In my post: https://wanderingtalestraveldreams.com/2017/11/24/traveling-along-the-beas-river-in-himachal-india/, I outlined the itinerary we followed when we explored Himachal following the Beas river. Part of soaking in the energies of the space is to walk around the area without expectations. Luckily, during this short trip, we did manage to go on several walks – about 1 to 2 hours long each.
Our second stop was Chail. We reached there in the evening after spending some time at Sadhupul between Khandaghat and Chail. Chail is also a hilly town with a mix of gentle and steep inclines. One of the popular places to stay in Chail is the Chail Palace. The place is comfortable but rather old and is overrun with monkeys. However, it does have some nice short trails that you can walk and enjoy the Himalayas. My assumption is that most of the hotels nearby can offer similar experiences — please do investigate if you are not staying at the Palace.
Short walks near Chail
(1) Sadhupul (Early evening – 45 minutes)
Even though it is technically not in Chail, we found Sadhupul to be a lot of fun… especially during the late afternoon/ early evening time. The clear stream allows you to enjoy a cup of tea in the middle of the stream…. which is unusual. You can easily spend 45 minutes enjoying the water and walking around in the surroundings without getting bored.
On the internet you will see other reviews that say this is not a great place over a stopover. So, my advice is: allocate a potential 45 minutes to spend here but, don’t be disappointed if you are unable to stop for long.
(2) Chail Palace Grounds (Early morning – 2 hours)
The palace grounds have some nice short trails that allow you to explore the property while enjoying the tall, old trees full of beautiful tree energy. From collecting pine cones to enjoying beautiful views, these trails will give you a lot of energy without tiring you too much. The slopes are generally gentle with few steep inclines along the way. Early morning felt like the best time to explore these trails.
(3) Chail Palace Grounds – Other (Early morning – about 2 hours)
Just like what we saw in Kasauli, there are “service trails” that the people use to come to the hotel from the town. While we did not explore them ourselves, we saw the trails clearly and it looked like they had a lot of potential for some amazing walks. Do explore if you have the time. I am positive you will find similar trails close to wherever you choose to stay.
Final thoughts
For us, Chail was a night halt alternative to Shimla on the way to Kullu / Manali. Chail is a beautiful place with sweeping views of the lower Himalayas. You can definitely spend a couple of days if you want to — only issue: Monkeys – lots of them! Luckily you don’t encounter them during your early morning walk (they create havoc at night running on rooftops and are probably exhausted in the morning 😉 ). So, if you are thinking about an alternative to Shimla, then Chail is definitely worth considering.
Wandering Tales Travel Dreams 