An ideal destination for people of all age groups – Shimla is a great vacation spot in India. The destination has been high on tourists’ list for many years and is often the first name that comes to mind when one talks about hill stations in India. What was once the Summer Capital of the British now serves as a retreat for those getting patched in dry heat. Thronged by millions of visitors each year, Shimla, struggling to keep its environmental balance in place, is still the favourite joint for many. Here is what I experienced in the destination.
Manju Yadav
There are several beautiful places in Shimla that excites and compels most of the people to visit the destination. The place is also home to some holly temples, the most famous one being the Jakhoo Temple, which is visited by pilgrims in large number all year round.
My purpose of visiting Shimla was to undertake an adventurous trip and one of the first things we did was trekking at night. This was my first time at trekking at outrages of mountains and I have to say that the trekking experience in Shimla is the best that one can have; Trekking at valley behind is the best option for trekking in Shimla. You can either trek to religious places or to beautiful lakes and falls. There are several adventurous activities that you can enjoy at the mountains, such as, mountain climbing, bungee jumping, zipping, etc. Shimla is one place which is full of adventurous activities including ice skating at the circular road! The ice-skating rink in Shimla is one of the oldest outdoor rinks in Asia.
Rafting is also an adventurous activity that can be enjoyed in Shimla at the famous Tattapani. The perfect combination of adventure and beauty, Tattapani is an amazing spot for a fun-filled and memorable day. Tattapani is 60 km from Shimla, and is a popular spot for hot springs too. Rafting route is about 14km long or u can avail 36km long. Formers can complete the rafting in about 1.5 hours, the latter takes about 3-4 hours to complete the rafting safely.
Shimla’s most popular spot is the Mall Road, which is its main street and common hang out place for visitors. It is here that you can witness all of Shimla’s vibrant qualities – its beautiful weather, its friendly locals and its amazing holiday atmosphere, no matter what time of the year it is. All the shops, stores and cafes etc. reflect the culture of Shimla. Ridge is the hub for all major cultural activities and is located along the popular Mall Road. The point where Mall Road meets the Ridge on the west side is called the Scandal point, named after a scandal that arouse out of a British lady’s affair with an Indian Maharaja.
There are some beautiful waterfalls also which enhance the beauty of Shimla. Chadwick Falls is one of them. As you walk through the dense green Glen forest, the trail takes you to the roaring waterfall dropping from a huge height. This waterfall is famous amongst tourists for a reason. It is the perfect destination for chilling out rolling green forest and also the scene which creates here will not allow you to leave this place. This is the ideal place for spending your holidays with your family and friends.
Camping is also another popular activity among people who visit Shimla. There are several hotels and resorts in the city but if you want, instead of staying in these hotels, you can explore your adventurous side and opt for “camping” in the tent. There are several good camping sites such as Mashobra greens – a place very close to Shimla, making it the prime choice for travellers looking for solace away from the city and its noise and to revel in the sounds of nature and bird. And you can also arrange and set up some fun activities near your tents.
Thus Shimla is the most attractive hill station which attracts thousands of tourist from all over the world because of its beautiful spots. The soaring mercury level and aggressive heatwaves in the Northern states of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana forces people to flee to the cooler regions in the Himachal such as Shimla, Manali, Nanital. While the temperature there has brought relief to the travellers, the influx of large number of people has resulted in long traffic jams and also the problem of water shortage in Shimla that also creates problems for the locals. So we have to focus on more Eco Tourism which will work in favour of environment.
