Himachal Pradesh

Why Go?

With spectacular snowy peaks and plunging river valleys, beautiful Himachal is India’s outdoor adventure playground. From trekking and climbing to rafting, paragliding and skiing, if it can be done in the mountains, it can be done here. A convoluted topography of interlocking mountain chains also makes Himachal a spectacular place simply to explore, by bus, car, motorbike, jeep or foot. Every pass crossing into a new valley brings you into a different world, with its own culture, deities and even language. Villages perched on staggering slopes enchant with fairy-tale architecture and their people's easygoing warmth. Hill stations appeal with a holiday atmosphere and colonial echoes, while backpacker magnets lure with their blissed-out vibe and mountain beauty. Such is the richness of the Himachali jigsaw that in McLeod Ganj, the Dalai Lama's home-away-from-home, and in Lahaul and Spiti, with their centuries-old Buddhist cultures, you might even think you’ve stumbled into Tibet.

When to Go

AMay–Jun & early Sep–Oct Outside the monsoon season; perfect for trekking and other activities.

AMid-Jul–early Sep The monsoon: visit Lahaul and Spiti, which stay dry.

ANov–Apr Good for snow-lovers, but the high passes to Lahaul and Spiti are blocked.

Best Places to Eat

A La Plage

A Cecil Restaurant

A Hotel Deyzor Restaurant

A Moonpeak

A Evergreen

Best Places to Sleep

A Orchard Hut

A Wildflower Hall

A Hotel Deyzor

A Alliance Guesthouse

A Tashi Khangsar Hotel

A Banjara Camps

Himachal Pradesh Highlights

1 Kinnaur-Spiti loop Daring the hair-raising passes, gorges and cliff-ledge roads of one of Asia's great road-trips.

2 Trekking Choosing from dozens of spectacular mountain crossings – easy, demanding, or moderate such as the Indrahar La.

3 McLeod Ganj Immersing yourself in Tibetan culture or yoga, volunteering with refugees or just chilling out in the mountains.

4 Manali Skiing, trekking, climbing, paragliding, rafting or just enjoying the traveller scene in Himachal's backpacker playground.

5 Spiti Exploring the ancient rock-perched Buddhist monasteries, high-altitude villages and starkly spectacular landscapes of this stunningly beautiful, remote region.

6 Shimla Riding the toy train up from the plains and exploring relics of the British Raj in its former summer capital, still one of India's favourite hill stations.

7 Parvati Valley Blissing out on the hippie trail in this hauntingly beautiful valley.

Southern Himachal Pradesh

As soon as you cross the state line from Haryana, the landscape starts to crinkle and fold in steep, forest-covered ridges – the foothills that herald the grand Himalayan ranges further north. The main travel destination in the south is the popular hill station Shimla, the former summer capital of British-ruled India.

Shimla

%0177 / Pop 170,000 / Elev 2205m

Strung out along a 12km ridge, with steep forested hillsides falling away in all directions, the Himachal capital is a good appetite-whetter for the awe-inspiring mountain tracts of the state's interior. Shimla is one of India's most popular hill resorts, buzzing with a happy flow of Indian vacationers and full of relics of its previous life as the summer capital of British India. Traffic is banned from the central part of town, so walking is pleasant – even when huffing and puffing uphill. The long, winding main street, the Mall, runs east and west just below the spine of the hill. South of it, the maze-like alleys of the bustling bazaar cascade steeply down to traffic-infested Cart Rd.

From mid-July to mid-September, Shimla is frequently wreathed in cloud, and in winter it often gets a carpeting of snow.

History

Until the British arrived, there was nothing at Shimla but a sleepy forest glade known as Shyamala (a local name for Kali – the Hindu destroyer-of-evil goddess). Then the new British political officer for the Hill States, Charles Kennedy, built a cottage here in 1822 and nothing was ever the same again. In 1864, Simla (its colonial-era name) became the official summer capital of the Raj, and from then until 1939 the entire government of India fled here for half of every year from the sweltering heat of the lowlands, bringing with them hundreds of muleloads of files, forms and other paraphernalia of government.

When the Kalka–Shimla railway was opened in 1906, Shimla’s status as India’s premier hill station was assured. The town became a centre not only of government but also of social frolics for the elite of the Raj. Maharajas as well as colonial grandees built mansions here, and the season was filled with grand balls at the Viceroy's lodge, picnics in the woods, amateur dramatics at the Gaiety Theatre and much flirtation and frivolity. Rudyard Kipling, who spent several summers here, used Shimla as the setting for parts of Kim and his short-story collection Plain Tales from the Hills.

Shimla

1Top Sights

1The RidgeD4

1Sights

2BantonyB3

3Christ ChurchF2

4Gaiety TheatreD4

5Gorton CastleB2

6Railway Board BuildingC2

7Town HallC4

2Activities, Courses & Tours

8Great Escape RoutesG2

4Sleeping

9Ballyhack CottageG2

10ChapsleeG1

11Hotel City ViewG3

12Hotel WhiteG1

13YMCAG2

5Eating

14AshianaD4

15Baljee'sC4

16Café Simla TimesF3

17Indian Coffee HouseB3

18Wake & BakeC4

7Shopping

19Asia Book HouseD4

20Himachal EmporiumB3

8Information

21Additional District MagistrateB3

22HPTDC Tourist OfficeC3

Transport

23HPTDC Bus StopB2

HRTC boothC3

24Old Bus StationD3

25Rail Booking OfficeC3

26Rivoli Bus StandD3

1Sights

oThe RidgeSTREET

( MAP GOOGLE MAP )

The broad esplanade extending east from Scandal Point is called the Ridge and it's thronged with strolling locals and tourists all day. In clear weather a jagged line of distant snowy peaks is clearly visible to the north.

