A Visit to Clouds: United 21, Chail

The postcard perfect hill station & hiker’s paradise – Chail, is in every way a tourist haven. Positioned in the lap of the enchanting mounts of the Great Himalayas, this small hill station provides as an amazing destination for anyone & everyone! Located at an altitude of - 2,250 m, it is higher than Shimla and only 49 km away, and the hence provides a mesmerizing & twinkling sight of Shimla and Kausali at night.

Surrounded by forests of chir pine and gigantic deodars only adds the touch of a fairytale charisma to the land. Having the highest cricket field and Chail Palace is amongst few of its attractions other than being nature’s abode. Well known for its architecture, the Chail Palace was built as summer retreat by the Maharaja of Patiala during the British Raj and still offers an amazing insight of lifestyle of people living in that era.

To reach Chail through waving roads is a traveler’s delight: There is a direct roadway to reach Chail from Delhi. All you need to do is just take a bus till Kandaghat, which is 29km from the Chail. Deluxe and semi deluxe buses as well as cabs are very easily available to reach Chail from Shimla, Chandigarh and Delhi. If however, you wish to travel along railroads: Kalka is about 86km from Chail and is the nearest station to reach Chail. Reaching Chandigarh railway station is another option to reach Chail, after Chandigarh you can opt for a cab, or a bus directly to the hillstation. If however you cannot spare more days in travelling: The nearest airport from Chail is Jubbar hati airport which is 45km from Shimla and also Chandigarh airport which is 125km.

At United 21, Chail Resort, overviews the Sirmour Mountain ranges. With a surrounding of nature’s greenery and trees, you are bound to have an amazing and memorable time!

Travel safe. Happy Travelling!

Sky High Fun of Travelling: Hot Air Balloon Rides

This year how about exploring the same land with a different perspective? Adding a tinge of adventure & wonder to your holidays, simply to make them more magical! So here is a great idea to begin this year’s adventure traveling – Hot Air Balloon rides!

Hot air ballooning is a thrilling & mesmerizing experience and although new in India it is gradually seeing rise in demand. Previously, in India, only Rajasthan had the Hot Air Balloon adventure tourism assets, now however, state of Maharashtra will also be featuring this amazing tourism feature. Overall adding to the list of cities providing Hot Air Balloon services are-

• Jaisalmer
• Puahkar
• Udaipur
• Manali
• Pune (upcoming)
• Lonavala(upcoming)

These hot air balloon rides are charged usually on hourly basis and may range Rs.12, 000/- for adults, Rs.10, 000/- for each child aged 9-12 years old & Rs.8,000/- for each child of 6-8 years of age. These charges may however subject to change as per local & government rules & policies. The rides generally last for an hour, and reach not more than 5000 ft. in altitude.

Since the balloons float along with the wind, the passengers don’t feel the breeze and so the cold, hence you don’t have to worry about carrying an extra jacket for chillier temperature. The best time for riding a hot air balloon is always at sunrise (around 4:00 AM in summers & 5:00 AM in winters) or before sunset, and not to mention the rides are very much depended on the weather conditions. If the local climate gets too foggy or cloudy or overly windy, chances are that your hot air balloon will require a clearance from aviation department for further developments. It’s a safe, romantic & beautiful experience, and if you as well even fancy getting married in a hot air balloon – that is also possible!

So this year, pack your bags & head out to the gorgeous location of desert, forts and/ or mountains & valleys and enjoy the view from a different standpoint! The calmness, serenity of your transport & the marvel of land under your feet will leave you wanting way more! So what are you waiting for?

Travel safe. Happy traveling!