Best time to Visit Chail – Weather and Sightseeing

When is the best time to visit Chail? This one is actually a hard question to answer. Chail is beautiful in all 12 months and when to visit entirely depends on what you seek. This small little hamlet is one of the most scenic ones I have been to and the sunset view you get from Chail is hard to come by elsewhere. No matter which month you arrive here in, this place will never disappoint you.

Please note that in this article, I am only going to discuss the weather of Chail and the best time to visit here. If you want to get more details like how to reach, where to stay, and what to see, please read How to Plan a Trip to Chail – A Complete Travel Guide.

Chail has a different color in each season and they are all worth seeing. It is white in the winters, grey in the summers, green in the monsoon, and orange in the autumn. Which color do you want to see is entirely up to you. Usually, it is the months of April to June that are considered to be the best time to go to Chail but will this suit you as well? Read on to find out.

About Chail

Chail is a small hill station located near Shimla in Himachal Pradesh. It offers some of the best views of the lower Himalayas and is best known for its stunning natural beauty and dense forests. At an altitude of 2,250 meters, it was once the summer retreat of the Maharaja of Patiala. The cricket ground in Chail is the world’s highest and the Chail Palace is well known for its architecture.

Chail is only about 45 kilometers from Shimla, one of the most visited hill stations in our country. Even then, it never gets crowded and is perfect for someone looking to spend some time away from the crowd. It is one of those places that offer an offbeat experience without taking you too remote. Chail is also a much sought after camping spot.

Weather of Chail

Owing to its altitude, Chail experiences a mild climate throughout the year. It is pleasant in summers and cold in winter. The average annual rainfall is about 150 mm. It is at the same altitude as Shimla and receives quite a bit of snow each year in January and February. This is when it can get really cold out here but for the rest of the year, the average temperature ranges between 10°C to 25°C.

Below is a month by month breakdown of how the weather and the conditions in Chail trend in the year.

Chail in November

My opinion on November is that it is an overall bad month to visit Chail. The scenery in November is very dull and featureless, really uneventful. The weather will be dry and with the temperature ranging between 10°C maximum and 5°C minimum, it is going to be terribly cold as well. The pictures you take will have leafless trees and dried up grass all around and there won’t even be any snow anywhere.

• Clothes Needed: Heavy Woolens, Gloves, Caps, Muffler, Jacket

Chail in December

The first half of the month is pretty much the same as November. The temperature will fall further down to an average of 7°C maximum and 2°C minimum. Shimla, Kufri, Chail, Mashobra receive their first spell of snow only after the 20th of the month. It is very rare that it will snow before that, at least not in Chail. So if it was snow that you were after, you should plan towards the end of December.

• Clothes Needed: Heavy Woolens, Gloves, Caps, Muffler, Jacket

Chail in January

The month of January is really the month of white. This is when this entire region receives the majority of its share of snow. It can really snow any time of the day and sometimes even enough to block roads. The internal road between Shimla and Chail often gets closed due to heavy snowfall at this time. January is also the coldest month of the year with temperatures falling down to a maximum of 3°C and a minimum of 0°C.

It is the best month to go if you want to catch a live snowfall or enjoy snow sports. You should however call in advance and inquire about the weather and road conditions before you leave home.

• Clothes Needed: Heavy Woolens, Gloves, Caps, Muffler, Jacket

Also Read: Shimla Manali Trip Itinerary – How to Plan Your Journey

Chail in February

February is another good month for a winter trip to Chail. However, if you were hoping to see some snow, I will advise you to plan early in the month. The intensity and frequency of snowfall reduces with each passing day in February. For snow, you may even have to stay at higher altitude areas like Kufri and Narkanda. The temperature in February will range between 8°C maximum and 3°C minimum.

• Clothes Needed: Heavy Woolens, Gloves, Caps, Muffler, Jacket

Chail in March

March is much like November; dry, cold, and without snow. It is a good time for a budget trip though. With not many tourists around, you will have a good chance of getting a good deal at the hotels. Even if it wasn’t snowing, the weather will still be very cold with temperatures ranging between 13°C maximum and 5°C minimum. If luck favored you, you may even find some snow at this time. I was once in the region and caught a snowfall in Narkanda in the first week of April.

• Clothes Needed: Heavy Woolens, Gloves, Caps, Muffler, Jacket

Chail in April

April marks the end of the winter season and the arrival of the spring. Snow will be all gone from everywhere, except for the tops of the distant peaks. The weather will start to warm up and temperature will rise to a maximum of 20°C and 9°C minimum. It is a good month to plan a family trip to Chail.

