Shimla was declared the Summer capital of British India in 1864 and is now the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It has an altitude of approximately 2200 meters above sea level and is surrounded by pine, deodar and oak forests. It is also quite popular among travelers as it has a pleasant weather and offers magnificent views of natural grandeur as well as man-made marvels.
It has always been among the most preferred destinations to escape the scorching heat of the plains as the town is surrounded by green hills with snow capped peaks. Everything in Shimla has a unique appeal and never fails to impress even the most demanding tourists.
The total driving distance between Auramah Valley and Shimla is 25 Km approximately
There are various activities and things to do in Shimla like going on a nature walk, hiking, shopping or going for local sightseeing.
Some of the most popular tourist attractions in Shimla are the Ridge, the Christ Church, Jakhu Temple, Gaiety Theatre, Lakkar Bazaar, Kalibari Temple, Rashtrapati Niwas also known as Viceregal Lodge, Himachal State Museum, and Chadwick Falls etc. The historical Mall Road is the main street of the Shimla where you will find many showrooms, restaurants, cafes, departmental stores and shops. Shimla offers a number of gastronomic experiences be it fine dining or even street-food.
Here is a brief about some of the major attractions in Shimla.
The Ridge is a remarkable colossal expanse, located in Shimla at an altitude of 2205 meters above the sea level. It is a major tourist attraction of Shimla and is located at a distance of 24.8 Km from Naldehra. It is placed by the side of astounding Mall Road and links to a lot of prominent places of Shimla such as Jakhoo Hills, Summer Hill, Snowdon, Raj Bhawan Shimla, Oakover (CM's residence), etc.
The Ridge is also famous for its exceptional water tank which is placed right underneath it. This incredible water stockpile is believed to have been constructed in 1880 just with lime mortar and has an enormous capacity of 1000000 gallons of water. The historical significance and strategic location of The Ridge make it the hub of all cultural activities of Shimla. It proudly hosts all the primary government functions, events, and festivals including the summer festival of Shimla.
Built in the neo-Gothic style in 1857 to serve the largely Anglican British community in what was formerly called Simla, Christ Church is situated on The Ridge. It stands out as one of the prominent landmarks of Shimla and its silhouette is visible for kilometres around the vicinity of Shimla city. Christ Church is one of the enduring legacies of the British Raj.
Christ Church was designed by Colonel J. T. Boileau in 1844, and the cornerstone was laid on 9 September 1844 by Bishop Daniel Wilson, Bishop of Calcutta. The church was consecrated on 10 January 1857 by Bishop Thomas Daltrey, Bishop of Madras. The estimated cost of construction at that time was 40,000 to 50,000 Rupees. The clock adorning Christ Church was donated by Colonel Dumbleton in 1860.
Scandal Point is a renowned tourist attraction and is located at the intersection point of The Mall Road and The Ridge Road. There is an exciting story that goes behind the name of Scandal Point.
The Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh fell in love with the daughter of the British Viceroy. Scandal Point is the place from where he fled with the British lady. Upon this, the British authorities banned him from entering Shimla, and the Maharaja of Patiala constructed a new summer capital for himself which is now popularly known as Chail. Scandal Point is located right next to the historic General Post Office, Shimla. Here you will also spot the prestigious statue of Lala Lajpat Rai, the legendary Indian freedom fighter.
The Mall Road is undoubtedly one of the best places for tourists in Shimla. It was constructed during the British regime and is located at a distance of 25.9 Km from Naldehra. It is the prime street of Shimla that will take you through a lot of restaurants, cafes, saloons, showrooms, department stores, banks, post offices, municipal corporation office, fire station, police control room and many tourist offices. Entry of vehicles is strictly prohibited in this area.
Thus it's an ideal place where you can enjoy gentle walks with your family. You can pay a visit to the famous Himachal emporium if you want to buy local handicraft products of Himachal Pradesh like jewelry, woolen clothes, pottery and wooden items.
As the name suggests, Lakkar Bazaar is a wooden bazaar located next to the astonishing Ridge ground in Shimla. It is a significant tourist attraction, and everyone who comes to Shimla must visit this place. Lakkar Bazaar is famous for its wooden articles such as toys, walking sticks, key rings, pencil box, etc.
Vehicles are completely banned in this area, so it's a good fun place to hang out and enjoy leisure walks with your families. This is also a good marketplace to buy woolen clothes, artificial jewelry and souvenirs. Some of the most popular places in Lakkar Bazaar are Roller Skating Rink, Meena Bazaar, Tripti bakery and the Regal Building. You can also enjoy delicious street food like aloo tikki, chole bhature, chole kulche and gol gappe chat in Lakkar Bazaar
The Ice Skating Rink is located at the circular road of Shimla and is one of the oldest outdoor rinks in Asia. The Skating Rink usually gets active from December to February, i.e., during the winters. It is the only Natural Ice Skating Rink of India and welcomes some of the most elegant skaters from all around the world to exhibit their skills.
