Shimla is the capital of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, in the Himalayan foothills. Once the summer capital of British India, it remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway, completed in 1903. It’s also known for the handicraft shops that line The Mall, a pedestrian avenue, as well as the Lakkar Bazaar, a market specializing in wooden toys and crafts.Elevation: 2,276 m
Area: 35.34 km²
Weather: 1 °C, Wind W at 5 km/h, 80% Humidity
District: Shimla
Local time: Wednesday, 3:04 pm
Metro population: 1,71,640
Jakhoo Hill : Jakhoo Hill is 2 km from the Ridge, at a height of 2500m. Jakhu Hill is the highest peak in Shimla and offers a beautiful view of the town and of the Himalayas. At the top of the Jakhu Hill, is an old temple of Hanuman, which is also the home of countless playful monkeys. The Hanuman Mandir at the top of Jakhu hill is the highest point in town. This Hanuman Mandir is one of the most favoured spots for tourists and pilgrims. The monkeys around the temple surprisingly do attack people; they however look for food from tourist and pilgrims. It is a steep 45 minute walk to the top of the hill, however for those who are not familiar with hill or mountain climbing it will take more than an hour. On the way to the top of the hill, there are beautiful views of hills, surrounding valleys, huge trees and of course the playful monkeys jumping from one tree to another.
Glen : Glen is a popular picnic spot around 4 km from Shimla. The place is surrounded by pine and deodar trees, with greenery and rolling slopes making it an enjoyable tourist spot. The scenic beauty of the place charms the tourists to this reserve forest, which is also known to be Shimla's oldest picnic place. The place is known for its serenity and the nearby falling Chadwick falls also attract a number of tourists. Glen is approachable from two different ways – from Cecil Hotel and Kennedy House. From Scandal point, which is another tourist spot, one can walk to reach Glen. Besides, taking a taxi is another option.
Summer Hill : Summer Hill is situated at an altitude of 1283 meter above the sea level. The Summer Hill of Shimla is a spot on the way of Shimla to Kalka and is only five kilometers from the Ridge of Shimla.The people can also have a joyful ride on the horses' back through the dense forest region of Cedar and Oak. For all those who want to get away for a while from the busy life, can get a peace of mind in the cool climate of the Summer Hill of Shimla. The Summer Hill of Shimla for its enormous beauty has developed into a major tourist destination over the years.
Chadwick Falls : The Shimla Chadwick falls flow from a height of 1586 meters. This fall of Shimla is a very favorite destination of the visitors. The fall is encircled with thick green woods from all sides and looks amazing in the midst of steep hills of pine and deodar. The standing woods make the place look all the more exotic and ravishing. The water of the Chadwick falls of Shimla is very cold and bracing. The water of this fall increases after the monsoon gets over in September. This is the best time to visit the Chadwick falls of Shimla as the water dazzles in a way as if someone has scattered crystals all around. The pace of the waterfall is very fast. The sight of this bubbling waterfall will soothe one's eyes and make him wonder at nature's wondrous bounty.
Zoo : This zoo at Shimla can be easily reached by boarding a bus that is available at the Shimla bus terminal and takes about a minimum span of forty five minutes to reach the zoo. This forest is surrounded by thick green trees of various kinds that adds a different beauty to the place altogether.zoo at Shimla is the abode to a large number of endangered species like the Himalayan brown bear, the sloth bear, the panther and so on. Besides, a very rarely found snow leopard is also seen there in this zoo of Shimla. The tourists from not only India but abroad too visit this untamed wildlife region to find themselves in union with this part of the world that is so rare.
Tara Devi Temple :Tara Devi Temple, located in Shimla is a very famous tourist attraction of this place. Situated at a distance of around 11 kilometers from Shimla, this famous temple can be visited while traveling on the Kalka - Shimla National Highway. The Tara Devi Temple is situated at the top of a hill in Simla and the lush green environs surrounding it give the temple a very peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. One must visit this temple to check out the breath taking views of the countryside. The backdrop of the lofty Himalayas and the clean and fresh air works wonders and makes your vacation worthwhile.
Institute of Advance Studies : The First building to strike the eye when one comes up to Shimla by rail is The Viceregal Lodge or better known today as The Indian Institute of Advanced Study. The Building which had witnessed the most turbulent phase in Indian history-the slow coming of the Viceroys, their cloaks and ermine tippets to their their sudden and swift departure. It saw the change in its inmates from politicians and generals to professors and scholars.
Aviary at Old Raj Bhavan: The Aviary has a large collection of Himalayan as well as exotic birds.
Kufri :16 kms. Well known for its ski slopes. Commands good views. It also has a Potato Research Station. Shimla has an added attraction of Mini zoo amidst dense forest to the tourists where a rare breed of wild animals and pheasants species commonly found in Himalayan forest region have been kept in natural habitat. Spread over an area of twenty hectares of land with rich flora and fauna about 140 wild animals including pheasants of different verities 'Monal' the State bird of Himachal Pradesh and one of the endangered species of Himalayan region has been the other attractions of this zoo also been placed safely in this mini zoo. The other attraction of this zoo are Tibetan wolf, Brown Bear and Barking Deer. There are other popular wild animals species in the Mini zoo such as leopard, Ghoral, Samber, Himalayan Thar, Yak, black bear and number of pheasants varieties. Himalayan Nature Park has been set up at Kufri in 1992 which is spread in 90 hectare area and mini zoo has been set up in this Park.
Shimla is popularly known as “Queen of Hill Stations." Situated in the north-West Himalayas, Shimla the summer capital of India before independence is now the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla derives its name from "Shyamala"; the goddess Kali, whose temple existed in the dense forest that covered Jakhu Hill in the early 19th century. The name Shimla is derived from the Himalayan Goddess Shamla a synonym of Kali. The English named it Simla. Shimla is Covering the area of 18 sq. km. at a height of 7,238 ft. Shimla is surrounded by pine, deodar, oak and rhododendron forests. It’s well developed facilities, easy accessibility and numerous attractions make it one of Indian's most popular and biggest hill-stations.
The important hills are Jakhu ( 2,455 meters ), Prospect Hill ( 2,328 meters ), Observatory Hill ( 2,350 meters ), Elysigim Hill ( 2,466 meters ) and Summer Hill ( 2,300 meters ).
Trekking : The Shimla-Kinnaur region offers some exciting trekking opportunities viz.
a) Shimla to Kulu via Jaloni Pass (66 kms).
b) Shimla to Kulu via Bashleo Pass (56 kms).
c) Sarahen to Sangla (106 kms).
How To Reach Shimla
Access by Air : The nearest airport is Jubbarhatti 23 km.
Access by Rail : There is broad gauge railway line up to Kalka and thereafter narrow gauge line up to Shimla 90 km. ) with 103 tunnels.
Access by Road : Almost each and every part of the state is linked by roads. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation is running its buses covering the whole state. There is huge network of HRTC to cater the needs of the people.
Distance : Manali 260 km., Mandi 150 km., Palampur 235 km., Dharamshala ( via Hamirpur ) 235 km., Dalhousie 336 km., Sarahan 175 km., Sangla 230 km., Kalpa 244 km., Tabo 374 km., Kaza 421 km., Keylong ( via Kunzum Pass ) 610 km., Hatkoti 109 km., Chigaon 137 km., Kssauli 75 km., Renuka 165 km., Delhi 370 km., Pathankot 295 km., Chandigarh 117 km.
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