Chirmiri Travel Guide: A Beautiful Hill Station in Chhattisgarh (2024)

In today’s competitive and progressive world, one does not exactly realise when they get caught up in the vicious cycle of mad race and they start running after the goal of being better than they were the day before. However, in this mad race, in the quest of earning more they eventually lose themselves. Hence, every once in a while, it is necessary to take a break for relaxing, unwinding and rejuvenating. If you too are someone who is tired from the fast–paced monotonous daily life and are planning to take a small vacation, then we have found out just the perfect vacation destination for you.

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Located in Central India, the state of Chhattisgarh with its abundant natural beauty, rich history, colorful traditions, diverse cultures and many interesting sightseeing attractions is a place that should be on the bucket list of every traveller. If we tell you that this pretty state boasts of housing a beautiful hill station where you can go for a vacation, will you believe us? No, we are not kidding. Chirmiri is a beautiful hill station and one of the top tourist places to visit in Chhattisgarh. It is the perfect place of vacation for all those people who wish to spend some quality leisure time amidst natural serenity, away from the chaos of fast – paced city life. In this Chirmiri travel guide, we have brought for you some information about this wonderful place. Continue reading to know more!

Overview of Chirmiri, Chhattisgarh

Located in the Koriya district of the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, Chirmiri is one mesmerising hill station. Nestled amidst pure natural beauty, this is one quiet, exciting and a serene place to visit. Situated at a great altitude of about 579 m above sea level, this hill station will prove to be the best tourist place to visit in Chhattisgarh for all those people who wish to escape the summer heat. Be it the lush greenery or the mighty mountain peaks or the surreal rivers, Chirmiri will make you fall in love with itself just in a single visit. Located right along the banks of the astounding Hasdeo river, which is one of the most prominent tributaries of the great Mahanadi river, Chirmiri also boasts of serving home to some dense forests that in turn house exotic range of flora and fauna. In fact, it is probably due to its spellbinding natural beauty that many people even refer to the place as the ‘Jannat or Heaven of Chhattisgarh’. Apart from all the natural beauty, you will be surprised to know that this scenic hill station is also renowned for its several coal mines. As far as sightseeing attractions to visit in Chirmiri are concerned, there are plenty of them. Ranging from several ancient temples to beautiful rivers to surreal waterfalls, there is a lot to see and explore for any traveller irrespective of their interests.

History of Chirmiri, Chhattisgarh

When talking about history, this quaint little hill station traces its origins from long back. You may not believe it but Chirmiri is actually sitting on a huge powerhouse of coal. It is said that once big companies like Tata Iron and Steel Company inspected this place for the presence of coal but did not actually carry out any mining. It was not until the year 1937, that the coal mining factories finally began to crop up in the town of Chirmiri. From this year onwards the coal production in the town grew tremendously. In fact, the production of coal in Chirimiri which was about 264,000 tonnes in the year 1933 rose as high as to 3,162,500 tonnes by the year 1980. The many coal mines that are located in Chirmiri have been under the control of the Government of India since the year 1973. However, before this year, the coal factories- Daba Boy’s New Chirimiri Ponri Hill Company Private Limited, K.N. Dhady, Indra Singh and Sons Private Limited and United Collieries Limited were owned by Chirimiri Colliery Company Private Ltd.

Popular Things to Do At Chirmiri, Chhattisgarh

If you were under the impression that since Chirmiri is a small hill station, there won’t be much to do, see and explore here, then we will be pleased to clear this misunderstanding. Chirmiri owing to its extraordinary natural beauty and many sightseeing attractions, is regarded as one of the top tourist places to visit in Chhattisgarh. If you are confused as to what all you can do here, you don’t have to worry because we have already done the hard job of researching for you. Here is a list of some of the best things to do at Chirmiri:

1. Go On A Temple Visiting Spree: Though Chirmiri is a small hill station, but it is really flooded with a plethora of significant temples. In fact, you can find many small, big, popular and not so popular temples located all over the region as well as in the nearby area. Some of the popular temples to visit in Chirmiri will be Lord Jagannath temple, the amazing Gufa Mandir, Maha Maya Temple in Ratanpur and many more. If you are a cultural and religious person, then you will absolutely love visiting the series of these incredible temples. Praying and seeking the blessings of almighty combined with scenic beauty will be a memorable experience.
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2. Have A Village Experience: After living the monotonous fast – paced city life, most of us crave for some comfort, relaxation and pure life of a village. The small town of Chirmiri is surrounded by a wide range of villages such as Bigpara which are abundant in terms of natural resources. Most of them have beautiful homestays where you can stay for a couple of days and experience life in a village from up close. You can even interact with the warm locals to know more about the culture and traditions of the place. This is one of the best things to do in Chirmiri, especially for the anthropologists.
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3. Visit The Magical Waterfalls: After you are done visiting the many sightseeing attractions of Chirmiri and wish to spend some peaceful and relaxing time amidst natural serenity, you can then sit by the beautiful waterfalls of Chirmiri. This quaint hill station is a home to some really serene waterfalls such as Amrit Dhara, Akuri nala, Ramadha and many more. No matter whether it is sitting by the waterfall, having a small picnic, taking a dip or going for a swim in the refreshing waters, you will absolutely love this incredible experience.
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4. Indulge In Some Thrilling Adventure: If you are someone who is not much into relaxing and are craving for some adrenaline rush, then the hill station of Chirmiri has something for you too. The town has several exciting trekking trails and if you are a true adventure lover, then trekking is one of the best things to do in Chirmiri for you. As you make your way to the top of the hill, you will come across many scenic landscapes, vibrant flowers and exotic varieties of plants and shrubs. If you are a camper, then there are camping provisions available at certain places. It is a great way to become close with nature.
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How to Reach Chirmiri, Chhattisgarh?

If reaching Chirmiri is appearing like a hassle to you, then we will be pleased to tell you that this hill station is well – connected to many major cities of the country via multiple means of transport. Hence, one can say that this popular tourist place in Chhattisgarh is pretty easy to reach. Some of the best ways to reach Chirmiri are as follows:

1. By Air: The nearest airport to reach Chirmiri is the Swami Vivekananda International Airport. This airport is located in Raipur and is situated at a distance of about 318 km from the centre of the hill station. It takes a drive of approximately 7 hours to reach the hill station from the airport but the journey will be scenic thanks to the abundant natural beauty. From the airport, you can take a cab or hire a taxi to reach your destination.
2. By Rail: The nearest railway station to reach Chirmiri is the Ambikapur Railway station. This railway station is located at a distance of about 99.4 km from the hilltop. It will take you a duration of about 2.5 hours to reach the place from the railway station when travelling by a car. Many visitors think travelling by railways is the most convenient way of reaching Chirmiri. Moreover, it is inexpensive as well.
3. By Road: Chirmiri is easily accessible by roadways as well. There is an excellent network of well – maintained roads as well as highways which will take you to this beautiful hill station from many nearby cities and states. You can either travel by your personal vehicle or even take a bus.

No matter whether you are looking for adventure, relaxation, thrill, excitement or some culture exploration, this popular tourist place in Chhattisgarh will not disappoint you.

FAQ’s for Tourists Visiting Chirmiri

Q1. How Can One Navigate Through Chirmiri?

Ans. You can explore the town by taking an auto rickshaw, taxi or bus.

Q2. What Is The Best Time To Visit Chirmiri?

Ans. For the best experience, visit Chirmiri during winter or monsoon season.

Q3. Chirmiri Is Ideal For Whom?

Ans. With its many sightseeing attractions and scenic landscapes, Chirmiri is a perfect getaway destination for anyone who wishes to relax and unwind.