General Information

Shimla is the Capital of  Himachal Pradesh.

General Information

Location : In the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Altitude : 2,130 m above sea level Temperature : Between sub zero in winters and 30 C in summer. Through out the year. Climate : Being a hilly region, here Climate is generally unpredictable. Generally Summer Starts from March-April onwards and extend till Oct-November. It is very very cold in Winter. The temperature in winter falls below O degree centigrade. Population: 142,161 STD Code: 0177 Languages: Hindi, Himachali, Garhwali, English Best season to visit: May-July and September-November. In Oct-November weather is cool and enjoyable. The weather is generally cool at day and night. enjoy the snowfall during winter season that starts from December and may extend till March. It is generally not preferable to visit shimla during rainy season that may span to March to July for most of the time you will be confined to your rooms. Tourist Attractions : The Mall, Viceregal lodge, Himachal State Museum, Jakhoo Hill, Annandale, Glen, Summer Hill, Chadwick Falls, Prospect Hill, Sanjauli, Temples, Daranghati Sanctuary. Best Buys : Wooden Articles, Toys, Kullu and Kinnauri Shawls, Caps, Tibetan Carpets and other handicraft articles. Best Activities : Trekking, Skiing, Golfing, Fishing Nearby Tourist Destinations : Chail, Kasauli, Kufri, Solan, Nahan, Narkanda, Renuka Lake, Sarahan, Sirmour, Mashobra & Craignano, Naldehra, Rampur, Sarol, Dharamshala. Clothing : Light Woollens/Heavy Woollens History: The British discovered Shimla in the form of a little village in 1819. Until then, it was a part of the Nepalese kingdom. It was during Lord William Bentinck's time that Shimla was truly acquired by the Government of India. The British persuaded the local Raja to part with the land in 1830, and the settlement became the subcontinent's most fashionable summer resort. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of India. After the independence of India, Shimla became the capital of Punjab until 1966, when it came under Himachal Pradesh.