Morni Hills: Weekend Getaways Near Chandigarh

The beautiful range of Morni Hills lie in the Panchkula district of Haryana at a steeping altitude of 1,220 meters. The Morni village is a small establishment of people located 45 kms from Chandigarh. The picturesque hills are the perfect weekend getaways from a bustling city life. It is a well developed tourist destination and provides water sports, adventure sports and camping among other recreational activities.

The hills are subsidiaries of the geographically significant Shivalik range of the Himalayas and run in two parallel strips from the south east to the north west. The undulating ground has created chasms through which river Ghaggar flows freely. Two prominent lakes reside in the bed of these hills and are said to be connected by a hidden channel of water. The water levels in both lakes are the same even though they are separated by a hillock. The locals of Morni village perceive these water bodies as sacred and mysterious. An exquisite shrine built during the 12th century adds to the mysticism of this tourist spot. Numerous myths and legends have been associated with the Morni Hills. 

Clouds came down to play at Morni Hills (Photo Courtesy: bcmtouring)

The low range hills, the remnants of an old fort, the patio fields and the typical forest trees beckon a nature lover for adventure. It is the perfect destination for camping, rock climbing, rappelling and trekking. Tourists agree that this is the most exotic holiday retreat. The forest department and the government have developed rest houses to accommodate the tourists and private resorts increase opportunities for people to visit this serene location.

The hills are also “crowned” with a large number of pine trees. There is much to be discovered in these hills and the lakes that punctuate them. The natural and man made lakes make provision for water sports like canoeing, boating, kayaking and sailing. Tikker Taal is one such lake that is divided into Bada Tikkar and Chota Tikkar.

Boating at the lake in Morni Hills (Photo Courtesy: dhirajkhatri)

The lush green hillside offers ample opportunity for explorers to go on long treks and discover the wild flora and fauna. Several species of wild animals like wild boars, jackals, hyenas and even leopards are found here. It is also a haven for the most colourful birds which are rarely found in other parts of India. Some of these magnificent beauties are Crested Kingfisher, Himalayan Bulbul, Red Peafowl, Bar-tailed Treecreeper and the Oriental Turtle Dove.

Winters in Morni are cold and luxuriously quiet. They start during October and get coldest in January-February. These months are perfect for bird watching and spending some peaceful time with nature. Summers are from March to June and are quite warm. March is ideal for terrestrial activities like trekking, rock climbing and rappelling. Monsoons are humid with intermittent rain falls in July and August.

The most convenient way to get to Morni is through Chandigarh. Chandigarh flights are frequent and available from a number of destinations like New Delhi, Srinagar and Mumbai. From Chandigarh, one can reach Morni easily by road. 

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Van Vihar: Weekend Getaway

Bhopal, the city of lakes, is the capital of Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the greenest cities in the country, and is dotted with natural and artificial lakes. According to folklore, Bhopal’s name is derived from the name of King Bhoja of the Paramara dynasty, who is said to have founded the city. It is a city that is home to many prestigious institutions as well as educational centres, ISRO’s master control facility and National Institute of Fashion Technology, to name a few. 

In the heart of the city is Van Vihar, a national park that was declared so in 1983. It is approximately four and a half kilometres square in terms of area. Although a national park, Van Vihar resembles a zoo because it was developed and managed as a modern zoological park, following the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority. Animals that have been brought from other zoos or orphaned are kept in their near natural habitat. There is a road that passes through the park that visitors are allowed to take to see various animals. Walls have been built and trenches have been dug around the habitat of the animals to keep poachers at bay. 

While carnivores are kept within enclosures, herbivores are allowed to roam free within the park, as they don’t pose as a threat to visitors. The carnivores include tigers, panthers, lions, bears, hyenas, gharial and snakes. Herbivores in Van Vihar national park include cheetal, sambhar, black buck, blue bull and so on. Van Vihar is also known to help preserve animals that are considered endangered species. Besides mammals, there are also about a hundred species of birds that can be found in this national park. 

Alligator at Van Vihar (Photo Courtesy: WikiMedia Commons)

Cheetal (spotted deer) at Van Vihar National Park (Photo Courtesy: WikiMedia Commons)

An ideal time to visit the park is at about four thirty in the evening, when the animals get fed, so there is more chance of seeing them in full view.

Bhopal Flights are easily available for the most part, so you should fly to Bhopal and visit Van Vihar national park for a great time with family or even a day of adventure with friends.  

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Flamingos in Pulicat

Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu is the “Cultural Capital of South India” due to its being a major commercial, cultural, economic and educational centre. One would agree that Chennai is also a great city from which to take off for weekend getaways.    

One such amazing weekend getaway is Pulicat particularly for bird and nature lovers. On the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh border, this little town has a lake that holds one of the most beautiful and breathtaking creatures of the world - flamingos. Only about sixty kilometres away from Chennai, it hardly takes an hour and a half to drive there.

Beautiful Pulicat Lake by  mckaysavage

A Sea of Pink in Pulicat (Photo Courtesy: Yahoo)

A Sea of Pink in Pulicat (Photo Courtesy: jitendraghij)

Flamingos in Pulicat lake (Photo Courtesy: Nurdeen)

The interesting fact about Pulicat lake is that it is the second largest brackish water or saline water lake in India. This is one of the reasons why it attracts many birds, particularly during the migration season between November and February. It was notified as a bird sanctuary in 1976 and to this day, continues to see a multitude of birds. The most fascinating species of birds being the flamingos for their bright orangish-pink colour which is rare for us to see in birds, the lake also sees birds such as painted storks, open billed storks, pelicans, pintails, plovers, terns and many more. It is definitely worth a visit to this place. Needless to say, there are many fascinating species of aquatic plants that thrive here as well.

Tourist exploring the Dutch cemetery (Photo Courtesy: Flickriver )

Locals Sleeping on the graves (Photo Courtesy: Flickriver)

Local Tamil Temple in Pulicat (Photo Courtesy: Flickriver)

Besides this, Pulicat is also of interest for the history buffs. The lake has been mentioned in writings dating back to the first century, and has been a region occupied at different periods of time by the Arabs, the Portuguese and the Dutch. One can see some of the old monuments built by these foreign occupants at Pulicat.

These are the amazing sights in store for you at Pulicat. Definitely worth a visit for you and your camera. Get on any of the Chennai flights and drive your way to the haven that is Pulicat lake when you get the chance.

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