My First Impression of Shimla

My stay in Shimla was a relief from the intense heat that I experienced in Varanasi. It was also a huge surprise for me as Shimla is a very clean town with pleasant climate and architecture which is way different from the other places that I’ve been to in India.

No wonder Shimla draws a lot of local tourists every summer. The place is such a nice place to just relax and chill (literally too LOL).

Shimla is also a nice jump off point for those who wants to explore some towns further North such as Manali and onwards to Kashmir.

Here are some photos of some nice architectures I saw around this town:

How to Get Here

There’re direct buses to Delhi but if you’d like to take the toy train then take the train to Kalka wherever in India you are and then from there on, take the 5 hour toy train to Shimla. If you’re coming from Varanasi or Mughal Serai, check out my previous about how to go to Shimla from Varanasi.

Where to Stay

There are plenty of accommodation to choose from especially for those who have a nightly budget of more than a thousand Rupees per day. But for those who are working on a tight budget just like me, check out Ridge View Hotel at the back of Christ Church.

Where to Eat

Restaurants are abundant as well serving Indian food. But fo those who are craving for western food, there’s one Domino’s Pizza near The Mall area.

Money Matters

Before you leave Shimla en route to smaller towns, make sure to load yourself with cash as some of the towns don’t have ATMs (not even a bank). The bank that we often use is ICICI which doesn’t charge foreign ATMs for withdrawals. There’s a maximum withdrawl limit of 10,000 Rupees though per day.

Where to Shop

SHimla being a tourists town has a lot of shopping areas to choose from. There are local goods to be found in Lakkar Bazaar and the Main market area and I was even surprised to find global brands such as Benetton, Adidas, Nike and Levi’s among other in the Mall area.

My Personal Experience

Shimla is a walkable town. The nice weather makes walkinh uphill/downhill a pleasant experience. The hills surrounding Shimla provides an excellent view especially at sunset. Although some of the hills seemed to be gearing up to more development. But there are still some hills that are lush and green with vegetation.

Shimla at night is more beautiful though. The houses on the nearby hills lit up and looked like stars on the ground. The heritage buildings are also well lit.

Here are some pictures of Shimla: