Weekend Getaways from Panchkula

Panchkula is a beautiful destination to visit and so are its nearby getaways. You will always have a bunch of options available to escape into the hills of Shimla, foothills of Pathankot, religious temples of Rishikesh and many more. Given below are the most favored weekend getaways from Panchkula for you to explore. Let us take you on a ride:

Shimla from Panchkula

(117 kms)

Shimla, the beautiful hill station is the capital of Himachal Pradesh. This place which is variously known as ‘The Summer Refuge’ and 'Queen of Hill Stations' is perched at an elevation of 2200 m above mean sea level. The present Shimla District was formed in the year 1971. This breathtaking hill station offers various tourist attractions. Tourists can enjoy picturesque views of the mountain ranges from the Ridge, a huge open area connected to the Lakkar Bazaar and the Scandal Point. The Jakhu Temple is built in the memory of Lord Hanuman and is situated at an altitude of 8040 ft above sea level.

How to Reach

Shimla is well connected by all the major modes of transportation, that is air, road and rail. The Jubbarhatti Airport is the closest airport to the hill town. Tourists can also reach the destination from the Kalka Railway Station while riding on the toy train. Besides, regular buses from major neighbouring cities are available to Shimla.

Best Time to Visit

The winter season is the best time if you want to enjoy skiing and Ice Skating, whereas summers are considered ideal if you want to savor sightseeing and trekking.

Pathankot from Panchkula

(121 kms)

Pathankot is one of the largest cities in the state of Punjab in terms of territorial area, which serves as the headquarters of the district of Pathankot. Rested at the foothills of Kangra and Dalhousie, this city is the gateway to the northern wing of Himalayan mountain range and to multiple hill towns. However, withing the city too,there are several sights in and around the city that are part of itineraries of Pathankot tourism, such as the Nurpur Fort that was constructed by the Pathania Rajputs more than 910 years ago.

Apart from this, the beautiful Shahpurkandi Fort, Shiva Temple Kathgarh and Jugial Township are particularly popular among tourists. Jwalaji and Chintpurni are popular religious weekend getaways that tourists can visit during their Pathankot holidays.

How to Reach

Pathankot is well connected to several parts of the country by trains and buses that operate at regular intervals. There are two railway stations within Pathankot, namely Pathankot and Chakki Bank, with the latter being just 3.5 km away from the city. The Inter State Bus Terminal is located near the railway station and has regular buses that connect Pathankot to prominent cities like Shimla, New Delhi and Chandigarh tricity. Tourists can opt to travel to Pathankot by either state transport or private buses, depending upon their preference and liking.

Best Time to Visit

Situated in the northern part of India, Pathankot experiences blazing summers, humid and wet monsoons and freezing cold winters cahracterstic of the region. Hence,  October and November are considered to be ideal for Pathankot tourism as the weather is pleasant.

Rishikesh from Panchkula

(197 kms)

Rishikesh, also known as Devbhoomi, is a highly revered pilgrimage centre of Hindus lying in the district of Dehradun. Located on the banks of the highly auspicious River Ganga, this place holds great religious importance among the Hindu community and pilgrims. Every year, crowds of tourists from all over the country pay a visit to this place to explore religious sites, view the mighty Himalayas and take a holy dip into the River Ganga. Located at the foothills of the Himalayas, Rishikesh is the home of several Hindu deities.

Apart from pilgrims, the destination attracts adventure enthusiasts too. As the city is situated amid mountains, it is well suited to enjoy a breathtaking trekking ride. Besides, the place also offers  another popular adventurous sport called river rafting. Travellers can enjoy this water adventure under the expert guidance of professionals. River cross is also an interesting adventure sport that travellers can enjoy during their visit to Rishikesh. In this sport, people are required to cross the river while walking on a rope.

How to Reach

To reach Rishikesh by air, travellers can take flights to and from Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun, located at a distance of 16 km. Rishikesh has its own railway station which is well connected to important Indian cities.

Best Time to Visit

Weather remains pleasant in Rishikesh for most of the year. However, tourists are mostly advised not to visit this place in the month of May as the temperature gets quite high during this time of the year.

Amritsar

(241 kms)

One of the most prosperous cities in the state of Punjab in northwest India, Amritsar is the spiritual and cultural hub of the Sikh community. Christened after the holy tank of Amrit Sarovar, the city of Amritsar was founded in late 16th century A D by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das Ji. His successor Guru Arjan Dev Ji later developed the city into a sprawling and prosperous town and in 1602, completed the construction of the magnificent temple, the Golden Temple, that was started by Guru Ram Das Ji.

Besides being a major pilgrimage centre for Sikhs, Amritsar is a also historically significant in the sense that it is a constant reminder of one of the most infamous incidents that took place during India’s struggle for freedom, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 .Jallianwala Bagh stands erected in the memory of all those victims of british brutality. The army post at the borderline of India and Pakistan, known as Wagah Border, is highly popularised and liked by travellers visiting Amritsar for its ceremonial parade every evening.

Moreover, there are several temples in the city that are particularly popular among the Hindu devotees, such as Durgiana Temple, Mandir Mata Lal Devi, ISKCON Temple, Hanuman mandir and Sri Ram Tirath Temple.

How to Reach

An important and pious city in the state of Punjab, Amritsar is easily accessible from all major parts of India and also abroad thanks to well connected air, rail and  road routes. Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is the international airport of Amritsar while the railway network connects the city to almost all major cities in India via Amritsar Railway Station. The strategic position of Amritsar on the GrandTrunk Road (NH-1) makes it an easily accessible destination via buses and taxis as well.

Best Time to Visit

The climate of Amritsar is one which is typically experienced in the north-western part of India, with three major seasons, summer, monsoon and winter. Although all the seasons are favourable for a visit to the place, the ideal season for Amritsar tourism starts from the month of October and lasts till March.