Shimla Travel Guide: The Ridge, the Toy Train and Day Trips

Shimla's centre is the Ridge and the Mall, with Jakhoo above them and the Viceregal Lodge to the west; Kufri, Mashobra, Naldehra, Chail and Narkanda are drives of 12 to 65 km.

The Ridge and Christ Church

The Ridge, the large open space that runs east to west alongside the Mall, is the city's cultural hub, and on a clear day, or after light rain, it looks north to the snow peaks. Around it stand the neo-Gothic Christ Church, the state library, a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the slate roofline of the Gaiety Theatre and the Town Hall. Beneath it lies a reservoir built in the 1880s that still stores much of the city's water. Kali Bari, a temple to Kali built in 1845, is a short walk from the Mall.

The Mall and Scandal Point

The Mall runs parallel to the Ridge and just below it: Shimla's main street of showrooms, shops and restaurants, with the fronts of the Gaiety Theatre and the Town Hall on it. Himachal Emporium, at its west end, sells local handicrafts and handloom, and the Indian Coffee House, a stone's throw from Scandal Point, has served political leaders, writers and artists. Scandal Point, where the Ridge and the Mall meet, is still the place to catch up on the day's news.

Jakhoo Temple

Jakhoo hill, the highest point in Shimla, is crowned by a temple to Hanuman and a giant statue of him, with a wide view of the Himalaya. From the Ridge the climb is steep: about 2 to 2.5 km, which the Shimla district reckons at 30 to 45 minutes on foot. A ropeway also runs up, taxis and shared HRTC taxis leave from the Ridge, and ponies can be hired. The district lists the temple as open every day, with no entry fee.

Viceregal Lodge (Indian Institute of Advanced Study)

Built between 1884 and 1888 under the viceroy Lord Dufferin, to Henry Irwin's design, the Viceregal Lodge looks like a Scottish castle on Observatory Hill, at the western end of the Ridge and 3.5 km from the main square. The Shimla Conference of 1945 and the Cabinet Mission's talks of 1946, which shaped independence, were held here, and since 1965 it has housed the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. Parts of the building are shown on 30-minute guided tours in Hindi and English; photography is not allowed inside.

Himachal State Museum

On a hilltop about 3 km from the centre and 1 km from Shimla railway station, the Himachal State Museum keeps the history and cultural heritage of the state, including a fine collection of Indian miniatures, with a garden to stroll in. If you are staying in the centre, you can walk there; from the Old Bus Stand, the Shimla district suggests an auto-rickshaw or a shared taxi.

Annandale

Reached by a sharp descent, Annandale is the largest stretch of level ground in Shimla and has hosted fairs, horse races, polo, golf, tennis, cricket and football: the Durand Football Tournament was first played here in 1888. It is used mainly as a helipad today, but its golf course and the Army Heritage Museum make it worth the walk down.

Summer Hill, Chadwick Falls and Prospect Hill

Summer Hill and Prospect Hill, a viewpoint with a temple, are both about 5 km from the centre. Chadwick Falls, 7 km from Shimla and within walking distance of Summer Hill, is a natural waterfall best seen in the rains, from July to September. Together they make an easy half day outside the centre.

Tara Devi and Sankat Mochan

The Tara Devi temple, of wood and stone under a slate roof in the traditional hill style, sits on top of Tara Devi hill, 11 km from Shimla, with views all round. A road winds up from the highway at Shoghi, or you can walk up from Tara Devi station, and on auspicious days devotees serve a free community lunch. Sankat Mochan, a Hanuman temple built in 1950, lies just off the highway as you enter Shimla, near Tara Devi hill, and serves a free community lunch on Tuesdays and Sundays.

Kufri

Kufri, which official listings put 16 to 20 km from Shimla, has the Himalayan Nature Park, home to more than 180 species of Himalayan birds and animals, and Kufri Fun World, an amusement park at 2,800 m with rides for children and a go-kart track. A winter sports festival is held here every February. Take a cab from the Old Bus Stand or the ISBT, or a frequent HRTC bus from the Lakkar Bazar bus stand, about 1.5 km from the Old Bus Stand.

Mashobra, Craignano and Naldehra

Mashobra, 12 km out, holds the Sipi fair for its local deity every May, with archery and cultural programmes. Craignano Nature Park, 16 km from the city on the Mashobra road, has a tulip garden that blooms around March and April. Naldehra, 23 km away at 2,200 m, is a wide meadow ringed by deodar forest, with an 18-hole golf course and a nature walk; Lord Curzon named a daughter after it. Local buses run to Naldehra, and taxis can be hired.

Chail

Chail, 49 km from Shimla in Solan district, is known for the palace the Maharaja of Patiala built there as a summer retreat during the Raj, admired for its architecture. The cricket ground, Kali Tibba and a Hanuman temple are the others. Buses run to Chail from the main towns; the nearest railway station is Kandaghat, and the nearest airport Chandigarh. With Kufri and Shimla, it makes up what the Shimla district calls the Golden Triangle of Himachal Pradesh.

Narkanda and Hatu Peak

Narkanda, at 2,708 m on the Hindustan–Tibet road about 60 to 65 km from Shimla, is one of India's oldest ski areas: skiers have come since 1980, and certified instructors teach from January to March. Above it, Hatu Peak (3,400 m) has a temple to Kali in local wood-carved style and wide views over the Sutlej valley; take a taxi up the road or walk 8 km through the forest. Nearby, a level walk through oak forest opens onto Jaw Bagh, an alpine meadow.

The Kalka–Shimla Railway

The narrow-gauge line from Kalka, built between 1898 and 1903, climbs 96 km to Shimla through more than a hundred tunnels, and has been part of the Mountain Railways of India World Heritage Site since 2008. The climb takes about six hours. The Shimla district notes that the overnight Kalka Mail from Delhi reaches Kalka early in the morning, in time for the narrow-gauge trains. Check times and book on IRCTC, and see running status on NTES.

Two nights covers the town and one excursion, which is what our Himachal Hills Tour — 7 days gives it: arrive by road from Chandigarh or on the toy train from Kalka, with an evening on the Mall; then a day for the Ridge, Christ Church and the colonial buildings, with an optional trip to Kufri. On your own, give the first morning to Jakhoo and the Ridge and the afternoon to the Viceregal Lodge (closed on Mondays) and the State Museum, and the second day to Kufri or Mashobra and Naldehra. A third night allows Chail or Narkanda. From Shimla, the tour drives on to Manali in about seven to eight hours; see our Manali travel guide. Shimla is also where the Kinnaur road to Spiti begins: see our Spiti Valley travel guide.