Shimla is a tourist destination par excellence. It is a beautiful hill town in the lap of nature, surrounded by pine and deodar forests. Temperature is ideal in summers and tourists flock it in great numbers and it is highly advisable to get hotel reservations done well in advance despite the fact that there are over 1000 hotels in Shimla. It is well connected by road to the plains. Facilities and amenities are good. People are friendly. It is also comparatively safer than other tourist destinations. All this makes it the favorite travel destination of tourists from India and across the world. A amazingly high percentage of tourists come back here again. It is situated in the north-west Himalayas and is the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh in North India. It is a 18 sq km mountainous region lying at an altitude of 2,213 meters. British coined the term “Queen of the hills” for Shimla. It has been blessed with all the natural bounties, one can think of. The biggest industry in Shimla is hotel, travel and tourism. Bulging at its seams with unprecedented expansion, the town retains a colonial aura, with its grand old buildings. If you happen to visit Shimla without hotel reservations, you can take the services of one of the numerous porters who double up as travel guides and touts for hotels in Shimla.
Air : Shimla Airport is located at Jubbarhatti, 23 km from the city centre and is connected to Delhi, Chandigarh and Kullu. Jagson Airlines operates three flights a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) connecting Shimla with Delhi and Kullu.
Rail : Shimla Railway Station is just over a kilometer from the downtown Shimla. The narrow gauge Kalka Shimla Railway connects Shimla to the main railway network at Kalka. Travel by rail is slow but the scenery and 103 tunnels en route make it a tourist attraction.
Bus : Shimla is on the national highway no. 22 (NH - 22). There are Volvo buses (super deluxe), operated by the state owned roadways that run between Shimla and Delhi via Chandigarh. Other buses are frequently available from Chandigarh to Shimla with a gap of half an hour.
Jakhu Hill : ( 2,455 meters ) 2 km. from town. This is the highest peak of Shimla and offers panoramic view of the town and the mountains. 'Hanuman Temple of Jakhu' is very famous. According to legend, Hanumanji took some rest here when he was carrying a hill of 'Sanjiwani Booti' ( a herb to save the life of Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama ). Jakhu is one of the most famous places around Shimla.
Indian Institute of Advanced Studies : The institute in Shimla is housed in the erstwhile Viceregal Lodge which was built in 1884-88 during the period of Lord Dufferin. It is a commanding building in Summer Hill. The gardens of the Institute are really beautiful and fascinating. It was designed by Henry Twain.
Glen : ( 1,830 meters ) Distance 4km. This is one of the most beautiful picnic spots of Shimla with flowing streams through dense forest. Approach is near Cecil Hotel and Kennedy House. It is sure one of the very famous places around Shimla.
Chail : ( 2,250 meters ) Situated 45 km. from Shimla.. This was the Summer Capital of the erstwhile Patiala State. The small town is located amid thick woods and has fine walks. It has the highest cricket ground in the world. The dense forests around are alive with many species of birds and animals but it is best known for its Scottish red Deer which were introduced by the Maharaja.
Kufri : ( 2,633 meters ) 16km. from Shimla. Kufri has won a name on the sports and tourist map of India due to its Ski-runs, Seed Potato Farm of the Central Potato Research Institute and Food Craft Institute. It is the winter sports capital. Kufri in Shimla is the most favourable place for winter sports activities. Excellent view of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Pirpanjal Range and Shiwalik Range from a height.
The State Museum Shimla : Shimla museum has endeavoured to project hill art and the cultural wealth of the state showing their link with the national artistic scene. There is a collection of minitature paintings, costumes, textiles and jewellery of the region. A leisurely winding walk from the Mall, past the Gortan Castle and the Cecil leads to a colonial mansion perched atop a hill. It houses the state museum. A visit to Shimla is incomplete without seeing this museum, which offers a peep into Himachal's grand past.
