Snow-covered mountains, verdant hills, alluring lush greenery, dense forests, rolling valleys, and a pleasant climate, all define Shimla in a true sense. Also known as the Queen of Hill Stations, Shimla is one of the popular hill stations in India that never fails to amaze tourists with its mind-blowing beauty. There’s something about this destination that encourages people to visit it time and time again.
Perched at a height of 2200 meters above sea level, Shimla is a lovely paradise situated in the Himachal Pradesh state that makes you fall in love with its unparalleled charm as soon as you step into this romantic hill station and provides a kind of experience that delights all age groups. It draws a huge influx of honeymooners every year for a short city break and is a famous honeymoon destination in North India. It can also be visited by families looking to spend some quality time together with their children.
Featuring a perfect blend of old-world charm with modernization, Shimla offers a laid-back atmosphere with a picture-perfect setting for nature admirers to soak in its vibes and is dotted with many lakes, gardens, waterfalls, viewpoints, religious spots, and ancient sites to keep the travelers occupied throughout their stay.
If all this tempts you to pack your bags right away and gear up for having a gala time in Shimla, you can go through our all-inclusive Shimla tour packages that are specially designed to offer you the best vacation of your life. We at Shimla Tourism, a division of Holidays DNA, don’t mind going the extra mile to bring a smile to your face. For us, your happiness matters the most and our team does everything to accomplish the same.
When you travel with Holidays DNA, you don’t have to worry about anything as we take care of everything related to your trip in the backend, be it booking the flight tickets, reserving the accommodation of your choice, shortlisting the itinerary, airport pick up and drop off, etc. All you need to do is just get ready for a fun-filled trip to Shimla. To know more about the travel packages and the ongoing deals, we request you to fill out the Contact Us form. One of our representatives will get back to you with our top Shimla tourism packages.
History of Shimla
The city of Shimla traces its history back to the 19th century. It was in the year 1804 when the Gurkhas forcefully tried to invade the Himachal region and establish their authority in the surrounding areas of Shimla. By the end of 1808, they successfully built many forts from Jamuna to Sutlej and started torturing people residing over there.
Unable to tolerate the mistreatment, the people of Shimla thought of taking help from the Britishers and approached them for the same. The battle which started in the year 1814 came to an end on 15th May 1815 when the Britishers finally defeated Gurkhas and took control of the entire region. The land comprising Shimla today was then given to the Maharaja of Patiala who assisted the Britishers during the war as a reward.
After the battle, the interest of the English people started growing in this region after seeing the overall climate conditions that were the same as their mother country, England. Slowly and steadily, the number of British officers visiting the town kept on increasing, and soon, it became a go-to place for the English people to enjoy a staycation during the hot summer days in India. That’s how the town of Shimla and its various tourist attractions came into the picture.
Places to Visit in Shimla
There is an abundance of sightseeing places in Shimla that are worth exploring on your visit, whether you’re here for a short hill retreat or a complete week. From many interesting natural splendors to man-made wonders, this place truly lives up to everyone’s expectations and offers a kind of holidaying experience that cannot be simply put in words.
The ancient building of Viceregal Lodge, also referred to as Rashtrapati Niwas, is a tourist spot that shouldn’t be missed at any cost. Built by the Britishers as a summer residence for Lord Dufferin, this building is now used as an educational institution for advanced study and research.
Other two places that fascinate history buffs in large numbers are Annadale Army Heritage Museum and Himachal State Museum. Other points of tourist interest that attract a huge influx of holidaymakers to this town include The Ridge, Mall Road, Reserve Forest Sanctuary, Lakkar Bazar, Kuthar Fort, Jubbal Palace, and Gaiety Heritage Cultural Complex.
For nature lovers, there are Chadwick Falls, Kufri, Chail, Green Valley, Jakhoo Hill, Summer Hill, Solan, Shailey Peak, and Scandal Point. For religious people belonging to different religions, Shimla provides a home to various holy sites and these are named as Kali Bari Temple, Tara Devi Temple, Christ Church, Dorje Drak Monastery, Jakhoo Temple, Kamna Devi Temple, Sankat Mochan Temple, Shoolini Temple, and Laxminarayan Temple. The Hip Hip Hurray Amusement Park, Indira Tourist Park, Ice Skating Rink, and Johnnie’s Wax Museum are a few of the other places that are perfect for families with kids looking for a fun-filled day out on their Shimla tour.
How to Reach Shimla?
As a popular hill station in North India, Shimla maintains great connectivity to the neighboring towns in Himachal Pradesh state and the other metro cities of the country and hence, can be easily accessed by all means of transportation.
The nearest domestic airport is the Jubbarhatti Airport, which lies at a distance of 20 km from the heart of the city and serves various flights from Chandigarh and New Delhi regularly. In case you’re traveling from abroad, you can board a flight that takes you directly to the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. After deboarding your flight, you’ll find numerous options to reach Shimla at your utmost comfort.
Another way is to catch a train to Kalka Railway Station, which is considered as the closest railhead to Shimla and is only 86 km away. From there, you can opt to experience a train journey in Kalka Shimla Toy Train to enjoy the scenic beauty on your way.
There is also an option of traveling via road. For your convenience, the Himachal Road Transport Corporation department runs various public and private buses to and from Shimla at pocket-friendly prices. You can also choose to travel in an AC bus to make the most of your road trip. The choice is completely yours!
