Shimla Uncovered: 5 Things You Must Do Beyond the Mall Road
Shimla is a true gem, a favorite destination among travel and adventure seekers. The charm of Shimla is truly unmatched, which is why it's often at the top of the travel list.
Starting from Shimla is always a good idea, as you'll get a head start on the tour. But most tourists opt for a Shimla tour with a set itinerary. Meaning, visiting places that are popular.
Today, Himachal Tour Taxi will uncover Shimla like never before. Beyond the vibe of Mall Road and the peace of temples, there are many other tourist spots you can explore in Shimla. So, let's start with 5 Things You Must Do Beyond the Mall Road.
1. Heritage & Nature Walks
If you are traveling to Shimla for the first time, do include heritage walks in your itinerary. Why? Not only will you get up close to the culture of the place, but you'll feel amazing soaking in the vibe.
Ideally, you can start your heritage walk from the Viceroy’s House, covering places like Scandal Point, Gaiety Theatre, Christ Church, Lower Bazaar, and other wonderful heritage buildings.
Also, for history lovers - heritage walks in Shimla are a treat for the eyes. The old colonial charm of Shimla reflects the time when it was the summer capital of India during the British era. A complete heritage walk of Shimla takes about a day to complete. If your walking speed is good, you can complete the tour early.
After the heritage walk, you can also consider nature walks in Shimla. Nature walks are pleasant and amazing; they give you a sense of relief, away from city life.
Ideally, most nature walks will take you through villages, grasslands, forests, and green meadows. The most popular nature walk in Shimla starts from Rudyard Kipling and ends at the Art Gallery. By exploring the wonderful nature trails in the city, you’ll get to see the best side of Shimla.
2. Exploring The Cafe Culture
The queen of hills is breathtaking, but what makes it more popular is the OG cafes. You heard that right. Without exploring the old-world cafes in Shimla, your trip would be incomplete.
In fact, cafe culture is slowly becoming popular among tourists who visit from Delhi or Chandigarh. So, what is so special about these cafes? Apart from the authentic multi-cuisines they have on their menu, the vibe of the cafes is amazing.
Whether you’re looking for modern cafes or traditional delights, Shimla will spoil you with choice. Where should you visit to get that vibe?
You can visit cafes like Wake and Bake, which offers Middle Eastern, Italian, and continental cuisine. It also serves popular breakfast options such as waffles and crepes.
Next, you can visit the Hideout Cafe, which is also one of the popular ones in the region. Here, you can try American and Italian cuisine. They have popular options like Focaccia bread and pizzas.
The Cafe Under Tree is known for its wooden interiors, overlooking the mountains. It is famous for North indian, Fusion, and Asian cuisine. Don’t miss out on the Cafe Honey Hut. You can have many dishes with honey as the main ingredient. Do visit some of these cafes on your tour.
3. Trekking To Refresh
For nature lovers, Shimla offers many trek opportunities. Whether at a beginner level or a pro level, you can choose different trek adventures. What sets apart the treks in Shimla are the pictorial landscapes that are a part of the trek.
If you plan to visit Shimla anytime soon, trek to some of the most popular places to refresh your energies. You can consider the Jakhoo Hill trek, which is a small trek; it covers a distance of 2 km. You can reach the place in no time!
Then you can consider the popular Naldehra trek - This trek trails through pine and deodar trees, and it takes about three hours to reach the place. Alternatively, you can also consider the Chadwick Falls trek, which is easy for beginners.
The trek route is perfect for all the nature lovers, you’ll get to see water cascading from a higher level. Ideally, it’ll take about one or two hours to reach this place. Try one of these day treks to uncover the real magic of Shimla.
4. Tour of The Wax Museum
If offbeat places are on your list, then you should not miss Johnnie’s Wax Museum in Shimla. Not a part of the itinerary for many travel seekers, this museum is a must-visit.
The museum features more than 16 wax statues of eminent personalities from diverse areas of life. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Michael Jackson and from Lionel Messi to Harry Potter, you can take amazing pictures with all of them.
Also, in the coming days, the museum plans to add more wax statues to the list. The wax museum is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on all days of the week, and you can plan your tour accordingly.
5. Nearby Village Tours
Village tours near Shimla will give you the real insight into the culture and lives of the people. What do they do for a living? What is their culture? What food do they have?
Of course, if you are aware of their culture, you are aware of the heritage of a part of India. You can choose a full-day tour to places near Shimla.
There are many small villages you can explore by road or home stay options. You can consider Cheog and Fagu, which are two popular options.
Most tourists also take a trip to Narkanda and the Kufri Valley. Both places are known for snow fun, adventure activities, and picturesque views. A complete village tour in Shimla is something that’ll truly inspire you.
Wrapping up,
The next time you visit Shimla, look beyond the local options. Visiting tourist spots is fine, but Shimla offers much more than those options.
Ideally, you can include temples, valley views, adventure activities, nature walks, cafe visits, and village tours in your itinerary. The idea is to learn more about Shimla and its vibrant heritage.
Also, you can choose to visit many nearby places around Shimla to enjoy snow activities. As mentioned in the last point, Kufri and Narkanda are two amazing places you can visit. So, let's see when you can visit these two places.