Shimla — Queen of Hills

Shimla

The Queen of Hills · Best season: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov, Dec–Feb · 300–3700 m

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About Shimla

Shimla, the state capital, served as the summer capital of British India from 1864. The district blends Victorian architecture — the Viceregal Lodge, Christ Church, Gaiety Theatre — with dense cedar and rhododendron forests. Beyond the city, Shimla district offers Narkanda for skiing, Rampur for tribal culture, Chail for the world's highest cricket ground, and Rohru for off-the-beaten-path apple orchards.

Quick Facts

District HQ
Shimla
Area
5131 km²
Altitude
300–3700 m
Best Season
Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov, Dec–Feb (snow)
Summer Temp
15–30°C
Winter Temp
-5–10°C
Nearest Airport
Shimla Airport (Jubbarhatti)
From Delhi
343 km

Top Places to Visit (23)

The Ridge & Mall Road

2,213 mShimla town centre
  • Ceremonial and social heart of British Shimla, summer capital of India from 1864 to 1939
  • Christ Church (1857), one of the oldest churches in northern India, anchors the eastern end
  • Gaiety Theatre (1887) on Mall Road still hosts live performances
  • Traffic-free promenade with panoramic views of the Shivalik and Dhauladhar ranges
Jakhu Temple

Jakhu Temple

2,455 m2 km trek from the Ridge
  • Highest point of the Shimla ridge; one of Himachal's most visited Hanuman temples
  • Forest trail home to a large, bold population of rhesus monkeys
  • Ropeway (gondola) links the Ridge to the hilltop
  • 33-metre Hanuman statue installed in 2010, visible across central Shimla

Viceregal Lodge

Observatory HillCompleted 1888
  • Former official summer residence of the British Viceroy; now Indian Institute of Advanced Study
  • Scottish baronial architecture in grey limestone, with terraced gardens
  • Hosted the Shimla Conference of 1945, which shaped the Partition of India
  • Guided tours through the state rooms, library and Viceregal office
Kufri

Kufri

2,622 m16 km from Shimla
  • Most accessible skiing and snow-play spot from the state capital, Dec–Feb
  • Himalayan Nature Park: snow leopards, Himalayan brown bears, pheasants
  • Summer base for yak rides and walks to Mahasu Peak (2,850 m)
  • Drive passes through apple orchards, best in late September
Narkanda

Narkanda

2,708 mOld Hindustan-Tibet Road
  • One of Shimla district's highest towns and a major apple-growing belt
  • Orchards bloom white in May; harvest crates line the roads Aug–Oct
  • Government ski slopes on Hatu ridge, open January–March
  • Hatu Peak temple (3,400 m) a 7 km drive away

Chail

2,250 mSolan / Shimla border
  • Created in 1891 by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala
  • Chail Palace, now a heritage hotel run by Himachal Tourism
  • Chail Cricket Ground (1893) — Guinness-certified as the world's highest cricket ground
  • Forest sanctuary with pheasants, barking deer and leopard

Rampur

1,000 mOn the Satluj river
  • Historic trading post on the old Tibet road, known as Rampur Bushahr
  • Annual Lavi Fair (November), running for 300+ years
  • Padam Palace blends Mughal, Tibetan and European architecture
  • Gateway town to Kinnaur

Rohru

1,525 mOn the Pabbar river
  • Premium apple-growing valley, far less touristed than central Shimla
  • Pabbar river is a recognised brown trout fishery (permit system)
  • Chirgaon (30 km) is base for winter walks and the Chanshal Pass route (4,520 m, opens June)
  • Among the most offbeat valley experiences in the district

Tattapani

River-levelOn the Satluj
  • Natural sulphur hot springs — the name means 'hot water'
  • Springs now partially submerged by the Koldam dam reservoir
  • River rafting on the Tattapani–Sunni stretch (14 km), Oct–Apr
  • Warmer microclimate makes it a popular winter escape from Shimla
Hatu Peak

Hatu Peak

3,400 mNear Narkanda
  • Highest point in the Narkanda area, reached by paved road through fir and deodar forest
  • Ancient Hatu Mata temple stands at the summit
  • 360° views: Kinnaur Kailash, Dhauladhar and Spiti peaks
  • Popular pre-dawn drive for sunrise viewing

Glen

1,830 m4 km from the Ridge
  • Quiet forested hollow with a small stream through deodar cover
  • Easy, shaded walk down from Mall Road
  • Passes the old Cecil Hotel and Kennedy House
  • Popular half-day picnic spot, quieter by afternoon

