Enchanting Shimla: Unveiling the Mystique of Thrills, Serenity, and Local Delicious Treats
- Akagra Agarwal
- Jul 7, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 8, 2023
Do you want The Ultimate Guide to Shimla which covers Thrills, guarantees Serenity, and takes you to a tour of all the Culinary Delights? Then check out this post by The Wanderers for a complete guide for your Shimla vacation.
I have always heard about Shimla; you must have too. I was also told by my parents that I had been there as a 1-year-old, and I always said that it didn’t count. When I went to Shimla recently on a mixed trip of travelling with family and solo, they realized that I had never come to Shimla before. How? The beauty of Shimla reminded them of every moment they spent here almost 22 years ago. So, when it comes to the hype of Shimla, I had always thought I will be let down, but I wasn’t. Though it might not be as thrilling as Manali, but Shimla is much more developed and pretty enough to give you a complete experience.
The Wanderers has covered Reaching Shimla, Stay at Shimla, Tours as well as Best Food Places in this blog post:
How To Reach Shimla?
Reaching Shimla is fun and thrilling if you choose to drive to this hill station. You will find four-lane roads till this hill station starting from Chandigarh. Though driving to reach Shimla in monsoon or heavy snow is not recommended for the roads flood and slip.
Other option for road is to take a bus/ taxi. Taxi will cost you more, but bus will take a little more time. If you choose the bus option, try going for the government operated HRTC Volvo buses because I have been told that they take lesser time and have more experienced drivers compared to the private counterparts who provide the same bus for your journeys for a similar price mostly on the lower side. I have not travelled by a Volvo HRTC bus yet and I will share my experience once I do, but if you do decide to go forward with your journey via this mode, do not forget to opt for the Semi-sleeper/ Sleeper AC Volvos.
Now the third mode is via train. You can reach Kalka via train and then change to a toy train that will take you on a beautiful journey through the mountains as you pass through 107 tunnels. Flights? Yes, Shimla offers you another option, of flights as well. Shimla has an airport but is mostly non-functional so it is advisable to take a flight till Chandigarh which is well connected by major airports of the country and then take a cab from here.
Well you are here now, in Shimla. Now, what place is the best for you? Don't worry The Wanderers has got you covered on that!
Where To Stay In Shimla?
The Wanderers suggests choosing to stay away from the main city. You can even opt to stay in Nadhera, Mashobra or a nearby village area in a cottage/ hostel to make the most of your trip by enjoying nature in the purest form. If you opt to stay in a cottage at the outskirts of Shimla, I assure you that you will have a serene experience and your trip will be memorable! There are many cottages and hostels available in these areas as well as in Shimla, away from the city noise so choose among them.
If choose to stay within the main city, I would suggest sticking near the mall road to make your travel to nearby places easier as vehicles are not allowed on the mall road in Shimla. Hotel Marina is the last point that your cab driver would leave you at, and from there it is a 350 meters walk to the mall road. However, you can also opt to get down at the Lift area. Still, a similar distance will have to be travelled to go to the main attractions of the Mall Road. So, do consider this while choosing a place to stay in Shimla.
However, do not stress much if your stay doesn't manage to beat the Shimla city's noise because there are many places within this hill station that will bring peace to you. So check out the next section for a complete, thrilling yet serene experience!
Experiencing Shimla Completely: Thrill and Serenity's Mix?
To experience Shimla completely you not only need to visit attractions of the main city but also visit nearby places for a complete and serene experience. There are three major tours that you must take for the same.
Tour #1: The City Tour?
Places To Cover: Tara Devi temple, Doodhari Temple, Viceregal Lodge/ Advanced Studies (IIAS), Sankatmochan Temple, Mall Road and Christ Church
Days Required: 1
Cost: 1200-2000 (depending upon the season)
You will require a cab for this trip. The Wanderers like always recommends advance booking of taxi. A quick tip from my side is to book the taxi in advance for all the 3 or more tours with the same operator to avail discounts/ negotiated prices. On this tour, do not forget to visit Doodhari Temple which is just a small trek away from the Tara Devi temple. Both temples are beautiful, the trek is nice and the view are good. Both the temples will provide you with the peace you have been waiting for, definitely the Doodhari Temple as it isn't visited by many tourists. Do visit Viceregal Lodge, also called Advanced Studies (IIAS) now. The place used to be the headquarter, the ruling stage of the Viceroy of British India for 8 months in a year. The architecture of the structure is brilliant and the gardens surrounding it are serene. I recommend taking the guided tour into the inside of the lodge to understand its significance and be mesmerized by the beauty of the structure. Next, you can visit Sankatmochan Mandir nearby which offers one of the best near-panoramic views of the hill station. After returning, you can head to Mall Road, enjoy delicacies there (don't worry food is covered in this article too) and visit Christ Church near The Ridge.
