SHIMLA & HIKES AROUND SHIMLA

dhananjay

Hi All,
Coming to Shimla ... Here are some ideas to make your trip worthwhile .. enough complaining that shimla is all urban and there is nothing to do ... I thank my friends Ashok and Manoj who helped me in compiling all this ...Happy Trails ....

Glorified in history, the erstwhile summer capital of India during “The Raj”, Shimla is derived by a Sanskrit word “Shyamla” a synonym of goddess Kali in blue, also its former name when discovered by the British in 1819.. Spanning seven hills, Prospect, Observatory, Elysium, Jakhoo, Strawberry, Summerhill, Inverarm, with their lush green meadows, pine forests, Himalayan cedar, oak and rhododendron trees Shimla town spreads across a 12km long ridge commanding green terraced fields and wooded valleys. Undisturbed with the company of all that is beautiful ……… cool breezes, lovely sunsets and quiet mountains, Shimla offers a luxury that is priceless. A town which holds onto its colonial legacy with ferocity, dotted with fine examples of various eras of architecture; “Tudor, Edwardian, Georgian, Elizabethan Renaissance”, the place from where one fifth of humanity was ruled, Shimla sure had its place in the sun. A comprehensive heritage tour of the town would detail all that. Day walks in the Shimla hills are resonating and the eyes get a chance to feast on the scenic vistas, sample the hill culture and the simplicity of the hillfolk, a hiker’s paradise

The Mashobra Hike
Early morning drive from Shimla to Charabara. From Charabara take a plunge down and a climb back through the picturesque Mashobra valley which is mirrored by the tall Shali Peak (3200m). The route holds thick woods where practically every tree of the region grows - Himalayan Cedar (the almost legendary ‘Deodar’), Spruce, Oak, Rhododendron, Horse-Chestnut, Birch and Pine. Depending on the time of year, a variety of wildflowers grace the hillsides - the rhododendrons flower a dark red in spring, summer has banks of roses, daises and buttercups, the monsoons speckle the luxuriant grass with lilies-of-the-valley and peonies. Through the year, flitting butterflies stab quick flashes of color. The trail crosses picture-perfect hamlets where the word ‘time’ seems to mean only the seasons and the passing years - and where life has followed a steady pace for centuries. Trace fast flowing streams, cross a ‘sacred grove’ whose majestic trees have stood undisturbed for centuries, watch village craftsmen at work, listen to legends that seem as old as the hills - and in a single day, take a lifetime’s memory of some of the marvels that the lower Himalayas hold.
There are two start-options - one can walk down from Charabara to Mashobra Bazaar (30 to 40 minutes) or drive down to the Bazaar (20 minutes) and then start the hike.
Through woods of Himalayan Cedar and Spruce, the path to Seepur takes a steady dip down the valley. Past fields and orchards and wood and slate houses one arrives at the glade of Seepur - which the vicerene Lady Lytton called a “tea-cup shaped valley” and was popular for midnight picnics in the days of the Raj. Several slim streams fed by fresh-water springs nurture the soft grass of Seepur. The glade is held sacred to the local deity, Seep who ‘visits’ the spot at select times of year. Shaded by colossal Cedars, a delightful little temple built in the local style with stone and wood, rests on an edge. Smaller shrines merging with the woods are also there. This is the site of an annual fair held over the second weekend of April - and is a time for local matchmaking.
From Seepur the decline eases out to the tiny village of Shali, which holds a dozen charmingly rustic structures - and is probably named in honour of the facing peak. Here, the hike-path that snakes along the hill holds a bifurcation, and along a mild incline the route takes a right. This also marks the end of the descent. The view on the facing hill has terraced fields and age-old villages. Along the narrow path, the only sounds one is likely to hear are of one’s own breathing and the crunch of boots over scattered cones. The silence only punctuated by the song of a Himalayan Thrush or Barbet.
After Shali comes the home of the deity Seep at Deothi. Local legend has it that the deity was brought with the erstwhile rulers of the Koti state - in whose former territories the hike lies - when they migrated here from Kutlehar, which lies north-west. The temple was first established in the village of Nehra. This tract was then ruled by mavis, local strongmen who wished to share in the worship of Seep. When this was refused, the mavis started desecrating the temple. ‘Speaking’ through his worshippers, Seep declared that he wanted to move from Nehra and a day would come when a long line of ants would march through the village and where they finally circled a mound, was where he wished to reside. The ants came and circled a mound in what is now the village of Deothi - and where Seep was ceremoniously installed. The identity of this local deity has steadily been merged with that of Lord Shiva, the destroyer in the Hindu trinity. Styled as a tall gabled mushroom and belonging to an architectural genre unique to this part of the world, Seep’s temple rests at the edge of a small spur and is surrounded by other structures that ‘belong’ to him - a storehouse, a pavilion and a room for folk musicians.
Cameo appearances of pomegranate trees and tumbling streams that come close to becoming waterfalls, fresh water springs embellished with utilitarian stonework and a little bridge mark the passage to Mulkoti. Walls of shale and quartzite, now reduced to rubble, hold the remains of the little fort of the Raja of Koti where, centuries ago, the Koti rulers first established themselves. Today only the wooden gate and its brass knockers evoke the memory of their stay. The temple harks back to those days and is held in veneration as the seat of several local deities.
Half an hour’s climb from Mulkoti lies the village of Kanda and past this the path crosses the hamlets of Kanda, Ghayabo and Kaneer. The stretch is through terraced fields of assorted vegetables, corn and wheat. Blossom draped or fruit-laden orchards of apples, plums, apricots and peaches offset the fields. Every turn of the track exposes a fresh vista of the valley and the evergreen woods.
At Kanda, one can take some time to see some local craftsmanship - and even supplement the meal with fresh fruits and salads selected from the fields and orchards.
After Kaneer begins the sharp hour-long ascent to the century-old ‘Dak bungalow’, a rest house for travelers. The forests become more primeval and the Deodars, ferns and lichens seem to hold their secrets closer. With luck on ones side, one may encounter pheasants and several other birds and even deer, martens and flying squirrels. The area also has leopards, bears and snakes - but the possibility of sighting one is remote.
If one would care to, the trek continues for another hour and a half to Charabara from Dak Bungalow.

