Things to Do in Shimla: 18 Best Experiences for Every Season

Short answer: Shimla’s best experiences are the Ridge and Mall Road at dusk, the guided tour of the Viceregal Lodge (closed Mondays), the Jakhu temple by ropeway, the Kalka–Shimla toy train (currently running Dharampur–Shimla only) and day trips to Kufri, Narkanda, Chail and Tattapani. In winter, add the natural ice-skating rink (December–February) and snow at Narkanda; in summer, the Summer Festival, Hatu Peak and forest walks to the Glen and Chadwick Falls.

What are the 18 best things to do in Shimla?

Shimla was the summer capital of British India from 1864 to 1939, and most of what you will see in town dates from that period. The town is built along a ridge at about 2,200 m, so almost every experience involves either a walk along it, a walk down from it, or a drive out of it. Here is our list, ordered roughly from “in town” to “furthest away”. For activity-style outings (zorbing, ziplines, horse rides at Kufri) see our adventure activities in Shimla page; this guide is about sights, walks, food and day trips.

What should you do in Shimla town itself?

Begin on the Ridge, the open promenade at the top of town, ideally an hour before sunset when the Dhauladhar to the north-west turns orange. Christ Church (consecrated 1857, the second-oldest church in north India) stands at the east end; services are on Sundays and the building is usually open to visitors during the day. Walk west past Scandal Point, where the Ridge meets Mall Road, and along the Mall, which is closed to cars. The Gaiety Theatre (1887) is a restored Victorian playhouse in the Town Hall block; a short visit inside is possible on most days for a small fee, and there are occasional performances.

Drop one level to Lower Bazaar for the local market, and walk east along the Mall to Lakkar Bazaar, a lane of shops selling wooden toys, walking sticks and ice-skates in winter. The Kali Bari temple, a short climb above the Mall, has a good view west over the town.

The one booking we insist on is the Viceregal Lodge on Observatory Hill, about 3 km west of the Mall. Built in 1888 as the Viceroy’s summer home, it now houses the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. Visits are by 30-minute guided tour in English or Hindi, 09:30 to 17:00 with the first tour around 10:30 and the last around 16:30; it is closed on Mondays and national holidays, and tickets are ₹200 for Indians and ₹1,000 for foreign visitors (IIAS, fees effective 1 March 2026, checked 30 Oct 2026). Tickets are sold by time slot on the day, so arrive early in the season. Photography is not allowed inside the main building, but the gardens and the exterior are free to photograph.

Is the Jakhu temple worth the climb?

Yes, and the ropeway makes it easy. Jakhu Hill is the highest point in Shimla at about 2,450 m, and the Hanuman temple on top is marked by a 108-ft orange statue visible from across town. The Jakhu ropeway starts about 500 m from the Ridge and runs 09:30 to 18:00; the return ticket was listed at around ₹470 when we checked (Thrillophilia, 30 Oct 2026), so confirm at the counter. The ride takes under 10 minutes and the cabins give a good view over the deodar canopy.

The alternative is the 2 km walk up from the Ridge, steep but paved, 30–45 minutes for most people. Either way, keep sunglasses, phones and food out of reach: the monkeys at Jakhu are the most experienced thieves in Himachal, and the stall at the gate rents walking sticks for a reason. Go early for clear views of the Shivalik foothills to the south and, on a winter morning, the snow line to the north.

Can you still ride the Kalka–Shimla toy train?

Partly. The Kalka–Shimla railway (96 km, 102 tunnels, UNESCO World Heritage since 2008) has been cut between Kalka and Dharampur since the monsoon, and Northern Railway has kept the Kalka section shut until 30 November 2026. Until then the trains run Dharampur–Shimla only, which is still a 50 km ride through the upper tunnels and the Tara Devi loop. Our toy train status page is updated when Northern Railway changes the arrangement. If you are coming up from Chandigarh, our Chandigarh to Shimla guide explains how to combine a car to Dharampur with the train.

Once the full line reopens, the pattern we recommend is to take the train up from Kalka (about 5 hours, book early for the Himalayan Queen or the Shivalik Deluxe Express) and return by road, or vice versa. The ride is slow and the carriages are small, but the views between Barog and Shimla are the reason people come.

Which day trips from Shimla are worth it?

Kufri (16 km, about 45 minutes) is the default for snow in winter and for the Mahasu Peak pony ride and views in summer. It is crowded and the activity park is commercial, so go early or treat it as a stop on the way to Narkanda. Our Kufri adventure activities page and the Snow Kingdom Kufri page cover what is there.

Mashobra and Naldehra (12–22 km) are the quiet option: deodar forest, apple orchards, and the nine-hole golf course at Naldehra laid out by Lord Curzon in 1905. Chail (45 km, about 2 hours) has the Maharaja of Patiala’s palace, now an HPTDC hotel, and the cricket ground at about 2,440 m, often described as the highest in the world. Tattapani (51 km, about 2 hours down to the Sutlej) has natural hot springs on the riverbank and rafting on a calm stretch of river from October to April; see our rafting in Shimla and Tattapani page.

The best full day is Narkanda (65 km, about 2.5 hours on the Hindustan–Tibet road). It sits at about 2,700 m, has the state’s ski slopes from January to March when snow allows (skiing and snow in Narkanda), and a road up to Hatu Peak at about 3,400 m with a wooden temple and a 360-degree view of the Kinnaur and Spiti ranges on a clear day. The Hatu road closes in snow; in winter you walk the last 7–8 km. The drive back through the apple belt around Thanedar in September and October is a bonus.

