Chail Travel Guide

Tour Services India Provides complete information on Chail tourism in Himachal Pradesh India. A detailed tourist guide to the hill town of Chail, its attractions, Chail Hotels. Also information on how to reach Chail.

Chail : When Bhupinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala,was expelled from Shimla - the `summer capital' of the British in India - he decided to create his own capital for the hot months. The little village of Chail was perfect. It lay surrounded by magnificent deodar forests, Shimla was in direct vision and

most important, the hill of Chail at 2226 m was somewhat higher than British-controlled Shimla. Today the Maharaja's creation can be experienced by everyone. Whether you are on a honeymoon  or in  search of seclusion or wish to organise a conference and demand all facilities, Chail has it all .

Then, there is good sight seeing and the possibility of some fishing and trekking. Chail also has the world's highest cricket pitch and polo ground.

Places to visit

Sidh Baba ka Mandir (1.5 km) : Maharaja Bhupinder Singh originally began building his palace 

at this site. It is said that a `sidh' -saintly person appeared before the Maharaja in a dream and declared that this was the place where he had meditated. Bhupinder Singh shifted his palace and also had this temple built.

Cricket Ground (3 km) : Built in 1893, after levelling the top of a hill, this stands at 2444m and is the highest cricket pitch and polo ground in the world.

Wildlife Sanctuary (3 km) : The Chail sanctuary has `ghoral', `kakkar', `sambhar',' red jungle fowl ' and 'khalij' and `cheer' pheasants.

Machan-like sighting posts have been built near Blossom and at Khariun.

Excursions

Kufri : An enjoyable drive through forests and small villages leads to this small but popular station. The Nature Park here is a great attraction. A short trek leads upto the Mahasu peak-

with breathtaking view.

Sadhupul : Halfway between Kandaghat and Chail is this village and bridge astride the Ashwani stream. A good picnic spot.

Adventure and fishing : A dozen or so trek routes lead out of Chail.

Trails Iead upto the Choor Peak and to Shimla. Skiing can be done at Narkanda during winters. There is fishing on the Giri river at Gaura , 29km  away.

Access

By Air : The closest airports are at Chandigarh ( 120 km) and Shimla(63 km).

By Road : Chail is connected by road. From Shimla via Kufri the distance is 45 km and via Kandaghat this is 61 km. Kalka is 86 km away. Regular buses for Chail leave from Shimla, Chandigarh and Delhi.

Climate Conditions

In winter, the temperature can

drop below freezing point when heavy woollens are required. In summer the climate is mild and light woollens/cottons are recommended.

Best time to visit

Chail and its surrounding areas is a delight for tourists in every season. It is charming in summer,

fascinating in autumn when the fields and the forests are covered with a cloak of russet and gold and, of course, in winter it is nothing less than paradise. Everything about this place is as perfect as perfection can possibly be. The air here is crisp, invigorating and there is some kind of warmth in the snow. For more information you can Contact us at - 09717096542.

Tour Services India

The English Countryside : Cotswold

Cotswold is an area to the north west of London, about 2 hours drive from there, right into the heart of the English countryside.

Such a beautiful area existed in England, I never knew (and was unable to visit even though I tried several times!!)! It is just so unreal, so unbeleivably beautiful.. I was completely mesmerised and bewitched when I reached there!!Went there for a one day weekend driving trip and ended up staying another day!!

The drive is beautiful, and in the summer such a rich green, its very soothing too!

Once you cross Oxford, you get into the Cotswold area and you feel you are in a different world altogether.. Small narrow lanes through small villages.. strewn with cottages and sheep and cow.. just what I always visualised the 'countryside' to be like which we read in countless english novels .. you just get that feeling when you reach this area...

Anyways we drove on randomly and landed up at a village called Broughton-on-the-River.. A small cosy village next to a small stream.

Our first view of the village was of a local group playing cricket. Wouldn't you want to play in such a setting too? Then we walked to the village centre. And this is how it looked!

Isn't it unreal, a placid small stream with stone houses in brown on both sides:). And of course the English pubs and food places. And lots of people just sitting next to the river, enjoying the sun and a drink and the complete peace and calm all about.

