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About Chikhaldara

Welcome to Chikhaldara, to peace and serenity not found elsewhere, to a valleys full of velvety mist and charming lakes, to the charm and calmness of natural greenery, to the home of the Indian tigers and the Sloth Bears. Welcome to life as it was meant to be, relaxed and enjoyable. Yes, Chikhaldara is all this and much more, something for which words and even images are not enough. You have to be here to experience it for yourself.

Situated in the Satpura ranges, in the vicinity of the Melghat Tiger Reserve, Chikhaldara is a small, extremely peaceful and charming hill-resort, and the only hill-station in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Located at a height of 1118 meters, it is the only Coffee growing region in Maharashtra and is surrounded by perennial green forests of the Melghat Sanctuary.

Sightseeing and Activities:
There are number of scenic points spread allover Chikhaldara. One can enjoy the enchanting beauty of the place as well as understand and take in the historical nuances at these. Apart from the sightseeing tours there are number of other adventurous and fun activity to be enjoyed here.

Enjoy forest safari tours in the Melghat tiger reserve, take a guided trek through one of the numerous trails in the surrounding forests, enjoy the water sport activities in the scenic Sakkar Talao or lake, explore the history of the Gavilgarh fort or just relax and unwind in the peacefulness of the place.

Please contact us for more details on the tourist attractions or visit the websites listed at the end of these page. Our image gallery also includes a selection of the visual feast you are about to experience in Chikhaldara.

Chikhaldara Festival:
Every year in the month of December Chikhaldara organises its very own festival, the Chikhaldara Festival. Dedicated to the tourists visiting us, the festival consists of cultural events, adventure activities such as Para-gliding and rock climbing, exhibition showing the local arts and artifacts and many other events. While ensuring that all comfort and basic needs of the thousands of visitors are taken care of, the organisers pay special attention to keep the environment foot-print of the event extremely small i.e. to make it eco-friendly.

Historical Reference:
Featured in the epic Mahabharata, it is the place where the Pandavas had taken the refuge for a year of Hidden stay or ‘Agyatwaas.’ The name Chikhaldara is the distortion of the original Keecchak-Dara, where the mighty Bheem had killed the villainous Keechak after a fierce fight. The place where Bheem had thrown Keechak’s body and washed himself is still known as Bheem-kund, a perennial source of water situated 2 kms from the town.

Apart from this, there is the majestic Gavilgarh fort, the Bastion of first the Gavali tribes ruling the area in the 11th/12th centuries and then later the Mighty Gonds who were one of the last sun-continental dynasties to fall into Mughal hands.

Chikaldara was discovered by Captain Robinson of the Hyderabad Regiment in 1823. The Englishmen found it particularly attractive because the lush green hue of the place reminded them of England. The leaves fall in September/October reminded them of the English Autmn. The place swiftly gain prominence as a getaway destination and soon regular troops were posted nearby while remarkable British Architecture started coming up in the region. There was even a proposal to make it the seat of the Government of India. Even today one can find number of British made Bungalows in Chikhaldara while a British-made water treatment pump still functions in the Mariampur Village, 5 kms from here.

Other Links:
For more information about Chikhaldara you may explore the following external links. Please note that Satpura Retreat is not responsible for the content and matter of these websites. The links are provided as an additional service to help your understanding. We are also available to provide more information as required.