Rampur : ( 924 metres ) 140 Km. )On the Hindustan Tibet Road. Once the capital of the Princely State of Bushahr, the town is situated on the banks of Satluj river, Big Commercial Centre and famous International Lavi fare which is held in November every year, Dumgir Buddhist Temple, Padam Palace, Raghunath Temple, Ayodhya temple and Narsingh Temple, are worth visiting. Himachal Tourism runs a tourist Complex and air conditioned Cafe, Satluj
Narkanda : ( 2,708 meters ) 64 km. Narkanda in Shimla commands a unique view of the eternal snow line and the dense forest. A quaint sleepy hamlet. From here, you get breathtaking view of the snow clad Himalayas. 'Hatu Peak' at an altitude of 3,143 meters above sea level ai 8 km. from Narkanda. In winter, there are exciting ski slopes to Ski on.
Like any other destination, Shimla has its own specialty to offer, representative of Himachal's unique culture, craft and tradition. You can buy handicrafts, wood and metalwork shawls, pullovers, local tweeds, caps, Tibetan carpets and pickle, jams and squashes. The Himachal Emporium : People interested in genuine local handicrafts must visit this place located on the (western) Mall. The Tibetan Refugee Handloom Shop : Located on the (Eastern) Mall, it showcases local development projects apart from selling carpets, clothes and other Tibetan crafts. Besides, there are a number of private shops and showrooms selling object art and crafts.
Shimla’s tryst with eateries goes a long way. To begin with Shimla, with all its myriad interests, has always been in the forefront of the Indian Travelogue. Let’s start all over again with eateries in Shimla and the different cuisines that this mountainous city provides. : Eating out in Shimla is a memorable experience. Ask any travel writer or die hard foodie about the different restaurants in this buzzing town and they will surely stress on the presentation of cuisine and restaurant décor, along with the food which is apt. Truly enough Eating out in Shimla is not only about food but a host of associated criteria like restaurant décor, presentation, how much of the town is reflected in its cuisine, whether it is at par with international standards or not, etc. The Mall road in Shimla houses many restaurants that you would perhaps like to visit. Situated at an advantageous locale, the Mall road can be seen thronged with people at all possible hours. Some restaurants located here are reminiscent of the British lineage of the city. If you are searching for authentic Himachali cuisine in Shimla any of these restaurants wouldn’t really be of any help. Incidentally enough there is only one restaurant- Ashiana on the Ridge that offers Himachali cuisine. You will often see travel writers befriending locals to taste a spoonful of their local cuisine. After all nothing sells like authenticity, in the long run. Most of the class restaurants provide a wide array of cuisine. The ala carte would seem quite voluminous with carefully chosen items listed. Other food joints you can check out for eating out in Shimla are the Baljees restaurant and Seventh Heaven in The Mall, which offer a wide variety of Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisine. The Silver Oak Restaurant on Circular Road is also a good bet.
You can tee off at the nine-hole golf course at Naldehra just 22 km away from Shimla. At the centre of the course is Mahunag Temple, Within Shimla, the Gaiety Theatre (Tel: 2205639) is the occasional venue for plays and concerts. The Ritz Cineplex (near Christ Church) will give you the latest Hindi films. Long after-dinner walks on the undulating roads and a few hotels serving drinks are the only signs of nocturnal life. However, from Christmas to New Year, evenings are much more fun, with all-night parties, plenty of bubbly and good music. The Lakkar Bazaar roller skating rink is a great place for children to start learning skating. Open all through the year, skates are available for hire for a small fee. During winters, the ice-skating rink near Rivoli is also open. The pony rides on the Ridge are another hit with kids. For Adventure Freaks The city is a convenient base for a variety of adventure sports such as skiing, trekking and fishing. Fishing Drive 43 km to Tattapani for mahaseer fishing; for catching trout you'll have to go further, about 110 km, to Rohru. Fishing rods are available for hire locally. TrekkingThe Shimla-Kinnaur region offers exciting trekking opportunities. Two common and easy trails are the Shimla-Kulu via Jaloni Pass (66 km) and Shimla to Kulu via Bashleo Pass (56 km). A slightly longer one is from Sarahan to Sangla (106 km). There are enough forest houses, and PWD guest houses along the way to put you up for the night. The trekking season is May to October. Skiing The skiing season extends from January to mid-March, obviously subject to snowfalls. HPTDC organises skiing courses at Narkanda (65 km away).