Panchgani – Mahabaleshwar : Journey with the Bajajs !

For Mumbaikars like me, who love the trappings of city life, yet crave for some peace and solitude, a weekend getaway to one of the hill-station close to the city is the best way to rejuvenate.   The mystic beauty of the mountains and valleys always puts me at ease, and with a celebratory weekend coming up, I was clear where we were heading for our next vacation. Panchgani – Mahabaleshwar beckoned!

Next on agenda was to choose a property which would be home for the 3 days and 2 nights we were aspiring for over the weekend.  After scouring through several properties online, what caught my attention was a beautiful scenic property with the backdrop of the valley called Rudrana Hills (earlier known as Misty Hills).  So a few calls to the numbers which were listed for the property, I found myself speaking with Vijay Pisal, the owner.  Vijay was extremely forthcoming with information of his newly acquired venture at the hotel and its surroundings places to visit for vacationers.  By the end of our conversation, I knew I had found the right place for us.  Deciding to work around my schedule to  make this vacation happen, I pushed a few errands to the back of my to-do list, eased my mind from the umpteen school projects and examinations which Jeehan and me have to wade through and of course had to warn the husband  not to carry work, we finally confirmed our holidays.  Rudrana Hills it was.

Day 1: VACATION BEGINS:  25th morning, I wake up earlier to my alarm, in anticipation of the lovely weekend.   We start our drive from the western suburbs of Mumbai at 7:30 am touching the Panvel Expressway a good hour later, caught in traffic snarls at Kurla and Vashi.  From here heading straight onto Pune via the Panvel Expressway for our journey, with a quick rest stop at the food mall on the expressway, we then ease back for the rest of the drive.  

Arriving into Pune a good 60 odd minutes later, we exit the express highway and head into the direction of Wai via NH4 /NH48. We pass through the luscious fields of Sugarcane plantations, making a quick stop for some pictures.   I had a surprise in store for Jeehan my 9-year-old – a visit to the Mapro Jam factory, a must I was told, not just for its ambiance but also for the edutainment.

The Mapro factory, which I understand is now relocated to Wai, delights its patrons.  The location is elaborate and exquisite in its settings, with picturesque corners earmarked to cater to every interest of the visitors.  Play area, food court, racks and racks of delicious fares on display, tasting corners.  They even have a guided tour of the factory, free for visitors, however, it is recommended to pre-register to avoid rush due to group bookings.    Post the enlightening tour and buying some of those yummy candies, we drove into Panchgani.

We also picked up some strawberries, which the place is very famous for.  The luscious red fruit makes for an excellent snack – any time of the day….We had this fruit in abundance for the next few days.

At a landmark point, which turned out to be another Mapro Sales Outlet, we were met by a representative of Rudrana Hills who escorted us to the hotel. We headed down a winding road which dipped and turned and then turned again towards a seemingly offbeat track and there….

Voila! The roads widened to my first glimpse of the valley beyond and Rudrana Hills – so rustic, yet overwhelming that I couldn’t help but feel pleased to be there.

We were met by Umesh, the manager, who welcomed us, and handed the keys to the room reserved for us. I had been informed by Vijay that Rudrana Hills is a 12-room cozy resort, with all rooms overlooking the lawn of the property and the valley beyond. 

After setting up the luggage and a refreshing cup of tea, we headed out.   We had some daylight left considering it gets dark early, we set off to explore the lawns of the property.  Skipping across the lawns, we braked at the edge of the cliff to take in the breathtaking view.    Here we met Arjun, the chef who took us around the property.  He invited us to brave a more secluded spot which true to his words was simply awe-inspiring.  He confided that it was his favorite spot and indeed the place had a sense of peace and tranquility.

With a promise to visit early next morning, we now set off to explore the locales surrounding the hotel. It was indeed amazing, we landed at the  Go-Karting arena in a nearby recreation centre which goes by the same name run by the Waikars.  Go Karting seems to be a popular choice of sports activity offered here. Rightly so, because it offers fun and thrill for the entire family.  So Jeehan, husband and me, safety helmets and racing spirit intact, set off on a challenge to each other. Cajoling Jeehan on, while mocking the slow start husband had, I set off and won the race.  Not so much in agreement, the husband mocked me at my win!  

Moving on, we set off to explore the few attraction in Panchgani, the table top and cave restaurant in Panchgani and zoomed back to the hotel to enjoy the view of the setting sun and a leisure dinner thereafter.

Day 2: We woke up bright and refreshed.   Having our breakfast the nouveau way in the lawns seemed appealing, and that’s what we did, soaking in the sun with some bantering between the trios.  Today, we had planned a visit to Mahabaleshwar, so we set off after a sumptuous breakfast. 

While driving through Panchgani, we couldn’t help but notice that the hill-station seemed a popular choice for the top Boarding schools of India.  I read somewhere that the relaxing atmosphere is known to have a positive effect on children’s learning ability. Jeehan though dreading the idea of being sent to a boarding school was awed by the group of independent boys and girls moving about the place nonchalant and at ease.  If you want to catch up with more info about the best schools in Panchgani, click here.