During the winters the Ice Skating sessions are conducted every day, one in the morning and one in the evening. As per your discretion, you can also avail the membership of the club either on the short or long-term basis.This club is not only a leisure hub for common masses, but a lot of eminent personalities like Indira Gandhi, Rajeev Gandhi, the ambassador of Denmark and Sir M. Hidayatullah, the Honorable Chief Justice of India had visited this place
Gaiety Theater is a notable landmark of Shimla which was established in 1877. It is located on the historical Mall Road of Shimla and has been designed by the prominent architect Mr. Henry Irwin, the man who also designed the grand, majestic structure of Viceregal Lodge Shimla. Gaiety Theater is a part of Town Hall Shimla.
Gaiety Theater is a notable landmark of Shimla which was established in 1877. It is located on the historical Mall Road of Shimla and has been designed by the prominent architect Mr. Henry Irwin, the man who also designed the grand, majestic structure of Viceregal Lodge Shimla. Gaiety Theater is a part of Town Hall Shimla.
The Shimla Heritage Museum is situated at the U.S. Club, near the Tourism Lift. It has been opened for visitors with the idea of giving them a glimpse of the heritage buildings of the British Raj. The theme of the museum is based on the concept of “Har Ghar Kuchh Kehta Hai” which means that every house a tale to tell. This is an ideal place to visit for all those who have an taste for art and history. After the independence of India in 1947, the British left back most of their belongings including the paintings of various key buildings of Shimla like the Central Hotel, Barnes Court, Oakover, Gaiety Theatre, Nabha Estate and Vidhan Sabha. All these are now part of the Shimla Heritage Museum.
The museum is generally open to the public from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM (Mon – Sat).
Johnnie's Wax Museum is located at the ancient, wooden building of Willow Banks estate on the historic Mall Road of Shimla. It is almost a minute walk away from the HPTDC's lift and has almost 16 fascinating wax statues of globally renowned personalities
The collection includes figures of Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ex-US President Barrack Obama, Pop Star Michael Jackson and Justin Bieber, Hollywood actors such as Johnny Depp, James Bond, Ironman Robert Downey Jr, Harry Potter, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Co-Founder and former CEO of Apple Inc Steve Jobs, Bollywood actor Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, Indian rapper Hirdesh Singh ( Yo Yo Honey Singh) and famous footballer Lionel Messi. It’s a worth visiting place for people of all age groups and an astonishing venue, especially for children.
Gorton Castle is a renowned heritage monument and one of the most popular tourist attractions of Shimla. The Castle has been named after the original owner of the land, Mr. Gorton.
This grand, majestic adobe was constructed in 1904 and is a pure reflection of innovative craftsmanship. Sir Swinton Jacob, a renowned British architect of that era, had designed this Neo-Gothic style inspired masterpiece. A 15 minutes leisure walk from the Scandal point will take you to the Gorton's Castle. It's a three-story building, with 125 rooms of varied sizes and is spread across an area of 400feeet X 100 feet. One of the biggest architectural spotlights of Gorton Castle is its Rajasthani jaali work on the balconies.
The charisma of Shimla's natural grandeur, magnetism, and history of its colonial structures and heritage sites attracts a lot of travelers from all across the world. Housed in a 1860s mansion this unique landmark was established in the year 1974. It is located at a distance of approximately 3 km from the Mall Road.
You can pay a visit to the Museum at any time from ten in the morning to five in the evening, from Tuesday to Sunday. The Museum has an enormous collection of sculptures, coins, photos, jewelry, handicrafts, Paintings and a lot of other precious articles. There is also a decent sized library that has an invaluable collection of historical books and manuscripts. The Himachal State Museum has been immaculately classified into five galleries namely Pre-historic gallery, Wall painting gallery, Archaeology gallery, numismatic gallery, and Woodcarving gallery.
The Peterhoff building, a heritage monument of Shimla is strategically placed between the Viceregal Lodge and State Museum at the Chaura Maidan area of Shimla. It is located at a distance of almost 3 Km from the Ridge and offers picturesque views of Choorchandani, Dhauladhar and Kinner Kailash ranges. This Tudor style building has housed at least seven Viceroys and Governor General of India during the British regime.
The Peterhoff was built in 1800's, and James Bruce was the first Viceroy to occupy it in 1862. It has been built in typical Tudor style - all wooden frames and shingled eaves. This building had also served as the High Court of Punjab and Nathuram Godse who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi went through his trial here in 1948-49.
The Himalayan Bird Park is located at an altitude of 2213 meters above the sea level. The park is situated at an easy walking distance of 3.5 Km from the famous Ridge Maidan. The foundation of Himalayan Bird Park, Chaura Maidan was done in 1971 by Sh. S. Chakravarthi, Governor of Himachal Pradesh.