The Mashobra Valley Trek II
This trek is identical to the Trek I till the village of Kanda. From this picturesque village located on a prominent spur in the Mashobra Valley, a sharp uphill one-hour ascent brings one to Kotidhar, a quaint hamlet situated amidst rolling meadows interspersed with apple orchards. From here a steep track cuts through Cedar woods to Charabara and this leg takes a little over an hour and a half.

Circling the retreat
The hike begins from Charabara and ascends to the helipad located on an adjacent hillock. The initial path till the helipad is along a tarmac road that winds past the Punjab Raj Bhavan, a vestige from the days when Shimla was also the summer capital of Punjab. From the helipad, that commands a 360-degree view of Shimla and the Himalayan ranges, a footpath penetrates the surrounding forests and descends on to the Old Hindustan-Tibet Road, completed in 1853 by enterprising British engineers as an access route to Tibet. A short stroll along this ancient road, lined by apple orchards on one side, culminates at the school for handicapped children, a landmark from where the loop back towards the hotel begins. Here, in season, one can indulge in a frenzied apple-picking session that the various apple trees growing wild all around the school offer. The trail continues along a vintage cart track that once belonged to the Commissioner for the Hill States, a British officer whose residence was converted into the Presidential Retreat, the traditional summer vacation destination of the President of India. The path meanders till the Presidential Retreat through dense Oak groves that shade a rich undergrowth of ferns and a plethora of wild flowers. From the Retreat, a tarmac road leading back to Charabara offers magnificent views of the eternal snow-capped Great Himalayan Range and the Shali peak.

Hiking the Catchment sanctuary
Charabara is surrounded on three sides by the magnificent Shimla Water Catchment Sanctuary, a 125 year old sanctuary that was established by the British as a reserved forest. The sanctuary was the initial source of water for Shimla, the water pumped to Shimla town through a series of steam pumps, reputed to be the first of their kind in the country. Today this pristine and undisturbed forest stretches across an area of 12 square kilometres and is considered by many as one of the wealthiest storehouses of Himalayan flora. This extremely dense forest is also the habitat for a vast variety of fauna, the most prominent being the Leopard. Although a sighting of this extremely human-shy and nocturnal animal is very rare, regular reports of droppings prove the existence of a large population within the sanctuary. The Himalayan Black Bear and the Brown Bear, Barking Deer, Goral, Jackal, Indian Red Fox, Striped Hyena and the Yellow-Throated Martin are some of the species of wildlife that thrive in the undisturbed forests of the sanctuary. A wide variety of bird and pheasant species can also be spotted in the lower altitude belts of the sanctuary, some of the more prominent ones being the Cheer, Koklas and Khaleej pheasants, the Himalayan Pied Woodpecker, the Great Himalayan Barbet and some sparklingly colorful minivets.
A bifurcation penetrates deep into the sanctuary along a prominent ridgeline. Descend down to the Seyog Forest Rest House, a hundred year old lathe and plaster (Dhajji) structure located in the midst of this silent forest. The narrow trail undulates for an hour or more through one of the best-preserved forests in Asia. Cedars, Firs, Pines and Oaks jostle each other for space and the canopy-density at places prevents even the sunlight from peeping through to the forest floor. Droppings and pugmarks of the fauna are regular sightings along this trail and if ones luck holds out, a perky Barking Deer too might flash past in gay abandon. As one would guess, this is an excellent site for some bird-watching too.

