Chail and Kufri
Chail and Kufri are the smallest hill stations. They are situated at the height of 2250 metres from the Sutlej Valley and are surrounded by lush green scented forest offering a beautiful and exotic view to the place.
About Kufri:
Kufri is a place that is surrounded by dense forest and now capped mountains and is also known as Switzerland of India. It is a place where one can completely relax and tune oneself to natural beauty. It is an altitude of about 8500 feet from the sea level and is at 30 minutes drive form both Shimla and Chail. It is popular for its trekking and hiking trails. Adventure seeking travelers throng Kufri in winters to take pleasure in tobogganing and skiing along with snow covered slopes.
This place is also well known for its nature parks and picnic spots. The best time to visit Kufri is in between April and June. However, you can also visit the place between December and February to enjoy the snowfall and skiing. This hill station is also famous for its beautiful environment and the cool refreshing atmosphere that pervades it. There are large number of picnic spots, hiking and trekking trails in and around Kufri. Travelers can explore Kufri and its nearby areas on horseback.
History of Kufri:
The Kufri was once a part of the kingdom of Nepal. This region remained difficult to understand form the rest of the world until the British discovered it in 1819. In 1864, the British made Shimla their summer capital. As Shimla gained importance, Kufri also began to be familiar as an important place to visit near Shimla.
About Chail:
Chail is located in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. It is a place where nature is at her exuberant best and words like pollution and deforestation have never entered the dictionary of a person living in Chail. Chail and its surrounding places is a delight for tourists in every season. It is delightful in summer, fascinating in autumn when the fields and the forests are covered with a cloak of russet and gold and, in winter it is nothing less than paradise. Everything about this hill station is as perfect as perfection can possibly be.
History of Chail:
This town was the summer capital of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. The wrath of lord kitchener burdened Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala in 1981. As a result he was banned to enter into the summer capital of the British Raj, Shimla. This engraged the Maharaja Bhupinder Singh and he decided to build a better summer capital than Shimla. The Chail, a little village close to Shimla was perfect. It was surrounded by magnificent deodar forest with a commanding view of the snow capped Himalayas. The Maharaja rebuilt the city according to his requirements and built a wonderful palace for himself. Nowadays, this palace is run as hotel.