Shimla Travel Guide
Summer Capital of British India
Top Places To See in Shimla
Shimla offers the tourists a mix of natural beauty, snow capped Himalayan peaks and a feel of the British Colonial era. Its a all season tourist destination. While people enjoy the cool breezes in the summer months, the area gets wrapped in snow during winter. Places to see in Shimla include The Mall, Anglican Church, Kali Temple, Jakhu Hills and Kufi.
The Mall
The Mall is the most important and the most loved spot of Shimla. The evenings spent here is perfect with an excellent cup of coffee served in the stalls around the Mall with some lips smaking snacks served here in the stalls. A brisk walk in the evening or Pony rides are the main attraction of the place. Local vendors selling fruits, the local eateries, and the restaurants and all others play an important role. The most beautiful sight seen from the Mall is the Himalayan range. The place where the Mall joins the Ridge is known as Scandal point
Anglican Christ Church
Anglican Christ Church is located at the end of the Mall. It was built in the year 1844. It was designed by Col. JT Boileau, consecrated in 1857 and later extended with an additional clock in 1860 and porch in 1873. The original chancel window was designed by Lockwood Kipling, Rudyard Kipling’s father. Just Next door is the Library designed by James Ransome in the Elizabethan style.
Jakhoo Hills
Photo by Aleksandr Zykov, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Jaku Peak is 2455 m above the sea level, overlooking the snowy horizons, provides a bird eye view of this 19th century British town where most streets names still remind of the British past. This point is famous for sunrise and sunset. It is just 1.5 km away from the Ridge. On the hill stands the Hanuman temple where one can encounter monkeys at their mischievous best. Tourists can also enjoy a horse ride from the Mall to the Jaku Peak
Shimla Kali Temple
The renowned Kali Bari temple is located in Shimla and holds a very strategic importance to the region. The temple was consecrated in the year 1854, dedicated to Goddess Kali, who is also known by the local name of Shymala. Tourist coming to Shimla never miss to pay a visit to the temple, especially the Hindus as it also serves a great religious importance among the followers. The original site of the temple was in Jakhu Hill, but British colonization shifted the temple to the current location. There are multiple aliases of the goddess, prominently Kali and Durga. The temple holds a shrine of the Goddess Kali.
Summer Hill
Photo by Anup Sadi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Summer Hill is a railway station on the route to Shimla from Kalka. It is located 5 km away from Shimla and is 1982 meters above the sea level. This place was visited by Mahatma Gandhi several times. The Himachal Pradesh University is located here in Summer Hill. The surroundings of this place is so beautiful that it is worth watching. It is an ideal place for talking long walks
The Retreat
Photo by ptow, CC Attribution 2.0 Generic
This place is 1 km away from Shimla. This place was famously the retreat of the Viceroy Lord and hence the name, The Retreat. The building which was originally a palace was made of white marble with wooden staircase and teak wood ceiling. after Independence this place was The Rashtrapati Bhavan but later it was given to the Indian Institute of Advance Studies by Dr. Sarbapally. There is a huge collection of books here. The count of the books is above a crore
Glen
Photo by wiki, CC Attribution 2.0 Generic
Glen is some 4 km away from the town. It is 1830 metres above sea level and is mainly famous for picnics or just spending time with family and friends. The pathway is beautifully and marvelously decorated. Tourists can also get to see wild animals in the reserved forests attached to it. Even tourists can trek to this point on horse back. it is a perfect and ideal spot for nature lovers
Annadale
Photo by Rohit Chhiber, CC Attribution 2.0 Generic
Annadale is located some 4.5 km away from Glen. It is a football ground and a race course as well. It is an ideal place to spend evenings here in this place
Kufri
Kufri is one of the famous and most visited spot near Shimla. situated 13 km away, this place is famous for winter sports with wonderful ski slopes. The Shivalik range, the Kedarnath and Badrinath Range and the Pir Panjal Range can be viewed from Kufri. The surroundings looks like a perfect painting done by a great artist
Shimla Links
Popular Tour Plans - Himachal Pradesh
1-3 Days
1. Shimla (2N/3D)
2. Manali (3N/4D)
4-6 Days
1. Shimla-Kulu-Manali (6N/7D)
7-10 Days
1. Shimla-Kulu-Manali-Dharamsala-Dalhousie (10N/11D)
2. Kinnar (Shimla-Sarahan-Sangla-Chitkul-Kalpa-Shimla) (8N/9D)