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Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh’s solitary hill station, is nestled amid the central Satpura ranges at an altitude of 1065m above sea level. This quaint little town is renowned for its peace and solitude. A not-so-popular tourist spot, Pachmarhi is the place to head for if peace and quiet are what you seek. Once a favourite summertime getaway of the British, the town still retains the colonial ambience.

There are fabulous viewpoints, birdsong in the air, serene waterfalls and ancient cave paintings all waiting to be explored. There is also an ancient temple that has a natural rock-made Shivaling. The charm of the place lies in the fact that life here is truly laidback and simple compared to the hustle and bustle of the cities. Madhya Pradesh Tourism has wisely regulated the growth of hotels in Pachmarhi and the few that exist are lavish and well planned. Almost all have gardens of their own and huge lawns where the staff organise bonfires on a cold winter night. If you’ve got travel in your veins, Pachmarhi should be a must on your itinerary. Drive down and see if the magic gets you!

The ideal time to visit Pachmarhi is during the winter months of November through to February. Temperatures here range from a maximum of 35 degrees C in summer to a low of around 4 degrees C in winter. If you’re Pachmarhi-bound in winter, do take along adequate warm clothing. The wind at the valley viewpoints has plenty of bite in it and it would be wise to make children wear mufflers to protect their ears and throat.

The single blanket provided by hotels is usually not warm enough to keep the cold out. Most hotels provide heaters and an extra blanket but do call ahead and make sure.

The rainy season is also peaceful but you’ll be restricted to the views from the large balconies in your hotel. It would also be advisable to pack at least two torches if you are a family of four. It is usually a long, dark walk from the main reception areas of most hotels to the cottages.

There are some very bad stretches, especially on the road between Hoshangabad and Pipariya. Get your vehicle’s suspension serviced so that it can take this rough stretch in its stride. If running tubeless tyres, carry a spare tube along as a precaution and also check the spare wheel to see that it is inflated to the correct pressure.

If you plan to visit the Satpura National Park, which is home to a multitude of animals and plants, you will need a petrol-engined 4-wheel drive as diesel vehicles are not permitted.