Shimla – A charming hill station

Simla (shimla as many people address it like this) is the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the most visited weekend getaway and a beautiful destination in India. Shimla is surrounded by amazing hills, various temples and sightseeing locations. It is also a popular destination for newly married couples. Shimla is very safe for tourists, it is considered to be the best places to live in India with a very low crime rate. Shimla offers a variety of handicraft items which are very reasonable.

How to travel to Shimla

By air, Air India flies to Shimla daily from Delhi airport. It is located at a distance of 23 km from the city.

By train, Toy train is the best way to travel to shimla from Kalka. Kalka is connected from all major cities of India. The track offers an outstanding view, it’s a 96 km long railway track with 102 tunnels, 87 bridges, and small in width, sharp turns, awe inspiring landscapes and scenic view. The toy train takes 5 to 6 hours to reach Shimla. The best way to book online is through Indian railway website www.irctc.co.in. Delhi to Kalka train charges will vary as per different classes from Rs.210 to Rs.1300 and from Kalka to Shimla Rs.300 to Rs.700. The charges for toy train is Rs.565. Kalka Shimla toy train seats get full in no time, so book in advance and don’t miss this beautiful railway journey on earth.

By bus, Shimla is well connected by bus. Several private and government buses run on daily basis. Volvos are the most comfortable one. The price varies from Rs.900 to Rs.1500 depending upon the comfort offered.

Best time to travel to Shimla

The best time to visit Shimla is from March to June, September and October the weather is quite pleasant. If you want to witness snowfall then December and January is the best time. Avoid travelling to Shimla during monsoon and chances of land sliding can spoil your program.

My journey to Shimla

It was a much awaited trip since long as last few years I was only travelling to sea side. I juggled a lot to book a toy train but couldn’t succeed. I booked a Volvo from Delhi to Shimla direct. The bus was quite comfortable but it was a semi sleeper. If you are someone like me who feels very cold, the blanket offered by the Volvo people won’t be sufficient. Therefore, cover yourself properly and carry stuff for munching purpose. I carried a book also because I knew I won’t be able to sleep much in the bus. The bus stopped at Mayur dhaba where you can use the washroom and eat something if you are hungry. The bus started at 10 pm in the night and dropped me at 5.50 am in the morning at Victory tunnel. There were plenty of taxis available at the bus stop which can take you to your hotel. I had taken a package so a cab was already there to pick me up (avoid taking a package unless and until its summer season which is the peak time for travelers).  When I got off the bus, the fresh and chilly air gave a shiver till my spine. I felt like heaven. The glimmering view of the Shimla at 6.00 am in the morning was breath taking.

DAY 1: As I reached my hotel, I took a shower and ordered for tea (cold weather is incomplete without a ginger chai in the hand). I couldn’t wait to go outside and see the majestic beauty around. My hotel was 10 minutes walking distance from the mall road. The Mall Road is situated in heart of the Shimla attracts a lot of tourists. It is a big stretch which has restaurants, book shops, shopping area, gaiety theatre, and town hall. The picturesque beauty of Shimla can be witnessed from Mall Road.  My first destination was Kali Bari Mandir; it is dedicated to Goddess Kali who is also known as Shyamala.

The view from the temple is surreal and is situated at the top of Jakhu hill. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Shimla. It is a very well maintained temple and is located on mall road. I offered my prayers to Kali Mata and left for Scandal point which was just 5 minutes away. Scandal point is another tourist attraction; it is the intersection between the mall and the ridge and lies between center of the mall road. It is also known as a popular meeting place for locals and tourists. There will be lot of guides available who can take you to areas near shimla like Kufri, Chail, Kali tibba etc (this is another reason why you shouldn’t take a package).

From there I went to Ridge point, it is a large open space in the middle of the mall road and a great place for photography. It is also a venue for various celebrations like summer festivals, New Year’s Eve. Places like Lakkar bazaar, Jakhoo hill are connected through ridge. It is situated along the mall road. The Christ church is located at the ridge and one attraction which come in the mind, when you think of Shimla.

My next stop was Jakhoo temple, it is located at the highest peak of Shimla, one can take a cab also to reach there but I decided to walk down the hill, Jakhoo temple is located at the highest peak of Shimla (8000 ft above sea level). The temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman; it was a place where Lord Hanuman stopped on his way to search for Sanjivini Booti for Lord Lakshman. The statue of Lord Hanuman is the largest statue with a height of 108 feet.

The statue is mind blowing, unbelievable and gigantic. The climb is steep and also checks your fitness level. If you are travelling with old people better to take a taxi as they won’t be able to climb this high. There will be monkey’s to give you company, they don’t harm you unless you tease them. Remove your spectacles or sunglasses and don’t keep any food or drink items in your hand. I personally loved the temple and the view. It started raining while coming down back to mall road (always carry an umbrella in shimla as the weather is unpredictable and winter wear as well).

I was really feeling very elated and close to nature, Shimla is a place which is best covered on foot (cars are banned in the central park) therefore tourist are not left with any choice other than to walk down and explore  the city’s heritage view. My last stop was Lakkar bazaar; it is a hub for handmade wooden decorative items, toys, walking sticks, souvenirs’, kitchen items etc.