The Shali Tibba Hike
(Single Day)
The Shali Tibba (2867m) is the highest peak in the vicinity of Shimla. It is a magnificent isolated pinnacle with a Kali temple on the top. The ascent up to Shali is an ancient trail through dense pine forests and rolling alpine pastures. It is a steep and steady climb to the often mist enveloped peak. The peak commands an unforgettable view of endless snow covered ranges along with the Sutlej valley and the densely forested hills of Shimla, Fagu and Narkanda. For the avid photographer and nature lover, this one-day trek offers the experience of a lifetime.

SHIMLA (2205 m)- MASHOBRA - KHATNOL (1850 m)...45 km.

Travel in a jeep/car/bus till khatnol via Baldhea along a fascinating dirt track to Gulshaini, a tiny hamlet (1250 m) situated at the base of the peak. From Gulshaini it is a steady climb along a rough road till Khatnol, an isolated village perched amidst rolling fields. Here we start the ascent.

KHATNOL - SHALI TIBBA (2867m)...5 km.

Halt at the Khatnol Forest Rest House for a well-deserved break Begin the climb to Shali after a short rest. The landscape changes dramatically as we follow the ancient trail towards the peak. It is a three-hour climb at a leisurely pace with ample time to stand and stare at the surrounding magnificence and the imposing peak looming ahead. The final climb is a tough one and is amply rewarded by the breathtaking view from the top.

SHALI TIBBA - KHATNOL – SHIMLA

visit the historic temple and start the surprisingly quick descent down to Khatnol. Reach Shimla by late evening for a well-deserved and satisfying sleep with the memories of climbing the highest peak of the Shimla hills.

SHIMLA-CHAIL WEEKEND TREK (I wuold like to thank Ashok from Pune who compiled this for me)

Quick Route Guide: Shimla-Chhota Shimla-Kasumpti-Mehali-Kawalag-Ashwin Pul-Junga-Paidala Bridge-Junedghat-Chail

Total Time: 8-9 hours for ~ 30 kms. at an unhurried (but not leisurely) pace including normal stopovers for rest and food.

Trail Description: There is a proper road from Shimla to Chail via Junga which joins Kufri-Chail road. But the trail through hills is not well defined. One has to take “pagdandi” shortcuts on the Shimla-Junga road (26 Km.) and then again off Junga-Solan road. After Kasumpti and before Mehali, look for a way downhill on your right. You will meet the road again while bypassing Mehali. Further, at Kawalag (12 Km. from Shimla) there is a water pumping station. You should reach here in 2 hours. Ask for a "pagdandi" route to Ashwin Pul or Junga. Here, you should look for any well-defined downhill routes on your left. Just take it. See the photograph on the next page. It will eventually lead to Ashwin Pul (21 Km.). This will result in major saving in time and distance. You should reach here in another hour.
From Ashwin Pul to Junga is 5 Km. by road and probably there are no further short cuts upto Junga. In all you would have made it to Junga in 4 hours. Junga provides the first halt where you can buy supplies and have a meal.

At Junga you have to leave the Junga-Chail road (which joins the Shimla-Chail road via Kufri) and take the Junga-Sadhupul-Kandaghat-Solan road. Walk for about 3 kms. to reach a temple and a bridge before Paidala. Just past the bridge turn left in the upstream direction and then take an immediate right turn uphill for a well-defined steep trail. If you miss this, you will head for a village nearby instead. Confirm with locals if in doubt. The trail climbs 600 m. uphill to join the road from Kufri to Chail at Junedghat. It maintains a general southern direction through thick jungle but bifurcates half way up into two well-defined paths going southeast & southwest. Take the left South-eastern branch. This leads to the top plateau of Junedghat. From Junga you should reach here in 3 hours. Continue left (Eastwards) on a well-defined level trail, which skirts a hillock keeping it to the left (do not climb up as this leads to a small village at the top and further to Alampur). Within 15 minutes, you should reach the road at Junedghat. You can take a short tea break here. From Junedghat Chail is only 3 Km.
The Taradevi Trail

