Not a very catchy title it is? But I make sure it will be useful for all those who are planning a weekend getaway.
December 2009 and October 2012.
Both these seasons are a good time to see the best of it.
If you are tired of waiting for Winters to knock on your door, visit Shimla in October.
If you are looking for adventure in Snow, Visit Shimla after 25th December.
Way to reach Shimla: (I will not riddle up this blog with Kms and things you can find on tourism websites)
Toy Train, the best way to reach Shimla, 103 tunnels and a long 5 hour journey that give you plenty of opportunity to click pictures.
From Delhi, catch a Night Train- Kalka Mail{ do not forget to check the train time before reaching the station, it is supposed to be late , being a Mail train and of course, Indian Railways Zindabad). This train is supposed to depart at 09: 40 pm from Old Delhi station, platform no 5.
Arrives Kalka ( Haryana) at 04: 30 am.
From there, you can either take a General compartment Ticket for Rs 30 to Shimla, for the Toy Train that leaves at 05:30 and 06 :00 am. Else , try your luck to get a booking done, well, in advance.
The train is Kalka-Shimla Express.
If you do not get a reservation confirmed, tickets are in waiting list, buy a general compartment ticket ( Girls, use you power, get ahead in line and form or Join a separate women queue, else you will wait in a long queue). Wait, there is more to it, Now you have to find the T.T to give you a reservation for 160/- more. This takes a lot of begging, frustrated T.T trying to escape your howling and a lot of Indian Jugaadbaazi.
Finally You get the seats and the journey begins.
Each compartment has 15 seats, it is a chair car. Two doors, halts for 1 minute on 7-8 stations.
Take your water bottle and something healthy to eat, stations in the way, do have eatables but things like Bread Pakora and Cutlets.
Enjoy the 5 hour journey to Shimla.
Once you reach Shimla, you will find a lot of Men trying to approach you for Taxi, DO NOT follow them.
Take the road with a man , who asks you if you need Hotels, they are closer, to mall road, and every other good place.
Talk to him about , Hotel and Tour-Taxi. Tour Taxi will cost you 1000-1500 ( Alto) . If you are a gang, take n Innova, it costs 2000.
Take a Tour to Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Annadale, Mata Vishnu Mandir, Kufri (Horse Riding).
In Kufri, Spend a little extra on horse riding, Take the one and half hour tour, for 150/-that takes you to Golgi, a beautiful and a little scary way on horse back. It is head of the Kufri Maggi Point.
In Kufri, Visit the Jammu and Kashmir Handloom shop, near the adventure park, to shop for some Pashmeena quilts, They have a home delivery option too.
Come back to Shimla, Go to Mall Road,the shops are closed on Sunday.
Check out the Shops, they have good stuff, do not go to the Monastery that is near mall road, they have one of the oldest collection in a Monastery , that I have seen.
If you are visiting in winters, make sure you go to Ice Skating Ground.
Shimla is not breath taking beauty, but it is fun.
December 2009 and October 2012.
Both these seasons are a good time to see the best of it.
If you are tired of waiting for Winters to knock on your door, visit Shimla in October.
If you are looking for adventure in Snow, Visit Shimla after 25th December.
Way to reach Shimla: (I will not riddle up this blog with Kms and things you can find on tourism websites)
Toy Train, the best way to reach Shimla, 103 tunnels and a long 5 hour journey that give you plenty of opportunity to click pictures.
From Delhi, catch a Night Train- Kalka Mail{ do not forget to check the train time before reaching the station, it is supposed to be late , being a Mail train and of course, Indian Railways Zindabad). This train is supposed to depart at 09: 40 pm from Old Delhi station, platform no 5.
Arrives Kalka ( Haryana) at 04: 30 am.
From there, you can either take a General compartment Ticket for Rs 30 to Shimla, for the Toy Train that leaves at 05:30 and 06 :00 am. Else , try your luck to get a booking done, well, in advance.
The train is Kalka-Shimla Express.
If you do not get a reservation confirmed, tickets are in waiting list, buy a general compartment ticket ( Girls, use you power, get ahead in line and form or Join a separate women queue, else you will wait in a long queue). Wait, there is more to it, Now you have to find the T.T to give you a reservation for 160/- more. This takes a lot of begging, frustrated T.T trying to escape your howling and a lot of Indian Jugaadbaazi.
Finally You get the seats and the journey begins.
Each compartment has 15 seats, it is a chair car. Two doors, halts for 1 minute on 7-8 stations.
Take your water bottle and something healthy to eat, stations in the way, do have eatables but things like Bread Pakora and Cutlets.
Enjoy the 5 hour journey to Shimla.
Once you reach Shimla, you will find a lot of Men trying to approach you for Taxi, DO NOT follow them.
Take the road with a man , who asks you if you need Hotels, they are closer, to mall road, and every other good place.
Talk to him about , Hotel and Tour-Taxi. Tour Taxi will cost you 1000-1500 ( Alto) . If you are a gang, take n Innova, it costs 2000.
Take a Tour to Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Annadale, Mata Vishnu Mandir, Kufri (Horse Riding).
In Kufri, Spend a little extra on horse riding, Take the one and half hour tour, for 150/-that takes you to Golgi, a beautiful and a little scary way on horse back. It is head of the Kufri Maggi Point.
In Kufri, Visit the Jammu and Kashmir Handloom shop, near the adventure park, to shop for some Pashmeena quilts, They have a home delivery option too.
Come back to Shimla, Go to Mall Road,the shops are closed on Sunday.
Check out the Shops, they have good stuff, do not go to the Monastery that is near mall road, they have one of the oldest collection in a Monastery , that I have seen.
If you are visiting in winters, make sure you go to Ice Skating Ground.
Shimla is not breath taking beauty, but it is fun.
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