Places to See in Simla

Apart from a promenade along the Mall and the walk to Jakhu Temple, there are many pleasant walks around Shimla. Summer Hill (2,103 m), about 5km along the Shimla-Kalka railway line, makes a good walk. The Holme is the pretty villa of one of our most loved artists, Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-41). Gifted to her by her parents, the house is where Amrita painted her beautiful pictures when in the country. The Holme now serves as a cozy heritage hotel. Summer Hill is also famous because Mahatma Gandhi once stayed at the Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur mansion here. Chadwick Falls, which are about 67m high, are only worth visiting during or just after the monsoon between July and October. The falls are 7km from Shimla and can be reached via Summer Hill. Prospect Hill (2,176 m) is about 5km west of Shimla and a 15-minute climb from Boileauganj. The hill is a popular picnic spot with fine views over the surrounding country. The Kamna Devi Temple is nearby.

Sankat Mochan, 7km from Shimla on the road to Chandigarh, has a Hanuman temple, and offers fine views of Shimla. It can also be reached by car. Tara Devi Temple, about 10km from Shimla, is dedicated to the Goddess of stars. Located atop a hill, it is near another temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. About 2km up a path from Tara Devi station on the Shimla-Kalka railway line, it offers fine views. Wildflower Hall, at Chharabra, is a 13km trek from Shimla. It used to be the residence of the British Commander-in-Chief Lord Kitchener. Later the HPTDC (Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation) turned it into a hotel, but the building was seriously damaged by a fire in 1994.