Summer Hill

2,123 m5 km from the Ridge
  • One of Shimla's original residential suburbs, on a gentler slope
  • Home to Himachal Pradesh University
  • Quiet lanes between old colonial bungalows and campus housing
  • Cafés cater to a student crowd rather than tour groups

Kamna Devi (Prospect Hill)

2,145 m5 km from the Ridge
  • Kamna Devi temple crowns the summit near Boileauganj
  • Panoramic view of Shimla town, Jutogh, Summer Hill and Tara Devi
  • Best light in the last hour before sunset
  • A quieter alternative to the busier Jakhu Hill

Wild Flower Hall

Forested hillside13 km from Shimla
  • Former residence of the Commander-in-Chief of British India
  • Rebuilt as a luxury hotel after a major fire destroyed the original
  • Nearby: Lord Curzon's 'Retreat' and 'Hem Kunj', former Punjab Governor's resort
  • Set within dense pine forest with views toward the snow line
Tara Devi

Tara Devi

2,100 m8 km from Shimla
  • Hilltop temple reached by a short climb through pine forest
  • Calmer alternative to the busier Ridge-area temples
  • Views over the valley toward Kasumpti
  • Shimla's railway line visible winding below

Mashobra

2,149 m13 km from Shimla
  • Old forest town with apple orchards and quiet walking trails
  • Hosts the annual Sipi Fair every June
  • Coutts' Garden: planted 1887, 100+ English apple varieties
  • Rainwater-harvesting tanks from 1889 still functional
  • Now part of the Fruit Research Centre under Dr YS Parmar Horticulture University

Naldera

3,044 m22 km from Shimla
  • One of India's oldest golf courses (nine holes), laid out by Lord Curzon in 1903
  • Broad grassy plateau ringed by deodar forest
  • Surrounding villages hold temples in distinctive hill architecture
  • Popular half-day trip from Shimla

Fagu

2,510 m22 km from Shimla
  • Small, quiet hamlet surrounded by apple orchards
  • Recognised trekking stage toward Shali Peak and Churdhar
  • Sweeping Himalayan views, far less developed than Kufri or Narkanda
State Museum, Shimla

State Museum, Shimla

Colonial mansionNear Mall Road
  • Stone sculptures: Varuna (Masrur), Vishnu (Nirmand), Vishnu-Lakshmi on Garuda (Mandi)
  • Three-faced Shiva and Simha Vahini Durga, both originally from Kullu
  • Kangra school miniature paintings and Chamba wall paintings
  • Galleries for arms, coins (Tankri/Nagari scripts), Gandhi, Pahari dolls and philately

Gorton Castle

Mid-19th centuryShimla town
  • Named for an Indian Civil Service officer; later owned by banker Sir James Walker
  • Neo-Gothic redesign by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, with Rajasthani-style stone jaalis
  • Housed colonial government departments from 1905
  • Now the office of the Accountant-General of Himachal Pradesh
  • Top two storeys destroyed in a fire, January 2014

Junga

~26 km from Shimla
  • Former capital of the princely state of Keonthal, founded 1211 AD by Giri Sen
  • Old wooden Junga Palace, 300+ years old, built by Raja Sansar Sen
  • Newer 19th-century palace built nearby at Chowri
  • Keonthal state merged into Himachal Pradesh after independence
  • Quiet destination known for temples, orchards and birdlife

Hatkoti (Pabbar Valley)

95 km from ShimlaPabbar Valley
  • Known as the 'valley of temples' for its density of ancient shrines
  • Durga and Shiva temples in Shikhara style, from three historical periods
  • Legendary founding attributed to Shankaracharya; reroofed under Raja Padam Chandra of Jubbal
  • Rare bronze Mahishasurmardini Durga image; torna with a 9th-century inscription
  • Protected by the Archaeological Survey of India
  • Pabbar river here is a recognised trout fishery
Sarahan

Sarahan

2,165 m~174 km from Shimla
  • Home to the Bhimakali Temple, a fusion of Hindu and Buddhist architecture
  • Gateway town to Kinnaur
  • Sports Authority of India's High Altitude Training Centre located here
  • Views toward the Srikhand range and Sutlej valley

Local Food

Madra (chickpea curry)Babru (kachori variant)Chha GoshtSepu Badi

Famous For

Toy Train (UNESCO)Viceregal LodgeApple OrchardsSkiing at Kufri/Narkanda

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