Charming Chail: Places to Visit on Your Weekend Getaway

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Distance from Delhi: 349 kilometres

Those chilly mornings, the invigorating clean air, long walks amongst the tall pine trees and the sound of nothing but chirping birds - that’s Chail for you. Home to the world’s highest cricket ground, Chail’s beauty is untainted and unexplored. Here are my suggestions of things to do and places to visit on your weekend getaway to this charming small town.

Things to Do in Chail

Visit Chail Palace: Chail Palace is the erstwhile summer residence of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who created this mountain paradise after he was banished by the British from Shimla.  Visit the grand rooms and walk in the manicured gardens as you relive the past. You can also experience what it’s like to live like a king by staying in the palace, which is now a heritage hotel.

Trek to the Highest Cricket Ground: Chail boasts of having the world’s highest cricket ground at a height of 2,144 m. The grounds are no longer used for playing cricket, but instead serve as the school playground for the Chail Military School. During school vacations, it is used as a polo ground. Surrounded by thick forests of deodar, it offers grand views of Chail Valley.

Seek Blessings at Sidh Baba Ka Mandir: A popular religious landmark, this temple has an interesting story behind it. Legend has it that Maharaja Bhupinder Singh wanted to build a palace here and had already started construction. But Sidh Baba appeared in his dreams and told him to build a temple instead at the site. Hence, the Maharaja ultimately built the temple in honour of the saint.  

Indulge in Adventure Sports: Chail has a number of trekking routes such as the Kandaghat-Chail, Chail-Rajgarh, Chur-Chandini and Chail-Shimla via Junga. Or you can choose something more laid-back and go fishing in the Gaura River which is full of Mahseer fish.

Visit the Chail Sanctuary: The sanctuary was once the hunting grounds of the erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh. Here, you can spot endangered species of birds like Khalij Pheasant and Chir Pheasant, and animals such as the Rhesus Macaque, Leopard, Himalayan Black Bear, and Wild Boar. You can also admire the rich flora, consisting of trees like Deodar, Pine, and Oak.

Other Nearby Destinations

Shimla: If you are missing the Mall Road shopping experience, Shimla is only 63 kms away. There is regular bus service, or you can hire a taxi from Chail bazaar.   

Kufri: If the kids are finding Chail a bit too laid-back, take them to Kufri, which is a mere 28 kms away. It has a fantastic amusement park with many rides and the highest Go-kart track in the world.

Insider Tips

Distance from Delhi: 345 kms

Traveller Type: Family, Friends, Couples

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