Morni Hills

Morni Hills is a hill station in the Panchkula district of the northern state of Haryana, and is situated at a height of 1220 meters above sea level. It is believed that the Morni Hills are named after Queen Morni who used to rule this place at one point in history. It is a very serene and calm place and is much appreciated for its scenic beauty. The Morni Hills are offshoots of the Shivalik mountain range of the mighty Himalayan range on the north.

This place is paradise for all the nature lovers as there is a large variety of birds found here. Birds like Crested Kingfisher, Wallcreeper, Kalij Pheasant, Red Peafowl, Black Francolin, Himalayan Bulbul, Bar-tailed Treecreeper, Grey Francolin and Oriental Turtle Dove are some of the often witnessed birds in the area. Various species of wild animals are also found in Morni Hills like wild boar, hyenas, hare, langur, jackals, sambar and sometimes even leopards.

The place is an ideal place to indulge in adventure sports like trekking, rock climbing and many more.  Morni Hills is at a distance of 45 kms from Chandigarh which makes it easily accessible. The journey from Chandigard to Morni Hills is pleasant and travellers can view pine trees, hill tracks and forest cover on their way. This place is a combination of plain and hill vegetation and the view is a delight to all the travelers.  

Morni Hills is an ideal place for a quiet weekend break for people from nearby places, and it remains busy with tourists throughout the year. Morni Hills is known for a large variety of flora and fauna. The hilltops are covered by pine trees and slopes are covered by jamun, shisham, jacaranda, ritha, neem, mango, pipal and sal trees. During spring, when the flowers blossom on trees, it is quite a picturesque sight.

There are two lakes in Morni Hills which are connected to each other in a mysterious manner and are even separated by a hillock. It is considered to be an auspicious and sacred lake by the locals and they gather here on various ceremonial occasions. The water level in both these lakes remains the same as these both are connected to each other through a channel in a hidden way. There is a small temple situated on the banks of the lake which holds a Trimurti from the 12th century when Shiva Temple also existed. Many people come to these lakes for trekking as well. Trekking can also be done towards the bank of the river Ghaggar which flows through Morni.

The best time to visit the place is from September to March. However one can also visit it during the other parts of the year as it remains fairly comfortable throughout the year.