We were to come back to London the same day, but I just couldn't. I had to stay back, I think I had no choice:). Went in to a couple of hotels round the stream

but they were all 100% occupied by old people:). [Most such places in England are almost always full with retired people enjoying their old age]

Anyways I got a place to stay at the Rose Cottage with an old English couple, and so I got another day to explore this area. There are lot of walks you can do around this area, walk through the fields up and down through villages, to enjoy the fresh air and the countryside living.

Anyways next day, I did a short walk around as I lacked time for a longer one. From Bourton to Upper Slaughter to Lower Slaughter, a 3-4 hour walk through hills and fields and villages.

Lower and Upper Slaughter were again small queer little villages, with a famous Chapel at Upper Slaughter and a mill with freshly made icecream at Lower Slaughter. With the weather being beautiful, you just feel like clicking everywhere! Here are some shots I took, on the way. Not much I can express in words, can I?

Walking through that area, the calm and peace you experience is something you miss so much in today's life.. An ideal place for a weekend away from everything...And wouldnt you just once want to spend a long week being there, just doing nothing?Am surely going back there once more...There are some more villages to visit, maybe next time:)

Mumbai Weekend Getaways : 2

RAIGAD FORT : SHIVAJI'S BIRTHPLACE

In summer desperation of not being able to go out anywhere during the Great Indian Summer (and a very very long one this year!!), we did a short one day trip to Raigad, a fort near Mumbai.

Surprisingly though, the short relaxed trip turned out to be a packed one. It was HOT and sunny the whole day, but surprisingly we enjoyed:). And as with any weekend trip outside Bombay: it was short and sweet and cheap too!

The usual start, leaving early to get out of Mumbai fast, eating at dhabas on the way, driving through the Marathi countryside, yellow and dry at that time of the year..

Our first stop was river-rafting in Kolar. It was tough to find the place where river rafting happens in season as we were there in the wrong season anyways. So we just somehow landed up at the lake where the rafting ends. It was peaceful, calm and an oasis of coolness in the hot summer.

We found a deserted pump house next to the lake where we could just rest for sometime.. and then into the water!! Took a short nap also on a tree bark, it was soo quiet and cool. you could even hear people talking 100 mtrs away! Imagine anything close to that in Mumbai:))))

After that we landed up at the Raigad fort and were pleasantly surprised to see that there was a ropeway going up to the fort!!

Why are such places not marketed by the tourism department? Imagine we were living just 3 hours away from the place, and we had not even heard about it all! The ropeway up was scary though, with views of the ghats below.

The fort was interesting too with a lot of history. Spread out in a huge area, good architecture, and though mostly in ruins, there were still some structures still standing strong!

Raigad is also the birthplace of Shivaji and there is a monument within the fort erected in his honour.

On the whole, the fort was a good place to spend sometime looking at the views around. (And wonder, how did they manage to build such places ages ago!! ) There is also an MTDC resort at the top of the hill near the fort, a must-stay I would say. Anyways we spent some time at the fort, roaming around the ruins and then were back to the city life, quick enough:)

KHANDALA

Khandala and Lonavala, however much people may crib about these

places being ordinary, sometimes they end up being the only choices for escaping Mumbai. And frankly, quite beautiful escapes too (at least during the rains)! The drive on the expressway being a pleasure, driving through the clouds at high speeds, rain all around, the hills lush green all the way, what more would you want (or need) when looking for a break?

We had another a recent weekend out at the Duke's retreat

at Khandala. The resort is nice, at least the rooms. They have a beautiful view of the cliffs of Khandala and the table-top. The cottages are not that great though!

Duke's offers one of the best views of Khandala and that

is reason itself for staying at this resort! The pool, the events during the day to keep kids busy, the puppet show, the games at night, the beautiful views from the cafe and restaurant.. surely a great place for relaxation.

Rest of course, is the same at Khandala as Lonavla.

A trip to Bushy dam, stop at the lakes, eat butta and enjoy the greenery around. Totally relaxing and heavenly!

HAJI MALANG

Haji Malang is a short trek near Mumbai that you can go to [when the weather is good, that is:)]. Its located quite close to Mumbai, nearer to Kalyan and takes about 2-3 hours to reach. The road till there is quite bad in patches though.