Many shops do sell a variety of pashmina shawl, woolens. If you are hungry don’t forget to try the lip smacking snacks of Sita Ram dukaan which is famous for its aloo tikki, chole kulche and chole bhature. There is also a Skating Rink in Lakkar bazaar. The place also offers a wide range of food items like channa pao, momo’s, burger, boiled eggs etc. Don’t miss the famous Chocó o crunch softy ice cream at Embassy restaurant and don’t forget to try their hand made chocolate. I wanted to capture everything on day 1 because next 2 days I wanted to keep myself free for other activities. My day ended with a hot ginger chai at my hotel.

Day 2: I started my day early because I took a package for Kufri, Mini Zoo, and Chail (chail I really wished I could have skipped as there was nothing to do and would have added Narkanda). It is advisable to start at 9am from Shimla to avoid the rush later. Kufri is 16 km’s away from Shimla and is also known as Skiing destination. Kufri is popular for trekking, hiking and adventure activities.  On the way to Kufri from Shimla I saw Green Valley; the mountain range was divine and spectacular with lush green forests. It is an ideal place for photography.

The taxi dropped me at fagu valley from where; I took a horse ride to Mahasu Peak which is the highest point in Kufri. The road was full of mud and it was impossible to walk down to the peak, therefore there was no choice other than to take a horse, the cost was Rs.500 per person (both ways) but it was worth the effort because the ride was really interesting and fascinating.

The horse dropped me at Mahasu peak; a lot of food joints accompanied me to the Nag temple. The Nag temple on top of the peak had a wide view in all directions without any obstruction and seemed like a painting. I offered my prayers at the temple and captured the view in my eyes. There were few guides who will show you the ten points with the help of telescope like sheetla maa temple, pandava kund etc. They were charging Rs.200 per person which I felt was a waste of money (do bargain with them). From there I took a jeep till the Kufri adventure activity spot, this booking can be done along with the horse booking at the Fagu valley. The cost was Rs.1000 per person for 6 activities or 1000 for 2 people on sharing basis which comes to 3 activities per person. When I entered the area I saw an apple garden which was full of apples and a lot many apples. There was a fine of Rs.500 for plucking an apple.

I am an adventurous a person so had an amazing time there. I did Burma bridge walk, zipping, rope walk and commando net. The Kufri fun campus is himachal’s first advanced amusement park at a height of 9000ft from sea level. It is also famous for go karting and a wide range of rides. During snowfall, snow skating also starts under the supervision of trained staff. I had a lot of fun there.

My next stop was The Himalayan National Park, I am not someone who would keenly go and see the animals (although a dog lover) but this was never my cup of tea but as and when I witnessed the leopard my jaw was dropped and I was shocked. It was really a thrilling experience.

I came back to my taxi (carry food items for munching) and we headed for Chail. Chail is around 45 km’s from shimla. The palace hotel is quite beautiful from outside with magnificent lawns and gardens but, beware of monkeys. I actually didn’t stay here for more than 10 minutes as there was nothing much to see. The view was nice but it was available at every other place so there was no point driving 45 km’s. I would have rather gone to some other place. But if you are someone who likes to be in a quiet place with some panoramic view and you would surely love it (I doubt the monkeys will let you sit quietly).

From there I went to Siddh Mandir, it was very neat and clean, there was hardly any visitor, the road was also narrow with sharp edges. I prayed to the God and left for Chail cricket ground, the ground is maintained by army and these days it is used by Chail military school as a play ground.

I left for Shimla after that and stopped at a dhaba “Spice n ice”, the food was really yummy and the location was also amazing. I could view the entire hills while eating my food. I asked my driver to drop me at Mall road so that I can stroll for a while and pick stuff for my family (I really wanted to go there, could feel some connection). It wasn’t as cold as the first day but the mild cold breeze was enough for me to fell cold as if I am in a glacier. I tied up with the same taxi guy for the next day as he suggested me a great place near Shimla. After reaching my hotel, I dozed off within a fraction of second.

Day 3: I started my day at 11.30am and headed towards Ashwini Khad River side (as suggested by my driver). It was around 35 km’s from Shimla and took me 1 and a half hour to reach. The way to the river side was over the top and thrilling with narrow roads and very less traffic. When I reached there I was really surprised to see a different side of Shimla which was very quiet and peaceful. There were trekking camps around and a river in the middle. The water was very clear. I was amazed and wondering how come there are very few tourists. It is a fantastic place for family outings and picnic. It has a big place to move around, meditate, listen to the music, dip your feet in the river and enjoy the view.

The restaurants were also very reasonable and if you plan to stay in one of the huts, the costing was Rs.1000 per hut accommodating 3 people (which are very cheap). Do visit this place if you plan to come to Shimla and want to spend a good and a peaceful time with nature. Soon, there will be adventure activities going to start as well. It was my last day in Shimla which incomplete without touching Mall Road. I just wanted to be at Mall road as it was my home last 3 days, from there I headed towards Shimla bypass crossing and had to catch a Volvo for Delhi. I am still smitten by the nature and the quaint view of Shimla.

Important things to take care:
  1. Do carry some warm clothes as weather here is very unpredictable even if you are planning to travel during summers.
  2. Carry an umbrella or a rain coat in your bag always.
  3. A package is not required at all. They are least bothered once you reach your destination. Manage your own as it is a very convenient place to travel.
  4. If you are planning to travel from April till July, book your hotel in advance (don’t book via Oyo)
  5. If you are going for 3 days visit Narkanda also and other nearby places.
  6. Famous eatery joints: Krishna bakery, Sita ram bazaar, momo’s / hot dog on the street, ice-cream at embassy, coffee at Indian coffee house.

I think, I wrote enough so guys once you visit do leave a comment.

Happy travelling

Happy time

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