Shimla

Shimla, one of the most scenic hill stations, is famous for its natural beauty, wooden crafts, architectural buildings and apples. 

Midst of hills, surrounded by pine and deodar jungles, this town, sometimes known as Queen of Hills, has its own charm.

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Shimla - The state capital of Himachal Pradesh is one of the most popular hill stations of India. Basking in the grandeur of the British era with apparent influences in its architecture, Shimla did charm the British colonisers of the 19th century so much that they elevated the small township into the summer capital of an empire sprawling the sub-continent.

The Ridge and The Mall are still popular landmarks just as they were in the pre-Independence era. The imperial Viceregal Lodge, the graceful Christ Church, Gaiety Theatre, Gorton Castle, Barnes Court and several buildings are part of the colonial architectural heritage of the town. It is one of the few hill stations where you can reach by train in India.

About Shimla

  • Shimla is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills". It is located in the north-west Himalayas at an average altitude of 2,205 metres (7,234 ft), the city of Shimla, draped in forests of pine, rhododendron, and oak, experiences pleasant summers and cold, snowy winters.

  • Every year, thousands of tourists visit this exotic part of land to absorb the true beauty and tranquillity that only nature has to offer. Apart from that, this city is famous for its rich heritage, art, craft and culture.

  • The temples of the town are well settled example showing the excellency in stonework of the architects there. This city is also home to South Asia’s only natural ice skating rink.

Activities in Shimla

  • Trekking: Shimla is  an ideal destination for newly couples and family vacations, but it is also  ideal for the rest of the travellers. Basically, the town has everything a  vacationer could want. There are treks such as Shali Tibba, Karol Tibba, Hatu  Peak, and Tara Devi Trek that can be completed in one day, so if you're short  on time or on your last day in Shimla, you should start hiking to one of the  mentioned hikes.

  • Bird  Watching: Shimla is endowed with a diverse range of flora and fauna.  As a result, why not go bird watching because there is no better way to immerse  you in India's vibrant bird culture? The Mashobra catchment safe-haven allows  you to enjoy the wonderful natural scenes where these birds live, as well as  the sights and sounds of the birds themselves.

    If you're lucky, you might see  Chakor, Kalij Pheasant, Black and Brown Partridge, Thrushes, Bulbul, Jungle Fowl, and Purple Sunbirds at the sanctuary. In this vein, if you're in Shimla,  without hesitation, pay a visit to the sanctuary to hear the bird music.

  • Cycling  Ride: Shimla has one of the best cycling trails in India. There  are numerous simple pleasures in life, for example, spending time with friends  and family, going for walks in nature, and riding a bike. Put a stop to the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy cycling around the water catchment  wildlife sanctuary, which is an excellent choice for a lazy day.

    While the  location is well-known for being a haven for natural life, it is also an excellent place to go cycling without fear and spend time with you. To be  honest, there are more places like this that are ideal for cycling, such as the  Fagu Trail, Mashobra-Bekhalti Street, and Shimla-Sadhupul Street. Shimla is a  cyclist's paradise, with well-maintained paths, quiet villas, and intriguing  towns. If you didn't bring your own equipment, you can rent it from Shimla's  bike rentals.

  • Camping: When you  decide to take a vacation, you probably reserve a hotel room ahead of time,  right? However, if you're looking for adventure, you'll avoid those opulent  inns and think the other way around. Because this hill station is popular with  visitors, there are numerous spots where you can pitch your tent and spend the  night in the middle of the forest.

    You can camp in Narkanda, Mashobra, Kufri,  and Junga, which are still clean and preserve the rich heritage of the past.  Stay in a Swiss tent or go for a woodland camping trip in Shimla; these  locations showcase the best of nature. You should definitely go camping in  Shimla at least once in your life.

  • River  Rafting: Tattapani has it all, from heated water springs and lush  green valley’s to adventure sports. River rafting is a significant fascination  that will restore your spirit. A simple sight of spouting water surrounding you, sprinkles of water soaking around, is guaranteed to fill you with  adrenaline. A word of caution: do not attempt if you are afraid of water.

