My weekend escape to Morni Hills when I needed a break from the city

By Friday evening, I was ready to put some distance between myself and the city. I had spent the week moving from one task to the next, and I wanted a weekend with a little room to relax. Morni Hills seemed close enough for an easy trip and interesting enough to make staying overnight worthwhile.

I used an online hotel booking to find a place for Saturday night, packed a small bag and left the rest of the weekend open. That turned out to be a good decision.

The Morni Hills drive was part of the break

Morni Hills is in Haryana’s Panchkula district, about 45 kilometres from Chandigarh. Once the road began to climb, I stopped thinking about what I needed to do on Monday. I opened the window, watched the hills come into view and took my time on the bends.

I arrived without a packed itinerary. After checking in, I went for a short walk nearby, partly to explore and partly because I had been sitting for too long. There were wooded slopes, houses scattered across the hills and stretches of road where I wanted to stop for a photograph. A cup of tea afterwards gave me an excuse to sit and decide what to do next.

Saturday afternoon at Tikkar Taal, Morni Hills

Tikkar Taal was where I decided to go for my first actual outing. At Morni, the place is well-known among tourist sites. I walked across the lake, found a place to sit, and was able to enjoy the scenery around me. 

I realised that observing my surroundings had its benefits. I noticed hills in the lake, people chatting around me, and time flew past me as I sat there taking pictures and then putting away my phone. By the time I returned home, it felt like the weekend had really started.

A slow evening in Morni Hills with nothing to catch up on

Back at my stay, I had dinner and spent the evening reading. I had brought a book that had been sitting on my bedside table for weeks. In the city, I usually manage a few pages before remembering something else I ought to do. That night, I read for as long as I liked.

There was nothing elaborate about the evening, which is exactly why I remember it. I could finish dinner without checking the time and go to bed knowing I had another morning in the hills.

A morning walk in Morni Hills before heading home

I woke up early on Sunday and stepped outside before having breakfast. The air felt pleasant, and the road was quiet enough to take a peaceful walk. I took a different route than on Saturday and noticed the little things around me, like birds chirping from the trees and the view across the bend. 

After breakfast, I lingered for a while before starting my day. A weekend in Morni Hills doesn’t require a long list of stops to have fun. I enjoyed the Tikkar Taal and a few walks, but still had enough time to rest.

Why I’d go back for another weekend in Morni Hills

Morni Hills turned out to be just the escape that I was searching for. The trip from Chandigarh was quite pleasant. I also had the advantage of spending the night there and enjoying the location without constantly looking at my watch. Next time I will not neglect the option of making a hotel reservation in advance. That way, I will not end up spending my Friday evening planning.

After returning from Morni Hills, I drove home on Sunday with a bunch of photos, completed book chapters, and a feeling of satisfaction with my weekend experience.