There are many hidden gems in Pachmarhi, and our plan on day one was to cover four places.
- Duchess Fall (A waterfall inside Satpura Tiger Reserve)
- Irene Pool (A small water body, again inside the forest area)
- Reechgarh (Some caves where locals believe that a giant sloth bear used to live)
- Club Hill (Also called Pachmarhi hill - a great place to view sunset)
Please note that every place in forest area requires permit from forest department. This can be obtained from Bison Lodge, and costs roughly around 1200 INR per day which includes a local guide person. Gypsy will have to be booked separately, which roughly costs 1500 INR per day. This gypsy can be shared by 6 people.
We got the required permits and started our expeditions for the day!
Duchess fall
The gypsy took us 3 kms inside the forest from where the trek started. There are roughly around 900-1000 steps leading to the waterfall. We started descending into the forest with stunning views all around. Around 45 minutes later, we reached the destination and yes, it was a beautiful sight. The water was gushing with reasonable force, despite the summer season. The cool wind rushing despite the heat of the hour was the highlight of the day
After an enjoyable swim in the waterfall, we made our way back to the top. The climb back up was grueling, but we made our way and reached the gypsy.
Irene Pool
The next destination on the list was the famous Irene Pool, also called as Ramya Kund. This is also a hidden pool in the forest, but the climb here is not as steep as Duchess Falls. A descent of roughly 100-150 steps brought us to the pool. The downside of this being an easy trek was that it was full of people. We had our lunch here, and back up to the gypsy.
Reechgarh
The next destination was Reechgarh, a set of caves not far from Irene pool. The word reech in local language means a bear. As mentioned above, the myth says a huge sloth bear once lived there. Presently, the caves are used as shelters by the wild animals when it rains. Half an hour is sufficient to explore the place and click some touristy photos.
Club Hill
This is also called as Pachmarhi hill. Take a left from the Protestant Church and the road will lead to the hill. The climb will take 15 minutes. The view at the top is beyond description. The sun sets into the mountains which is a sight you shouldn't miss if you're in Pachmarhi. We witnessed the magnificent sight and returned to the hotel, tired but satisfied.
Sangam Trek
Our first trek for today was called the Sangam Trek. We were going to descend the forest valley again. Our destination was a water body in a valley from where the river Denva originates. This is a very offbeat trek, hardly anyone opts for it since the terrain is rough, steep and slippery. Due to this valley being such an isolated place, there was a chance that we could spot some wild animals.
As like previous day, with magnificent views of jungle, mountains and cloudy skies, the descent began. I was apprehensive since I'm not a fan of watching wildlife live in front. But as we progressed, the fear melted away and the trek became enjoyable.
The last patch was the most difficult one, and was time consuming. But when we reached the destination, all the effort seemed worthwhile. The place seemed absolutely untouched by humans, with the river flowing with steadily between the valley.
It's safe to swim there as its not too deep. I had an enjoyable hour in the water swimming from one end to another, avoiding the deeper parts.
We started our trek back and halfway on our way up, we had our lunch. The climb was tiring but we made it at the top from where the gypsy picked us up.
Jata Shankar Cave Temple
This is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, and a famous tourist attraction in Pachmarhi. One kilometer walk from parking lot takes you to the temple which is located in a cave. The coolness of the cave is most refreshing and the ambience and aura around the temple is peaceful.
Dhupgarh
The sunset point for today was Dhupgarh, the highest peak of Madhya Pradesh. Only gypsy is allowed after proper permit is taken. Trekking is banned now and the trekking route is inaccessible. We reached on top and watched the sun set over the magnificent Satpura Mountain Range.
Day 3 was more of sighseeing rather than trekking as we wanted to rest our tired muscles. So we saw some beautiful tourist attractions.
Handi Khoh
Handi Khoh is a beautiful ravine which offers an amazing view. But apart from this, there's nothing much to see or do here.
Priyadarshini Point
A trek of 1 km from the main road leads to another breath taking view which is named as Priyadarshini Point. Preferably visit this early morning or evening.
Green Valley
A vast stretch of forest which remains green throughout the year is one of the highlights of Pachmarhi.
Bada Mahadev
This temple is another Shiva Temple located in a cave. Beware of the monkeys here, they will snatch your belongings and are quite fearless.
Pandava Caves
It was believed that Pandavas once resided in these caves, however a survey by archaeological deparment found that the caves are of Buddhist origin. The caves are however locked and can be viewed from outside only since the amazing tourists started carving their love stories and urinating inside.
Vulture Point
A short trek of half an hour from the Pachmarhi bus stand led us to a ravine from where vultures can be spotted. We were unlucky though, since we spotted only one taking flight. However, the magnificent sunset made up for us missing out on vultures.
Day 4 was about a walking safari in Satpura jungle. We trekked 8 km on a flat track but could not spot any wild animals. The walk however, was refreshing to say the least.
Rajendragiri
Afternoon we hiked to the famous Rajendragiri Point. Very peaceful, offers amazing views. The place tends to get crowded early morning and evening, so in the afternoon we had the entire place to ourselves. A small garden surrounded by trees sums this up.
Apsara Fall
We spent the late afternoon trekking to the Apsara falls. The trek is fairly easy, and location is beautiful. However, the water is deep, so swimming is not recommended unless you're an expert.
Tyneham Point
This was sunset point for today. There is a memorial built in the memory of Lord Tyneham who lost his son and son in law in some accident. A very peaceful place. The gypsy can take you right to the top, but if you're a trekking enthusiast, there's a trail which you can use to trek to the top.
Our last day in Pachmarhi and today we had on hands probably the most ambitious trek - Chauragarh - in Pachmarhi. The Chauragarh Mountain is visible from all points in Pachmarhi and it has a Shiva Temple at the top. Roughly 1400 steps will take you to the top.
We left the hotel at 5.15 am and started the trek at 5.45 am. Since we were there early morning, cool winds welcomed us and absence of crowd made it even more special. We reached the top in 1 hr 20 minutes, stopping every now and then to admire the beauty on the way.
On the top you'll find many trishuls which are carried by devotees over the years. Surreal views welcome you. The temple is very small, and full of monkeys. We attended the aarti and started descent around 7.30, and reached at the base by 9 after having breakfast midway.
The sunset point for today was Ekant Giri, just opposite Rajendragiri. We saw the last sunset of our trip and returned home on the next day with amazing memories!