Christ ChurchCHURCH

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2652953; the Ridge; h10.30am-1pm & 2-5.30pm, services in English 9am Sun)

At the Ridge's east end, the very English Christ Church, opened in 1846, is one of the oldest surviving churches in northern India and Shimla's most famous landmark. It contains some touching Raj-era memorials and typical Victorian stained glass.

Gaiety TheatreHISTORIC BUILDING

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2650173; www.gaiety.in; the Mall; Indian/foreigner ₹10/25, camera ₹15/25; htours 11am-1.30pm & 2-5.30pm Tue-Sun)

This lovely Victorian theatre, opened in 1877 and now splendidly restored, has long been a focus of Shimla social life. Rudyard Kipling, Shashi Kapoor and various viceroys are among those who have trodden its Burmese teak boards. Today it hosts visiting theatre companies as well as 15 local dramatic societies, plus concerts and exhibitions. Mr R Gautam gives excellent guided tours, explaining its history as you appreciate the view from the viceroy's private box.

oViceregal LodgeHISTORIC BUILDING

(Indian Institute of Advanced Study; GOOGLE MAP ; www.iias.org; tour Indian/foreigner ₹40/85, grounds only ₹20; h9.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sun, to 7pm mid-May–mid-Jul, tours every 45min 10am-4.45pm)

The official summer residence of the British viceroys was completed in 1888 and the entire Indian subcontinent was ruled from here for just over half of every year (usually early April to late October) from then till WWII. Henry Irwin's grand, grey sandstone creation resembles a cross between Harry Potter's Hogwarts and a Scottish baronial castle. Half-hour building tours visit three rooms with interesting photo exhibits (one was the billiards room) and the three-storey entrance hall lined in Burmese teak.

Himachal State MuseumMUSEUM

( GOOGLE MAP ; Indian/foreigner ₹20/100, camera ₹50/100; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun)

About 2.5km west of Scandal Point, up near the telecommunications mast, the state museum occupies an 1860s mansion and houses an impressive collection of Himachali, Rajasthani and Punjabi miniatures, as well as colourful traditional costumes and jewellery, delicate stone and wood carvings, and interesting photos of Himachal temples.

Jakhu TempleHINDU TEMPLE

( GOOGLE MAP )

Shimla’s most famous temple, dedicated to the monkey god Hanuman, sits atop its highest hill, a steep but worthwhile hike of 1.2km up from the east end of the Ridge. Appropriately, hundreds of rhesus macaques loiter around the temple, hoping for gifts of prasad (temple-blessed food offerings) from visitors. They have a habit of snatching loose objects such as hats, phones and even spectacles, so bring a stick to discourage them, or rent one (₹10) at the temple gate.

2Activities

Great Escape RoutesOUTDOORS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-6533037, 9418012500; www.greatescaperoutes.com; 6 Andhi Bhavan; h9am-8pm)

Specialises in trekking and other adventure trips, including mountain-bike, motorcycle and wildlife tours, around Himachal Pradesh and beyond. It can organise Kinnaur–Spiti trips in comfortable Innova or Xylo vehicles (sample price: ₹18,000 transport for five people for five days, plus ₹1200 a day with guide) and Enfield motorcycle hire (₹1600 to ₹1800 per day).

Shimla WalksWALKING

(%9459519620, 9817141099; http://shimlawalks.com)

A very professional operation run by local writer Sumit Vashisht, Shimla Walks offers excellent guided walks on and off the beaten track. Day or half-day trips (₹2000 to ₹3500 for up to four people) provide rare insights along the popular route to the Viceregal Lodge, or take you to writers' and artists' houses or Shimla's hidden Raj-era cemeteries.

TOP STATE FESTIVALS

Losar (Tibetan New Year; hlate Jan, Feb or early March) Tibetans across Himachal, including in McLeod Ganj and Spiti, celebrate their New Year with processions, music, dancing and chaams (ritual masked dances by monks).

Minjar Festival A week of processions, music, dance and markets at Chamba.

Ki Chaam Festival A week of rituals at Ki Gompa culminates in a day of whirling dances by brightly costumed and masked lamas.

Manimahesh Yatra Hundreds of thousands of Shaivites trek up to 4200m to bathe in Manimahesh Lake near Bharmour, one of Shiva’s mythical abodes.

Phulech Festival (hSep/Oct) Villagers in Kalpa and throughout Kinnaur fill temple courtyards with flowers; oracles perform sacrifices and make predictions for the coming year.

Dussehra Intense and spectacular weeklong celebration of the defeat of the demon Ravana, at Kullu.

4Sleeping

Shimla has a lot of hotels but many of them are a long way from the centre. The town's popularity with domestic tourists keeps room rates high in the better-located places, so you don't generally get great value during the peak seasons (approximately mid-April to mid-July, October to mid-November, Christmas/New Year and other major holidays). But outside peak seasons, discounts of 30% or 40% are available at many places.

YMCAHOSTEL$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2650021; ymcashimla@yahoo.co.in; the Ridge; incl breakfast r ₹1500, s/d without bathroom ₹600/800; W)

Up steps beside the Ritz Cineplex behind Christ Church, the bright-red YMCA takes all comers, regardless of age, gender or religion. Rooms are neat and pleasant, the shared bathrooms are immaculate, there’s a nice sunset terrace and you can enjoy a game of billiards or table tennis.

Hotel City ViewHOTEL$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2811666; jagdishthakur80@gmail.com; US Club Rd; r ₹700-1500; W)

This friendly place has 10 varied, reasonably well-kept rooms, the best of which are at the front and have bright views. The top floor has a small shared terrace and there are good discounts outside peak seasons, making this solid value for Shimla.

Spars LodgeGUESTHOUSE$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2657908; www.sparslodge.com; Museum Rd; s/d ₹1200/1700, ste ₹2200-2700; W)

Though it's 2km west of Scandal Point, on the road up to the State Museum, Spars is a good choice for its homey feel, welcoming owners, bright, clean rooms, and lovely sunny dining and sitting area upstairs. The restaurant (mains ₹160 to ₹420) serves great food, including local trout and all-day English breakfasts, and has wi-fi.