On our way, a banner announcing Kingberry Strawberry Wines caught our eye, we decided to explore the same.  A few calls later, I was speaking to  Nitin Bhilare, the owner who invited us for a walk-through of the place.  With a promise to catch up on return, we continued towards Mahableshwar. 

Enroute, we stopped over at the famous Venna lake, which offers some touristy things to do like a boating club and horse riding.   It’s a neat place for a family with a kid especially, however, with the sun beating down hard, we had to rush out of the place.  Entering into Mahabaleshwar, we paid the toll tax and headed towards the different points of attraction here. There are quite a few places to visit if you want to go the whole way, check the link given for the list of attractions.

Since most of the above points have great views, but further to each other, with a kid in tow, I feel it’s much advisable to pick a few places to visit rather than all.  This especially if you running against time and just a few hours of sight-seeing to spare.  We landed visiting the Echo Point, Elphinstone Point, Arthur’s Seat and Tiger Spring.   Interesting as it may be, the place is swarming with tourists, guides and roadside vendor.  With the long climb up and down the winding steps to reach the various points, our appetite was back with vehemence.   We took off in search of a good local restaurant.  After a good desi chicken for lunch for the boys, we decided to head back to the hotel.  We called at Kingberry wines, hoping we can catch up earlier than planned.  However, Nitin apologized for not being there but assured us his brother Vishal would take us through.  So we headed straight to the neighborhood called Bhilar where Kingberry Wines is located.

A boy we met in the car park escorted us inside the place, where we met Vishal.   Indeed Vishal’s detailed information about the origin of Kingberry wines and the locality was commendable. He spoke with great pride about the neighbourhood, the farming of strawberry and how the weather makes Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani a place to reckon with for so much more than just a tourist attraction. 

He informed us how the strawberry plants were sourced from various countries as USA, Poland, Holland and Israel.  What was unique to the Kingberry wine was the two distinct types of farming adapted to grow the strawberries known as vertical farming or hydroponics, which is the new way to go and the conventional way of growing it in the soil.  The strawberries are put together to create that unique and distinct flavor that Kingberry wines are getting slowly popular for.  Jeehan happily gorged on the delicious strawberry ice-cream shake offered, whilst Vishal opened a bottle of wine for us to taste and we definitely weren’t disappointed.  I was told the strawberries are naturally inebriating and no alcohol is added to the wines.  Vishal showed us around the vineyards. Apparently, in the month of April, the hill-station is thronged by visitors for the strawberry festival which is celebrated across the various properties.

Almost exhausted and looking forward to a quiet evening at the hotel, we decided to head back.  Here we passed a very interesting place called Velocity Entertainmentz which is one of the popular amusement centre offering all sorts of outdoor thrill activities for kids and adults alike. We stopped over for a quick spin at the dashing car which Jeehan insisted on.  So while he went ahead with his activity, I and husband found ourselves talking to Shazad Sahiar, the young and dynamic manager of Velocity Entertainmentz. 

Apparently, Shazad was previously employed at Smaaash the famous indoor activity centre in Mumbai and is familiar with the working of the leisure and hospitality industry and seemed very much at ease with his position here at the park.  He sounded excited about the upcoming activities lined up for the park, an overnight camping for the approaching NYE.  We wish him and the team our very best.   Just before we bid adieu, the husband, let me reveal to you #Dinesh Bajaj made a go for the Zipline, thoroughly enjoying the activity, I must say and surprising me.

Heading to the hotel, we meet with our host Vijay Pisal who was there with his architect to discuss the expansion plans for the property.  Listening on to them, I must say I was super impressed that the youth of today who are far ahead and dynamic in nature. So over a late evening tea to beat the nip in the air, we swapped stories about our aspirations and experiences in life.  A good hour later, with a promise of keeping in touch Vijay left.   By now we were pretty beat after the long day we had but super happy, we ate our dinner by the campfire before heading back to our room.

Day 3: Work already beckoned the husband, so soon after a quick breakfast, we check out from the hotel with thank-yous and a promise to ourselves to return soon.  Yes! Rudrana was everything we expected and more.  We stopped over at the Mapro Outlet to get our stock of goodies for self and friends. I also had a quick telecon with Radhika Vora of Mapro Food (somehow the promised Airtel network failed to deliver any telecon in this area, so missed several calls and opportunities to connect with my friends in the neighbourhood).  Radhika was a delight to talk to with our almost similar work profile and stories of our boys, we bonded like many mothers with our me-too moments!  The strawberry festival sounded interesting and worth a visit once again to this beautiful hill-station.

On a personal note to my better half and friend for life #DineshBajaj, I promise to keep the celebrations going on in our lives. 10 years of togetherness is no ordinary feat.  It clearly helped us come closer as individuals and not just for the roles we play in each other’s lives.

#RudranaHills

#GoKarting

#VelocityEntertainmentz

#KingsberryWines

#Panchgani Boarding Schools