Pachmarhi

The "Queen of Satpura" in Madhya Pradesh's hills, where sandstone gorges hide waterfalls, cave shrines and Shiva pilgrimage sites, and Dhupgarh delivers the sunsets.

Pachmarhi lies in Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh, India, on a saucer-shaped plateau about 1,100 m up in the Satpura Range. Known as the "Queen of Satpura", it is the state's only hill station. British officer James Forsyth came upon the plateau in 1857, and it later became the summer capital of the Central Provinces; churches, barracks and other colonial buildings still stand, and much of the town is now a cantonment. The plateau is ringed by the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, whose sandstone gorges hide waterfalls, cave temples and prehistoric rock paintings. In the town centre are the Pandav Caves and Pachmarhi Lake; Bee Falls, Apsara Vihar (Fairy Pool) and Silver Falls can be linked on foot; Dhupgarh, the highest point in the state, has spectacular sunsets; and Chauragarh and Bada Mahadeo to the south are Shiva pilgrimage sites. Most forest sights require hiring a jeep and buying permits at the town's central jeep stand, with routes spread over 2–3 days. October–February is cool and dry and the best time to visit; March–June is peak season as plains dwellers escape the heat; during the July–September monsoon the waterfalls are in full flow but some forest areas close. The nearest railway station is Pipariya, about 50 km away and roughly 1.5 hours' drive up the hill; the nearest airport is Bhopal, about 200 km away. Allow 3 days, plus an extra day for a safari in Satpura National Park.

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