Hotel WhiteHOTEL$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2656136; www.hotelwhitesimla.com; Lakkar Bazar; d ₹2150-2740, ste ₹3570-5360; W)

Northeast of the Ridge through a bustling bazaar, the White is well run and rates are fixed all year. Rooms are clean, large and well kept, with good beds, and nearly all of them have a balcony or terrace looking over the valley below.

oSunnymeadB&B$$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %9736584045, 0177-2801436; http://sunnymeadestate.com; Sunnymead Estate, below Cart Rd, near Old MLA Quarters & Hotel Blossom; s/d incl breakfast ₹5000/6500; W)S

You could imagine yourself in the English countryside in this wonderfully cosy 1890s cottage full of interesting art, books and furnishings, with a couple of dogs, a cat and a lovely flower garden. The four rooms are comfy and characterful, and good Indian or English dinners (₹1200) are available as well as the excellent and generous breakfast.

Although it's 3km west of the heart of town, down a short path from busy Cart Rd, Sunnymead is only about 10 minutes' walk below the Viceregal Lodge, which is linked to the centre by the largely traffic-free Mall. The original mud-plastered wood-and-stone structure was maintained when the house was fully renovated a few years ago.

Ballyhack CottageB&B$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %8091300076; www.ballyhackcottage.com; Sidhowal Lodge Estate, the Ridge; d incl breakfast ₹4500; W)

A new building on one of Shimla's oldest properties, in a superb central location just off the Ridge, five-room Ballyhack combines an evocatively colonial ambience (polished-wood floors and furniture, old prints, tiled floors, rugs) with current amenities including comfy beds, tea/coffee equipment and good contemporary bathrooms. The garden terraces have views to the distant Himalaya in good weather.

oOberoi CecilHOTEL$$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2804848; www.oberoicecil.com; the Mall, Chaura Maidan; s/d incl breakfast & wi-fi from ₹16,000/17,250; aiWs)

This grand high-rise, 2km west of Scandal Point, is Shimla’s glitziest hotel. Discreet colonial-era charm combines happily with modern, wood-clad luxury in the plush rooms, with their tastefully trad furnishings, and the spacious common areas. The hotel has a lovely indoor pool and fine restaurant and service is polished but friendly.

oChapsleeHERITAGE HOTEL$$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2658663; www.chapslee.com; Elysium Hill; r incl half-board ₹20,800-30,200, B&B ₹14,250; W)

For the full Raj treatment, you can't beat this lavish mansion where the Raja of Kapurthala's grandson lovingly maintains an aristocratic lifestyle of bygone days. From its huge gold-toned drawing room to the five super-comfortable bedrooms, the exclusive retreat is crammed with chandeliers, tapestries, antiques and family portraits. Impeccable service and fine meals add to a memorable experience.

SLEEPING PRICE RANGES

Accommodation price ranges for this chapter (referring to accommodation for two people, including taxes, without any meals):

$ below ₹1200

$$ ₹1200–₹3500

$$$ above ₹3500

5Eating

Baljee’sINDIAN$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 26 the Mall; snacks & mains ₹85-235; h9am-10.30pm)

Clean, cosy and air-conditioned, with bow-tied waiters, Baljee’s gets packed with Indian families, many of whom come for the snacks and South Indian specialities. Breakfasts of omelettes, toast and dosas are good, too.

Indian Coffee HouseCAFE$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; the Mall; dishes ₹25-80; h8am-8.30pm)

This Shimla institution is like an old boys’ club with its ageing leather seats, uniformed waiters and blackboard menu. Packed with chattering locals (not quite all men) for much of the day, it’s the most atmospheric place in town for breakfast, cheap dosas and coffee (don’t even ask for tea!).

Wake & BakeMULTICUISINE$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 34/1 the Mall; dishes ₹120-320; h9.30am-10pm; W)

This upstairs cafe is about the hippest eatery in Shimla (which isn't saying too much), serving up organic South Indian coffee, breakfasts, pizza by the slice, hummus, falafel, toasties, veg stir-fry, pasta and excellent crêpes. Wi-fi is free.

AshianaINDIAN$$

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; the Ridge; mains ₹115-275; h9am-10pm)

In a fanciful circular building, Ashiana is an almost-elegant restaurant and good people-watching spot, with a delightful sunny terrace. As well as tasty North Indian dishes there are Chinese and a few Thai and South Indian favourites.

oCecil RestaurantMULTICUISINE$$$

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2804848; Oberoi Cecil, the Mall, Chaura Maidan; mains ₹1000-1700; h7.30-10.30pm)

For a special dinner, look no further than the colonial-era elegance of the Cecil Restaurant at the Oberoi. The menu is strong on curries from all over India and Thailand too, but there are plenty of Continental options as well, including Kullu Valley trout. Book ahead in high season.

6Drinking & Nightlife

The most stylish places for a drink are the lounge bars at top-end hotels such as the Oberoi Cecil or (if you like a DJ soundtrack) the Marina ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-6629999; www.marinashimla.com; the Mall; r ₹11,790-14,170; aiW). Cheaper drinks are available at restaurants such as Ashiana and Café Simla Times ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; the Mall; mains ₹245-445; hnoon-10.30pm; W), both of which have panoramic terraces too.

7Shopping

Indian tourists browse fashionable shops along the Mall for Himachali and Kashmiri shawls and other apparel. For a slice of more traditional commerce, wander the bazaar labyrinth below the Mall. You can buy anything here from peacock feathers and henna kits to bangles and bicycles. Different zones are devoted to vegetables (the Sabzi Mandi), spices, fabrics and other goods.

Asia Book HouseBOOKS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; the Mall; h10.30am-8.30pm Mon-Sat, 1-7.30pm Sun)

Novels, guides and other books on India.

