Chail – Best Bet For Family Holidays
I keep talking about exploring a destination alone, but there are places where you need constant chatter, energy and buzz in the air. Chail is one of them for sure. It’s a place where family get-togethers are strictly recommended! Besides, it’s not a wise idea to keep it a secret from your loved ones! Yes, it’s an exceptionally beautiful hill station, situated around 50 km from Shimla.
It’s one of those places that serve a bighearted holiday for any keen traveller. Although people usually combine a Chail excursion along with Shimla, I would suggest an exclusive escape to this serene hill station.
The Chail Palace Hotel
I still remember how thrilled I was the moment I reached Chail and witnessed so much of beauty around! The Shimla-Kufri-Chail tour bus takes you to the Chail Palace hotel, which was a former Maharaja’s residence. So as expected, it’s luxurious! The palace is transformed nicely into a fully-equipped hotel with all the modern comforts and facilities. I had a great time at the hotel with my family. We relaxed through the day, strolled around the palace and played Billiards in the evening.
Spending a day at leisure at the hotel and its premises is a bright idea any day. And to be honest, that would be enough. However, if you plan a 3-day trip to this place, it certainly has more surprises to unfold!
Also read: Manali – An Escape To Countryside
What I really loved about Chail is that it’s an ideal place to laze around and do nothing. There isn’t much inclination for any activity. Just think of an early evening scene, when the last ray of sunshine warms the atmosphere. Who would not like to sit with a cup of tea and enjoy crackling conversations with family? I hope you know what I am talking!
The only thing that could agitate you a bit is a bunch of monkeys that roam in and around the premises. I remember waking up early in the morning to take some pictures. I went out in the lawn and within a minute or two, I found myself surrounded by my unfamiliar friends. To my good luck, they did not linger there for very long, and I could heave a sigh of relief.
Also read: Sattal – In A Trance
Hikers’ Day Out
Well, if you like being lazy, go ahead and be lazy! That’s fun without a doubt. But if you are an outdoor person with itchy feet, simply get going! You can hike through the day in Chail – it has got plenty of peaceful trails without any traffic hindrance. I was surprised to see so much of untamed natural beauty, which is not really talked about. I mean, such places are less frequented by tourists, but have better scope for some serious expeditions.
Also read: 7 Best Trails In The Northern Hills Of India
Summers – The best time to visit
Your experience of holidaying here would be more delightful while the weather is moderate, which is during May to September. October is pretty cold. The Palace hotel is quite abuzz with people during the season – garden looks beautiful with flowers, grass is well mown, air is fresh, sun is balmy and tourists enjoy without a worry. On the contrary, if you make a visit during off season, the picture is quite uninviting – the garden is unkempt, the restaurant is shut and it’s extremely quiet. However, the place is so beautiful that you still wouldn’t regret your visit.
To top it all, our departure unrolled some of the treasures of Chail – vast landscape of burgeoning farmlands, dense forests, mountains and hills. We had a quick look at Chail’s cricket ground also, which is known to be world’s highest cricket ground!
Perhaps Chail is one of the quietest hill stations in India, however, with a difference – You have to be here to discover it. The first thing that I loved about Chail was that I didn’t have to visit any “tourist hot spots” to find beautiful views. They were all over the place!
Have you visited Chail?
Have you visited Chail?
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