Kasauli Hill Station

Kasauli is a small hill town in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It’s home to gabled colonial-era houses, orchards and green-roofed Christ Church, dating from the mid-19th century. At the southern edge of town, Monkey Point overlooks forests of horse chestnut and Himalayan oak. A small temple also sits atop the hill. Nearby, the Gilbert Nature Trail winds through lush green countryside rich in birdlife.

Solan is a town in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of Solan district. The 3rd largest Municipal Corporation of Himachal Pradesh after Shimla and Dharamshala, it is located 45.5 kilometres south of the state capital, Shimla, at an average elevation of 1,550 metres.

Karol Tibba Trek via ancient Pandava Cave is a blessing for all adventure enthusiasts looking for a short and quick refresher.

Karol ka Tibba Located at 2240 metres within Shivalik or lower range Himalayas, it is the highest peak of Solan region. Trek starts from a little town named Chambaghat, which is 5km from Solan and roughly 70 km from Chandigarh. It’s an easy hike of 6 km till the top.

The trek has a lot to offer within a single day which would be etched in your memories for a long time. Hence, we recommend this to everyone including beginner and seasoned trekkers. Here are the 6 reasons which will surely make you pack your backpacks and head for this exciting hike.

ANCIENT PANDAVA CAVE

The trail passes through famous Pandava cave which is 4 km from Chambaghat. It is believed to be oldest and longest (28kms) cave in Indian Himalayas. Locals believe that mythological characters, Pandavas built this cave and stayed here during their exile. Another end of the cave is in Pinjore. The cave is dark and damped and gets narrower as one walks inside. Make sure to carry your head torch to enjoy the walk inside this mysterious cave.

KAROL TIBBA SUMMIT:

Experience the joy of climbing a mountain as you summit the highest peak around Solan region at 2240 metres. As you hike further 2 km from Pandava Cave, you will reach a T-point with Karol Temple towards right whereas Karol Peak to the left. Karol top/peak offers stunning panoramic views of Solan city. On a clear day, Shimla city and Churdhar peak are also visible from here

PINE GROVE FOREST TRAILS

Initial 1.5 km trail is well laden with bricks and passes through the grove of fir and Pine trees. As you ascend, you can get glimpses of Solan city from various points through the forest. Once the paved brick trail ends, you will be hiking through mountain grasslands and eventually enter a dense forest before finally reaching Pandava Cave.

THETEMPLE:

Ancient Karol temple dedicated to Goddess Kali just next to Karol tibba is another highlight of this trek. It offers similar views of Shimla city and Churdhar peak as seen from Karol Top. One can also see contrasting views of series of mountains stacked one behind the other. You can also get a top view of dense forest which you would have crossed to reach here. Hike to Karol Temple is a steep ascent of 2 km from Pandava Cave

SINGLE DAY TREK FROM CHANDIGARH

The best part of this trek is that it can be completed within a single day from Chandigarh. So, if you are searching for treks near Chandigarh, Karol Tibba trek is an apt location. Chambaghat, starting point of the trek can be reached within 2 hours from Chandigarh. Among transportation options to get to Chambaghat, one can either catch a bus heading towards Shimla or hire a full day cab. Start early from Chandigarh at around 6 AM to be back by evening.

The grand temple of Lord Shiva is perched on the scenic hilltop of Solan. The temple gets its name from 'Jata' (Tresses), which further signifies the long Jatas of Lord Shiva. The temple is located 8 Km form Solan on Rajgarh road. It is one of the oldest temples of Lord Shiva with an ancient lingam. Jatoli Shiv Temple is one of the popular holy destinations of Solan which attract a large number of pilgrims from all corners of the country. There are many stories and legends associated with this temple one of it says that Lord Shiva visited this place and stayed for a night. The artistic and architectural marvel cannot be ignored by anyone who visits here. This is the largest temple of Lord Shiva in the Asia belt.

Kiarighat is a beautiful place, located at a distance of around 19 km from the district of Solan on the route to Shimla from Chandigarh. Once a Dak Bungalow, the place is presently famous as a tourist stop over destination. The Himachal Pradesh Tourist Department Corporation (HPTDC) now runs a popular economy class hotel here known as The Apple Cart Inn.

Darlaghat is a village panchayat in Solan district in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. It is famous for its Ambuja Cement plant. It is situated on Darlaghat Mountain ranges of Arki at an altitude ranging from 1,800–2,000 metres. Shimla-Bilaspur-Kangra National Highway passes from center of the village.