Renukaji Lake which is around 285 km from Delhi (around 6 hours) and just 95 km from Chandigarh is a complete relaxing destination full of lush greenery far from the city crowd and pollution. It is a short weekend destination which can be covered in 2 days from Delhi. From Delhi the nearest route is via Sonipat, Panipat, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Nahan etc. Renukaji is the vast lake in the lap of mountains which is fed by underground water springs and is said to be the largest lake in Himachal Pradesh having a circumference of around 2.5 km. The best and the only place to stay here is “Hotel Renukaji “ of Himachal Tourism which is just facing the lake and commands beautiful surrounding views of mountains and the lake. The best moments of our entire visit were just relaxing in the hotel’s lush green lawns in the morning and evening while viewing the lake, sipping tea, eating snacks and pakoras and enjoying the pleasant chirping of various birds around. The best view everyday was the sun rising behind the mountains opposite to the hotel and the lake water glittering with its rays. The area around the hotel which is a complex of various temples is full of lush greenery and there was an atmosphere of spirituality everywhere. There was another beautiful mini lake in the temple complex. As the area is full of temples so a no. of monkeys and langoors can be spotted everywhere. It was also a great fun to feed and watch a large no. of big fishes in the lake who just pounce upon each other to get the first catch of the food hurled by the tourists. We also moved on to explore a mini Zoo (especially for big cat categories) which is located in the circular road encircling the Renuka ji lake. The zoo and the boating in the lake are the special attractions especially for the kids. We also enjoyed the aerial view at the Machan which has been fixed high on the ground. It was wonderful and pleasing to note that all the area around lake turned golden at the time of sunset. It was a short week end tour which ended with the pleasant memories of the place. Travel Tips : 1) Since Renukaji is located in the foothills of Himachal Pradesh so it is ideal to visit this place in March or October November only or just avoid the months from May to September which are hotter. 2) Book the room in the old colonial wing of the hotel from where the view of the lake is the finest. ****************