Located amid five hills in the Sahyadri mountain ranges, Panchgani attracts tourists due to its pleasant climate and scenic views from its view points. Sydney Point and Parsi Point are two of the popular points in Panchgani. The five hills surrounding Panchgani are topped by a volcanic plateau, which is the second highest in Asia after the Tibetan Plateau. The discovery of Panchgani is credited to the British, who liked the place for spending their holidays. British superintendent John Chesson, who was placed in charge of the hill station in the 1860s, is believed to have planted many species from the western world in Panchgani, including silver oak and poinsettia, which have flourished since then.