Shimla travel guide
Capital hill
Shimla is a historic hill capital famous for colonial architecture, panoramic viewpoints, heritage railways, bustling markets, forest trails, and pleasant weather, making it a favored destination for leisure travelers, families, and couples.
Best time to visit Shimla
Apr–May and Oct–Nov are best; Mar, Jun, Sep and Dec are also good. Jul–Aug brings rain most days and landslides; Jan–Feb is cold, with snow at times.
| Month | Verdict | Temperature | Rain | Crowds | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | mixed | 2–9 °C | 80 mm | medium | Coldest month; snow likely at times, leaving roads icy; busy after snowfall |
| February | mixed | 2–10 °C | 80 mm | low | Cold, with snow or rain spells; quiet apart from snowfall weekends |
| March | good | 6–14 °C | 80 mm | low | Cool and mostly clear, with occasional rain and thunderstorms; quiet |
| April | best | 11–20 °C | 60 mm | medium | Clear spring days and cool nights; fewer crowds than in summer |
| May | best | 14–23 °C | 80 mm | high | Warm days, cool nights; school-holiday crowds from mid-May; forest-fire haze possible |
| June | good | 15–24 °C | 190 mm | high | Busiest month with heavy traffic; the monsoon usually arrives late in the month |
| July | mixed | 15–21 °C | 330 mm | low | Rain most days, with fog; landslides can block roads in and around town |
| August | mixed | 14–20 °C | 350 mm | low | Wettest month; fog and landslides, so check roads before driving up |
| September | good | 13–20 °C | 160 mm | low | Rain tapers off; green slopes and fuller waterfalls; clearer by month's end |
| October | best | 10–19 °C | 30 mm | medium | Clear skies and chilly evenings; long views of the snow peaks |
| November | best | 7–15 °C | 15 mm | medium | Clear, crisp days and cold evenings; quieter after Diwali |
| December | good | 4–12 °C | 25 mm | high | Cold, mostly dry and clear; Christmas–New Year crowds hoping for snow |
How many days to spend in Shimla
Two days cover the Ridge, the Mall, Jakhu Temple and the Viceregal Lodge; a third adds Kufri, and a fourth Chail or Hatu Peak near Narkanda.
How to reach Shimla
- By air: Chandigarh (IXC) — 120 km by road
- By train: Shimla (SML) — 1 km by road. Toy train from Kalka (KLK), the broad-gauge railhead
- By road: From Chandigarh — 110 km. Via Kalka and Solan
Getting around
The Mall and the Ridge are car-free, so walk; the public lift links the Mall with Cart Road below. Local buses and taxis cover Tara Devi, Kufri and Chail.
Things to do in Shimla
- Mall Road — Market
- Sri Raghunath Temple — Temple (1 h · Free entry)
- Chail Palace — Palace (1 h · ₹100)
- The Ridge — Ridge (1.5 h · Free entry)
- Great Himalayan National Park — National park (8 h · Paid entry)
- Bijlimahadev temple — Temple (4 h · Free entry)
- Gilbert Trail — Nature walk
- Chail Cricket Ground — Ground
- Mahashu Peak, Kufri — Peak (3 h · Free entry)
- Hatu Peak — Peak (2 h · Free entry)
- Shree Hanuman Temple, Jakhu, Shimla — Temple (2 h · Free entry)
- Sunset Point — Sunset (45 min · Free entry)
- Kali Tibba Temple — Temple (1 h · Free entry)
- Himalayan Nature Park Kufri Zoo — Nature park (2.5 h · ₹50)
- Hatu mata temple, nihari — Temple (2 h · Free entry)
- Chanshal Pass — Mountain pass (2 h · Free entry)
- Kalka Shimla Railway — Heritage rail
- Tirthan River — River (5 h · Free entry)
- Dagshai — Cantonment
- Sidh Baba Ka Mandir — Temple (1 h · Free entry)
- Chail Sanctuary — Sanctuary (3 h · Free entry)
- Green Valley — Valley (30 min · Free entry)
- Jubbar — Lake
- Viceregal Lodge — Heritage (1.5 h · ₹200)
- Banjar Valley Hospital — Valley
- Timber Trail Kasauli — Ropeway (2.5 h · Paid entry)
- Sadhupul — River spot
- Fagu — Village
- Parashar Lake — Lake (3 h · Free entry)
- Hatkoti Temple Parking Lot — Temple (1 h · Free entry)
- Pabbar Valley — Valley (3 h · Free entry)
- Kais Dhar Trek — Meadow (5 h)
- Fort Nalagarh — Fort (1.5 h)
- Kandaghat — Town
- Annadale — Ground
- Karol tibba trekk route — Peak
- Waknaghat — Town
- Jubbal Palace — Palace (1 h)
- Tara Devi Temple — Temple (2 h · Free entry)
- Sainj Valley — Valley (6 h · Free entry)
- Dharampur — Town
- Salogra — Town
- Kharapathar — Village
- Chadwick Falls — Waterfall (2 h · Free entry)
- Parwanoo — Town
- Barog — Hill station
- Kotgarh — Village
- Deorighat — Ghat
- Nature Walking trail Glen Forest — Forest (1.5 h · Free entry)
- Solan — City
- Thanedar, narkanda — Village (2 h · Free entry)
- Summer Hill — Hill area
- Laxmi Narayan Temple Road — Temple
- Cantonment Board, Dagshai — Cantonment
- Jubbarhatti — Airport
- Nerwa — Town
- Shoghi — Hill town
- Bhuntar — Town
- GNTARDERS — Waterfall
- solan brewery — Brewery
- Rohru — Town
- Junga — Fort area
- Pabbar River — River (1 h · Free entry)
- Prospect Hill — Viewpoint (1 h · Free entry)
- Kotkhai — Town
- Kinnaur Gate (Photography Point) — Viewpoint (30 min · Free entry)
- The Army Heritage Museum Annandale Shimla — Museum (1 h)
- Central Research Institute, Kasauli, Main Campus — Institute
- Devidhar — Hill
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to visit Shimla?
Apr–May and Oct–Nov are best; Mar, Jun, Sep and Dec are also good. Jul–Aug brings rain most days and landslides; Jan–Feb is cold, with snow at times.
How many days are enough for Shimla?
2–4 days. Two days cover the Ridge, the Mall, Jakhu Temple and the Viceregal Lodge; a third adds Kufri, and a fourth Chail or Hatu Peak near Narkanda.
How do I reach Shimla?
By air: Chandigarh (IXC) — 120 km by road. By train: Shimla (SML) — 1 km by road. Toy train from Kalka (KLK), the broad-gauge railhead. By road: From Chandigarh — 110 km. Via Kalka and Solan.
What are the top things to do in Shimla?
Mall Road, Sri Raghunath Temple, Chail Palace, The Ridge, Great Himalayan National Park, Bijlimahadev temple.
Plan your Shimla trip
Open Guide My Holiday to turn these places into a routed, day-by-day itinerary and book a cab that follows it.
Get it on Google Play · Download on the App Store
Guide checked on 2026-10-06.