Himachal EmporiumARTS & CRAFTS

( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2011234; www.himcrafts.com; the Mall; h10am-1pm & 2.30-7.30pm Mon-Sat)

Kullu and Kinnauri shawls, thick Lahauli wool socks and other appealing Himachal crafts are sold at reasonable prices at this state-government crafts enterprise.

THE MALL, SHIMLA'S 7KM STROLL

The largely traffic-free Mall is the heartbeat of Shimla life, strung with hotels, shops, eateries, colonial-era buildings in assorted states of repair, and people everywhere. It runs up from Chotta Shimla, southeast of the centre, to Scandal Point, the official centre of town, then continues west to the Viceregal Lodge.

The top landmarks you'll pass in an east–west walk along the Mall include the handsome half-timbered Clarkes Hotel, dating from the 1890s; the Gaiety Theatre, in action since 1877; and the Town Hall ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; the Mall), almost beside Scandal Point, dating from 1910 and oddly reminiscent of the mansion in Hammer Horror films.

West of Scandal Point, just above the Mall, a pretty 1883 quasi-Tudor folly houses the post office. Also just above the Mall, the wonderfully whimsical Bantony ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Kali Bari Rd) is a turreted red-brick mansion from 1880 that was once home to the Maharajah of Sirmaur. Bantony is now sadly the epitome of Shimla picturesque decay.

Another 500m west, the turreted Railway Board Building ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; the Mall), built in 1897 with fire-resistant cast iron and steel, now houses government and police offices. Just past here is the austere grey-stone Gorton Castle ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; the Mall) from 1904, formerly the colonial government secretariat and now the Himachal Pradesh Accountant-General's Office (visitors can walk round the outside only). A further 1km brings you to Shimla's most famous luxury hotel, the Oberoi Cecil, founded in 1902 and radically refurbished in the 1990s but century-old half-timbering on its western end. From the Oberoi, it's 1.4km on westward to the most splendiferous of all Shimla's Raj-era edifices, the Viceregal Lodge.

8Information

HPTDC Tourist OfficeTOURIST INFORMATION

(Himachal Pradesh Tourist Development Corporation, Himachal Tourism; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2652561; www.hptdc.gov.in; Scandal Point; h9am-7pm, to 8pm mid-Apr–Jun & mid-Sep–mid-Nov)

Very helpful for local information and advice; also books HPTDC buses, hotels and tours.

ICICI BankEXCHANGE, ATM

( GOOGLE MAP ; Scandal Point; h10am-4pm Mon-Sat, closed 2nd & 4th Sat each month)

Exchanges foreign currency and has a 24-hour ATM.

Indira Gandhi Medical CollegeHOSPITAL

( GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2803073; IGMC Rd)

Large public hospital with 24-hour outpatient department.

8Getting There & Away

Bus

The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) runs seven comfortable Volvo AC buses to Delhi (₹915, 10 hours) each day, as well as 10 cheaper AC and non-AC services (₹414 to ₹684). Other HRTC AC buses head to Manali (nine hours), via Mandi and Kullu, at 9.30am (₹544, non-Volvo) and 7.30pm (₹871, Volvo), and to Dharamsala (₹475, eight hours, non-Volvo) at 4.30pm. All HRTC buses leave from the ISBT (Inter State Bus Terminus, New Bus Station; GOOGLE MAP ; Tutikandi), a 5km trip west from the town centre: you can make reservations at the HRTC booth ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Scandal Point; h8am-7.30pm) at Scandal Point or at the main post office ( GOOGLE MAP ; Scandal Point; h9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm Sun).

The Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) runs a Volvo AC bus to Delhi (₹900, 10 hours) at 8.30pm, and a non-AC deluxe bus to Manali (₹550, nine hours) at 8.30am, both starting from a stop ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Cart Rd) on Cart Rd west of Victory Tunnel: get tickets at the HPTDC Tourist Office.

Buses from Shimla ISBT

Destination	Fare (₹)	Duration (hr)	Departures
Chandigarh	172-229	4	every 15-30min, 4am-10pm
Dehra Dun	322-517	8	3 daily
Delhi	414-915	10	17 daily
Dharamsala	360-497	8-10	7 daily
Kalpa	400	11	6.15am
Kullu	319-740	7-8	8 daily
Manali	377-871	8-9	7 daily
Mandi	218-502	6	15 daily
Rekong Peo	355	10	approximately hourly 4-11.15am & 6.30-11.15pm
Sangla	350	10	7.15am
Sarahan	300	7	9.30am & 10.30am

Taxi

The Kalka-Shimla Himachal Taxi Union ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2658225; Cart Rd) has its office near the Old Bus Station, while Vishal Himachal Taxi Operators Union ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2805164; Cart Rd) operates from the bottom of the passenger lift. Most hotels and travel agencies can organise car transfers to other towns, or a car and driver for an extended tour. A non-AC cab for up to four people to Manali costs around ₹5200, to Chandigarh ₹2100 and to Delhi around ₹6200. You pay between ₹300 and ₹1000 more for AC, depending on distance.

Vishal charges ₹1550 for day trips up to 80km, plus ₹12 for each extra kilometre.

Train

One of the little joys of Shimla is getting to it by the narrow-gauge Kalka–Shimla Railway from Kalka, just north of Chandigarh. This 'toy train' has been operating since 1906 and is one of the World Heritage–listed Mountain Railways of India. Although the steam trains are long gone, it’s a scenic five to six-hour trip, with 102 tunnels and 988 bridges on its winding 96km route. Shimla station is 1.5km west of Scandal Point on Cart Rd – a 20- to 30-minute uphill walk to town.

Trains leave Kalka for Shimla at 3.30am, 5am, 5.20am, 6am and 12.10pm, and start the return trip at 10.25am, 2.25pm, 4.55pm, 5.50pm and 6.30pm. The most comfortable option is the Shivalik Express (train 52451 from Kalka at 5.20am, train 52452 from Shimla at 5.50pm) with AC chair cars only, costing ₹420/510 uphill/downhill including food. Other trains have fairly spartan 1st-class coaches (₹270 to ₹320) and usually 2nd-class coaches (₹25 unreserved, ₹40 to ₹65 reserved).

The Himalayan Queen service runs from/to Delhi Sarai Rohilla, with comfortable connection times at Kalka and total fares of ₹700/135 (AC chair/2nd class) for the Delhi–Shimla (or vice-versa) trip. A quicker alternative for the Delhi–Kalka (or vice-versa) leg is the Kalka Shatabdi: train 12011 departs New Delhi station for Kalka (AC chair car ₹640) at 7.40am and train 12012 leaves Kalka for New Delhi (₹725) at 5.45pm.

There’s a rail booking office ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Scandal Point; h9am-1pm & 2-4pm Mon-Sat).

Timings for Himalayan Queen

Depart	Arrive/Depart Kalka	Arrive	Train Nos
Delhi Sarai Rohilla 5.35am	11.10am/12.10pm	Shimla 5.30pm	14095 & 52455
Shimla 10.25am	4.10pm/4.55pm	Delhi Sarai Rohilla 10.40pm	52456 & 14096

8Getting Around

The only way to get around central Shimla is on foot. Vehicles, including taxis, are banned from the Ridge and much of the Mall. Fortunately a two-part lift ( GOOGLE MAP ; per person ₹10; h8am-9pm Jul-Apr, 8am-10pm May & Jun) connects Cart Rd ( GOOGLE MAP ) with the Mall ( GOOGLE MAP ) about 600m east of Scandal Point. Taxis from the train station/ISBT to the bottom of the lift cost ₹150/250. Green-and-white local buses (₹7) run every few minutes between the ISBT and the Old Bus Station ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2656326; Cart Rd).

Porters will carry your luggage uphill (about ₹100 from Cart Rd to the Mall) but many double as hotel touts.

Naldehra & Around

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The hill country in every direction from Shimla is beautiful, with plunging green river valleys and vistas over distant mountain ranges – best enjoyed away from the traffic-infested main roads. Some scruffy towns attract crowds of day-trippers for amusement parks, pony rides or the modest winter skiing at Narkanda, but there are a few out-of-the-ordinary places to stay scattered around the region.

Naldehra Golf Club (%0177-2747656; http://naldehragolfclub.com; green fees Indian/foreigner ₹575/863, club hire ₹288; h7am-7pm Apr-Sep, 9am-5pm Oct-Mar), 25km northeast of Shimla, was founded in 1905 by viceroy Lord Curzon (who loved Naldehra so much he named his daughter after it). The course, set on a ridge among tall cedars, is a challenging one with the quirk that many holes share one fairway, criss-crossing it at different angles. Hire a caddy (₹150 per nine holes) or you won’t know where you’re going. You can have a drink in the clubhouse whether you're playing or not.

oWildflower HallHERITAGE HOTEL$$$

(%0177-2648585; www.oberoihotels.com; s/d from ₹28,560/29,750; aiWs)

The most regal lodgings in Himachal Pradesh, Wildflower Hall looms above the hamlet of Chharabra, 14km east of Shimla, exuding wealth from its teak-panelled lobby to its chandelier-lit indoor pool and its opulent colonial-style rooms with marble bathrooms. Rates fluctuate madly.

The restaurant (%0177-2648686; mains ₹1150-2700; h12.30-3.30pm & 7-10.30pm), with a lovely panoramic terrace, serves a daily changing menu of Indian, Continental and Asian fare and is open to nonguests.

8Getting There & Around

There are bus services from Shimla to most places of any size, including 11 daily buses to Naldehra (₹34, one hour) from Shimla's small Rivoli bus stand ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Circular Rd). Shimla taxi operators offer reasonably priced drop-offs and day trips.

Kinnaur

The district of Kinnaur, stretching up to the border with Tibet in southeastern Himachal, is blessed with magnificent mountain and valley scenery and a distinctive cultural and ethnic mix that mutates from Aryan Hindu to Tibetan Buddhist as you progress eastward. The Kinnauris are proud but friendly people, recognisable anywhere in India by their green felt basheri hats.

Hwy 05 (formerly Hwy 22) threads a spectacular route up the Sutlej (Satluj) valley, following or paralleling the course of the historic Hindustan–Tibet Road, a track constructed by the British in the 19th century in the hope of providing access to Tibet. The main valley is scarred by multiple dam projects that are turning the powerful Sutlej River into a massive generator, so to best appreciate Kinnaur you need to get up into the hills and side valleys.

Check road conditions beforehand, as monsoon landslides, floods or winter snows can block the roads for days or even weeks.

Beyond Kinnaur lies remote Spiti, which combines with Kinnaur into a loop from Shimla to Manali or Keylong that is an unending sequence of hair-raising roads through breathtaking scenery.

Lower Kinnaur gets monsoon rains in July and August, but east of Rekong Peo the landscape quickly becomes much more arid as you pass through a gap in the Great Himalayan Range and into the range's rain shadow. During Kinnaur's peak domestic tourist seasons – mid-April to June and mid-September to mid-October – it's worth booking ahead for rooms in popular spots including Sarahan, the Sangla Valley, Kalpa and Nako. At other times you may well get discounts.

Rampur

%01782 / Pop 10,300 / Elev 1005m

The gateway to Kinnaur, this bustling bazaar town was the winter capital of the Bushahr rajas who ruled Kinnaur from the 18th to mid-20th centuries. Most travellers coming from Shimla push on to Sarahan or beyond, but if you have time here, check out the very handsome Padam Palace , built for the Raja of Bushahr in the 1920s; only the garden is open to visitors but from there you can fully admire the building's stone arches, carved-wood upper storey, turreted towers and multi-gabled bandstand. Rampur's Lavi Fair (hNov), a huge commercial and cultural get-together in the second week of November, attracts traders and pilgrims from all over northwest India.