• Clothes Needed: Regular cotton clothes, Light Woolens, or a Jacket for mornings and evenings

Chail in May

May and June are when it is peak tourist season in Shimla and Chail. The nearby areas of Chandigarh and Delhi will start to heat up and people will arrive in the hills in flocks to escape the scorching heat. Even in Chail, the days will feel a little warm with the temperature rising as far as 26°C. The nights however will still be cold 12°C.

The overall weather at this time is really perfect and suitable for the majority of the tourists. With clear and sunny skies, you will get amazing views of the entire valley.

• Clothes Needed: Regular cotton clothes, Light Woolens, or a Jacket for mornings and evenings

Chail in June

The thing with May and June is that due to the vacations in the school, you will find a lot of families on vacation in the area. For someone wanting to escape the crowd, this is not a good month to visit at all. You may even have to book your accommodation in advance. With plenty of tourists available, hotel prices also are bound to up, making it a bad time for a budget trip.

June is also the warmest month of the year. This is when the day temperature can go as far up as 30°C sometimes. The nights however will still be pleasant at 15°.

• Clothes Needed: Regular cotton clothes, Light Woolens, or a Jacket for mornings and evenings

Also Read: Manali – How to Plan your Trip and Explore?

Chail in July

Chail and other nearby areas of Shimla start to receive pre-monsoon showers by the end of June. The following months of July and August belong completely to the rain gods. This entire region receives quite a bit of rain each year, sometimes even enough to cause landslides. It can rain for days altogether causing you to stay indoors at the hotel and ruining any plans for sightseeing.

A trip to anywhere in the Himalayas at this time will always have a risk factor attached to it. It is best advised to look at the weather report and call in advance about the road conditions before leaving home.

The average maximum temperature in July will remain around 22°C and the minimum at 15°C. If you must visit in July, my recommendation will be in the initial part of the month.

• Clothes Needed: Regular cotton clothes or the ones that can dry faster, like Polyester. Also, carry light woolens or a Jacket for mornings and evenings. If not inconvenient, also carry an umbrella or a poncho.

Chail in August

The upside of a trip in the monsoon season is that the views are best at this time. All the rain will bring the flora of the region to life. The mountains will appear as if they have been washed clean and covered with a carpet of green. Waterfall, natural springs, patches of clouds floating low, moderate climate is what the monsoon season in the hills is all about.

If you do not mind getting wet a little and ready for a little risk, August is the best month for a photography visit to the region. The temperatures will range between 20°C maximum and 15°C minimum.

• Clothes Needed: Regular cotton clothes or the ones that can dry faster, like Polyester. Also, carry light woolens or a Jacket for mornings and evenings. If not inconvenient, also carry an umbrella or a poncho.

Chail in September

September is my favorite month to visit not just Chail but anywhere in the hills really. In terms of views, this month has all that the monsoon season has to offer but without the risk of the rain. There will be a lot of greenery all around and flowers of all kinds blooming in the forest. The Chail wildlife sanctuary really comes to full blossom in September. There will also be a small chance of rain in the initial part of the month.

September marks the end of the monsoon season and things start to get a little colder. Towards the end of the month, the temperature will fall down to about 17°C maximum and 12°C minimum.

• Clothes Needed: Regular cotton clothes or the ones that can dry faster, like Polyester. Also, carry light woolens or a Jacket for mornings and evenings. If not inconvenient, also carry an umbrella or a poncho.

Also Read: What to See in Shimla – Fun Things to do in Shimla

Chail in October

October marks the arrival of the autumn season. All that was green in September will now turn Orange, giving a golden touch to the valley. Both Septemeber and October are good months for a photography visit. Trees will start shedding the orange trees and it all just turns a little magical.

Winter starts to settle in again towards the end of October. The temperature in this month range between 13°C maximum and 9° minimum.

• Clothes Needed: Light woolens and regular cotton clothes. Also, bring a Jacket for mornings and evenings.

Best Time to Visit Chail

Now based on the information above, I believe it is safe to say that the best time to visit Chail is between April to June for a summer trip and January for a winter trip.

If you were into photography, you should plan between July 15th and early October. But if you weren’t too fond of the rain, you should stick to the months of September and October. This will be the best time to visit Chail for photography.

For a Bike trip, you must avoid the monsoon season. Even in January, you should plan carefully and find out about the snow on the roads.

For a family trip, April to June and October are your safest best.

If you were on a limited budget, you should visit in March, July, August, or November.

Best Time to visit Chail for Honeymoon

The months of January, February, and September are best for your honeymoon trip to Chail.

Best month to visit Chail

September in my opinion is the best month to visit Chail.

Conclusion

I hope the information above on the best time to visit Chail was of help. If you have any questions or need any other details, please feel free to ask in the comments section below or at our Community Forum and I will be glad to answer.