your valuable suggestions.

 

Once you divert from Solapur, roads are average to bad. 

Very limited food options as well (once diverted from four lane) 

[sagar]

On ‎12‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 9:50 AM, PareshBhinde said:

completed Hyderabad-Mahabaleswar trip day before yesterday. Let me try to answer your queries.

 

Thanks a lot for sharing your valuable inputs @PareshBhinde.

 

18 hours ago, Murali205 said:

Expecting your valuable suggestions.

 

I Murali, I would recommend you to choose some airbnb stays around panchgani instead of hotels as they are economical, well maintained and as well as offer very good views.

Mahabaleshwar is again more commercial towards tourists and crowded.

Try Strawberry cream (Panchgani's special desert)

 

Try and explore less travelled roads between Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar as they offer more scenic views and less crowd.

Most importantly, when you visit view points in Mahabaleshwar, make sure you pay your visit during the early hours around 11 AM and the views might be blocked with fog in the evenings.

[Murali205]

36 minutes ago, sagar said:

 

Thanks a lot for sharing your valuable inputs @PareshBhinde.

 

 

I Murali, I would recommend you to choose some airbnb stays around panchgani instead of hotels as they are economical, well maintained and as well as offer very good views.

Mahabaleshwar is again more commercial towards tourists and crowded.

Try Strawberry cream (Panchgani's special desert)

 

Try and explore less travelled roads between Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar as they offer more scenic views and less crowd.

Most importantly, when you visit view points in Mahabaleshwar, make sure you pay your visit during the early hours around 11 AM and the views might be blocked with fog in the evenings.

Thanks for your valuable inputs Sagar. I think it is a good point what you mentioned  about fog.

Let me see if i can find a good airbnb option there.

Will update in forum during/after journey.

[Murali205]

3 hours ago, Ranger said:

 

Thank you for the update.

 

 

Once you divert from Solapur, roads are average to bad. 

Very limited food options as well (once diverted from four lane) 

Thanks Ranger.

I am thinking about solapur-mohol- indapur - phaltan road or solapur- bhigwan - baramati - phaltan route as i can utilize the mumbai highway maximum.

[PareshBhinde]

Hi Murali, 

 

I would suggest you to take diversion from Mohol, rather than travelling upto Indapur. I travelled through indapur-Baramati-Phaltan for onward journey and found it not good but I liked Wai - Phaltan - Pandharpur - Mohol  route which I took while returning!  Roads till Phaltan are better than average. Its double road with moderate traffic.Phaltan - wai is single lane, not too bad road. 

 

Moreover, One can visit , Mapro food park just out of Wai and spend an hour there, they have a nice restaurent, Organic Vegetable shop and they have some free factory tour as well.

 

Thanks

Edited January 12, 2020 by PareshBhinde

[Gowtham]

Thank you the update Paresh.

Murali, please update when you are done with the trip.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ellis]

Very well written and enjoyable too. Truly adventurous and wish I could have joined them.

[sagar]

3 hours ago, Ellis said:

Very well written and enjoyable too. Truly adventurous and wish I could have joined them.

It surely was an amazing road trip back then. Thank you for rewinding us to our memory lane.. 😊