Rampur now has one of Kinnaur's best hotels, the Nau Nabh (%01782-234405; www.hotelnaunabh.com; r ₹2975-6545; aW), with good-sized, beautifully kept rooms in a renovated 200-year-old section of the Padam Palace, and easily the town's best restaurant (Mains ₹180-350; h7am-11pm). Cheaper town-centre options include Hotel Satluj View (%01782-233924; hotelsatlujview@yahoo.in; r ₹550-2380; aW), with rooms ranging from dingy but clean to large and air-conditioned.

8Getting There & Away

Rampur’s bus station is 2km east of the centre but many people jump on through buses at the rather chaotic Old Bus Stand in the centre. From the bus station there are services to Rekong Peo (₹160, five hours) at least hourly till 4.30pm, to Shimla (₹205, five hours) every half-hour till 9.30pm, to Sarahan (₹65, two hours) about every 20 minutes till 5.45pm, to Sangla (₹160, four hours) at 6am and 12.30pm, and to the Jalori Pass (₹123, four hours), Banjar (₹157, six hours) and Kullu (₹237, 10 hours) at 9.40am.

INNER LINE PERMITS

Foreigners planning to travel the spectacular Kinnaur–Spiti loop, in either direction, need an inner line permit for the section between Rekong Peo in Kinnaur and Sumdo in Spiti. This is easily and quickly obtained, any day except Sunday or the second Saturday of the month, in Rekong Peo or Kaza. If necessary, you can also get the permit at the office of the Additional District Magistrate (ADM; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0177-2657005; Room 207/208, Block B, Collectorate Building; h10am-1.30pm & 2-5pm Mon-Sat, closed 2nd Sat each month) in Shimla (down a lane off the Mall 300m west of Scandal Point), though the process here is slightly more complicated: there must be at least two people applying together and you first need a sponsorship letter from an authorised travel agency (costing up to ₹200). Take this and copies of your passport's identity and visa pages to the ADM office. You'll be sent to the Sugam Centre, in the same governmental complex, to fill in a form, have your photo taken and pay ₹300 per person. You then return to the ADM office, where permits are usually issued within 30 minutes.

Note that a few Asian nationalities, including Chinese and Taiwanese, cannot get inner line permits but must apply for a special permit from the Home Affairs Ministry in Delhi.

Sarahan

%01782 / Pop 1700 / Elev 1920m

The former summer capital of the Bushahr kingdom, Sarahan is dominated by the fabulous two-towered Bhimakali Temple (h6am-8pm), dedicated to a local version of the goddess Kali and built in the traditional Kinnauri manner from layers of stone and timber to absorb the force of earthquakes.

The right-hand tower (as viewed from the entrance) was recently rebuilt after the 12th-century original collapsed. The left-hand tower dates from the 1920s and contains the highly revered Bhimakali shrine beneath a beautiful silver-filigree canopy on its top floor.

The towers' curved, peaked roofs suggest the Tibetan influence on Kinnauri architecture, which becomes more marked as you move up the valley.

For entry to the innermost courtyard with the towers, male visitors must wear a cap (available on the spot), and cameras, mobile phones and leather items must be left in lockers.

Most lodgings will provide meals, or you can choose from a handful of dhabas in the bazaar area below the temple.

There's a State Bank ATM (Main Bazar) opposite the Civil Hospital.

Temple ResthouseGUESTHOUSE$

(%01782-274248; dm ₹70, r ₹350-550)

Rooms here, within the ancient temple precinct itself, are plain and simple but, unlike most temple accommodation, far from gloomy. The upper-storey rooms in particular are bright, spacious and airy, with hot water.

Hotel Trehan'sHOTEL$

(%9816687605; www.hoteltrehansarahan.com; r ₹600-1000; W)

Run by a friendly family, this rambling budget establishment has rooms with ornate ceilings, big windows and chintzy tapestries of Indian epics that give it a touch of character. Shared terraces have great views over the valley and there's a restaurant for all meals.

Hotel SrikhandHOTEL$$

(%01782-274234; www.hptdc.gov.in; s ₹1430-2860, d ₹1900-3810)

The most popular and just about the best place in town at research time, though that's lukewarm praise. Rooms are carpeted and have mountain views, and in most cases balconies, but are in serious need of some TLC. There's a reasonable restaurant (mains ₹100-275; h7.30am-10pm) but really the best thing about the hotel is the panoramic terrace of the bar.

8 Getting There & Away

There are buses to Shimla (₹300, seven hours) at 4am, 6.30am, 8am and noon, but you can also get one of the frequent services to Rampur (₹65, two hours) and change there. To head on eastward into Kinnaur, take any bus as far as Jeori (₹30, 45 minutes) on Hwy 05 below Sarahan, and catch an eastbound bus there. The last bus from Jeori up to Sarahan leaves around 6.30pm. Taxis are about ₹350.

Sangla Valley

The Sangla, or Baspa, Valley is a deeply carved cleft between burly mountain slopes, where evergreen forests rise to alpine meadows crowned by snowy summits. Villages here feature houses and temples built in traditional Kinnauri timber-and-stone style. The road up the valley leaves Hwy 05 at Karcham, passing the gushing outflow pipes from a big hydroelectric plant: the first 15km, up to the dam just below the valley's only town, Sangla, are truly hair-raising.

Sangla & Around

%01786

The largest settlement in the valley, the small town of Sangla is a place where you might stop for lunch, change buses or stay overnight if you can't find onward transport further up the valley. It has a couple of cybercafes and a State Bank ATM on the main street.

Kamru FortFORT

(h5am-6pm)

Clinging to a rocky spur 2km north of Sangla (about 30 minutes' walk), Kamru village was the original capital of the kingdom of Bushahr. The old Kamru Fort, a 329-step climb up from the foot of the village, contains several handsome wood-and-stone buildings with curved, peaked roofs, notably its main tower with its shrine to the goddess Kamakhya Devi. On the way up is the Badrinath Temple, a classic example of Kinnauri religious syncretism with both Hindu and Buddhist shrines.

