Shimla

About Shimla

Shimla is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh, and is a very common weekend getaway destination from New Delhi. Shimla is also popularly known as the “Queen of Hill Stations”. Situated surrounded by400 km from the national capital, Shimla offers cool climate to rejuvenate from the busy work life of Delhi. Tour packages to Shimla are usually offered for 3 nights and 4 days. These tour packages can be availed by bikes, cars, or afterwards reaching Shimla by train. Tour packages to Shimla also assist as the starting point for bike or road tour packages to the serene Spiti Valley via the Kunzum Pass.

Tour packages to Shimla let you to relax in the old world charm of the summer capital of British India, away from the mundane city life. Separately for the foot friendly Mall Road, tour packages to Shimla has a lot more to suggestion. When entouring Shimla, stay places such as The Ridge, Kufri, Tattapani, spend a day at Chail, Christ Church and Jakhoo Temple, Kiala forest, Himalayan Bird Park, Chadwick waterfall, Shimla State Museum, Kali Bari, and dine in the cafes lined up on The Ridge itself. Those loving street shopping, tour packages to Shimla also offer you to visit the Lakkar Bazar which in itself is renowned for street shopping.

Another major attraction involved in the Shimla Tour Packages is the Kalka – Shimla Toy train. This historic train is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List and takes the riders back to the historic times of abundant deodar and pine woodlands. It gives riders the panoramic view of the hills and the surrounding peaceful villages.

Best time to visit

Shimla is a destination meant for family, friends and honeymooners alike, and thus, tour packages to Shimla are offered round the year, as this place as a lot to offer in all periods. 

1.  Summer season in Shimla extends from March - June. The temperature being pleasant, ranging between 15 deg C to 30 deg C, this season gives a perfect window for all outdoor activities. One can adore activities such as trekking, paragliding, camping and rafting. 

2.  Monsoon season in Shimla extends from July to September. This season brings in heavy rainfall and infrequent landslides. But the hills turn green for the best lush they can offer to the nature fans. 

3.  Winter Season in Shimla extends from October to February. Snowfall sets in throughout the months of December and February and temperature drastically falls. Tourists flood for enjoying the snow and involvement winter sports such as skiing and ice skating. The temperature regularly falls from being around 8 deg C going down to -2 deg C. The season also attracts a lot of honeymooners and persons who don’t shy away from winters. 

HOW TO REACH SHIMLA

1.  By Road – This is the best favoured way to reach Shimla as the place is well connected by road from all the major cities of India. With roads being well constructed, bike and car tour packages to Shimla have become gradually popular among riding enthusiasts. 

2.  By Air – The native airport of Shimla is located at Jubbarhatti, which is roughly 23 km from the main city. There are regular flights functioning to the airport from Delhi. The nearest major airport to Shimla is located at Chandigarh, which is roughly 120 km from Shimla and the rest of the distance desires to taken up by road. 

3.  By Train – The train route to Shimla is a very curious one, with the Kalka – Shimla Toy Train being listed among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Kalka is good  connected by a network of rail systems from the plains, and the narrow gauge track connects Shimla to Kalka. This track is also well-known for the steepest rise in altitude of 96 km. The view is divine and the experience of riding in this train is once in a time.  

Best Places To Visit

BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN SHIMLA

There are numerals of trekking packages that start from Shimla or the nearby Solan. The most collective ones are: 

1. Karol Tibba Trek: This is a small trek of 6 km into the Shivalik range of the Himalayas. Starting from nearChambaghat, this is an easy trek to the Karol Tibba Temple and is often taken up by trekkers who fall short of time. From the summit, mesmerizing view of the Shimla city and Churdhar Peak takes away all the tiredness.

2. Shali Tibba Trek: Another small and easy trek of 7 km, the ShaliTibba Trek, from the summit offers a 360 degree view of Shimla, Kufri, Mashobra, Fagu and Narcanda.  The trek itself is an easy one following through the blue pine and cedar forests, taking trekkers up to the temple of nearby revered Goddess Bhima Kali.

3. Hatu Peak Trek: This trek starts from Narcanda, situated roughly around 70 km from Shimla and allows the trekkers to summit the highest point of Shimla district. Again a small an easy trek of 7 km, Hatu Peak summit is the home to the Hatu Mata Temple, and is also said to be one of the resting points of Pandavas during their Agyaat Vasa. The trek is lovely scenery through the Deodar, Fir, Spruce, Cedar and Blue Pine forests.

4. Tara Devi Trek: A short trek of 4 km is of moderate difficulty, and is one of the most commonly taken up hikes in and around Shimla. The best part of this trek is the accessibility of the initial point of the trek through the Kalka – Shimla Toy Train. The summit is the abode of Tara Devi and from the temple, scenic beauty of Kasauli, Chail and Shimla can be witnessed.

5. Summer Hill Trek: This is one of the hard and long treks staring from Shimla. The trek is of 38 km and gives an experience of sheer natural beauty of the Summer Hill. The most noteworthy building seen while taking up this trek is the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, located in among the breath taking forests of Pine and Deodar.

6. Churdhar Trek: This is another hard level trek from nearby Shimla and encompasses a distance of  32 km.Churdhar is the uppermost peak in the lower – Himalayas, and the trek itself starts from the small village of Nohradhar, which is a 5 hour drive from Shimla. This challenging trek is a path through the lush green forests, rocky trails and offers mesmerizing view of some of the famous nearby peaks such as The KinnerKailash. The summit of the trek is the house of a towering statue of Lord Shiva, which is highly revered among the local population.

FAQ

Q1. What is an average cost to visit Shimla?

For a three night trip to Shimla, the average budget a person shells out is around Rs. 10000-15000. However, this cost greatly depends upon and variations with the mode of travel, stay options which you pick, the meal plan opted and the local sightseeing additions. 

Q2. How many days are ideal for Shimla trip?

Generally, 3-4 days are sufficient to have a leisure trip in Shimla. This time, however, will differ in case you are up for fun trekking activities.

Q3. What is the local food in Shimla and where to experience it ?

Shimla’s mall road is one of the finest mall roads in the mountains of north India. You can get anything from a pizzeria to lip smacking north Indian food. However, once in Shimla, you should experience the local Himachali platter to get the realistic taste of Himachal food.