What can you do in Shimla in winter (December to February)?

Winter in Shimla means cold, clear days, nights near freezing and snow in town two or three times a season, usually between late December and February. Three experiences belong to this season alone:

• Ice skating. The Shimla Ice Skating Club rink below the Ridge, in use since the 1920s, is one of the oldest natural rinks in Asia. The ice forms overnight, so sessions are in the morning (from 08:00, about 2.5 hours) and evening (from 18:00, about 1.5 hours), with skates provided and a visitor fee of ₹300 a session (ETV Bharat, 7 Dec 2025). The season runs from early December to February when the weather holds. Details in our ice skating in Shimla page.
• Snow at Kufri and Narkanda. Kufri gets snow first; Narkanda holds it longer and has the ski runs. On a snow day the Kufri road is slow with traffic, so leave by 08:00.
• Christmas and New Year on the Ridge. Christ Church holds a midnight service, the Mall is lit up, and hotels are full, so book by early November. Rates are about 25% higher from 20 December to 5 January.

Our month guides go deeper: Shimla in December and Shimla in January. November, covered in Shimla in November, is the clear, cheap month before the crowds.

What is best in Shimla in summer and autumn?

From April to June, Shimla is the escape from the plains, and the Ridge fills with visitors from Delhi and Punjab in the evenings. The Shimla Summer Festival, a series of evening concerts and folk performances on the Ridge, is usually held in late May or June; the dates are set by the district administration each year, so ask us closer to your trip. Forest walks are at their best now: the Glen (a wooded hollow below Annandale, 4 km) and Chadwick Falls beyond Summer Hill are easy half-days, and the paragliding sites near Shimla run on calm mornings.

July to mid-September is the monsoon. Shimla gets heavy rain, landslides close the Kalka road for hours at a time, and the views disappear, though the town is green and quiet. Late September to November is our favourite: dry, clear, the apple harvest on the Narkanda road, and Hatu Peak visible all day. For a bigger walk, the Churdhar trek to the highest peak in the outer Himalaya south of the Sutlej (about 3,650 m) runs from May to November from Nohradhar, about 3 hours from Shimla.

What should you eat in Shimla?

Himachali food is quiet and comforting rather than spicy. Look for siddu (steamed stuffed bread) with ghee, madra (chickpeas or kidney beans in a yoghurt gravy from Chamba and Kangra), and a dham, the ceremonial multi-course meal served on leaf plates at festivals and increasingly at a few restaurants in town. The old cafes on the Mall, some dating from the 1930s, do a reliable breakfast, and Lower Bazaar has the local sweet shops and chaat stalls. Expect ₹150–300 (about US$1.60–3.20) at a dhaba and ₹400–800 (US$4–8.50) a head in a Mall Road restaurant.

How should you plan your Shimla days?

Two nights cover the town and one day trip; three nights add Narkanda or Tattapani. Shimla pairs naturally with Manali: our Shimla Manali from Chandigarh 5N/6D package (₹12,499 per person, about US$132, off-season band; peak dates 20 Dec–5 Jan and from 15 March about 25% higher) gives two nights here and three in Manali. If you are choosing between the two, our Shimla vs Manali comparison is honest about the differences.

Getting here: Chandigarh is about 115 km and 3–3.5 hours by car; Delhi is about 350 km and 7–8 hours, or a one-hour Alliance Air flight to Jubbarhatti six days a week. Our Delhi to Shimla guide compares them. For the month-by-month picture, see best time to visit Shimla, and for the wider region our Shimla destination page. One practical note: cars cannot enter the Mall or the Ridge, and most hotels in the centre are a walk from the nearest car park, so pack light or pick a hotel with its own access road.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best thing to do in Shimla?

For most visitors it is the guided tour of the Viceregal Lodge, open 09:30–17:00 and closed on Mondays and national holidays, followed by an evening on the Ridge and Mall Road. In winter the natural ice-skating rink and snow at Kufri or Narkanda take over. Jakhu temple by ropeway is the easiest viewpoint.

How many days do you need in Shimla?

Two nights are enough for the town, Jakhu, the Viceregal Lodge and a half-day at Kufri. Three nights let you add Narkanda and Hatu Peak or Tattapani. Most of our guests combine two nights in Shimla with three in Manali on a 5-night package from Chandigarh or Delhi.

Is the Kalka–Shimla toy train running?

Only between Dharampur and Shimla. The Kalka–Dharampur section has been closed since the monsoon and Northern Railway has kept it shut until 30 November 2026. Until the full line reopens, we drive guests to Dharampur and put them on the train for the upper section, which still includes the tunnels and the Tara Devi loop.

Can you go ice skating in Shimla?

Yes, from early December to February, weather permitting. The Shimla Ice Skating Club rink below the Ridge is a natural rink, so sessions run in the morning from 08:00 and the evening from 18:00 when the ice has formed. Visitors paid ₹300 a session in the 2025–26 season, with skates provided by the club.

Which is the best day trip from Shimla?

Narkanda, 65 km away, for views from Hatu Peak and snow or skiing in winter. Kufri at 16 km is the quick option but crowded. Chail (45 km) suits a quiet day of palace, forest and the high cricket ground, and Tattapani (51 km) adds hot springs and gentle rafting on the Sutlej from October to April.

When is the best time to visit Shimla?

March to June for mild weather and the Summer Festival, late September to November for clear skies and the apple harvest, and late December to February for snow and ice skating. July to mid-September is the monsoon, with rain, landslides and poor views, though the town is quiet and green then.