Exploring Shimla: The Only Travel Guide You Will Ever Need! -

Exploring Shimla: The Only Travel Guide You Will Ever Need!

Shimla, jo ek samay Summer Capital of India hua karta tha aur jise aaj tak Queen of Hills kaha jata hai, wo sirf ek hill station nahi hai! Yaha itna kuch explore karne ke liye hai hum batate batate thak jayenge aur aap ghumte ghumte! Snow-capped mountains, lush greenery, and that cool breeze that makes you want to say “Waah kya scene hai”. So get ready because this will be the only guide you will need to explore Shimla!

How to Reach Shimla?

Shimla pohochne ke liye aapke paas kaafi options hain :

By Train : Sabse pehle aapko Kalka tak train leni padegi aur wahan se toy train ka maze uthaiye. Kalka-Shimla Toy Train ek UNESCO World Heritage site hai aur yeh ride aapke trip ko aur zyada memorable bana degi. (Ticket prices are around Rs. 600 per person).

By Road : Delhi (340 KMs) aur Chandigarh (110 KMs) se Shimla tak ki drive bhi kaafi scenic hoti hai. Agar aapke paas apni car nahi hai, to aap buses bhi le sakte hain jo kaafi comfortable hoti hain.

By Air : Shimla mein bhi airport hai, lekin flights bohot limited hoti hain. Better option hai Chandigarh Tak fly karke wahan se road trip plan karna.

Aur Shimla ki jaan, Mall Road tak pahunchna to kaafi aasan hai via taxis. Lekin Mall Road pahunchne ke baad vehicles are not allowed, so you can walk or use the lift service too! By the way, yahi wo Mall Road hai jaha Farhan aur Raju, Silencer ke saath Rancho ko dhundne aaye the! So nostalgic isn't it?

Where to Stay?

Jaha tak rehne ka sawal ho, Mall Road ke paas stay karna sabse convenient hota hai kyuki major markets and tourist destinations paas hote hain. Hotels yahan Rs. 1500-2000 se start ho jaate hain. Aur agar solo travel kar rahe ho toh hostels bhi available hain, starting from Rs. 500 that you can choose depending on your budget.

Places to Visit :

1. Jakhoo Temple :

Jakhoo Temple is situated on Jakhoo Hill, Shimla's highest peak at 8054 ft. Dedicated to Lord Hanuman, this temple offers a panoramic view of Shimla and has one of the tallest idol of Hanuman Ji at 108 ft. Mana jaata hai ki Hanuman ji yahan Sanjeevani Booti ki khoj karte samay ruke the. It is open from 7 AM in the morning to 8 PM in the evening every day. Mall Road se sirf 3 KMs dur yeh mandir aap walk karke bhi jaa sakte hain ya Jakhu Ropeway se cable car ride bhi kar sakte hain (which costs Rs. 250 per person one way).

2. Rashtrapati Niwas (Viceregal Lodge) and Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS):

The Rashtrapati Niwas (President's House), formerly known as Viceregal Lodge, is located on the Observatory Hills of Shimla. Pehle yeh British Viceroy ka residence hua karta tha par ab yahan hai ancient articles, photographs of the British rule in India and also Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) which was set up by the Ministry of Education in 1964 (currently housed in the Rashtrapati Niwas). It opens from 10 AM to 5 PM (closed on Mondays). Yahan entry fee Rs. 100 hai jisme 30 minutes ka guided tour included hai.

3. The Ridge (Mall Road) :

Mall Road ka sabse lively area, The Ridge, Shimla ka dil hai, kyuki most of the markets and cultural places are connected to it like Lakkar Bazaar, Christ Church, Kali Bari Temple, Jakhu Temple and much more! Shaam ko yahan ki vibe alag hi chamakti hi isliye walk karna aur softy ka maza lena mat bhuliyega!

4. Gaiety Theatre :

Shimla ka historic theatre Gaiety, The Ridge par located hai. Yeh aaj bhi cultural events ke liye popular hai aur bollywood ke bhi kaafi gaane yahan shoot hote hain!

Arijit Singh ka hit song Pachtaoge (ft. Vicky Kaushal and Nora Fatehi) toh zarur suna hoga aapne, wo bhi yahi shoot hua tha! Entry fee is Rs. 25 and it opens from 10 AM to 5 PM.

5. Christ Church :

Christ Church (located in The Ridge) is the second oldest church in North India, after St John's Church in Meerut and it was built in the neo-Gothic style in 1857.

Yahan Sundays ko prayer hote hai aur visiting hours hai Monday to Saturday 10:30 AM to 1 PM and then 2:15 PM to 5:30 PM.

6. Kali Bari Temple :

Built in 1840s, Kali Bari Mandir Kali Mata ke avatar Shyamala Devi Ji ka mandir hai jinke naam pe Shimla ka naam pada. Yeh bhi Mall Road mein hi located hai toh zarur jaiye. The temple is open from 6 AM to 7 PM and usually less crowded.

7. Himachal State Museum :

Mall Road se 4 KMs dur yeh museum Himachal Pradesh ki rich cultural heritage ko showcase karta hai. Yahan aapko ancient artifacts, coins, paintings, aur sculptures dekhne ko milenge. Entry fee is Rs. 50 (Rs. 100 if you want to click pictures) and it opens from 10 AM to 5 PM on all days except Mondays and Public Holidays.

8. Chadwick Falls :

Shimla ke serene spots mein se ek, yeh khoobsurat waterfall Summer Hill ke paas located hai. Thodi hiking karke aap is natural beauty ko enjoy kar sakte hain.

Nature lovers aur photography enthusiasts ke liye perfect spot!

9. Scandal Point :

Shimla ke iconic spots mein se ek, yeh popular meeting place The Ridge aur Mall Road ke intersection par hai. This point has a statue of one of our leading freedom fighter,

Lala Lajpat Rai. Yahan ka historical significance aur mountain view bahut hi amazing hai. Bina kisi vehicle disturbance ke, yeh spot evening strolls ke liye best hai!

10. Himalayan Bird Park :

Yeh peaceful park rare and exotic bird species ke liye jana jata hai. Yahan aap Himalayan birds dekh sakte hain like Indian Peafowl, Guinea Fowl, Domestic Goose, etc.

Entry fee is Rs. 20 and it is just 5 minutes walking distance from Rashtrapati Niwas (Viceregal Lodge). It opens from 10 AM to 6 PM (closed on Mondays).

Shopping Locations :

Mall Road :

Ab Shimla mein Mall Road aaye aur shopping nahi kiya toh kya kiya! Mall Road is the hub of markets like Lower Bazaar, Lakkar Bazaar and Tibetian Market where you can shop everything that is locally famous. Also most of the national and international brands are available on Mall Road.