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Panhala - A Beautiful Hill Station

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The quaint city of Panhala is a major hill station located in the district of Kolhapur, within the state of Maharashtra. It is based at an elevation of about 3200 ft above sea level and is credited as the smallest city in the state.

A Cultural Reminiscence

The history of Panhala takes us back to the iconic rule of the Maratha Empire led by the great Shivaji Maharaj. The region is renowned to be the only place where Shivaji is said to have spent 500 days. Panhala later came under the rule of the British in 1827.

Tourist Places In Panhala

The Panhala Fort serves as a major tourist attraction. The Sajja Kothi – that roughly translates to a Punishment Cell – is easily the most intriguing part of the fort from where Shivaji has been famed to make a momentous escape. At the entrance is the Teen Darwaza – the only possible three gates that allowed entry to the majestic Fort. The walls of this grand entrance are huge, doubled and stand tall.

This is the very gate that the British entered Panhala through before capturing the fort. The Ambarkhana Fort is another fort that served as a granary in the olden times. The Someshwar Temple in the vicinity evokes the religious glory of the past.

Panhala is an ideal place for trekking. A charming place with a peaceful, pollution free, and scenic atmosphere, Panhala is a good place to run off from the congestion of the concrete jungles. Given the numerous forts found here, the hill station of Panhala proves to be an ideal spot to indulge in some trekking and provides with several trekking activities.

Nature lovers will love the exquisite view of the grand valley below that Panhala provides one with. This place is breathtaking and peaceful at the same time.

Panhala Weather

The small yet beautiful hill station of Panhala enjoys a pleasurable climate at all times of the year. The summers are not very hot and the winters are pleasantly cool. The monsoons transform the locale into an enviable beauty that seduces you with its fresh air, cool environs, enchanting waterfalls and mystic rusty forts.

Panhala is an apt place to take a small break from your hectic week at any given time of the year. However if you aren’t a rain enthusiast, you may want to skip the months of July and August.

How To Reach Panhala

Panhala is easily accessible via all modes of transport be it air, rail or road. This is possible due to its proximity to Kolhapur which is a major city in Maharashtra. In case of travel by air, the Kolhapur Airport is the closest destination from where a quick cab ride will reach you to the hill station.

By rail and road as well, Kolhapur serves as the nearest junction with regular inter-city and inter-state buses connecting Panhala to all the major towns and cities within and outside Maharashtra. Panhala is a noted destination that revives the quaint and gallant history of our Indian rulers.

The forts that are scattered all around accompanied by the pleasant nature makes this city a very viable spot from the tourist point of view. Spend no more time debating over whether this is the place to spend your next vacation at, because be rest assured that the moment you arrive here, all your doubts will be put to rest as the rich historic appeal of the place slowly encapsulates you.

Panhala is Famous for

Panhala Weather

Best Season / Best Time to Visit Panhala

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • July
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec

How to Reach Panhala

  • By Road
    If you are travelling from Mumbai, the road to Panhala via Kolhapur is about 428 km and takes about 8 hours of travel. Pune is merely 200 km away while Nashik is around 450 km away. There are several buses that ply regularly from all these major cities and towns at affordable rates. These buses are either private or belong to the state transport. The fare depends accordingly.
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  • By Train
    The Kolhapur Railway Station is about 30 km away and is the nearest railway railhead to Panhala. The VT railway station in Mumbai connects Kolhapur to all other major routes via rail. The Sahayadri Express and the Mahalaxmi Express make for a decent travel from Mumbai to Kolhapur on any given day.
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  • By Air
    At a distance of 20 km, the Kolhapur Airport is the closest domestic airport to Panhala. The Kolhapur airport is connected to all major cities and towns in India by regular flights. There are cab services available from the airport to reach you to Panhala and costs around Rs. 600. The Chattrapati Shivaji Airport in Mumbai is the nearest International Airport.
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