It had barely been an hour since my co-travellers and I reached the hill station and checked into a new hotel, still very much living out of our suitcases.

Often called the Queen of Satpura, Pachmarhi may not be among India’s highest hill stations, but it is a treasure trove of lush forests, waterfalls and ancient caves. 

Set in the Satpura range at an altitude of about 3,500 ft (1,067 metres), it offers the gentle chill of an approaching winter in mid-October—a time when tourists happily step out to breathe fresh air and make the most of the festive season.

Hosted by Madhya Pradesh Tourism for its flagship event, the Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart 2025, my journey through the length and breadth of Pachmarhi—the land of Ayurveda—was nothing short of seamless.

Pachmarhi lies about 190 kilometres from Madhya Pradesh’s capital, Bhopal—where my journey began on October 13, 2025.

An early riser by habit, waking up wasn’t the challenge; leaving the comfort of my room at the five-star heritage property, Sadar Manzil Heritage by Atmosphere, certainly was. 

The hotel, less than 10 kilometres from Bhopal’s Raja Bhoj Airport where I had landed on the afternoon of October 11, offered a delightful vegetarian breakfast: exquisite poha, a warm croissant and a strong mug of coffee—perfect fuel for the long road ahead.

A couple of breaks at roadside dhabas for tea and samosas, paired with brief power naps in the bus, made the five-hour journey comfortable until we checked into the Golf View Heritage Hill Resort.

For travellers approaching via Bhopal, reaching Pachmarhi typically involves taking a direct or connecting flight to the state capital, followed by a pre-booked car or bus ride. 

For those visiting Pachmarhi as the main destination, several trains from Kolkata, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Nagpur and Delhi stop at Pipariya—just over 50 kilometres from the hill station. From Pipariya, hired cabs and jeeps, readily available, ferry visitors up to Pachmarhi.

Pandav Caves and Dhupgarh

As we began our journey along the super-clean hilly roads of Pachmarhi, John Denver’s Sunshine on My Shouldersfloated into my mind, gently muting the excited chatter of my jeep-mates. 

Our first stop was the iconic Pandav Caves—one of the region’s most visited attractions, where mythology, history, and natural beauty intersect.

Scientifically, the caves date back to around the 2nd century BCE to the 6th century CE and have no historical link to the Pandavas of the Mahabharata. Yet legend holds strong.

The Archaeological Department maintains the caves were never touched by the Pandavas, but local belief—especially among Adivasis—continues to weave mythological associations into the site’s identity.

Most of the caves are now permanently closed to prevent littering, leaving visitors with only one or two accessible spots. After taking a few quick photographs from the viewpoint, I rushed back to the jeep—sunset was approaching, and I couldn’t risk losing my seat.

Our next stop, Dhupgarh—Madhya Pradesh’s highest point—is famed for receiving the first and last rays of the sun. Though the sky turned cloudy and denied us a perfect sunset, standing together to witness the fading light carried its own charm.

Known as the land of Ayurveda, Pachmarhi stirred my curiosity about traditional healing in our modern, fast-paced lives that often drift away from natural rhythms. Before wrapping up the day, I picked up a bottle of pure honey from a local government shop selling Ayurvedic products—while some of my fellow travellers grabbed their own favourites. A final cup of tea at a roadside stall marked the perfect end to an eventful day.

Jatashankar Temple in the wee hours