As you drive out of Chandigarh, away from the Great North Indian Plains, the spectacular Nalagarh Fort, rising on a spur of the Shivaliks, heralds the end of the flats and the onset of the high rises. A royal welcome if ever there was one, and most appropriate for the regal experience that awaits the traveller.
Historic Nalagarh in the Himalayan foothills, capital of the erstwhile Chandela Rajput kingdom of Hindur, was founded in 1100 AD by the same clan that built the famous Khajuraho temples in central India. The reigning monarch, albeit in name alone, Maharaja Vijayendra Singh, today lords it over the luxurious heritage hotel he has crafted out of the crumbling castle of his forebears.
If discovering such a romantic history, punctuated with the Maharaja's anecdotes of court intrigues and royal dalliances, isn't enough to keep you occupied, Nalagarh will pull many options out of its royal hat for your entertainment. From treks over the rugged terrain or in the jungles below the Fort to picking kinus in the legendary royal orchards, you'll never suffer a dull moment unless you choose to.