SHIMLA
| Location : |
90-kms From Kalka, Himachal Pradesh |
| Altitude : |
2,159m. |
| Main Attractions : |
The Mall, Christ Church, Kufri, Narkanda |
| Best Time To Visit : |
April To August & December To January |
The Summer Hideout
A quaint little hill train chugs up into the Shivalik foothills, over dramatic
loops and high arched bridges to the hill resort of Shimla, the capital of
the mountain state of Himachal Pradesh.
Shimla was one a string of hill stations that the British established to escape
from the scorching heat of the plains. The 12-kms, crescent shaped ridge on
which it is located was first occupied by the British troops, in the early
part of the 19th century, during the Anglo-Gurkha War. The little village
of Shymala, a retreat for British officers, soon grew to become the glamorous
summer capital of the British, in India.
Shimla's salubrious climate, easy accessibility and numerous attractions have
made it one of the most popular hill stations in northern India. The splendid
views of the snow clad ranges of the Himalayas, fine walks through oak and
flowering rhododenron, enchanting resorts within easy reach, golf at naldehra
and skiing at kufri and narkanda make shimla an attractive destination throughout
the year.
PLACES OF INTEREST IN SHIMLA
The Mall
This is the main shopping centre of Shimla with restaurants. The Gaiety Theatre,
which is a reproduction of an old British theatre is a center of cultural
activities. A passenger lift of HPTDC can be taken from the Cart Road and
the Mall. Lakkar Bazaar adjacent to the Ridge is popular for its wood-crafts
and souvenirs.
Christ Church & St. Michael's Cathedral
Built in 1846-1857, Christ Church is the second oldest church of Northern
India. The Church overlooks the ridge and is one of the landmarks of Shimla.
Shimla's other important churches is St. Michael's Cathedral and Roman Catholic
Cathedral, which is just off the Mall.
Prospect Hill
Crowned by a temple dedicated to Kamna Devi 15-minutes walk from Boileauganj
on Shimla-Bilaspur road. The hill is situated at an altitude of 2,155m offers
a spectacular view of the area.
The Ridge
The large open space in the heart of town presents excellent view of the mountain
ranges. Shimla's landmarks - the Neo-Gothic structure of Christ Church and
the new - Tudor Library building is worth seeing.
Jakhu Temple
Dedicated to Lord Hanuman, this temple is at an altitude of 2,455m near the
highest point of Shimla ridge. It offers a fine view over the surrounding
valleys, out to the snowcapped peaks, and over the town itself. The temple
is a 45-minute walk from the Mall. Jakhu is a vantage point for witnessing
the changing skyline as the sun rises or sets.
Chadwick Falls
Surrounded by thick forests, one can reach these falls by taking about 45-minutes
(7-km) walk from Summer Hill Chowk.
Summer Hill
At an altitude of 1,283m, Summer Hill is a picturesque spot on Shimla-Kalka
Railway line offering shady walks in quiet surroundings. The Father of Nation,
Mahatma Gandhi during his visit to Shimla lived in the elegant Georgian House
of Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur located here. Himachal Pradesh University is also
situated over here.
AROUND SHIMLA
Tattapani
This small village is famous for the hot water sulphur springs. Unlike the
springs in Manikaran and Manali, these springs are not so eye-catching at
first, but their setting is very beautiful. The village is very relaxed and
peaceful.
Kufri
Great hiking, skiing, some beautiful scenes and a cool environment that's
what Kufri is all about. In the winters Kufri attracts ski-lovers from all
across the world.
Chail
Chail is hiker's paradise. Chail was the summer capital of Maharaja of Patiala,
the area is spread over three hills. One has the village of Chail, the other
has the Snow View mansion and the third one has the Palace cum hotel of Chail.
Narkanda
Narkanda is basically a transit point between Shimla and Rampur. This place
is famous for Hiking and Skiing but only during the season.
Kasauli
In recent times Kasauli has developed as an alternate accommodation for Shimla.
It is 12-km from Shimla on the way to Kalka. Kasauli has been coming up as
a side trip from Shimla. It has some great walks. The walk to Sanawar is very
pleasing and full of natural beauty. Sansar has the potential to become another
hill station in the area as nature has provided abundance of beauty and scenery
to this place.
Solan
Solan is the district headquarters and is the home to Meakin Brewery. Solan
is 48-km from Shimla and is at an altitude of 1,342m. It is also the bifurcation
point for Rajgarh with it's orchards and enchanting villages.
ADVENTUE SPORTS IN SHIMLA
Trekking
The Shimla- Kinnaur region offers some exciting trekking opportunities. Narknda
to Banjar (Kullu) over the Jalori and Bashleo Passes and Sarahan to Sangla
are some of the popular treks, both for the domestic and foreign tourists.
