Every year, tourists get attracted to Shimla to enjoy its lush greenery and cool weather. This place has a temperate climate and is surrounded by beautiful snow-capped mountains, which makes it a fascinating tourist destination in India. Shimla hill station is located in the foothills of the Himalayas, which provides a thrilling experience to tourists.
Many people say that Shimla hills station is a heaven on earth because of its diversity of wildlife, picturesque lakes, and waterfalls. Some say Shimla is the queen of hills in the state of Himachal Pradesh. This place has gained more popularity for nearby temples, churches, and Neo-Gothic and Tudorbethan architecture.
When I visited Shimla hills station, I saw the magical charm of Shimla hills. This place has shown me amazing wildlife, adventures, the beauty of nature, local attractions, and many more. If you are planning to visit Shimla for the first time, then you can learn many things from my experience and be able to explore Shimla in your best ways.
What can you explore in Shimla?
The magnificent hill town Shimla has many things that you can explore and enjoy the trip. Here is the list of things that you can explore during your holidays.
In the past years, Shimla has got the name ‘queen of hills.’ This name still justifies this magnificent hill town. I have experienced the colour green in every way that made me feel refreshed and cool. Throughout my tour, I have identified many canopies of herbs and shrubs and age-old pine trees, which may be hundreds of years old.
Moreover, there are trees like Spruce, Deodar, and Pine that give the natural aroma of the blowing breeze in Shimla. I believe Shimla hill station is blessed with beauty and grace. The natural cover of the Shimla hill station is one of the main reasons behind the tourist attractions throughout the years.
Shimla has many sightseeing places that have a deep connection with history. I found these places have a great historic significance that made me enjoy the place even more.
Did you know “Indian Institute of Advanced Studies” is historically called the Viceregal Lodge, which was named between 1888 A.D to 1946 A.D? During this period, it was the summer residence for the Indian Viceroy. At that time, Mahatma Gandhi had spent some time in jail as a prisoner.
Moreover, this place was the venue of significant historic events. Later, the honourable Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal and the honourable Vice President S. Radhakrishnan registered it as IIAS because the environment was very suitable for academic research like social science, natural sciences, and humanities.
If you are a scholar, then this place can give you much more information related to research studies. During my visit to IIAS, I paid 40 INR per person just to see the location and know the history. I took many pictures of the location as it was really beautiful. If you want to click some decent historical pictures, then this is the place.
When you visit Shimla, you must not miss the chance to walk through the Pine forests. As this place has one big Pine Forest, you are able to see the peaceful environment and lush greenery. During my visit, I took a long walk from Clarks to Viceregal Lodge and enjoyed the view. In the middle of the Pine Forest, I found the official helipad named Annandale. I clicked some pictures there and climbed the way up.
You can explore some fine architecture in Shimla as earlier this place was the summer capital for Britishers. Here, you can see a prominent influence on major buildings. As I love architecture and art, I loved this place to explore the unique structure of buildings and monuments.
These buildings are now transformed into colleges, schools, Government offices, and hospitals. While discovering Shimla, I came to know about the Elizabethan-style architecture, which is situated near Mall Road. It is basically a Christ Church that is considered to be the major landmark of the Queen of Hills.
I have experienced a world of magnificence and beauty in Shimla. While exploring the attractions in Shimla, I realized that some of these places I have seen in Bollywood movies. But on my personal trip, I am able to explore these places in real life. I took the help of a local boy and identified some sightseeing attractions within Shimla. The places that I explored are Viceregal Lodge, Mall Road, Lakkar Bazaar, Annadale, Jakho Hills, Clarkes, Shimla British Resort, Woodville Palace, etc. I began my journey from Mall Road and enjoyed the most beautiful scenes in Shimla.
You are able to explore unique fauna in its natural habitat in Shimla. I visited Prospect Hill to observe some amazing wildlife. Generally, Summer Hill is around 2.5 km from Mall Road. After that, you can get the facilities to camp at Potter’s Hill and other places to go on a morning stroll. Still, I remember the lovely sounds of birds during the trip. However, you are able to find a lovely glimpse of varieties of deers, birds, Hares, Muntjacs, Wild Hens, Langurs, Wolves, etc.
The magnificent hill town Shimla welcomes you with the perfect blend of inactivity and adventure. Here, you can find adventure options like camping, ice skating, trekking, hiking, skiing, and many others based on the season. You can spend your quality time here and enjoy its beauty. Moreover, you can explore some adventure activities outskirts of Shimla like golfing opportunities at Naldhera, winter sports at Kufri, trekking opportunities at Chail, and many more.
Apart from these, you can also enjoy a glimpse of theatre and performances at the Gaiety Theatre. If you liked my Shimla experience, then you must visit this place with your loved ones so that you can create some memories and enjoy its beauty.