12 amazing places to visit in Chail – A cozy and affordable weekend gateway
Table of Contents
Chail is a hill station located in Himachal Pradesh and is 44 km from Shimla, which is almost 2 hours of drive away. Chail is famous for its natural beauty, virgin forests and serene nature due to which it attracts many visitors throughout the year. It also has a great architectural structure, i.e. Chail Palace that was built during British Raj by Maharaja of Patiala as a summer retreat.
Due to its location, Chail is treated as a good spot for the hikers, campers, adventurous tourists and offers wonderful views of Lower Himalayas. Chail is surrounded by the dense forests of pine, huge deodars, and beautiful valleys that make it an ideal family as well as a romantic holiday destination. Although there are many places to visit in Chail, below are some of the top places to visit in Chail.
Chail Palace
Chail Palace is the most famous Chail tourist attractions and was built in 1891 by Maharaja of Patiala – Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. It is spread across 75 acres of land and has really royal furniture with majestic views. The palace has multiple types of rooms categorized in cottages, suites, and rooms. Although all rooms have different tariffs, all of them are well-furnished and well-aired with attached washrooms with running hot and cold water.
The palace has a multi-cuisine restaurant to meet the different requirements of the visitors; also having an open-air dining area adds the value to the palace. Doctor on call, TV, and other basic amenities are catered by the Palace. Meeting halls are well-equipped with the latest technology along with room service around the clock is available. A large lawn tennis court, billiards room, badminton court, and a charming children’s park makes the stay worthy. The thick forests, the freshness, and the smell of the trees will surely take you to a whole new world.
School Playground
The next most beautiful places to see in Chail is School Play Ground which is the world’s highest cricket ground at the height of 7,500 ft. established in the year 1893 by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh. He made Chail as his capital since he himself was a cricket lover. For the same reason, he developed this playground on the top of the hill. This place is apt for nature lovers, photographers and is one of the adventurous places to visit in Chail.
Best Time: April to July and September to November.
Sadhupal Lake
Sadhupal Lake tops the list of beautiful places to visit in Chail. This beautiful and calm lake is situated in a small town named “Sadhupul” that is located between Chail and Solan. There is a small bridge on a hill river “Ashwini” aka “Sadhupul Bridge”. Sadhupul Lake is famous for the restaurant and the way they have designed the wooden tables and chairs in a charismatic manner in water body itself. Just sit on a chair and dip your feet in calm fresh flowing water. Enjoy the meal and admire nature’s beauty. The hot food being served here includes Maggi, bread-omelettes, chicken momos. However, the chairs and tables are pulled back when the flow of the river is high. Its natural beauty and lush green meadows, gorgeous mountain views make it a place worth visiting.
Here is the list of the most popular religious places to visit in Chail for the pilgrims.
Kali Ka Tibba
“Kali Ka Tibba” aka “Kali Devi Temple” is the most famous pilgrim spots amongst the places to visit in Chail, located right at top of the hill. The place will help you attain the peace of mind for a while. The temple is dedicated to goddess Kali and has very beautiful idols of Kali Maa, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, and many more God and Goddesses. Since the temple is not surrounded by anything, it gives you the panoramic view of the surrounding valleys and hills.
You can add some zing on the way to temple by trekking from Chail and it is possible to spot rare species of wild animals along the way. You can relish the views of Choor Chandni Peak and Shivalik Peak from there. You can witness some sports activities as well such as horse riding and angling.
Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit this place is in monsoon between August and November.
Siddh Baba Ka Mandir
Sidh Baba temple is top tourist attractions in Chail, located between Rajgarh and Pandhawa at 8000 ft. of height and is dedicated to Sidh Baba. The temple is believed to be the protector of the Chail. The temple attracts a large number of visitors not only because it is beautiful but because it withholds the teachings of spirituality and custom values to be followed by humans.
Gurudwara Sahib
Gurudwara Sahib is one of the famous religious places to visit in Chail. It is built in 1907, constructed by Bhupinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala at 200 meters from the Chail bus stand. The built of the Gurudwara constitutes tower-like structures, fitted in the adjoining facades. Chail Gurudwara is an attraction among Sikhs. Sikh festivals like Gurupurab and Baisakhi are celebrated here. Besides calming your mind and leading you to an eternal divine existence, the Gurudwara offers free accommodation and food in a Langar hall for all the visitors.
Timings to Visit: 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Stoned Kumbh Shiv Temple
This temple of Bholenath (Lord Shiva) is one of the hidden treasures in Chail which is beautifully sculptured. This temple was built by one person (single-handedly) and it took 38 years to complete it. Lord Shiva came in his dreams in 1980, since then he started constructing the temple. The temple is designed in a very aesthetic and artistic way by using cement, ropes, tin sheets, slated rock pieces. A temple made from these things is unimaginable but the dedication of the person is praiseworthy. Temple leads to a cave where one can meditate.
