Shimla
 Deep
in the foothills of Himalayas, the hill station is approached via
unfeasible sinuous route that winds from the plains of the Kalka across
nearly 100 kms of precipitous river valleys, pine forests and mountain
sides swathed in maize terraces and apple orchids at an altitude of 2159
m with a superb panorama with the snowy peaks of the great Himalayas
lies the magnificent place called Shimla. The little village of Shymala,
transformed under the British to the quaint town of Shimla which
attracts tourists from around the globe. This was the erstwhile
summer capital of the British. One can indulge in adventure sports and
activities like river rafting, angling for trout trekking and rock
climbing.
Accommodation at Shimla:
WelcomHeritage Woodville Palace,
Hotel De Park new,
East Bourne Resort,
Hotel Silverine
Weather and Best Time to Visit:
Temperature (deg C): Summer- Max.27, Min.14.5; Winter- Max.16.5, Min.5.2.
The best season to visit would be from April to August and December to January.
Major Attractions at Shimla
State Museum
About 2.5 kms west of Scandal Point, the state museum has a good collection of statues, miniatures, coins, photos and other items from around Himachal Pradesh and is worth a visit.
Jakhu Temple
Dedicated to the monkey god, Hanuman, Jakhu temple is east of the town centre near the highest point of the Shimla ridge. It offers a fine view over the surrounding valleys out to the snow capped eaks and over Shimla itself. Appropiately there are many monkeys around the temple.
Kasauli
About 12 kms from the Shimla to Kalka road, Kasauli is a charming place and a popular side trip from Shimla, or an alternative to staying in Shimla. There are numerous lovely walks around Kasauli, including one to Sanawar, another picturesque hill town and the location of a famous colonial college.
Chail
Chail was created by the Maharaja of Patiala as a summer capital after his expulsion from Shimla. The town is built on three hills - one is topped by the Chail Palace, one by the village itself and the other by the Snowview mansion. Three kilometres from the village is the world's highest cricket ground built in 1893. There is also a wildlife sanctuary 3 kms from Chail.
Mashobra
About 11 kms from Shimla, the small village of Mashobra has some pleasant walks, including one to Sipi, where there is a fair and a wooden temple dedicated to Shiva.
Naldehra
15 kms further north, at an altitude of 2050m, Naldehra is a pleasant little village. It is mostly famous for having one of the oldest and highest golf courses in India. There is even a temple, the Mahunag Mandir, in the middle of the course.
Access
Air: The airport at
Jubbar-Hatti is 23 km from Shimla with Kulu, Chandigarh & Delhi.
Rail: Shimla is connected by a narrow guage railway line with Kalka (90 kms) which in turn is connected with the major cities in India.
Road: Regular bus services connect Shimla with Chandigarh 117 kms, Kullu 220 kms, Manali 260 kms, Delhi 343 kms, Mandi 150 kms, Pathankot 380 kms, Ambala 151 kms, Chail 43 kms, Dehradun 240 kms etc.
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