What’s the one thing that strikes your mind whenever you hear the name Chandigarh? Lush greenery, cleanliness, vibrant nightlife, and a plethora of shopping opportunities, right? Well, the city is a lot more than that! It’s the first planned city in India that boasts an impressive design and architecture to win over everyone’s heart.
It’s the city that serves as the capital of both Haryana as well as Punjab region. It’s a city that exhibits the rich history and modernity in a unique way. It’s the city that redefines its charm, aura, and pleasantness. It’s the city that brings happiness and prosperity under one roof. All-in-all, we can say that Chandigarh is a place that suits travelers of all types as it boasts numerous tourist attractions to keep children, adults, and senior citizens busy all the time.
Situated approximately 250 km away from Delhi, Chandigarh is a favorite weekend getaway location from Delhi for people looking to do something different than just sitting at home doing nothing. Here you can be as active or as lazy as you want – depending on what you’re in the mood to do to have a gala time with your near and dear ones. Regardless of how you’ve decided to engage yourself, there are a few places that you must visit to return home with a bucket full of memories.
Here are the top best places to visit in Chandigarh with our Chandigarh Darshan Packages:
1. Sukhna Lake
Ideal for people of all age groups, Sukhna Lake is a gorgeous lake that provides a scenic treat to everyone on their Chandigarh tour. It’s one of its kind of artificial lakes within the city that exhibits a calm and composed atmosphere for people to relax, unwind, and feel rejuvenated in tranquility.
Stroll alongside the shores of the lake to enjoy a romantic walk with your partner. Or sit there for hours to admire the mesmerizing sunrise/sunset at your utmost comfort. Or bring your picnic baskets to have a fun-filled day out with your family.
Sukhna Lake is also renowned for numerous recreational activities and among them, the one that attracts a huge crowd of visitors is boating. Other than that, you can also try your hand at fishing, water skiing, rowing, trampoline jumping, etc., to enjoy your visit to the fullest. If lucky, you might get a chance to spot migratory birds like the crane and Siberian duck.
2. Rock Garden
Located in Sector-1 of Chandigarh, the Rock Garden is another spectacular place to explore with our Chandigarh Darshan Packages. It’s a massive garden that sprawls over 40 acres of land and features a variety of sculptures made from urban and industrial wastes.
Founded by Nek Chand in the year 1957, the Rock Garden is divided into 3 different parts where each section displays a distinct collection of art pieces, embellishments, and installations that are no less than a treat to watch. Right from ceramic pots to bangles, bottles, glasses, sinks, tiles, mirrors, tube light pieces, and even toilet fixtures, this place is truly a classic example of redefined art and craft!
Tourists from different parts of the nation visit Chandigarh especially to see the unfiltered beauty of the Rock Garden. After all, it’s the most sought-after attraction that will surely win your heart the moment you step within its premises, making you fall in love with its figurines more than ever!
3. Chhatbir Zoo
The next tourist attraction that deserves to be included in your itinerary list is Chhatbir Zoo. Also referred to as Mahendra Choudhary Zoological Park, Chhatbir Zoo is an incredible zoological park that provides shelter to a diverse range of wildlife creatures which includes animals, birds, and reptiles.
Witnessing the Royal Bengal Tiger is undoubtedly a treat to watch here. You can also spot the mighty lions with Indian elephants, common leopards, white buck, black buck, Indian gazelle, leopard cat, and white tiger. Besides all this, the Chhatbir Zoo also allows you to capture amazing shots of quails, doves, bar-headed geese, falcons, etc., from close.
Please note that the entry fee to visit the park is INR 25 per person for kids between 3 to 12 years of age and INR 60 per for individuals who are 12 plus. In case you’ve got a toddler who is under 3, you need not pay anything for him/her as the entry is free for them.
4. Rose Garden
If you’re a nature buff and wish to admire serenity in Chandigarh, then there is no place better than the Rose Garden. Home to more than 1600 species of roses, the Rose Garden is the blooming paradise that takes you on a heavenly ride with a fascinating collection of rose plantations that are hard to see anywhere else within the region.
The prime highlight of the Rose Garden is the trees and medicinal plants that are systematically planted by the gardeners to catch the attention of people from different walks of life. Here you can also enjoy a gorgeous fountain that shines with colorful lights in the evening.
The best time to visit the Rose Garden would be during February or March as the region’s flora is in full bloom at that time of the year. Also, this is the time when the rose festival is organized to display the finest of roses to draw the attention of people from far and wide every year. Several cultural events, competitions, and other celebrations are also held during this event to entertain locals and tourists on a grand level.
5. Elante Mall
Do not miss visiting the Elante Mall in Chandigarh if retail therapy is on your mind! The 10th largest shopping mall in all over India, Elante Mall is a full-fledged entertainment center that promises to fill your day with unlimited fun, happiness, and excitement at the same time.
It’s a place where you can shop as much as you want as it has a diverse range of high-end brands to cater to everyone’s taste and style. It’s a place where you hog on your favorite food as it boasts fine-dining restaurants which specialize in serving cuisines belonging to different parts of the world.
It’s a place where you can enjoy a movie on a big screen as it features as many as 8 screens. In addition to all this, the Elante Mall also possesses a dedicated play area for kids where your children can mingle with others of their age and make the most of their life. What else?
These are a few of the sightseeing places in Chandigarh that you must cover whenever you plan a getaway to this amazing destination in North India. If time permits, you can head out to explore the other tourist attractions like ISKCON Temple, Pinjore Garden, Terraced Garden, Leisure Valley, National Gallery of Portraits, Government Museum & Art Gallery, Garden of Fragrance, Shanti Kunj, and many more. Adding to these are Hibiscus Garden, Fun City, Thunder Zone, International Doll Museum, and Butterfly Park.
Depending on how many days you’re going to stay in Chandigarh, we can help you plan an itinerary that fits best your budget. At Chandigarh Tourism, a division of Holidays DNA, our team offers all-inclusive Chandigarh tour packages that can be tailored to your needs. You just need to tell us the inclusions you want to have in your Chandigarh Darshan Package and we promise that we’ll be happy to make all the amendments for you. Please fill out the Contact Us form to get in touch with us soon.
How to Reach Chandigarh?
Since Chandigarh maintains great connectivity to the nearby villages, towns, and metro cities of India through all modes of transportation, it can be easily accessed by people via airways, roadways, and railways.
Chandigarh International Airport, which is the only airport within the city, receives a flawless network of flights from national as well as international destinations on a frequent basis. Not only is it a great way to experience hassle-free traveling to Chandigarh but also works best for those who don’t have budget constraints in mind.
The next convenient option is to take a train to Chandigarh Junction Railway Station to enjoy a smooth and comfortable railway journey at reasonable prices. It’s the main railhead that serves short as well as long-distance trains from all over the nation. Outside the station, you can hire a private taxi from top car rental companies in Chandigarh to commute further to your desired destination.
Lastly, Chandigarh is also well-served by several public and private buses from Delhi, Shimla, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Dehradun, Dharamshala, Rishikesh, Kullu, and McLeod Ganj. The facility of Volvo buses is also available for those who consider comfort their utmost priority. However, you need to get the booking of these buses done in advance in case it’s an overnight journey for you.
