Himachal Diaries

Finally the wait was over & was time for my long awaited trip to Himachal. So what was I looking forward to. Relaxing in the nature, away from the daily rush & for a point to start afresh. 

The beauty of all the trips in the mountain terrain is that you actually get to experience a good part of it while reaching the destination. So was this one. The drive from Chandigarh to Kandhaghat (which is around 25 km from Solan) of 4 hours gave good glimpse of the terrain. On one side you can experience the beautiful greenery and the mountains all around & the blue sky sheltering them; on other hand you marvel at the roads , the turns & the habitation which has been created around it. 

So it was a 5 day trip inclusive of two day long travel from & to Mumbai. The second day we just relaxed and enjoyed the view of mountains & the well manicured gardens of Club Mahindra. Third day we went to Shimla which was one & half hour drive from this place. Again there also it was the drive which was the key to our experience. So after reaching there you have to take the lift to Mall Road. If you are travelling with infant & not using a carrier, you can rent stroller which are available just at the exit of this lift ride. From here on you can explore the market of Shimla Mall Road along with the view of mountains with beautiful houses rested at different levels .  You can explore the place either by walking towards your left or right. Most people choose left. So did we. Happened to come across a nice bakery which is just at the cross point with one road going towards Ridge Street & the other Lower Bazaar . Apple pie & cream roll of this place was amazing . At Ridge point you have again the amazing view of this city. There is dramatics society & arts museum there. We happened to visit this place on Monday when it is closed. So do avoid Monday visit if you plan to visit this place. From there to enjoy some good lunch head towards the fire brigade road where there are multiple eateries opposite to it. We had earlier planned to end the day with visit to Viceroy Lodge which again unfortunately is closed on Monday .

Fourth day was our trip to Chail which again was 1.5 hours drive. Here there were some challenging terrains which may make you rethink on drive. I was bit worried but the moment I reached Kali Mandir built on a mountain top with amazing white marble architecture , well maintained & offering a breathtaking glimpse of the valley . It was worth it.

Then we went to Chail Palace which was another 20-30 mins from this place . It’s a small well maintained place with majority of palace area being converted into hotel room. The originals were renovated in Year 2007. We had a nice hot lunch at Kings Dining. Do try butter naan there which was one of the best naans I have ever had. There is an adjacent garden where you can spend some time. 

Day 5 was the time to say good bye . And this was topped with a delicious lunch at Pal Dhabha in Chandigarh . People have all written about the good food here & the generous portions . I would add do not forget to try lassi even if you don’t like lassi. I am one of those people who don’t like lassi but loved it here. 

So all in all five days spent well.