# Panhala Fort > Panhala Fort near Kolhapur: a 14 km circuit of walls, the Teen Darwaja, Andhar Bav and huge granaries. UNESCO site, 20 km from Kolhapur, drive to the top. - Location: Kolhapur, Pune division, Maharashtra, India - Difficulty: easy (scale: easy, moderate, challenging, technical) - timings: Open all day; see the monuments in daylight, about 6 am to 6 pm - Time: 2 to 3 hours to see the main sights by car or scooter - height: About 845 m (2,770 ft) above sea level - Starts at: Panhala town, on the plateau; a road runs to the top - Fees: No ticket for the fort; small vehicle entry charge at the town gate - Good for: Families, history lovers, a half-day from Kolhapur - Best time: July to February - By public transport: MSRTC buses from Kolhapur to Panhala; autos and taxis from Kolhapur - Distance from Kolhapur: About 20 km - Distance from Pune: About 240 km - Distance from Mumbai: About 380 km - Last updated: 2026-11-08 - Source: https://trekmaharashtra.com/panhala-fort/ **Panhala, 20 km north-west of Kolhapur, is one of the largest forts in the Deccan and one of the 12 UNESCO World Heritage forts of the Maratha Military Landscapes.** About 14 km of walls wrap a plateau about 845 m high, with a small town inside. You can drive to the top. Plan 2 to 3 hours to see the Teen Darwaja, the Andhar Bav and the giant granaries. It is lovely from July to February. ## Why Panhala matters Panhala has been a seat of power for more than 800 years. It was the capital of the **Shilahara king Bhoja II** in the late 12th century, before the Yadavas of Devagiri overthrew him. The **Adil Shahi sultans of Bijapur** rebuilt and expanded it from the late 15th century, and much of the stonework you see is theirs. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took Panhala in **1659**. In **1660** the Bijapur general **Siddi Jauhar** laid siege to it for months. On a rainy night in July 1660 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj slipped out of the fort and made for **Vishalgad**. At the narrow pass of **Ghodkhind**, **Baji Prabhu Deshpande** held back the pursuing army with a small band of men until the guns of Vishalgad signalled that his king was safe; he died there, and the pass has been called **Pavankhind**, the sacred pass, ever since. **Shiva Kashid**, a barber who dressed as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to mislead the enemy that night and was killed for it, is remembered with a statue at the fort. Later, Panhala was where **Maharani Tarabai** kept the Maratha state going, and it was the seat of the Kolhapur rulers until they moved to Kolhapur in 1782. In July 2025 UNESCO inscribed Panhala as one of the [12 forts](https://trekmaharashtra.com/unesco-world-heritage-forts-maharashtra/) of the "Maratha Military Landscapes of India". It is the only one classed as a **hill-plateau fort**. ## How to reach Panhala - **From Kolhapur:** about 20 km, 45 minutes. MSRTC buses run often from Kolhapur's central bus stand, and autos and taxis are easy to find. - **From Pune:** about 240 km, 5 hours, via the Pune–Bengaluru highway to Kolhapur. - **From Mumbai:** about 380 km, 7 to 8 hours. - **By train or air:** Kolhapur (Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus) is the nearest station, and Kolhapur has a small airport. ## What to see on Panhala Panhala is easiest to see by car or scooter, stopping at each sight. - **Teen Darwaja:** the grand triple gateway on the west side, the most impressive surviving gate. Road traffic still passes through it. - **Andhar Bav (the hidden well):** a three-storey building hiding a deep well. It kept water flowing during sieges and is wonderfully cool inside. - **Ambarkhana:** a group of three enormous stone granaries in the middle of the fort, built to feed the garrison through long sieges. The largest, **Ganga Kothi**, covers about 950 square metres. - **Sajja Kothi:** a pavilion on the eastern wall with a sweeping view over the valley. Tradition holds that Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was kept here under watch around 1679. - **Wagh Darwaja and Char Darwaja:** two more gates on the circuit. - **Statues of Baji Prabhu Deshpande and Shiva Kashid:** near the Teen Darwaja and the town entrance. - **The walls:** walk any stretch of the ramparts for views of the Warna valley and the Sahyadri. ## The Panhala–Pavankhind trek Every monsoon, around the July anniversary of the escape, groups from across Maharashtra walk from Panhala to **Pavankhind** over two days, roughly **50 to 60 km** through villages, forest and paddy fields. It is a moving way to understand what that night asked of the men who made it. Go with an organised group; the route is long, wet and leech-friendly. ## Tips for your visit - **Pair it with Kolhapur.** See the Mahalaxmi temple and the New Palace in the morning, Panhala in the afternoon, and stay for sunset from Sajja Kothi. - **Monsoon weekends** are crowded with day-trippers from Kolhapur; go on a weekday. - **Eat in Kolhapur.** Options on Panhala are limited; Kolhapur's misal and tambda-pandhra rassa are worth the drive back. ## Places near Panhala **Jyotiba temple** is nearby on another hill. **Pavankhind** and **Vishalgad** are about 60 to 80 km west. Kolhapur city has the **Mahalaxmi temple**, **Rankala lake** and the **New Palace museum**. ## Questions people ask ### Why is Panhala Fort famous? Panhala is one of the largest forts in the Deccan, with about 14 km of walls. In 1660 Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj escaped from here at night during a long siege; the rearguard action of Baji Prabhu Deshpande at Ghodkhind (Pavankhind) let him reach Vishalgad safely. ### How far is Panhala from Kolhapur? About 20 km north-west of Kolhapur, about 45 minutes by road. ### Is there an entry fee for Panhala Fort? There is no ticket for the fort. A small vehicle entry charge is collected when you enter Panhala town. ### Can you drive to the top of Panhala? Yes. Panhala town sits on the fort's plateau, and you can drive to most of the sights. No trekking is needed. ### Who built Panhala Fort? Panhala was the seat of the Shilahara king Bhoja II in the late 12th century; a copper plate places his court here in 1191–92. The Adil Shahi sultans of Bijapur later rebuilt and expanded it, and most of what you see today dates from them and the Marathas. ### What is the Panhala to Pavankhind trek? A popular two-day walk of roughly 50 to 60 km from Panhala to Pavankhind, retracing the route of the 1660 escape. Groups organise it every monsoon around the anniversary in July. ### Is Panhala a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Yes. Panhala is one of the 12 forts of the 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India', inscribed on 11 July 2025, and the only one classed as a hill-plateau fort. ### How much time do you need at Panhala? 2 to 3 hours to see the main sights by car or scooter, or half a day if you walk the walls.