Baspa Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$

(%9816385065; Sangla; d ₹600-700, tr & q ₹1200-1400)

Just down the street from the bus stand, the bare-bones but adequately clean Baspa is a popular budget option. Rooms vary, so look at a few: those on the top floor have showers in their bathrooms, while others have a hot tap and a bucket and scoop.

oBanjara CampsTENTED CAMP$$$

(%011-65152334; www.banjaracamps.com; Batseri; incl full board s ₹7000-11,500, d ₹8000-12,500; hclosed Nov–mid-Mar)

Banjara's comfortable, large tents, with beds, furniture and proper bathrooms, are spaced around a flower-strewn apple orchard on a scenic river bend 6km up the valley from Sangla. There are also two riverbank cottages and 14 beautifully crafted rooms in a handsome stone building, the Retreat. It's excellent accommodation, with good multicuisine food, in a near-idyllic setting.

8Getting There & Away

Buses from Sangla (times approximate):

AChitkul (₹35, 1½ hours) 11am, 1.30pm, 5.30pm

ARampur (₹160, four hours) 6.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 5.30pm

ARekong Peo (₹65, 2½ hours) 7am, 1pm, 2.45pm

AShimla (₹350, 10 hours) 6.30am, 5.30pm (or go to Rampur and change buses there)

Taxis ask ₹1500 to Chitkul and ₹800 to Karcham.

Chitkul

Pop 600 / Elev 3450m

The last stop on an old trade route to Tibet and at the junction of several trekking routes, Chitkul is easily the most scenic settlement along the Sangla. It sees a steady flow of international and domestic tourists, but villagers maintain a pretty traditional lifestyle and a somewhat reserved attitude to outsiders.

1Sights & Activities

A good number of traditional Kinnauri-style wooden houses topped with slate roofs survive despite the encroachment of concrete and tin. The Mohatmin Mandir temple in the middle of the village, dedicated to the local god Mathi, has some excellent carving in wood and stone.

Walks & Treks

A short walk up the hillside above the village opens up some great views; even better is the 3km track up the beautiful valley to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Post (Nagasti) at Nagasti. The high white peak of Tholla beckons ahead, but civilians are not allowed past the border post even though Tibet is still about 40km away. For longer day walks you can head up the Baspa's side valleys.

Chitkul is also where the three-day trekking trail circumambulating Kinner Kailash descends into the Sangla Valley. Trekking routes to the Pabbar Valley and Uttarakhand's Garhwal region head over passes on the south side of the valley (it's eight to 10 days to Harsil near Gangotri).

Banjara Camps, among others, organises treks in this region. Baabe at Kinner Heights guesthouse can help organise guides, porters, food and equipment.

4Sleeping & Eating

Several guesthouses and a couple of larger but not very inviting hotels are set at the foot of the village. Among the best guesthouses is Kinner Heights (%8988238129; s ₹500-550, d ₹750-1200; hclosed Dec-Mar), with good clean rooms. Owner Baabe makes good meals and can give tips on walks and treks. Also dependable is the long-running Thakur Guest House (%8988209604; r ₹500-900; hclosed Nov-Mar), with decent clean rooms and an upstairs restaurant.

8Getting There & Away

Buses leave Chitkul for Rekong Peo (₹100, four hours) at around 6am and 1.30pm, and for Shimla (₹380, 11 hours) at 3.30pm, all going through Sangla.

Rekong Peo

%01786 / Pop 2400 / Elev 2290m

Rekong Peo is the main administrative and commercial centre for Kinnaur and a transport hub, but the main reason to visit is as a stepping stone to the pretty village of Kalpa, or to obtain an inner line permit for onward travel to upper Kinnaur and Spiti. Known locally as ‘Peo’, the town spreads along a looping road about 10km above Hwy 05. Most hotels, and an SBI ATM, are in the main bazaar below the bus stand.

Hotel Fairyland (%9459700037; Main Bazar; r ₹550-650) is the best of an otherwise grotty bunch of budget hotels in the main bazaar.

Head to Little Chef's Restaurant (Main Bazar; mains ₹130-260; h8am-10pm) for the most salubrious surroundings and a decent range of Indian dishes.

8Information

Several agencies in the Tourist Information Centre building, 200m down the main road from the roundabout in the main bazaar, are good for arranging inner line permits. Monk Travels (%9805530056; www.themonktravels.com; Office 201, TIC Bldg) will obtain your permit for ₹400 within about an hour if you bring your passport between 10am and 4pm (best in the morning) – except on Sundays and the second Saturday of each month, when the permit-issuing office is closed. All travellers must come in person to be photographed. The permits are valid for 14 days.

8Getting There & Away

The bus stand is 2km uphill from the main bazaar by road, or 500m if you take the steps starting next to the police compound at the top of ITBP Rd (which runs up off Main Bazar at Little Chef's restaurant).

Buses run roughly hourly, 4.30am to 6.30pm to Shimla (₹355, 10 hours), with deluxe services (₹435) at 5.30am and 1.30pm. For Sarahan, change at Jeori (₹135, 3½ hours). Buses to Sangla (₹65, 2½ hours) and Chitkul (₹100, four hours) leave at 9.30am and 2.30pm, and there are noon and 4pm buses just to Sangla.

For Spiti, there’s a 7am bus to Kaza (₹355, 11 hours) via Nako (₹175, five hours) and Tabo (₹270, eight hours). A second bus heads to Nako at noon. Both these depart Rekong Peo 30 minutes earlier from November to March.

Taxi rates are ₹3500 to Chitkul, ₹7000 to Shimla and ₹8000 to Kaza.

Kalpa

%01786 / Pop 1250 / Elev 2960m

Reached by a winding 7km road up through pine woods and apple orchards from Rekong Peo, Kalpa is a little gem of a village. Majestic views of the Kinner Kailash massif, especially Kinner Kailash (6050m) and Jorkanden (6473m), grab your eyeballs and don’t let go.