Midway during the trek is the Haji Malang majaar. The way till there has stone steps. So its good as well as bad. Good since its easier to walk and you can't lose your way! Bad because there are lots of crowds on this trek as the majaar is well revered. Also, there are lot of vendors selling all kinds of things all the way, so that does get tiresome and irritating.

After the majaar though, the trek is good and the view from the top beautiful. There is also one part of the trek where you cross across the stones on ropes. We did not do that part of the trek, but apparently thats quite fun and dangerous too!

BHANDARDARA

Bhandardara is a huge huge lake located near Igatpuri, off about 40 kms or so from the Mumbai Nasik highway. Somehow it is not a well know tourist spot near Mumbai, but it surely is one of the most beautiful and serene places around: perfect for a weekend getaway from Mumbai.

The drive from Mumbai till Bhandardara is beautiful. First on the

Mumbai Nasik highway, beautiful three-laned roads, through hills and ghats and green fields and forests. Even though we started on a hot afternoon from Mumbai, the weather just got so much cooler on the highway. It was a very pretty drive, with green hills on both sides, , chilly cool air and of course the awesome highway.

Once you get off the highway, there is a 40 km drive across the countryside, single laned road through villages and hills, forests and plains. Its just so relaxing to drive here, it feels so fresh and pristine!!

Once at the lake, you can stay at either the MTDC resort or

Anandvan. The location for both the resorts is pretty, just next to the lake with a beautiful view. MTDC resort is reasonable but poorly maintained. Anandvan is much more expensive though.

But this place definitely needs two days to be able to enjoy yourself. Enjoy a morning walk next to the lake, trek on the Kalsubhai peak nearby (the highest peak in Maharashtra) and generally enjoy time out for youself!

The perfect place to spend a nice weekend out of Mumbai.

CHOKI DHANI

An advantage of going on treks north of Mumbai towards Kalyan is that you can get to have dinner at Choki Dhani!!

This is a Rajasthani theme based eating place where you can spend a

nice evening out. It opens from 7pm itself, and has enough of things to do to spend a couple of hours with friends here. You can see the Rajasthani dances, puppet dances, get mehendi done, sit on the camel, take photos in Rajasthani costumes, play the local games etc etc (the usual toursity experience of Rajasthani life!!) and of course have a nice tasty Rajasthani meal, all for Rs. 500!

Again a must go for Bombayites...!

Auli Travel Guide

Auli Travel Guide, with complete information including accomodation, tour packages, Information about trekking, skiing Tour Packages for Auli, sightseeing, route and lots more.

Auli: From an altitude of nearly 3000 meter from the sea level, with a vertical drop of 529 meter, the snowy slopes of Auli can bring the best - or alternately, the worst - in you. For, sliding down the beaten snow on skis at a speed of 20-40 km per hour can be 

a thrilling or harrowing experience, as the case may be. While coming down, perched on two precarious all your attention is nailed on the view in front of you, the way it is during a video game.

Only, the thrill this time is not vicarious; a single error of judgment can cost you a precious limb. This may be 

hard to digest for the buffs of Hindi movies, where seemingly all one needs to do for skiing is to slip into the ski boots, 

tilt one's body a little forward, and keep pushing yourself with a pair of clubs.

But reality can bite worse than frost! It requires hours of disciplined training, 

months of practice, and years of experience before one can actually enact the valiant hero on a ski,  chasing the light-of-his-life on thin ice, with a song on his lips.

For the ski enthusiasts, Auli is an active destination. 

The Garhwal Mandal

Vikas Nigam (GMVN) offers a fortnight-long skiing course for the amateurs.  There is also a weeklong course for the tourists. 

The charges are Rs 3,500 per head; students may avail of a discount. 

The skiing equipment is also available at an affordable dent on your purse. But all the time and money is worth spending for one single downhill journey that is made on the skis.