This beautiful bird enclosure is located at the top of the hill and is surrounded by the trees of Deodars, Oaks, Pines, and Rhododendrons. The Himalayan Bird Park is a magnificent place for bird lovers and has a considerable collection of birds like Pheasants, Peacocks, Peafowl, etc. Natural conditions have been fabricated within the park by creating a short waterfall, water channels, and ponds. The Himalayan Bird Park remains open for the visitors from March to September
The Viceregal Lodge also known as The Rashtrapati Niwas, is located at a distance of almost 5 Km from the Scandal Point. It is strategically placed on the Observatory Hills of Shimla and was the former summer residence of the British Viceroys of India. It also served as a summer retreat for the India Presidents between 1947 and mid-1960’s.
An eminent British architect, Henry Irwin designed the legendary structure of Viceregal Lodge under the sovereignty of Lord Dufferin. The construction of this Jacobethan styled building started in 1880. Observatory Hill, the second highest point of Shimla, after Jakhoo Hills, was chosen as the site for development. In 1960 this historic monument was handed over to the Institute of Advanced Studies, and at present, it acts as a postdoctoral humanities research center.
The Annadale ground has an interesting story behind the name of this place. Captian Charles Pratt Kennedy, one of the initial explores of this valley, got so mesmerized with the beauty of this locale that he decided to name it after Anna (a lady to whom he was so attached in his young boyhood days). He mingled Anna with Dale, which means "A valley," and that's how Annadale came into being.
The Annadale ground has been used as a playground by the Britishers during the pre-independence era. The British government also used the land to organize fancy fairs, dog shows, parties, fetes, flower shows, birthday balls, gymkhanas, races, polo matches and many other activities. Now it acts as a Golf Course, a Helipad and has a Army Museum as well as a Cactus Museum.
Auramah Valley is being developed in the state of Himachal Pradesh by the Imperial Realty and Developments, a subsidiary of the Imperial Holding Group, led by its chairman, Mr Manav Singh. It is the largest luxury real estate project in Himachal.
Auramah Valley is located at a prime location in Naldehra, which is hardly 30 kms from Shimla and it is spread across 100 acres of forest land. It offers a peaceful, secure and a luxurious abode to it's residents. The homes at Auramah Valley are designed with modern architecture along with a touch of Himachali essance.
Living in Auramah Valley not only offers luxury, privacy and security but it also offers a wide array of amenities
Shimla is a colorful city, rich in culture, history, and heritage. It was the summer capital of Britishers, and after independence, it became a significant tourist attraction for Indian as well as overseas tourists. There is a lot that Shimla has to offer than the regular sightseeing places. The perfect way to explore the authentic charm and great past of Shimla is to go on a Heritage Walk that starts from Clark's hotel and ends at the Viceregal Lodge.
The Heritage Walk will take you through Shimla's most astonishing architectural heritage zones and landmarks. A bright sunny day is ideal to begin you Heritage Walk venture. It's a 4-5 hour walk so you can start up at around 10.00 AM in the morning. It is recommended to hire a professional guide as you will get all the information about the history, culture, and heritage of Shimla.
Jakhoo Temple is an ancient Temple in Shimla, dedicated to Lord Hanuman and it rests at the highest peak of Shimla at about 2455 meter above the sea level. The Temple can also be reached on the back of ponies/horses that can be hired from the Ridge. The 108-foot tall statue of the Lord Hanuman can be seen from anywhere in Shimla.
It is believed that Hanuman stopped here to rest for some time while he was searching for Sanjivni Booti to resuscitate Lakshmana. You can find his footprints engraved on a marble in the main temple complex. The Temple complex and the surrounding areas are full of monkeys, so it is advisable to secure all your personal belongings and be on your guard all the time. Carrying a stick is also a good idea as it will help you with the climb and also keep the monkeys away.
Tara Devi temple is situated on the Western part of the Shimla Town. It is positioned amidst a thick forest of oak and rhododendron on the top of the Tarav Parvat and offers scenic views of the lofty Himalayas surrounding the town.The temple is about 15 km away from the Shimla city along the National Highway 22 and one has to take a U-pin curve at the starting of Shoghi to be there.
Widely known for its spiritual and heritage value, the Tara Devi temple is believed to be built around 250 years back and it is believed that the Goddess Tara Devi came all the way from Bengal to Himachal Pradesh. Hence, this temple is dedicated to the Goddess of Stars.During its early days, the enchanting temple had a wooden idol of Tara Devi placed in its complex and now the temple has been redesigned and looks more beautiful. It is worth a visit for anyone seeking both peace and blessings.
Dorje Drak monastery is an addition to the attractions of Shimla. The original Darje Drak monastry was one of the Six "Mother" Nyingma Monasteries in Tibet which was destroyed by the Chinese during the Battle of Chamdo. So this was built in Shimla in 1984 to replace the original.
It is a beautiful Buddhist monastery that displays the prevalence of Tibetan culture in the state. The monks meditating in the monastery is quite a sight to watch. The calm ambience of this place is a delight for people seeking moments of repose. Dorje Drak monastery is run by the Tibetan exiles. If you wish to see the monastery in full glory, then visit it during the popular Hemis festival which is celebrated here every year during the month of May in the honour of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava).