Fun for Kids Corner – Tarika’s Jungal Retreat Chail
In Chail, there is a safe and protected place where you can leave kids to have fun around the Vansh Arena having plenty of the joy ride and games the kids can enjoy. King Kong Beach Car (Rotating Movement), Coffee Cup, Aeroplane, Helicopter, Spiral Slide, Arm Slide, Multi Seater Saw, Spider Web, Deluxe Bench, and many more. Vansh Playdium offers a variety of games and activities for children of all age groups.
Chail Wildlife Sanctuary
If you love wildlife, Chail Wildlife Sanctuary is certainly one of the best wildlife places to visit near Chail. Located at a height of 7152 ft., it not only offers beautiful scenic views but also allows you to experience the wildlife comprising vivid birds and animals like Wild Boar, European Red Deer, Himalayan Black Bear, Langur, Flying Squirrel, and Goral living in the premises. It is home to a diverse species of wildlife and is open from 7 AM to 6 PM with an entry fee of Rs 800/- per person.
Best time to Visit: March to October.
Himalayan Nature Park
The Himalayan nature park ranks well in the list of places to visit in Chail Himachal Pradesh and is another wildlife sanctuary for wildlife enthusiasts found in Kufri. It is situated at a distance of 18 km from Shimla, at over 2600 meters of altitude. It is home for many wild animals and birds of the Western Himalayas.
The best time to visit here is late December to March which is the snow time here. The lovers of nature and wildlife can enjoy the full Himalayan range on any clear day.
Lovers Hill
Lover’s hill is listed well on places to visit in Chail. As the name suggests, this is a hill point for lovers, basically a romantic destination, where you can experience the mystical sunset and sunrise. Many newly wedded couple visit this place to enjoy their special days in Chail to appreciate and enjoy the beauty of nature. The Lover’s hill is free of cost to visit. Enjoy yourself in the lap of Mother Nature. It is a must visit place for nature admirers.
Take a break from your daily boring life and plan a trip to this magical beauty that is surely going to relax and rejuvenate you. One of the most exciting and adventurous places to visit in Chail is camping amidst the clouds in Chail. Camping is the most loved activity for most of us as it is just giving away oneself to nature under an open sky; breathing freely gives an immense pleasure. Hill stations are all about feeling the beauty of nature. There are many camping services with the conveniences of modern facilities and various room types.
Men and Women Folk Dances
In case you are there in months of March-April, you can enjoy the folk dances performed by women called “Charasay-Tarasay”. Married women dance on songs where no instrument is used. “Lalharhi” form of dance is performed only by unmarried women, which starts in the evening and finishes in the morning.
And in case you visit places in Chail, then you experience the men dance form called “Bandhu or Ghost Dance” performed early in the morning from 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM. The only back draw is that women are forbidden to see this dance. Campfire called “Jagra” is lit in front of the temple and it is believed that after performing the Bandhu dance the village gets rid of any evil spirits and people can live in peace and harmony.
What are the adventure activities in Chail?
Apart from camping, you can experience horse riding, trekking, rappelling, zip-lining rope courses, Burma bridge, hiking, wildlife safari, and many more. It proves to be a pleasant place to chill with friends and family.
FAQs
Why visit Chail?
With stunning views and tranquility around, Chail is bound to provide an unforgettable travel experience. What makes this place unique is that the hill station is free from the crowd, hence allow tourists to enjoy the beauty and charisma of the landscape in peace.
How to reach Chail by air?
This beautiful place can be reached by all the ways; you can choose the mode that suits you. The nearest airport is Jabarhatti airport of Shimla,72 km from Chail. Next is Chandigarh airport, 113km from Chail. Both of these airports are well-connected to the rest of the major cities.
How to reach Chail by rail?
The railway station nearest to Chail is Kalka railway station about 81 from Chail. There are many trains running between the stations such as Kalka mail, Kalka Shatabdi, Paschim Express, and Himalayan Queen and are well-connected and accessible from major Indian cities.
How to reach Chail by road?
Chail has good connectivity through road. Bus services from Shimla, Delhi, and Chandigarh run on regular bases. Chandigarh, Delhi, and Kalka are situated at a distance of 120 km, 385 km, and 95 km respectively from this beautiful hill station. The major cities of India are well-connected with this place and thus can be reached easily without any fuss.
What is the best time to visit Chail?
Best time to visit Chail is in summers and autumn. March end to mid-June is considered to be the best time to appreciate the beauty of nature. Many people prefer visiting the place in September too. Apart from that, winters are always amazing on a hill station covered with white snow.
Are there any home stays in Chail?
Yes, there are many of them, and to name a few are Aalayam, Alvina, Anand Homestay, and few more are easily accessible.
Where can I shop in Chail?
For shopping, you can visit Chail bazar which is a busy market place with many captivating items to buy.
Are there any bars in Chail?
Shake and Spin is a bar for party people to have fun, have their favorite drink and pair it with their favorite snack. The cordial environment is fascinating and the melodious music being played in the background just makes you feel like grooving.
When can I expect the snowfall in Chail?
For the snow lovers, Chail would be a heaven in the months of December, January, and February.
