Churdhar is a 3,647 m peak on the border of Sirmaur and Shimla districts, the highest point in Sirmaur and in the outer Himalayas. Around it lies the 56 sq km Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary, notified in 1985, with forests of deodar and oak, grassy ridges and wildlife that includes black bear, musk deer and leopard.
The mountain is also sacred. A shrine at its top is dedicated to Shirgul Maharaj, also called Chureshwar Maharaj, worshipped across Sirmaur and Chaupal, and pilgrims walk up to it from two sides: Nohradhar in the south and Sarain near Chaupal in the north. George Everest took astronomical readings from the summit in the 1830s.
There is no tourist town here. Visitors base themselves at Rajgarh and Nohradhar, or at Sarain, and walk. The trek takes two days in season and is a good first altitude walk for fit travellers, while the quieter side trips are the Maa Bhangayani temple at Haripurdhar and the apple orchards of Chaupal.
It rewards planning. The road in is long, services are thin, and snow closes the upper trail in winter, but in April to June and September to November the mountain is clear and calm.
Before you plan
Churdhar at a glance
- Best months
- April to June and September to NovemberApril to June and September to November; December to February brings snow and needs experience, July-August is slippery monsoon
- Ideal trip length
- 2-3 days: one night at Rajgarh or Sarain2-3 days: one night at Rajgarh or Sarain, one night at the temple
- Airport
- ChandigarhChandigarh (IXC) or Shimla (SLV, Jubbarhatti); both are several hours by road from the trailheads
- Railway station
- KalkaKalka (KLK) for the Kalka-Shimla line, or Chandigarh; Solan is the nearest major town
- Getting around
- Taxis and buses reach Rajgarh,…Taxis and buses reach Rajgarh, Nohradhar and Sarain; beyond them you walk
- Daily budget
- ModestModest; rest houses and homestays vary. Confirm prices locally. A listed operator charges a backpack fee for the trek.
- Senior comfort
- Low to moderate: long winding roads…Low to moderate: long winding roads and a demanding trek. Rajgarh and Haripurdhar suit gentler visits.
- Language
- Hindi and Pahari dialectsHindi and Pahari dialects; English understood by guides and some hosts
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Churdhar: April, May, June, October. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Churdhar itinerary
One good day
1 day in Churdhar
Drive in to Rajgarh or Nohradhar, walk the lower forest trail for a few hours and return before dusk. A full summit climb does not fit in one day.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Churdhar
Start early from Sarain or Nohradhar, climb through deodar and oak forest to the temple complex, and settle into the shelter.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Churdhar
Arrive, settle in, walk the village, and sort guide and transport.
Day-by-day plan →