Kalpa's central temple group encompasses the colourful Buddhist monastery Lochawa La-Khang (Samdub Choeling); a recently rebuilt, tower-style fort just above it; and the Hindu Narayan-Nagini temple about 50m along the path past the Lochawa La-Khang. The Narayan-Nagini's ornate sculptures include tigers (a vehicle of Durga, to whom it's dedicated) and dragons (evidence of the strong Tibetan influence in this region).

For an ambitious full-day hike, ask locals about the trail up to the meadows and ponds of Chakkha, starting from Hotel Kinner Kailash on Roghi Rd.

4Sleeping & Eating

Kalpa has a good range of accommodation, with several guesthouses in Chini, the main part of the village, plus a number of modern hotels on Roghi Rd, a 500m walk (or longer drive) above the centre.

Hotel Blue LotusHOTEL$

(%01786-226001; khokanroy.bluelotus@gmail.com; r ₹800-1200; W)

Only 100m from the bus stand, this friendly, concrete place is hard to beat for sheer convenience. Rooms are a touch shabby but not bad value, and the wide, sunny terraces face directly across to the mountains – ideal for meals with a view (mains ₹60 to ₹250).

Chini Bungalow Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$

(%9805495656; r ₹1200)

Just 100m up a path from the centre of Kalpa, this is a friendly little place with five clean, cosy rooms and great temple and mountain views from its balconies and flowery garden. The two upstairs rooms are best but all are fine. No meals, but you can eat at Hotel Blue Lotus, nearby. Off-season discounts are around 50%.

oGrand Shamba-LaHOTEL$$$

(Grand Shangri-La; %9805695423, 01786-226134; http://thegrandshambala.com; Roghi Rd; r ₹3850-4950; W)

The very comfortable rooms here are beautifully pine-panelled and decked with Tibetan-design fabrics, and the best enjoy stupendous views from picture windows. Beds are soft, the bathrooms have great hot showers, and Indian, Tibetan and Chinese food (mains ₹120 to ₹300) is excellent. There's also a good library with books on India and Tibet.

8Getting There & Away

Buses run at least hourly from 7am to 7pm between the roundabout in Rekong Peo's main bazaar and Kalpa (₹15, 30 minutes), or you can take a taxi (₹400/500 from Rekong Peo to lower/upper Kalpa). First bus down from Kalpa leaves at 6.30am. For walkers, a well-worn stepped path of about 3km short-cuts the winding 7km road.

Buses depart for Shimla (₹400, 11 hours) at 6.30am, 10.30am and 2.30pm, and for Sangla (₹60, three hours) and Chitkul (₹90, 4½ hours) at around 8.30am. More buses run from Rekong Peo.

Rekong Peo to Sumdo

The road from Kinnaur into Spiti is a procession of awe-inspiring vistas, often clinging precariously to cliffsides, the river flashing hundreds of metres below. Foreigners must show their inner line permits at the Akpa checkpoint on Hwy 05, 17km east of the Rekong Peo turn-off.

Near Khab, Hwy 05 heads off up to the Chinese border at the Shipki La (off-limits to foreigners). The valley road (now Hwy 505) continues 2km to the confluence of the Sutlej and Spiti Rivers, then threads the dramatic Spiti gorge upstream. High above the Spìti River, Nako village is an interesting place to break the journey. North of Nako the road descends to the river again at Chango. Sumdo, 14km further on, marks the administrative border between Kinnaur and Spiti: foreigners must show their inner line permits again here.

Nako

Pop 570 / Elev 3660m

High above the Hangrang Valley (as the lower Spiti valley is called), this almost medieval-feeling village of stone and mud-brick houses is a great place to break the journey for a day or two. Administratively part of Kinnaur but culturally in Buddhist Spiti, Nako is centred on a small sacred lake, behind which rise towering rock-strewn mountains dotted by chortens.

On the western edge of Nako you’ll find the four 11th-century chapels of Nako Gompa , containing some fine murals and sculptures in similar styles to those of Spiti's famous Tabo Gompa.

2Activities

For fine vistas, walk up to the prayer wheel on the hill above the lake (about 500m from the village centre). For even better vistas, continue about 800m (more steeply upward) to the 3900m Nako Pass , a noticeable cleft in the rocky ridge to the south.

Beyond Nako Pass a scenic pilgrimage and hiking trail continues to the historic monastery at the remote hamlet Tashigang – about three hours, fairly level, from the pass. Guru Padmasambhava is believed to have meditated and taught at Tashigang. Hard-core hikers can continue for about two hours further to caves and a tiny monastery at Tsomang (or Somang).

It's possible to sleep and eat at the Tashigang monastery: take a gift for the monks by way of donation (sugar is one thing they appreciate). The Nako authorities like tourists to go with a guide (₹500 to ₹1500), though the path is clear and many people go without one.

4Sleeping

Nako has simple homestays and guesthouses such as Amar Home Stay (%9418629453; s/d ₹500/550), signposted down steps 20m from the bus stop, where clean rooms with hot-water bathrooms open onto a pretty garden. Better, though sometimes busy with groups, are the excellent Knaygoh Kinner Camps (%9418440767; www.knaygohkinnercamps.com; d with half-board tent ₹4500-5500, r ₹3500; hlate Apr-late Oct), a short walk above the lake, with cosy en-suite tents and four clean rooms, and the ugly but quite comfy Hotel Reo Purguil (%9459494111; vjneginawa69@gmail.com; r ₹700-2000; hMay-Oct), next to the bus stop.

8Getting There & Away

Buses to Rekong Peo (₹175, five hours) leave Nako at about 8am and noon. A bus to Tabo (₹105, three hours) and Kaza (₹177, 5½ hours) stops here about noon, and there's a bus around 4pm or 5pm just to Sumdo.