Aura of India: Haryana Hill Stations: Morni Hills, Tikkar Tal and the Shivaliks

Lawns and red-roofed buildings below the wooded Morni Hills at Tikkar Taal, Haryana

Photo: Manojkhurana, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped), via Wikimedia Commons

The road up from Panchkula to Morni on a clear winter morning, pine on the ridges and the plain going blue behind.

Haryana has one true hill station, and the honest way to enjoy it is as a day in the Shivaliks, not a week in the mountains.

Morni and the lakes of Tikkar Tal

Haryana is a state of plains. Only its north-eastern corner lifts into the Shivaliks, the lowest and outermost range of the Himalaya, and only one place there works as a hill station: Morni, in Panchkula district. The village sits at about 1,200 m, about 35 km from Panchkula and 45 km from Chandigarh by a narrow road of many bends. Pine and scrub cover the ridges, and on a clear day the higher Himalaya show to the north.

Below the village lie the two lakes of Tikkar Tal, divided by a small hill. People here hold them sacred, and say the water in both stays at the same level, as if they were joined underground. Haryana Tourism runs a tourist complex with boating at Tikkar Tal, and the forest department runs a nature camp at Thapli on the way up. Karoh Peak, at 1,467 m the highest point in Haryana, rises on the Himachal border close by.

Pinjore and Kalka: foothill towns, not hill stations

Old lists call Pinjore, Kalka and Panchkula hill stations. They are foothill towns, where the plain meets the first ridge. Pinjore is worth a stop for the Yadavindra Gardens, a terraced Mughal-style garden of water channels, fountains and pavilions beside the Chandigarh–Shimla road. Kalka, a few kilometres on, is where the narrow-gauge Kalka–Shimla Railway begins its climb. The line is part of the Mountain Railways of India World Heritage Site, and within minutes of leaving it is in Himachal Pradesh.

Other names on those lists belong elsewhere. Nahan is the headquarters of Sirmaur district in Himachal. Karna Lake near Karnal, Sultanpur near Gurugram and Surajkund near Faridabad are pleasant outings, but they sit on the plains or the low Aravalli edge.

Kalesar and Adi Badri: the eastern Shivaliks

In Yamunanagar district the Shivaliks run east to the Yamuna. Kalesar National Park is a forest of sal and khair where Haryana meets Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Leopards, sambar, chital and nilgai live here, and elephants pass through on their way between Himachal and Uttarakhand. Visits are by registered jeep along a set safari track. The park closes for the monsoon; in 2026 safaris resumed on 1 October, from 8 am to 4 pm.

West of Kalesar, about 40 km north of Yamunanagar, Adi Badri sits where the hills meet the plain. Tradition holds that the Saraswati river comes down from the hills here. There are small temples, a hilltop shrine to Mantra Devi, and mounds excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Getting there and getting around

Chandigarh is the gateway to Morni, Pinjore and Kalka, with an airport and a railway station. Kalka is the last stop on the broad-gauge line from Delhi. For Kalesar and Adi Badri the railhead is Yamunanagar–Jagadhri, and a car is the only practical way to link the sights. The Morni road is narrow and steep in places: start early, avoid weekend afternoons, and come down before dark.

The other hills: the Aravalli edge

Southern Haryana has hills of a different kind: the low, rocky ends of the Aravalli, far older than the Himalaya. They are hot from April to June, but good walking country on a clear winter morning.

The most striking is Dhosi Hill, a lone hill about 8 km west of Narnaul in Mahendragarh district. Tradition links it with the sage Chyavan, and there are temples and a sacred tank on top, 457 steps up from the village of Thana. A ropeway is being built on the other side; check whether it is running before you go.

Hill stations to know

Morni (Panchkula, altitude about 1,200 m): Haryana's one hill station, with pine ridges and long views.
Tikkar Tal (Panchkula): twin lakes below Morni, with boating and a state tourist complex.
Karoh Peak (Panchkula, altitude about 1,467 m): the highest point in the state, on the Himachal border.
Pinjore (Panchkula): the Yadavindra Gardens, a foothill stop on the way to Shimla.
Kalka (Panchkula): where the toy train to Shimla begins.
Kalesar National Park (Yamunanagar): sal forest and jeep safaris, closed in the monsoon.
Adi Badri (Yamunanagar): temples and excavated mounds at the foot of the Shivaliks.
Dhosi Hill (Mahendragarh): a lone Aravalli hill near Narnaul, with a temple on top.

From the ridge at Morni the plains look close enough to touch, and the snow is still a long way off.

Plan your visit

Best season	October to March for clear views. July to September brings slips on the hill roads, and Kalesar is shut for the monsoon (30 June to 30 September in 2026).
How to reach	Chandigarh airport (about 52 km from Morni) and railway station for Morni, Pinjore and Kalka. Yamunanagar–Jagadhri station for Kalesar and Adi Badri; Narnaul for Dhosi Hill.
Getting around	A hired car with a driver from Chandigarh or Panchkula; check locally for buses to Morni.
Permits and fees	No permit for Morni. Kalesar safaris are in registered jeeps arranged at the park, for a fee; check the current charge. Pinjore Gardens has a small entry ticket; check at the gate.
Where to stay	Morni and Tikkar Tal (state tourist complexes), the forest camp at Thapli, or Panchkula and Chandigarh for day trips; Yamunanagar for Kalesar and Adi Badri.
How long to spend	A day from Chandigarh for Morni and Pinjore, or one quiet night at Morni. Half a day for Kalesar. More in our Haryana guide.

Open Morni Hills, Panchkula, Haryana in Google Maps

Questions people ask

Is Morni Hills worth a visit?

Yes, as a day out or a quiet night. It is a small hill village with pine ridges, two lakes and wide views, not a resort town with a mall road. Weekdays are calmer than weekends.

How high is Morni?

The Panchkula district gives 1,220 m; Haryana Tourism gives 3,600 feet, a little lower. Either way it is cooler than the plains below. Karoh Peak nearby, at 1,467 m, is the highest point in Haryana.

Will I see tigers at Kalesar?

Do not expect to. The park is known for leopards, deer, nilgai and wild boar, and seeing any large animal is a matter of luck.

Where is the nearest proper hill station to Chandigarh?

Over the border in Himachal Pradesh: Kasauli, Chail and Shimla. The toy train to Shimla starts at Kalka, on the Haryana side. See our Himachal Pradesh guide.

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Haryana Hill Stations: Morni Hills, Tikkar Tal and the Shivaliks