  • Ice Skating: You can enjoy ice skating during winters in Shimla.  Show off your skills at the open air ice skating rink if you're really into  sports. Every day, there are two sessions, one in the morning and one in the  evening. Skates are provided free of charge at the rink; however, if you're  really into it, you can skate for a small fee.   

Staying in Shimla

Shimla has wide range of budget hotels, deluxe hotels, heritage hotels, resorts and luxury hotels. Book your hotels in Shimla and travel packages to Shimla online. 

Basically Shimla is the hill town for the tourist visiting in  winters and summers. Shimla is the hub for tourist, as large number of tourist  used to visit the Shimla during the peak season.

Being a hub place for the tourist, you can find a different  accommodation to live in Shimla.
 
Some of the best places to live in  Shimla: 

  • Hotel Sky Pie, Shimla
  • Moksha Riverside Resort Kasol, Shimla
  • Gostops Bir, Shimla
  • Koti Resorts, Shimla

      

Shimla Food Guide

As along the roadside, you can find a different variety of  food to eat. Madra, Dhaam, Thukpa, Babru, Chha Gosht, Mash Daal, Chicken  Anardana, etc are some of the best popular food dishes in Shimla.

Some of the  popular cafes and restaurants where you can eat in Shimla: 

  • Himachali Rasoi, Shimla
  • The Brew Estate, Shimla
  • Eighteen71 Cookhouse, Shimla
  • The Central, Shimla
  • Devicos Restaurant, Shimla
  • Hide out Cafe, Shimla  

History of Shimla

Shimla derives its name from the Sanskrit word Shyamala, which means "blue house." While researching Shimla, it is discovered that after the Gurkha war, British soldiers came across a dense forest near the Goddess Shyamala temple. Shyamala Devi is thought to be the incarnation of Goddess Kali, who lived in a blue house built by a Fakir.

According to Shimla details, it is also said that this temple was previously located at the top of the Jhaku hill, but was relocated by the British. It is now known as the Kali Bari Temple and is considered to be one of Shimla's best historical sites.

Mythology about Shimla

 The city is named after the goddess Shyamala Devi, an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Kali.

Blessed by nature, Shimla has got a scenic location, surrounded by green hills with snow capped peaks of Himalayan range. Well fretted temples like Bheema Kali, Jakhoo, Tara Devi, Sankat Mochan are vital example of local art form. 

Above all, Shimla is the only natural ice-skating rink in South Asian continent. And if you are shopping crazy, you have a lot more things to do here as this place includes worldwide popular market for Handicrafts, wood and metalwork, shawls, pullovers, local tweeds, caps, Tibetan carpets and pickles, jams and squashes. 

A better along with a well known tourist place, city is witnessing a heavy influx of newly married couples and those who prefer romance.


Kalka Shimla Railway Line

  • The Kalka-Shimla railway line is an engineering marvel with 102 tunnels constructed between 1898 to 1903 has been recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage mountain railway site on 8 July 2008.
     
  • The historical rail line built under Herbert Septimus Harington between 1898 – 1903 has 20 beautiful stations, 912 curves and 969 bridges and 102 tunnels which takes travellers on a journey of a lifetime.

  • The railways locomotives hold great importance from heritage point of view and some of them are immaculately preserved for the generations to come.

Shimla Photo Gallery

Shimla Hill Station
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Shimla Weather

Check out the Shimla weather report for October

Shimla Weather in October

The minimun and maximum temperature in October in Shimla is 9°C and 20°C respectively. The weather is generally pleasant and clear in October and you would feel pleasant throughout the day. Summer Clothes clothes are recommended for Shimla in October.

Detailed weather information of Shimla

What is Shimla famous for?

Shimla is famous among tourist as Hill Station, Weekend Getaway, Snowfall, Honeymoon Destination, Mall Road, Shopping.

Shimla is recommended destination for Corporates, Couples, Family and Kids, Foreigners, Groups, Solo.

Shimla is popular destination for following activities/ interests - Hill Station, Honeymoon Destination.

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