But ski slopes are not all. Nestled in the Garhwal Himalayas, 

Auli has many more highs. Look around, and there is a 180-degree view of snow-clad peaks - prominent being Nanda Devi, Chaukhamba, and Panch Chuli. The splurge of white is half-surrounded on one side by oak forests. Besides, the frequent thrashing that the slopes receive from 

imported snow beaters, make them a sight for sore eyes. The visitors can sit for hours on end, relaxing in God's own resort.

All the basic necessities are at hand, sans the phone beeps. But most visitors find the absence of phone 

connections here a welcome change from other destinations. There is nothing in their world that cannot wait for 24 hours. But this is not to undermine the utility of scientific devices at Auli. The upper slopes of Auli host the longest ropeway in Asia. 

This ropeway has ten towers of self-supporting steel structures, complete with saddles and shoes.  Besides, Auli also offers the luxury of an 800-meter chair lift linking the lower slopes with the upper region. Remote-controlled hydraulic and pneumatic braking system makes it safe to travel in this 

chair, which also has a storm-warning device attached to it. Another comfortable scientific contribution to this highland is a state-of-the-art ski lift.

Accessibility

For those heading for Auli, the best possible way is to 

 catch the Dehradun Shatabdi Express to reach Rishikesh early in the morning. One must reach Joshimath, some 250 km from Rishikesh on the Badrinath route, before the sunset.

Things start taking shape for the Auli visitors in Kaudiyala, some 200 km before the destination, on the Badrinath route. 

If you happen to stop at one of the many GMVN rest houses for a quick bite, the rear window of your vehicle may earn an “Auli” sticker as a souvenir. En route, one comes across confluences 

(called prayags) of various tributaries into the river Ganga. Infact, it is at Deoprayag where Bhagirathi and 

Alaknanda merge to be named the Ganga. Brief stopovers to these prayags - Deoprayaga, Rudraprayaga, Karnapryaga, and Nandprayaga - are an absolute must. The scenic views of the Alaknanda valley, through out the uphill road are only aperitifs. 

The culmination point waits you at Auli. Auli is 16 kilometer from Joshimath. The chair-lift is the best way to move up the slopes, though you can spot the brave taking to trekking, often going knee deep on the virgin snow. As you may realize, the journey upward was merely a building up of the final thrill. 

And the coming down to find your feet, is a tribute to the heavenly forces that carve such spots on earth.

How to reach

Nearest railhead is Raiwala near Rishikesh (250 km approx); from here one can take a bus/tourist cars early morning to reach 

Joshimath/Auli by evening. Nearest airport is Dehradun (300 km approx). It is advisable to reach Joshimath by 4 pm, from where the ropeway chair can take you to Auli. Road to Auli is closed after dusk.

Where to stay

At Auli, there is only Garhwal Mandal  

Vikas Nigam tourist bungalow with deluxe huts, and a regular vegetarian fare for menu. Charges are upward Rs 700 per night. If the occupancy is full, one can travel down to Joshimath before sunset, where private accommodation is easily available. The entire hilly route from Rishikesh to

Auli has a string of GMVN guest houses at strategic points, with reasonable tariff rates for lodging and boarding. Private accommodation and campsites are also available.

Get in

Best Way: The best way to travel will be

to take overnight train from Delhi and have a cab pick you up from Haridwar in the morning for onward journey to Auli.

By plane: For those travelling by air, the nearest airport is Jolly Grant, Dehradun, 273 km from Joshimath, 17

km from Rishikesh.

By rail: Coming from any part of India, the nearest rail head is Haridwar 299 km from Auli. Catch a train to New Delhi Station. From New Delhi one can catch a train for Haridwar. It takes more than 7 hours to reach Haridwar (Shatabdi / JanShatabdi takes 6 hours).

By road: Auli is only 13 km drive from Joshimath. State transport and Union buses play regularly between Joshimath and Rishikesh (253 km). Local Transport Union Buses and State Transport buses operate between Joshimath and Rishikesh (253 km), Haridwar (277 km),

Dehradun (298 km) and Delhi (500 km). From Joshimath onwards, both bus and taxi services are available for Auli.

When to Go


Auli can be traveled round the year. but its better to plan your tour between, December to March as this is the most ideal time for all visitors. For more information you can Contact us at - 09717096542.

Auli Tour Operator