11 Kms from Shimla on the National Highway, is Taradevi. Three trails lead up to the temple from the road head. Rich in flora and fauna this is a moderate hike for about three hours, through a dense forest, and you reach the high point 1832mts for excellent views of Shimla town. Alternatively one can go by car/bus to the temple and do the hike on the downward trail, or even start late afternoon to reach in time at the top to enjoy the spectacular sunset

Craignano

After mashobra comes craignano. Board a bus from the lakkar Baazar bus station and reach craignano. This is a leisurely one hour walk from Craignano to the Fruit Research Station. Craignano was initially a beautiful Italian villa built by Chevalier Peliti, a baker to the Viceroys who had name the villa on his own estate in Italy. The property is situated on the top of an isolated and well-wooded hill and from the house and grounds is obtained a magnificent view of the country on all sides with the snow-clad mountains in the distance on the north and east. A broad cedar-shaded trail, criss-crossed by tiny streams, loops around the Craignano hillock. One ends the walk with a look around the Fruit Research Centre - pioneering apple research in the state and also the site where the first apple tree in the country was planted in 1887 by Mr. Coutts, an ardent gardener and a tailor to the Viceroys. The grounds of the Research Centre also hold a fine botanical garden that boasts of some extremely rare trees, including the Maidenhair, the Chinese Fir, the English Oak and the Japanese Spruce. One can even quench ones thirst with some fresh apple juice that is manufactured by the research centre itself.


Another trail from Charabara to Catchment Sanctuary

A pleasant one hour, four kilometer walk from Wildflower Hall, skirting the Shimla Water Catchment Sanctuary. The trail loops astride the Mahasu ridge through the lush green forest reserve and is suitable for both the elderly and children on account of its gentle gradient. This tiny trail is carpeted with wild strawberries right through, is a wonderful introduction to the flora of the Himalayas and offers some great views.

PS. For hiking in the catchment area one would need a permit which can be obtained from the forest office (DFO) near the tourism lift @ 100/-. Please be sure to apply for a permit one day in advance.

SHIMLA

A great post but probably a wasted effort, dhananjay!

The majority will still spend only two/three days in Shimla, stroll along its bazaars, Mall and Ridge; and come away calling it a concrete jungle!!

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dhananjay

Hi,
Thanks Shimla .... nevertheless I am sure there would be many who love the outdoors just as all of us here .... The point is there is more to Shimla than just what meets the eye .... The idea is to go beyond ..... Somebody might just need it ....

Cheers,
Dhananjay

AvidTrekker

and very useful info. Shimla may be a little sad about general tourist attitudes, but i personally feel that IndiaMike has some discerning travellers who will definitely follow up on your effort and thank you for it.

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himadventures

CHURDHAR TREK:

This can be done even in rainy season. Drive from SHIMLA to SOLAN and then turn towards RAJGARH which is famous place as RAJYA SABHA are has ownership of many orchards here.

You can reach NAHURADHAR and this is place from where you can start your trek. Take any local person as your guide but you should be having TENTS and RATION etc.
You can halt in jungle and do this trek in two days -some people preffer to do in ONE DAY.

You can even trek to SHIMLA from CHURDHAR as this could be the highest point where you will be standing...near temple.

Enjoy ! Do not forget to take mineral water with you as first 4/5 hrs of walk has no water source !

jyotipg

Went to Chudhar in 1997 April.

I took the bus from Shimla to Chaupal. From chaupal trekked to a small village (I think the name was Tharali).

Camped in the forest 500 feets above the village near a stream.. You can expect bears in that area in summer. It started raining as soon as we reached the camping ground.

Trek is not very tough.. The last 2 -3 kms of trek is on snow.. You can reach the temple near the top and then take the final assault to Churdhar peak. We did it in one day.. The descent took just 3 hours..

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dhananjay

Hi,
Thanks Him .... I was really looking to add Choordhar to the post but as I have not done it myself so no point .... I have been hearing of an extension for the choordhar trek to Kuppar near giriganga in Hatkoti region (Pabbar Valley) .... has somebody done that ..... (It seems very plausible indeed) .... Kuppar is an amazing place ....

Cheers,
Dhananjay

four by four

To go along with the shimla and around treks you can use this website for knowing about bus timings in advance. This will help you by doing the route one way and not backtracking on the same way which would be quite boring.
http://himachal.gov.in/hrtc/menu.htm