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The Chail Palace behind a wide lawn and tall deodar trees
Day planFirst visitTemples & heritagerelaxed

One day in Chail — the palace, the cricket ground and the forest

A one-day Chail plan: the Patiala summer palace, the cricket ground at 2,444 m and a walk in the sanctuary forest. Free, copyable itinerary.
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Photo: Shubhankar Sakalkale · CC BY-SA 4.0

A single day in Chail: the Chail Palace first, then the cricket ground the Maharajas of Patiala laid out, then a walk in the sanctuary forest.

It leaves out Sadhupul; the two-day plan adds it. See also things to do in Chail and when to visit Chail.

Photos: Shubhankar Sakalkale (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Shrey.ashi (CC BY 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Anyone with a day in Chail, or a night away from Shimla.

Day by day

Day 1

The Patiala summer capital

The palace first, then the ground the Maharajas laid out, then the forest.

  1. 09:30
    Chail Palace
    viewpoint · 4 min from Chail · about 45 min there
    The summer palace of the Maharaja of Patiala, built in 1891–92 and rebuilt in 1951; now a hotel.
  2. ↓ 12 min by road · 5 km
    11:30
    Chail Cricket Ground
    park · 9 min from Chail · about 30 min there
    The ground begun in the 1890s at about 2,444 m, often described as the highest in the world; now a school playground.
  3. ↓ 25 min by road · 4 km
    13:30
    Chail Wildlife Sanctuary
    park · 1 min from Chail · about 3 h there
    The forest around the town; sambar, goral and cheer pheasants live here, and March to October is the best time to see it.

Getting there

Chail is 40 km from Shimla, roughly 89 minutes by car or bus. See how to reach Chail for the full table.

Where to stay

Stay in Chail. The palace and ground are minutes from the centre, and the forest begins at the edge of town.

Know before you go

  • Phone the palace first if you want to see inside; we cannot confirm rules for non-guests.
  • Keep a jacket for the forest in the evening.

Places on this route

Chail Palace
Chail Palace
viewpoint · 4 min from Chail

Other ways to do it

All Chail itineraries →
Two days in Chail — the palace and the stream at Sadhupul
1 night · 2 days · First visitClassic
Two days in Chail — the palace and the stream at Sadhupul
A two-day Chail plan: the Patiala summer palace and the sanctuary forest on day one, then a drive down to the Ashwani Khad stream at Sadhupul. Free, copyable.
Best Mar–May · Sep–Oct
See the plan →

Questions people ask

Can you see Chail in one day?

Yes. The palace is 4 minutes from the centre, the cricket ground 9 minutes, and the sanctuary forest begins at the edge of town, so a relaxed day covers all three with a long lunch. Start from Shimla early, since the drive is 40 km and about 89 minutes each way.

Can you go into the palace?

It has been a hotel since 1972. We have no verified rules for visitors who are not staying there, so ask at the gate or phone ahead. From the road and the lawn you can see the building against the cedars, and the grounds are the reason most people come.

Is the cricket ground really the highest in the world?

It is often described that way, at about 2,444 m, and it was begun in the 1890s by the Maharaja of Patiala. We could not confirm the superlative in an independent source, so we give the height only. It is now a military school playground, used for polo in school holidays.