Get ready for a walk because Shimla is explored best when in two feet! Away from the roar of engines and life, you can reconnect with nature here. You can feel the fresh breeze on your skin and on your soul. So, get ready for a sweaty yet awakening experience in Shimla’s soil.
Know About The Heritage
One of the most intriguing ways to explore Shimla is to explore its Heritage Zone. Each street hides some history, each house has personality and the trees? They cover and witness the rise of the town. The lanes here don’t look like any other lanes in any other city. The trails here have been carved through the forests that are mystical. Pines, rhododendrons, cedars are just some of the types of trees you will find here. And the fun part is that Shimla’s isn’t just popular because of the naturally rich backdrop it provides, it is also popular for its Victorian and Post Victorian architectural style. The Christ Church, the Gaiety Theatre, the Bandstand, age-old hotels, banks, government offices are some of the spots you’ll discover as you take a stroll and hear all about the town’s past.
Shimla is also known as the Little England and is one of the few Himalayan towns that was controlled by the British.
Get To The Core of Shimla
Start with the forests and then stroll down towards the village bazaar where you’ll witness the daily life in the hills. A sweetmeat shop, shoemaker, a lady tailor, few grocery shops and taxi drivers are scattered peacefully in the area. Going on this trail will give people an idea about what the lifestyle of people here is actually like. There are some massive old British houses that were built here, you can also get up close to the family/people currently living or working there to know more about the not-so-known story about these houses. A walk that will begin in Nature and end with the local life - this trail will give you a unique perspective at the core or spine of Shimla. Flora, fauna, meadows, forests, traditions, Shimla has a lot of these to offer.
Find Out About The Artistic Side
Those who believe that like many other areas, Shimla has become a concrete jungle too, are completely wrong. Go on a walk through the town, descending on a trail that commences from the natural forest and leads you to the house of the famous Rudyard Kipling, a highly respected writer who had spent his early years in Shimla. Then you can go to the art gallery by the living legend Mr Sanat Chatterjee, who is known for his longest paintings in the world that are 75 ft, 90 ft and 100 ft and on silk with watercolour. Some wildflowers will sprinkle your path with beauty while the wildlife, pheasants will fascinate you and the local plants will charm you with their exotic streak.
Understand The Village Life & the Royal Shade Of The Town
How do people in the hill village live? What are their traditions? If you’re in Shimla, you can’t leave without experiencing the hill life. It will take you back to a time where gadgets and technology didn’t reign our lives. The simplicity and age-old history of the region will be a treasure to cherish. And you will be hosted by Kunwar Dushyant Sing, a descendant of the Royal family in the town and relish a royal lunch in his ancestral home. This way you will see two sides of the same coin, two different shades of Shimla.
Venture Into The Viceroy’s Hunting Trail
Once upon a time, the favourite pastime of the Viceroys and his aristocrats was to hunt, since the forests of Shimla were and still are abundant with leopards, hyenas, bears, deers, birds and much more. Even though hunting is a big no-no now, you can still trace the trail that the Viceroy took for hunting and camping. You’ll come across an old camping ground on top of a Ride from where you’ll get a mesmerizing view of the Himalayan ranges, which just transformed a little since the time of the Viceroy and still thrives in the same way. If you choose to explore the area with a local, you’ll be enlightened with interesting stories from the past and get to know the hidden yet beautiful parts of the trail. A local can guide you better than a map.
Into The Daily Life Of Locals and Kipling’s Trail
Want to know what the typical lifestyle of Shimla reflects? It’s a mixture of people basking in the sun, women drying their laundry outside the house, washing clothes at public taps, children gleefully playing cricket, shopkeepers busy with customers, and old men reading a newspaper or just looking for some chit-chat. The walk starts with this scenario, one where you see the hustle-bustle of the city (or, the lack of it) and dwell in the minimal and simple philosophy of the people living here. After this, make your way to the dense forests, perched upon the hills, and then end your trip at the grand gates of a huge lodge from where the entire subcontinent was once ruled. From learning about the local life to Kipling - brush off the dust from your mental notebook, as it will surely be filled with beautiful facts.
Explore The Unexplored
Every city, every town, and every village in India has an unexplored side. A hidden side. Or an exclusive side. And this is what you should definitely explore. Trust the locals or us to guide you through the hush-hush places of the town that will include a small village, a few historically rich houses, a forest trail and will conclude at a local temple. This is a perfect way to understand the culture of Shimla without spending too much time and energy. The combination of breathtaking views of the Himalayas, ancient stories, relatively silent bazaars and alas nature will make you fall in love with the town.
Go Cycling
Rent a cycle and trace a path that was originally planned to be turned into a railway track. You will have to drive an hour to teach the starting point of the cycling trek. The trail is an 18km long road that is almost flat and is surrounded by cedar trees. There will be villages that you come across but won’t ever experience the woe of traffic here. A local would guide you better, tell you what to pay attention to and whatnot. This ride will definitely be a therapeutic one, that enhances the beauty and bounty of nature.