Shimla, India, known as the Queen of the Hills, is the capital of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. It’s a gorgeous hill station unlike anywhere else I’ve been to. Due to it’s high altitude and cooler temperatures, it was declared the summer capital of British India from 1864-1947, which is still visible in the architecture of this amazing city. Shimla was also one of my favorite places in India!
When to Visit Shimla
The best time to visit Shimla is from March to June. Due to its high elevation, the temperature is much cooler than in other parts of India. It’s also a really popular location for hiking and other adventure activities.
Shimla is also popular to visit from December to February as there’s a chance of seeing snow. However winter in Shimla is COLD and some hotels don’t have heating. Make sure you bring enough warm clothes and make sure your hotel has heat (if you want it). I spent 3 nights in Shimla at the end of January. It starting snowing a little a 31st, and I woke up to a ton of snow on February 1st! Personally I think the winter is an amazing time to visit Shimla as it was gorgeous seeing the colorful buildings on the hills covered in snow!
How to Get to Shimla
There are many different ways that one can get to Shimla, including trains, the scenic toy train, and buses. However there are some things one should know before going to Shimla!
Shimla is located in the foothills of the Himalayas. It’s 2,206 meters (7,238 feet) above sea level. You can feel the high altitude – especially when walking around all the hills in Shimla!
When you arrive in Shimla (either at the bus station or train station), most taxis will offer you two prices: one high price to your actual accommodation, or a much cheaper price to ‘The Lift’.
The Lift in Shimla is made up of two elevators that take you from lower Shimla up to Mall Road for 20 rupees per adult ($0.25 USD). When my taxi dropped me off at the bottom of the lift, I immediately had men coming up to me offering their services as a porter to carry my bags to my hostel. I thought it wouldn’t be an issue as I’m in good shape…..however due to the high altitude the walk was difficult and I had to take multiple breaks! It could be a good option for someone with lots of luggage or a lower fitness level.
Flights to Shimla
Shimla Airport (also known as Jubbarhatti Airport) is a small airport less than an hour from the center of Shimla. While there aren’t many direct flights between Shimla Airport and the rest of India, it is possible to get direct flights from Delhi, Chandigarh, and Amritsar. You can search for flights on Skyscanner using Shimla’s airport code SLV. Unfortunately this airport can close due to bad weather, which would make Chandigarh the closest airport (still 113 km/70 miles away).
Trains to Shimla
There are no direct trains from Delhi to Shimla. All of the trains into Shimla start at the Kalka Railway Station (about an hour outside of Chandigarh). However, it is possible to take a normal train into Kalka before changing to the narrow gauge Toy Train from Kalka to Shimla.
Kalka-Shimla Toy Train
The Kalka-Shimla Toy Train is considered one of the most beautiful train rides in the world! While it is much slower than traveling by road, it allows you to see lots of amazing scenery. The toy train is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in 1903, the train goes through 102 tunnels, over 864 bridges, and has 919 curves.
There are many different toy trains that you can choose from. I personally took the Vistadome train which had large windows as well as windows in the ceiling. Unfortunately when I traveled (at the very end of January) the windows were not cleaned very well. I’m not sure if I was just unlucky or if that is normal during the winter months.
You can book trains from Kalka to Shimla (or the toy train from Shimla to Kalka) here.
When I booked my toy train from Kalka to Shimla, it was leaving very early in the morning. I decided to spend the night in Kalka at the Lotus Grand Hotel. I was able to wake up early and walk to the train station in less than 5 minutes to board my train.
Bus to Shimla
There are also many buses to Shimla from various cities such as Delhi, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, and Amritsar. The bus is faster than the train. The one downside is that there are no sleeper buses in Himachal Pradesh. However, some of the buses have very spacious seats. Make sure you double check the bus pictures so that you get a bus you are comfortable taking! You can book buses to Shimla here.
Best Hotels in Shimla
There are hundreds of hotels in Shimla as it’s a very touristy place. Some of the hotels, especially more upscale hotels, are located farther from the city. These are my top pics for hotels close to the center of the city so you can walk around without worrying about transportation.
One rule I had while booking hotels/hostels in India was to check the reviews on both booking as well as google maps. In doing that I didn’t have any issues booking my own hotels during my 3.5 months solo traveling India. Also I’ve found that most hotel prices are significantly cheaper on Agoda than on Booking.