From Bharari you can walk to the villages that lie to right of the Seismic
Recording Centre, or to the villages of Pabo and Kamiana. Longer treks can
be made to Kiar Koti and Tattapani, but for taking-up these treks you better
take a guide along.
There are quite a good number of trails that can be done in the suburbs. Some
are - a walk between the Catering Institute at Kufri and Wildflower Hall;
a walk to Mahasu Peak from Kufri through the Himalayan Nature Park and a walk
along the Bekhalty road from Mashobra and treks from Mashobra to Sipur.
SHALI PEAK TREK
Highest Altitude: 4,800m.
Duration: 18 Days
Time Period: Mid-July to September
Destinations Covered: Shimla-Mashobra-Sipur-Thaila-Kuthnol-Shali-Gulthani-Baldian
Visible from Shimla and facing Mashobra, is the Shali peak. At 3,200m this
is the highest in Shimla's vicinity. The summit presents an unimpaired view
of the area around and holds an ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess Bhimkali.
About The Trek
Drive upto Mashobra and walk down to the glade of Sipur. Carry on 8-km through
picturesque woods, fields and orchards to the village of Thaila. Cross Nauti
stream that races through a deep gorge. Here begins the 6-km climb to the
hamlet of Kuthnol. Then is the final 6-km ascent to the peak.
A thick forest lies on the northern face of the Shali hill. An additional hike
may be made to the adjacent 'Choti' or small Shali and the lake of Karyali.
Camp overnight at Shali or at Kuthnol.
Alternatively, drive upto the village of Gulthani that lies about 8-km short
of the peak and walk the rest of the way. This route is via Mashobra, Baldian
and Thaila.
Hiking & Climbing
At 2455m, Jakhoo Hill towers over Shimla. Filled with history and architectural
charm, there are several houses along its steep.1.5-km climb that starts from
the Ridge and a temple dedicated to Lord Hanauman crowns the forested hill.
Enjoy the most spectacular sunrises and sunset sights from this spot, especially
during the monsoons.
Another beautiful trail takes you to Sanjuali and between Holly Lodge and
Sanjauli, the distance is about 3-km. From Sanjauli, you can walk back via
the Government College to the Ridge - 2-km, or via St.Bede's College and Ramchandra
Chowka, 3-km. Alternatively, you can bus back from Sanjauli to Shimla.
Camping
Apart from the treks to the nearby areas, Shimla is gateway to Kinnaur and
Spiti. Camp Blue Pines near Mashobra is an adventure-cum-trekking based gateway
from Shimla. It has Swiss tents on a twin-sharing basis and a capacity for
7 couples or 45 children.
Skiing
The skiing season generally commences in the first fortnight of January and
continue till mid- March depending upon snow conditons. HPTDS organises ski
courses of 7 days and 15 days duration at Narkanda, every year. The facilities
for the participants include boarding, lodging and equipment.
Kufri is a popular ski resort and is at a distance of 16-kms rom Shimla. With
thick woods around, Kufri offers a panoramic view of 2,000 miles of the great
Himalayan ranges. Naldhera is another adventure area that is situated at a
distance of 23-kms from the hill station. Naldhera is blessed with a thick
cedar forest, attractive picnic spot and a 16-hole golf course. Fagu is another
spot from where one can check out very fine views and has a lot of snow in
winters for the delight of snow lovers and skiers.
Situated 64-kms north of Shimla is Narkanda, at an altitude of 2,700m, a ski
resort and also a popular spot for viewing the Himalayas particularly from
the 3,300m high Hatu Peak.
River Rafting
Chabba is located on the road to Tattapani and is 53-kms away from Shimla.
There is the one of the oldest hydroelectric power project, which is nowadays
famous for river rafting.
HOW TO GET THERE
Air
The Jubbarhatti airport is 23-km from Shimla and major domestic airlines cater
their services from here to Shimla. One can catch direct flights from Delhi
Rail
Shimla has a narrow gauge railway line on which Toy Train runs from Kalka
to Shimla. The train cruises its way through valleys and beautiful landscapes
at a very slow pace making the journey very pleasant. From Kalka one can take
trains to other parts of India too. The Toy train from Shimla is of two types
- one is the normal multi coach train and the other is the single car train,
which has a glass roof giving an enthralling experience during the journey.
Road
Roads connect Shimla with other places in Himachal as well as other major
towns and cities of the neighbouring states. There is regular bus service
from Delhi and Chandigarh as well as ordinary; semi deluxe, deluxe and AC
coaches for Shimla are available too. One can also cross over to Leh and Ladakh
via Rohtang Pass from here
DISTANCE FROM MAJOR CITIES
» Chandigarh: 117-km
» Mandi: 150-km
» Kalka: 90-km
» Kasauli: 80-km
» Bilaspur: 81-km
» Ambala: 151-km
» Tapir: 198-km
» Sirmour: 142-km
» Renuka: 159-km
:: Shimla, City Information Reservation
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