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This pleasant sprawling town set among the pine-clad hills presents the visitor with glimpses of fading colonial charm. The buildings, the Mall, the picnic spots tell you the story of the era when it was the summer capital of the British India. A visit to the Mall brings you to the centre of activity in the city. Move around the city and you get to see some of the fascinating sights of the landscape around.
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Jakhoo
Hill is the highest point in Shimla and offers
a panoramic view of the city. Glen forest is
one of the most fascinating picnic spots in
Shimla. Summer Hill has pleasant shady walks
in quite surroundings. Chadwick Falls are
situated amidst thick forest and gives a
breathtaking view. Prospect Hill is a popular
picnic spot that gives some beautiful views of
the region. Institute of Advance Studies is a
renaissance structure used initially as
Vice-regal lodge. Sankat Mochan is a temple
dedicated to Lord Hanuman while Taradevi
Temple is dedicated to Goddess Tara Devi, the
Hindu variant of Tibetan Goddess Drolma.
Himachal State Museum has some interesting
collection of objects from all over Himachal
Pradesh.
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The Mall
The Mall, which runs
along the Ridge, is the main shopping centre of the
Shimla. Filled with shops and restaurants, you will
find the Mall always crowded with tourists. The
Gaiety Theatre, which is a reproduction of an old
British theatre, is a centre of cultural activities.
The Ridge, an open space in the heart of the town,
presents excellent view of the mountain ranges. The
Mall further joins the Ridge at the 'Scandal Point'
where a statue of the nationalist leader Lala Lajpat
Rai has been erected.
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Jakhoo Hill
About 2.5 km from the city lies the Jahkoo hill at a height of about 2455 metres. The peak, highest in Shimla, offers a panoramic view of the town. The Jakhoo temple, dedicated to Lord Hanuman, is also located here.
Glen
The Glen forests lie
at a distance of about 4 km from the Ridge at an
altitude of 1830 metres. An ice-cold stream flows
through the forest making it one of the fascinating
picnic spots in the city.
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Summer Hill
About 7 km from the
city, at a height of 1983 metres, is the Summer
Hill. This picturesque spot lies on the Shimla-Kalka
railway line and has pleasant shady walks in quiet
surroundings. The place is also associated with
Mahatma Gandhi as he had stayed in the Georgian
House of Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur during his visit to
Shimla. The Himachal Pradesh University is situated
here.
Chadwick Falls
You can reach these 67-metre-high falls from Summer Hill from where it is about 45 minutes walk. The falls, surrounded by thick forests, are situated at about 7 km from the city at a height of 1586
metres.
Prospect Hill
A popular picnic spot, the Prospect Hill offers excellent views of the surrounding country. The Hill is a 15-minute climb from Boileauganj and is located at about 5 km west of
Shimla.
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Institute of Advance Studies
About 4 kilometres from the city lies the Indian Institute of Advance Studies. The institute was formerly the Vice-regal Lodge. Besides the magnificent English renaissance structure, the lawns and woodland of the institute are the other sources of attractions. You will have to buy a ticket to enter the place.
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Taradevi Temple
Dedicated to Tara Devi, a Hindu version of the Tibetan Goddess Drolma, the temple lies at about 11 km from Shimla on the Shimla-Kalka road. This holy place is also accessible by rail.
Himachal State Museum
The state museum lies at about 3 km from the city centre. It has some good collection of statues, miniatures, coins, photos and other items from around Himachal
Pradesh.
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Sankat Mochan
Sankat Mochan is located on the road to Chandigarh at about 7 km from Shimla. Here a temple dedicated Lord Hanuman can be found. You can also get a fine view of Shimla from here.
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Weekend Trips/Excursions
The excursions around Shimla are equally interesting experience as they unveil to you the glory of the Raj era. You can take a trip to the oldest and highest golf course in India and to the world's highest cricket ground. For the religious minded, the ancient temples around the Shimla are worth a visit. Naldhera is a small but pleasant town, which houses the highest golf course in the country. Tattapani is known for its hot water springs. Wildflower Hall is the former residence of British Commander-in-Chief Kitchener, now run as a hotel. Mashobra is a small village surrounded by thick forests and offers pleasant walks. Craignano is a beautiful picnic spot with a rest house on the hilltop. Kufri is a great place to enjoy its sylvan atmosphere and go for some adventure sports like hiking and trekking. Chail is a lush green town formerly capital of the Maharaja of Patiala.
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Naldhera
A pleasant little town, Naldhera is famous for having the oldest and the highest golf course in India. The town, perched at an altitude of 2,050 metres, is around 23 km from Shimla. An ancient Nag temple is also situated here. It is said that Lord Curzon was so enchanted by this place that he named his daughter after it.
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Tattapani
Tattapani is located at about 65 km from Shimla on the Shimla-Mandi highway. The place is famous for its hot water springs that have sulphur content. You can also visit the nearby Hindu temples and Shiv Goofa at Saraur (4 km).
Wildflower Hall
This building at Charabra, about 13 km from Shimla, was built as residence of the then British Commander-in-Chief Lord Kitchener. The place was run as a hotel by the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation before it was severely damaged in a fire in 1993. The hotel is under renovation and is expected to reopen soon.
Mashobra
The small village of Mashobra lies at about 13 km from Shimla on Shimla-Naldhera road. The village is surrounded by thick forests and offers some pleasant walks including one to Sipi where a fair is held every year. A temple dedicated to Goddess Durga is worth visiting.
Craignano
At 2,149 metres above the sea level and 16 kilometres from Shimla, Craignano is a beautiful picnic spot with a hilltop rest house and well laid out lawns and gardens.
Kufri
Kufri lies 16 kilometres to the east of Shimla at an altitude of 2,510 metres above sea level. The surrounding countryside here offers you a good opportunity for hiking especially to the nearby Mahasu peak. The town also hosts a winter sports festival.
Chail
Forty-three kilometres from Shimla lies the lush green town of Chail, a former summer capital of the Maharaja of Patiala. The town is built on three hills, one of which is topped with the Chail Palace, the other with the Chail village, and the third one by the Snowview mansion. Three kilometres from the village lies the world's highest cricket ground at a height of 2,250 metres. Chail is also a hiker's paradise. There is a wildlife sanctuary at a distance of 3 km from here.
To book your tours to Shimla, or for more information on Shimla tourist attractions, please fill up the form given below.
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