Chail Palace
The Maharaja’s former summer residence, now a heritage hotel open to day visitors.
Chail
Solan District
Chail
A former royal summer retreat in the Shivalik foothills, with a hillside cricket ground long noted as one of the highest anywhere.
CultureNatureSlow travel
The story
Discover Chail
Chail was Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala’s summer retreat, about 45 km from Shimla — quieter and lower-key than the colonial capital it was built to rival. The Chail Palace, now a heritage hotel, still anchors the town, and the cricket ground built into the hillside above it, from 1893, remains one of the highest of its kind anywhere.
Best time
March – June, September – November
Ideal duration
2 Days
Altitude
2,250 m
Travel style
Culture • Nature • Slow travel
Why visit
Why You’ll Love Chail
Chail Cricket Ground
Built in 1893 at around 2,444 m — long noted as one of the highest cricket grounds anywhere, though no competitive cricket is played there today; it now serves as the Chail Military School’s playground.
Deodar-forest quiet
A noticeably calmer pace than Shimla, an hour or so away.
Go deeper
Places Worth Discovering
Chail Palace
Heritage-hotel grounds open for a walk-through even for non-guests.
Chail Cricket Ground
The hillside ground, viewable from just outside; not used for competitive matches.
Sadhupul
A river stop on the way in, a common photo halt.
Make it yours
Experiences
Heritage walksForest walksPhotographyDay trip to Kufri
Ready to book
Featured Tours in Chail
Fixed-departure tours with a set itinerary and date — pick one and book it as-is.
No fixed-departure tours in Chail yet — a curated journey below can be tailored instead.
Curated journeys
Journeys Through Chail
Starting itineraries our team tailors to your dates, group and pace.
New journeys through Chail are being curated. Explore the destination story now and check back soon.
Plan the route
Getting Around Chail
No fixed routes to Chail listed yet — our team can still arrange private transport.
Plan Transport to ChailLocal knowledge
Know Chail Through Locals
No dedicated Chail specialist yet — our broader team can still help you plan.
Explore all Travel ExpertsWhere to stay
Stays in Chail
Time it right
When Does It Feel Right?
April–June is Chail’s clearest, warmest window.
How Chail compares
Adventure
20
Nature
65
Luxury
55
Crowds
30
Slow Travel
70
Keep exploring
