Weekend Getaways from Chandigarh

You can go on weekend getaways from Chandigarh to a number of destinations in North or West India, because the location of the city makes such places easily accessible. Below is a description of the best such destinations and what all you can do there.

Popular Destinations for Weekend Getaways near Chandigarh

• Rishikesh: The town of Rishikesh is about 214 km from Chandigarh, and is located in the state of Uttarakhand. Its location at about 1220 feet above sea level below the foothills of the Himalayas makes the weather here warm and humid. White water rafting on the Ganga River, bungee jumping from the hills, and camping are popular here. Know more about River Rafting in Rishikesh and Camping in Rishikesh

• Jaipur: Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan is another popular place to go for weekend getaways from Chandigarh. Its desert-type arid climate makes the weather extremely hot and dry with highs of 45 degrees Celsius from May to July. It is only after October that the city gets respite from this scorching heat. The most sought-after activity in Jaipur is hot air ballooning, which is organised near Amber Fort.

• Corbett: The first and probably the most famous national park in India is near Ramnagar in Uttarakhand state, approximately 343 km from the city. Hills, ravines, plateaus, rivers, gorges, ridges and valleys here are the result of its location between the Himalayan foothills and the plains. Tigers, elephants, buffaloes, deer, black bears, langurs and sloth bears live in the sal and pine jungles and grasslands of the park.

• Sultanpur: This famous bird sanctuary is about 320 km away, and it is located near Gurgaon in the state of Haryana. In whichever month you come here, you will find a large number of birds. Between July and September, the region is inhabited by local species, and September onwards, migratory creatures start arriving from Europe. The sanctuary provides shelter to over 250 kinds of winged creatures.

• Bikaner: Roughly 550 km from Chandigarh is Bikaner, a beautiful desert town. Dry and hot weather, coupled with scanty rainfall, are the characteristic features of the arid climate of the town. Winters with highs of 30 degree Celsius and lows of 5 degrees are ideal to come here. The most popular activity here is taking a camel safari through the desert, which is available with a number of hotels, resorts, campsites and travel companies. Know more about Desert Camel Safari in Bikaner

• Rajaji National Park: Wildlife safaris in Rajaji National Park make excellent weekend getaways from Chandigarh as the former is not too well known; hence less people come here. As a result, the region remains quiet, and you get ample chances to see animals like leopards, elephants, tigers, deer, boars, monkeys, hares, hyenas and jackals. These creatures roam fearlessly in the deciduous and pine forests of the territory.

• Manali: The roughly 6730 feet high hill station of Manali in Himachal Pradesh is around 295 km from your starting point. Its weather is always cool due to the subtropical highland climate of the region. Temperatures rarely rise above 30 degree Celsius in summers while they regularly drop to below freezing point in winters. Summers see sports like paragliding and zorbing being conducted here, whereas skiing takes the centre stage in winters. Explore more about Camping in Manali and Trekking in Manali