Chikhaldara

A city and municipal council in Amaravati district of the state of Maharashtra, West India, Chikhaldara is one of the cooler locations in the State. It is basically a plateau growing cotton and is also the only coffee growing area in Maharashtra. It is also one of the most visited tourist places in the state. Chikhaldara is also linked with legends that Lord Krishna carried away Rukminee from here. The city is named after the King Kichak who was killed by the second Pandava, Bheema. After killing Kichaka, Bheema threw his body into deep valleys called dari and from it the name Chikhaldara has evolved. For both pilgrimage and adventure oriented travels, a number of excellent spots are available in and around the city. For reference, tourist guides are available in the city book stores and online.

Discovered by Captain Robinson of Hyderabad Regiment in the year 1823, Chikhaldara has lush green and cool environment attracting visitors from all over the world and other parts of the country. Climatic condition in the city is somewhat similar to the autumn climate of England. Originally named as Kichakdara, the place subsequently came to be known as Chikhaldara. It is the only hill station in Vidarbha region and offers a plethora of flora and fauna for the visitors and travellers. Full of deep valleys with velvety mists and majestic trees, the city is located at an altitude of 1118 m. Cool climate and tranquil environment makes it an ideal summer abode for tourists. For water supply, people are dependent on Sakar Talaab (Tank). Splendid greenery makes this place a very popular summer retreat. With abundance of natural scenery, exciting wildlife, breathtaking waterfalls and a placid lake, the beauty of Chikhaldara is overwhelming. The climate is always breezy and the imaginat

October to March

Some of the must visit places at Chikhaldara are as follows:

Food is available in the restaurants of different hotels. Especially the food in Green Valley restaurant is delicious and the quantity is also substantial in dishes. Visitors will find North Indian, South Indian and continental food items here. There are also some roadside dhabas and small inexpensive food stalls.

Chikhaldara is a hill station and visitors will find some warm cloth shops. But the commodities one must buy in the city are coffee beans and honey. It is the only coffee growing area in Maharashtra and shops sell out coffee beans. Pure honey is another attraction collected by local people from hill sides.

Chikhaldara is well connected with Amaravati and Nagpur by road. Nearest airhead is at Akola (143 km.) and the nearest international airport is at Nagpur (236 km.) that can be reached via the Achalpur-Chandur Bazar-Katol or via Achalpur-Amaravati-Kondhali routes. Public transport buses ply regularly to and fro Chikhaldara to Katol and Amaravati. In addition to bus services, hired car and taxi services are also available. Chikhaldara is reachable by road from Mumbai and many other cities in Maharashtra. Nearest railway station is Amravati (85 km. away) and from there visitors can reach Chikhaldara using public transport, taxi services, or hired car.

A few other locations for sightseeing in Chikhaldara are Paratwada, Goraghat, Shakkar Lake, Dharkhurta, Bakadari, Melghat tiger reserve and Muktagiri.

Some of the important tourist attractions near Chikhaldara are the Museums at Maharashtra Forest Ranger’s College and Tiger project. Various species of animals can be viewed in the museum. On the way, the visitors can see the Yoga Training Centre and habitation of Korku tribes. Only few minutes from Chikaldara is the famous waterfall of Dharkhura. However, to see the waterfall, visitors have to walk 5 km. from Chota Barhanpur village. Two other waterfalls with mesmerising scenic beauty are Bakadari waterfall that can be reached via Aadnadi and Kalkund waterfall with intervening valley with high ridges. 52 small jail temples in Muktagiri that are located around 7 Km. away from Paratwada with high steps and stairs connected with waterfall are worth a visit too.

There are a few good hotels in Chikhaldara that include both budget and medium ranged standard hotels. However there are no 5 star hotels in Chikhaldara. Hotels include Harshawardhan Hotel, Satpura Retreat, Green Valleys Resort, MTDC Holiday Resort, Ayushi Resort, and Chikaldara Garden Resort. All these hotels offer basic amenities for the visitors.

Overall climate in Chikaldara : Moderately cool temperate climate