After my 2.5 years stint in Mumbai, i returned to my base location Gurgaon in June, 2008. And immediately i started realizing that there are many places to travel and explore near Delhi. Actually i guess there are places near Mumbai also, but its just i was so busy there or i couldnt realize the joy of travelling. After doing some surfing online and with suggestions from friends, i came to know that Chail is a beautiful hill station near Shimla. So i decided to go to Chail. Chail is a great place to pass the time walking through pine and deodar trees. And its a great place for newly married couples (or any couples :) ) who need privacy and therefore its a good honeymoon destination. Don't ask me how a bachelor knows this !! You can find about Chail's history and how it became Summer Capital of Patiala and about its flamboyant Maharaja through 'google'. Let me give details about planning the itinerary and stay etc. Best time to visit Chail is between March and August.
How to reach Chail ?
1. It depends if you are clubbing this with Shimla or not in your trip. If you are clubbing with Shimla and if you want to visit this place after Shimla, then you should take a bus or a cab from Shimla. The road is full of beautiful scenery and panoramic views of the hills. Cab may cost around Rs. 800-1000/- . I guess these are union rates.
2. If you are coming from Delhi, via Kalka-Shimla road, you need to take a detour at 'Kandaghat'.
3. If you are coming in a Kalka-Shimla toy train, get down at 'Kandaghat' station and take a cab. From Kandaghat, chail is 23 kms only. A cab from Kandaghat to Chail may cost around Rs.500/-
Where to Stay ?
1. Chail is a very small place and not commercialized (luckily) like Shimla. So its better to book the hotel before you leave. I stayed in the 'Chail Palace Hotel' managed by the HPTDC. I saw few other hotels in the town also, but i seriously suggest 'Chail Palace hotel'. Chail palace hotel is around 2 KMs from the town market. So if you are coming by bus, you need to either walk or take a cab after alighting the bus. This may cost you some 75 bucks. Actually this was a palace before and now turned into hotel. There are different types of rooms for different budgets. Go to the below link to find more details. I am glad that HP tourism site is good and it works very well. I dont know if other state tourism sites are this good. You can book the hotel online using your credit card also.
http://hptdc.gov.in/
Some of the options like 'log huts' and 'himneel cottages' are away from the palace and you may need to walk to the palace for dinner. Its a good 0.5 km walk and remember this if you are not fond of walking. I guess you may not enjoy Chail at all if you hate walking.
Below are the pictures of the Chail palace and loghut. I stayed inside the palace and in loghut also. I suggest loghut if you want to have an experience like 'staying in the forest'.
Places Of Interest:
1. Chail is nothing but 3 hills. One is the hill on which the palace hotel is constructed. Another one is the hill having the so-called 'world's highest cricket ground' and Sidh baba ki Mandir and the third one is the 'Kali Ka Tibba'.
2. Sidh baba ki mandir and cricket ground walk can be done together as they are near-by. This may take 2-3 hours. The cricket ground is locked most of the time. It's a small playground for the school students. There is nothing inside but if you want and can, just jump the gate. My first jump was awkward and Krishna taught me the correct way for the second jump to come back. The cricket ground is around 4 Kms walk from the town market. So add 2 more Kms from the palace. And if you pass the test/task of this hill , then only adventure for 'Kali Ka Tibba'.
3. Kali Ka Tibba is around 7Kms from the town market. Ask anyone in the market to know the way. There's a beautiful Kali temple at the peak and you can get beautiful views from here. Unfortunately when i went it was raining and hazy and i couldn't see. But the Pundit in the temple says that you can see Kasauli, Barog also from here. See the temple in the below pictures.
4. I heard there is a sanctuary near this temple or on this way only. Check if you have time and wish to see that.
Miscellaneous:
1. Carry an umbrella and a torch for sure. You can buy these in the market also. Carry the torch always while going for these walks in the evening.
2. If you are taking the cab from Kandaghat, you can stop for a while at a place called 'Sadhupul' midway. There is a small bridge built here on a stream. You can have break-fast or lunch here. And i found some pictures online where chairs and tables were kept in the water and you can have food soaking your feet in the water. Sounds filmy !!. Good marketing idea by the hotel. I couldn't do that as water was with full force in the noon. I think this is possible only in the mornings.
3. Overall you can do 'Chail' in 2 - 2.5 days easily. You can do it in just 1.5 days also if you are not going for 'Kali Ka Tibba'.
4. The place is very peaceful and lonely. Sometimes you may not see a person for 5-10 minutes in these walks. I found the place to be very very safe.
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