Life is a journey and so birthdays are the best time to celebrate the journey of life, especially when it’s the birthday of someone who is special and head of the family, whom you can trust and who guards your life with great experience.
The occasion must be special. So when it was my father-in-law’s birthday, the responsibility doubled, and so we decided to celebrate it in Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar.
As we made plans for the road trip, my husband was a bit worried about the battery of our car as it was old and had been giving us the trouble of late.
He turned to a friend of his, an automobile nerd, who suggested us to go ahead with Amaron battery as it is known for its endurance.
As it was a matter of a road trip to mountain and hilly areas, without failing we changed our car battery to Amaron, and that decision really helped us on a smooth journey.
We started our journey via road in our car with the family and decided to stop and stay in Panchgani. Since it was his birthday the next day, we decided to first head towards the famous Lord Shiva temple called ‘Mahabaleshwar Temple.’
After getting our booking done at Panchgani Valley Nest Hotel, we happily stared packing, and early morning on Friday started our trip to celebrate the most awaited birthday of our family.
Panchgani is a beautiful hill station in Maharashtra very nearby to Mahabaleshwar and renowned for many premier residential educational institutions and delicious strawberries.
It is 244 km by road from Thane to Panchgani, but with the city traffic and all, it took us 6 hours to reach the destination.
Hotel Valley Nest has a great location in Panchgani, and we were happy that we selected this hotel as all major points of attractions were within walking distance. We started from the Parsi Point which was just a km away and had some delicious food at the Rainforest Restaurant.
On the way to the Mapro Garden, for which my daughter and I were really excited, we came across a board which said “Pluck Strawberries.” We halted right away to pluck and eat some fresh strawberries.
Mapro Garden is a beautifully made and maintained attraction. We all just loved the fresh cream strawberry ice cream and enjoyed the refreshing beauty of nature. All in all, Day 1 was spent quite well exploring the beautiful Panchgani.
Then came Day 2, for which this trip was originally planned – the celebration of my father-in-law’s birthday. We stuck to our agenda of seeking the blessings of Lord Shiva at the famous Mahabaleshwar Temple, first and foremost.
Situated on a peak, this temple is 6 km away from Mahabaleshwar, and the main and central attraction of this temple is the 6 feet long Shiva Lingam of which only the tip is visible, depicting the stone incarnation of Lord Shiva. Apart from this bed, Damru, Trishul, Nandi, and Kalbhairav are few other things which you can see at the temple, making you feel the presence of Lord Shiva.
We reached the beautiful temple with no difficulty, and after seeking Lord Shiva’s blessings decided to check out some of the major attractions nearby. It is said that there are 11 points which should not be missed, and so we tried covering a few as we had to return to tabletop as a horse riding session was due for the kids.
We reached the tabletop a little too late, and the place turned out to be sparsely crowded. While the kids rode horses, we enjoyed some local sweet corn and breathtaking views.
Some tips if you are traveling to Panchgani/Mahabaleshwar:
- Plan your trip for 2-3 days
- If want to enjoy more waterfalls, the best time to visit is June to October.
- Carry jackets as it’s pleasant, but with kids, you need more precaution.
- It is one of the best places to spend quality time with family.
We returned back home with endless memories and great celebration. #LastsLongReallyLong
#MyFirstCarBattery
© Ruchie Verma.
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Looks like you had great time with family. Thanks for the awesome read. We have been to Mapro Garden in Mahabaleshwar and since then their products are my favourites.
Trip with family is best. Loved reading your travel experience.
i have been dreaming of visiting panchagani
It’s an amazing place last year only I has been thee
Cool experience you had , love the clicks looking forward to more trips like this
Pachgani is lovely, we went there last monsoon season with mahabaleshwar an it was a great time to stroll around.
Such a lovely memories of a family trip. I am sure you had a great time
This place was on my list for the longest time, just couldn’t figure out when to go. Thank you for the post, very informative
I’ve been to Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar few times. They’re both beautiful and the perfect weekend getaway for Mumbai and Pune people. This was a great way to celebrate your father-in-law’s birthday. You sure had a lovely time there.
This is such a beautiful post. I am sure it was great family time. we haven’t been to Panchagani in all these years in spite of living in Pune for quite a long time. I am sure its time we should plan it soon.
I have been to Panchgani from Oune and I found it like a typical Indian tourist place. Has some awesome places and the. Some rather overcrowded corners
I have heard so much about panchagani! Really want to visit with my family some day! Looks like you had an amazing time!
Wow, you seemed to have a great fun-filled family trip. Great to know about the details
I wish to have such trips with family.. Looks like u had great fun. Awaiting your next post ..
Tip with family is a much need thing. Indeed the place is beautiful and serene.
I have been to panchgani for numerous times and I just love the place.. It is beautiful
Woah seems like you had a great time with your family.. This place looks so beautiful.
Panchgani trip is best for a family tour. Many More places in India where you can go with family, Like Himachal Pradesh tourist places, Sikkim tourist places, Top 10 hill station and more….