Best Budget Hotel in Shimla
During my trip to Shimla I stayed in a dorm room in the Hosteller. It is the cheapest option in Shimla that still has good reviews. I felt completely safe in a dorm there (although they also have private rooms). They have a cute rooftop with amazing views of the city. The cons were that it is a steep walk to get there. They also didn’t have heaters in the dorm rooms during winter so it was FREEZING!
You can book the Hosteller on booking or agoda.
Best Midrange Hotel in Shimla
The Honeymoon Inn is located along Mall Road. It’s a gorgeous hotel complete with a terrace to enjoy views of the city. It is a little farther from The Lift (about a 10 minute walk), however it’s still walking distance to the main attractions in Shimla. You also get a lot more for your money in terms of the hotel quality and room size due to its location!
You can book the Honeymoon Inn on booking or agoda.
Best Luxury Hotel in Shimla
Hotel Willow Banks is a boutique 4 star hotel that is the best in Shimla! It’s in the perfect location on Mall Road right in the heart of the city. It also has a huge terrace with the best views in Shimla!
You can book Hotel Willow Banks on booking or agoda.
What to Do in Shimla
There is so much to do in Shimla – including just walking around and taking in the views of the gorgeous hill station! While it is possible to see most of Shimla in a couple days, there are many short day trips you can make to close by towns as well. These are some of the top things to do in Shimla:
Jakoo Hill (Jakhu Hill)
Jakhoo Hill is one of the most famous places to visit in Shimla! It’s the highest point in the city with panoramic views of the Shimla hills.
It’s also famous for the Jakhoo Temple featuring a huge statue of Lord Hanuman. The statue is 33 meters (108 feet) tall and can be seen from around Shimla. The area is notorious for having many monkeys which often try to steal your food/valuables. Beware of the monkeys!
If you make it to the top of the hill, make sure you check out Cafe Under Tree before you leave! It’s an adorable restaurant at the top of Jakhoo hill with great food and even better views!
It’s possible to walk up to Jakhoo Temple, but the walk is steep and made even harder with the high altitude in Shimla. You can also take the Jakhoo Ropeway (cable car) up to the temple and back! Personally I bought a one way ticket on the ropeway up to the top of Jakhoo Hill then walked down so I still got to see as much as possible.
The Ridge Shimla
The Ridge is a big open space in the center of Shimla. It’s lined with colonial architecture and panoramic views of the city. This is also where all the activity happens! The Ridge comes alive in the evenings when the street venders arrive – selling souvenirs, horse rides, photos in traditional clothing, and more! Even better? There are no cars! It’s a pedestrian only street.
Christ Church Shimla
Christ Church is the most well known building in Shimla! It’s a gorgeous neo-gothic church located at the beginning of the Ridge. It was built between 1844-1857 and is the second oldest church in northern India. You can’t miss taking an iconic picture in front of Christ Church and the neighboring colonial style State Library of Shimla.
Bantony Castle
If you continue walking past the end of the Ridge, you arrive at Bantony Castle. Bantony Castle is a beautiful historic building in the middle of Shimla. While it used to be a private castle, it is now a museum full of information about the history of Shimla as well as Himachal Pradesh. In the evenings they also put on a light show with different times in Hindi and in English!
Viceregal Lodge
The Viceregal Lodge is located inside the IIAS (Indian Institute of Advanced Study) complex. It is another piece of stunning architecture in Shimla that you must see! Viceregal Lodge was originally the summer home of the British viceroys. It was later used as the summer house of the Indian president.
Viceregal Lodge is located 3.5 km (2.2 miles) from Christ Church on the Ridge. I walked there and it was actually a very nice walk with gorgeous views the whole way! However, it’s also possible to take a taxi to Viceregal Lodge. While it’s free to admire the building from the outside, the only way to enter the building is by joining a scheduled tour. There is no photography allowed inside the building.
Mall Road Shimla
Mall Road is the busiest shopping street in Shimla. It’s lined with restaurants, cafes, hotels, bars, and tons of stores featuring more cute colonial architecture. Mall Road is lower than The Ridge, but the two of them connect at Scandal Point. This is also a pedestrian only street which makes walking there really safe and enjoyable!
Tours of Shimla
If you don’t want to explore Shimla on your own, there are also many guided tours you can take. Check out these highly rated ones:
So beautiful , seems like a pleasureable experience