Shimla – Why planned trips are always better than unplanned ones!!!

This trip was spontaneous and one of the disastrous one. Read the itinerary and learn from our mistakes. I had no time to research and blindly followed what taxi driver suggested us and wasted time and money.

Days required– 4 days

Nearby places to go – Manali/Kullu, Chail, Kufri, Naldehra/Tatapani

Best time to visit – anytime whatever suits you but please avoid summer vacation time (June) as there is a heavy inflow of tourists that may spoil your schedule and mood. People who want to relish snowfall might visit in January-February.

How to reach –

By road – Direct buses are available from Delhi (8hours) and Chandigarh (4 hours). Route from Chandigarh is very scenic, and roads are in good condition. This is the most common, convenient and cheap way to reach Shimla.

By train – Take narrow gauge train from Kalka railway station to enjoy the toy train ride to Shimla (UNESCO World Heritage site). It’s a once in lifetime journey which will ride through tunnels, bridges and spectacular views of Himalayas.

By air –The Shimla Airport has limited connectivity. A direct flight from Delhi is available. Shimla airport is 20km away from the city.

How we traveled – We reached Shimla by Volvo bus from Jaipur-very long tiring journey of 20hours. Here from the new bus stand, there is taxi service to reach the city. Rates are fixed by the taxi union.

Where to stay – Taxi drops you at Court parking area near mall road. From there, you walk to your hotel so book your hotel accordingly. Most preferred location is Mall Road.

How to go around – You have book a cab which will take Rs.1500-2500 depending on the tour and your bargaining skills.

Activities to do

1. Kalka Shimla train journey -This historic toy train crosses 105 tunnels and many beautiful rail & road stations.
2. Ice skating /Skiing- Shimla has the only natural ice-skating rink in South Asia. Visit in January and February for ice skating. Kufri also has fun parks where you can enjoy skiing.
3. Shopping on Mall Road – Shimla has the most happening Mall road, which comprises several restaurants, clubs, bars, shops, bakeries, etc.

Places to visit –

Mall road – Take a stroll on Mall road. Enjoy food, shopping and view from here. It lies below the Ridge.

The ridge – At the centre of the city, is the Ridge which is a large open space expanding along the Mall road. There is an amazing view of Snow-clad mountains. On the extreme west, lies the Scandal Point.

Christ Church – Located on the Ridge, this Church, and the Ridge are part of many Bollywood scenes.

Jakhoo hill/temple – 2km from town, lies the Jakhoo hill which is home to 100 feet Hanuman Ji Statue. Beware of bunches of fearless monkeys present there, they will snatch anything from your hand. Do carry stick along with you.

Johnnie’s Wax Museum – This one is new in the list. This wax museum is now among must-visit spot in Shimla. It is located near the lift on Mall road.

Indian Institute of Advance study – Pay a visit to this colonial-era building.

Now I am listing day trips from Shimla. These are located at a distance from the town but worth visiting. Pick your tour accordingly.

Chail – Here lies the world’s biggest Cricket Stadium and Maharaja Bhupinder Singh’s Palace hotel.

Kufri – A must-visit place if you are visiting Shimla during the winter season. You can enjoy skiing there. It also has a fun park and a zoo.

Naldehra/Tatapani – Tatapani has hot spring water emerging near river Sutlej. People enjoy taking a bath in this water, containing sulfur. Although this place is polluted and overcrowded. Also, there is river rafting activity. On the way, you will cross Naldehra, one of the oldest Golf course ground. This tour can be missed as rafting is not worth it and overpriced.

Where to eat –

• Sitaram and sons: Chhola Bhatura
• Golgappa stall, Navbhar Chowk: Pani puri
• Bihari Lal Sharma Stall, Takka Bench, above the Ridge – fruit chat
• Aunty’s Dhaba – Chinese food

Itinerary

Day 1

After check-in the hotel and having some rest, we could not stop ourselves from walking across the famous Mall road. It was peak season and some kind of festival/carnival was going on there on mall road which brought a huge crowd there. We were following the crowd, watching roadside shops-old one and new brand stores. We reached the RIDGE, took some astonishing photographs near Church and Ridge. We enjoyed the street food at various stalls and when we decided to head back to the hotel at 8 pm. We booked a taxi in advance from the hotel for the next day tour. Taxi usually charge Rs.1500 to 2500 depending on season and sightseeing.

Day 2

We checked out from the hotel and started our trip by visiting Jakhoo temple on the top of the hill. It was worth going there but be aware of monkeys there.

We earlier decided to go to Kufri sightseeing but the driver suggested us to go Tatapani and Naldehra. After horse riding in Naldehra, we reached Tatapani for river rafting, the only reason to deviate from our plan but it was just a waste of money and time. They charged Rs.5000/couple but it was more like boating. In the evening, we headed to our resort- Kufri holiday resort which was the best thing happened to us on the whole day. Kufri was much cooler than Shimla and we realized it more because we didn’t pack for it but we enjoyed the weather and went for a short walk nearby.

Day 3

It was a beautiful morning with a cool breeze. We had our buffet breakfast and checked out. Kufri is a small place with all sightseeing nearby so better you check out late and enjoy your morning at the resort. Later we visited a fun park and a zoo. The mini zoo was a waste of time and can be missed.

From there, we headed for our next stay on Kufri-Chail road. The idea was to cover Chail next day. Better you stay in Kufri. There are no good hotels on this road. Our hotel was in a small village where we couldn’t find the ATM and we were out of cash. We rested in our room the whole evening and night because there was nothing to do there, that’s another reason to stay in Kufri.

Day 4

We drive to Chail only to find more disappointment. There was nothing else to see other than Kali ka Tibaa and Chail Palace. The stadium was closed.

Temple was very far away from Chail but was worth visiting as it has very beautiful surrounding but Palace was not worth for entry charges of Rs100.

After sightseeing, we returned to Shimla to conclude our journey, but we found a new place-Johnnie’s Wax Museum. It was on the mall road near our hotel.

I hope to visit Shimla again in winter to enjoy the winter activities and enjoy the Toy Train ride.

Few tips for fellow travelers –

1. Plan the trip in January/February. You can enjoy snow activities like skating and skiing.
2. Skip Naldehra/Tatapani trip. Better go Kufri.
3. Book Kalka-Shimla train in advance.
4. Book only 1-night accommodation in Shimla (near or on Mall Road) and rest of the stay in Kufri (away from the crowd).
5. Bargain for everything- hotel, taxi, shopping, horse riding, sports adventures.
6. Don’t do river rafting in Shimla and save your money for Rishikesh.

Ratings (it is subjective and based on personal opinion)

Destination overall rating 8/10 – Queen of hills has most happening Mall road, British era buildings, winter activities, famous street food, and amazing mountain view.

Expense 4/10 – Accommodation and transportation are costly as Shimla is very overpopulated, overcrowded and commercialized now.

Travel ease 7/10 – You can easily reach Shimla from Delhi/Chandigarh and taxi/cabs are easily available there for sightseeing.

Food 7/10 – It has some very famous cafes/restaurants and street foods.