{"id":19450,"date":"2025-09-08T12:11:03","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T12:11:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/?p=19450"},"modified":"2025-09-08T12:11:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T12:11:03","slug":"beyond-shimla-why-chail-is-your-perfect-offbeat-summer-destination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/blog\/beyond-shimla-why-chail-is-your-perfect-offbeat-summer-destination\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Shimla: Why Chail is Your Perfect Offbeat Summer Destination"},"content":{"rendered":"

PRANAV<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Network Engineer | Tech & Connections | Exploring the world, one trip at a time | Wi-Fi by work, wanderlust by heart<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Last month, I was scrolling through endless Shimla hotel bookings when my friend Priya called. “Why don’t you try Chail instead?” she asked. “It’s quieter, relaxing and honestly? Way more interesting.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I’d barely heard of Chail. Like most people, when I think Himachal, my brain goes straight to the usual suspects Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala. But something about Priya’s suggestion stuck with me. Maybe it was the way she described it as “Shimla’s peaceful cousin” or how she mentioned staying at some place called Sterling Shivalik Chail that made her trip unforgettable.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So, I ditched my Shimla plans and booked a week in this little hill station I knew nothing about. Best travel decision I’ve made in years.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Palace That Made Me Feel Like Bollywood Royalty<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first thing that hit me about Chail Palace wasn’t the architecture (though it’s gorgeous)\u2014it was the silence. You know that overwhelming quiet you get in the mountains? The kind that makes city people like me slightly uncomfortable at first?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Walking through those massive grounds, surrounded by deodar trees that must be centuries old, I felt like I’d stumbled onto a film set. The Maharaja of Patiala built this place, and you can tell he didn’t cut corners. Every hallway has these intricate wooden carvings, and the lawns stretch on forever.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I spent an entire afternoon just wandering around with my camera, taking way too many photos and feeling slightly ridiculous about how fancy I felt just being there.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cricket at 8,000 Feet (Because Why Not?)<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s something I never expected to add to my travel resume: I’ve now been to the world’s highest cricket ground. It sits at 2,444 meters, which sounds impressive until you’re standing there wondering why anyone thought, “You know what this mountain needs? A cricket pitch.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The ground itself is basic\u2014just a flat field with mountain views that’ll make your Instagram followers extremely jealous. I watched some local kids playing while their parents chatted on the sidelines. There’s something surreal about hearing the crack of a cricket bat echo across the Himalayas.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if you don’t care about cricket (I honestly don’t), it’s worth the walk up just for the bragging rights and those ridiculous mountain views.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Forest Walks That Actually Clear Your Head<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m not usually the “commune with nature” type, but something about Chail’s pine forests got to me. Maybe it was the jet lag from my early morning train, or maybe those trees really do have some kind of magic.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The trails around Chail aren’t hardcore hiking more like pleasant walks where you occasionally must step over a fallen branch. The air smells like Christmas trees year-round, and it’s quiet enough that you can hear birds singing instead of car horns honking.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I met this elderly couple from Chandigarh on one of the trails. They’d been coming to Chail for fifteen years, always staying at the same guesthouse, always taking the same morning walk. “Shimla gives us headaches,” the woman told me. “Too many people, too much noise. Here, we can actually talk to each other.”<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adventures That Don’t Require a Death Wish<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The adventure activities in Chail surprised me. I was expecting the usual touristy stuff\u2014maybe a pony ride and some overpriced chai. Instead, I ended up rappelling down a cliff face (terrifying but fun) and zip-lining across a valley (less terrifying, more fun).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The trekking options around Gaura and Junga aren’t too intense, which suited me perfectly. I’m more “weekend warrior” than “extreme athlete,” and these trails gave me just enough challenge without making me question my life choices.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The camping experience was something else entirely. Lying under stars that you can see (city lighting has ruined us), listening to absolutely nothing except the wind through the trees it’s the kind of thing that sounds cheesy until you’re doing it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A Temple Visit That Wasn’t Just for the ‘Gram<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Kali Ka Tibba Temple sits on top of a hill, which means you must earn those views with a bit of a climb. I’m not particularly religious, but there’s something about mountain temples that hits different.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The walk up takes about thirty minutes if you’re reasonably fit and stop frequently to catch your breath (speaking from experience). The temple itself is small and simple, but the views of the Shivalik ranges are incredible.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I timed my visit for sunset, which turned out to be one of those travel moments you remember forever. Watching the light fade behind Choor Chandni peak while temple bells echoed around the hills\u2014it’s the kind of thing that makes you understand why people become travel bloggers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Sterling Shivalik Chail Made the Difference<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s the thing about accommodation: it can make or break a trip. I’ve stayed in beautiful destinations ruined by terrible hotels, and average places elevated by amazing hospitality.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sterling Shivalik Chail falls firmly in the second category. My room had floor-to-ceiling windows facing the pine forests, and waking up to that view every morning was better than coffee (almost).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The staff remembered my name by day two, knew I preferred my chai extra sweet, and somehow always knew exactly when I’d return from my daily adventures. It’s that level of attention that turns a good trip into a great one.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The food was proper comfort eating nothing too fancy, just well-made dal, fresh rotis, and vegetables that tasted like they came from a garden instead of a warehouse. After days of walking and climbing, those hearty dinners hit perfectly.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Real Reason to Choose Chail Over Shimla<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Look, Shimla has its charms. It’s historic, it’s famous, it’s got that colonial hill station vibe that tourists love. But it’s also crowded, expensive, and honestly a bit tired.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Chail gives you everything good about a hill station without the headaches. The weather’s just as pleasant, the views are just as spectacular, and you can find a quiet spot to sit and think without someone trying to sell you a selfie stick.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s close enough to Shimla (about an hour’s drive) that you can easily visit both, but far enough away that it feels like a completely different world.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Final Thoughts from Someone Who Almost Went to Shimla Instead<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you’re planning a summer trip to Himachal and automatically thinking Shimla or Manali, I’d suggest giving Chail a serious look. It’s one of those places that exceeds expectations not because it’s perfect, but because it’s real.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The mountains are still mountains, the air is still clean, and the peace is still peaceful. But unlike some of the more famous hill stations, Chail hasn’t been loved to death by tourism yet.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And honestly? After a week of waking up to pine forests and falling asleep to actual silence, I’m already planning my next visit. Priya was right it really is Shimla’s better, quieter cousin.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Just don’t tell everyone about it, okay? Some secrets are worth keeping.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.sterlingholidays.com\/resorts-hotels\/shivalik-chail<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PRANAV\u00a0 \u00a0Network Engineer | Tech & Connections | Exploring the world, one trip at a time | Wi-Fi by work, wanderlust by heart\u00a0 Last month, I was scrolling through endless Shimla hotel bookings when my friend Priya called. “Why don’t you try Chail instead?” she asked. “It’s quieter, relaxing and honestly? Way more interesting.”\u00a0 I’d…<\/p>\n

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