Tour #2: The Offbeat Tour
Places Covered: Mashobra Valley, Naldhera, Tattapani, Jakhoo Temple
Days Required: 1
Cost: 1800-2500 (depending upon the season)
Book a cab and head out to a tour outside Shimla from a tunnel of 18th century. You will first visit Mashobra valley where you will find an apple garden which is operated by the government, CP fair ground which is basically a plain area for you to relaxe, and you can head out to Cregnano Natural Park which offers a serene yet thrilling experience of forests. However, the the nature park has not been maintained well by the authorities but is still a fun experience.
Next you will head to Naldhera, which has one of the world's oldest and highest Golf Courses. You can opt to either trek which wouldn;t be very easy because the path tends to get rocky and slippery after rains or you can also opt to horse ride to get a peek of the golf course and two old temples. Vehicles are not allowed on the top so the two options mentioned are exhaustive. Naldhera also has various cottages that you can opt for your stay. One can also enter the golf course by paying an entry fee to have a shot at the highest golf course of the country.
Now after returning to your cab, you will be taken to Tattapani, which is a city situated on the banks of River Sutlej. The route till Tattapani is scenic and you will enjoy the entire road trip. At Tattapani you can take a dip in the natural hot spring pools. The water of hot springs is claimed to cure skin problems due to abundance of sulphur. If this isn't thrilling enough, push the peddle further by enjoying several watersports activities. You get the options of river rafting, jet skiing, having a ride on the banana boat and more!
On your way back to Shimla, visit Jakhoo temple which is situated at the highest peak of Shimla. The temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman. This is a must visit place within Shimla as the views are amazing and you get the options to trek/ drive to reach the temple.
Tour 3: The Snow Adventure
Places Covered: Kufri and Narkanda
Days Required: 1
Cost: 2500-3000 (depending upon the season)
Just 20 KM away from Shimla lies Kufri which is at more height and is more prone to receiving snow. You can let yourselves be mesmerized yourself with the panoramic views of the valley or also set yourselves out for a trekking adventure. You can visit Kufri Fun World, The Himalayan National Park, Mahasu Peak. Visitng the Chail Palace built by the Maharaja of Patiala and taking time to appreciate the architectural beauty of the palace is strongly suggested by The Wanderers.
Next up is Narkanda, the snowy heaven. Enjoy snow at this hill station. You must visit Hatu Peak and a temple called Hatu Temple here. This is the highest peak of the Shimla district. Forget about everything else and enjoy the snow here and do not forget to expect and hope for snowfall! You can also visit Tannu Jubbar Lake and Stokes Apple Farm.
On your way back to Shimla, do take out time to head to the Mall Road. After each tour, I would suggest visiting the Mall Road to explore it completely and enjoy everything here. The Mall Road of Shimla is quite long and fun to explore. The night life is amazing and The Ridge is one of my Favorite hangout spots.
Food: Don't Wonder About It, Just Wander For It
Traveling can be sometimes exhaustive and all you want after a long and tiring trek is good food. And good for you because Shimla has some amazing food joints and cafes to fill your tummy and satisfy your tongue too. Here is The Wanderers' complete list of best food joints in the town based on various YouTube reviews and friends' suggestions favorite (I have personally tried out most of them):
Food Joints
1. Sita Ram & Son: Chana Luchchi is very famous - Rs 50
Address - Lakkar Bazar, Shimla
Location: https://goo.gl/Cqs7tM
2. Himachali Rasoi: Thalis to enjoy Himlayan cuisine - Rs 250
Address - 54, Middle Bazaar, Shimla
Location: https://goo.gl/xCqo4K
3. Trishool Bakers : Japanese Pastry- 80 Rs (I would suggest trying out other bakery items from this bakery like eclairs pastry as the Japanese is not that great anymore and the wait is too long)
Address - Middle Bazaar, Shimla
Location: https://goo.gl/aQuzrc
4. Mehru’s sweets: Chaat
Address: Lower bazar, Shimla
Location: https://goo.gl/dfQbe3
5. Nathuram Lachhman Das: Doodh Jalebi Rs. 70
Address: Lower Bazar, Shimla
Location: https://goo.gl/nQwV5D
Cafes and Restaurants:
1. Café sol
Mall Road
2. Wood Street Cafe
Lakkar Bazar
3. Wake and Bake Cafe
Mall Road
4. Indian Coffee House (for South Indian food)
5. Café Shimla Times
6. Shimla Brewing Company
So this would be it from The Wanderers side for this post but do check out some Bonus content on Shimla! Yes, you will be amazed to know what more Shimla can offer you.
Like I always say, contact me for any relevant details you would want to know and do leave comments below if you want The Wanderers to make content on something you would like us to.
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