First I like to mention that this article is not an usual
travel diary rather its a synopsis of the fact that what needs to be done and
what is not, according to my opinion. I like to divide the whole articles into
two parts. The first part is depicted for my trip in Shimla and its adjacent sightseeing
and the part two is for Manali and it’s surrounding.
I think the best way to reach
Shimla is by toy train from Kalka. There are few trains available that narrow gauge
starting from 5 AM , then 5:30 , 6 and 6:30 AM. After that the next is 12 noon.
My first suggestion to you that if you start from Howrah by Kalka mail then
please don’t book any ticket to any train, as in my case Kalka mail was arrived
at Kalka 1 minute before of the scheduled time i.e. in 4:39 AM instead of 4:40
AM! So just go for an extension from Kalka to Shimla in the extension counter at
Kalka railway station and save your time and reduce your anxiety! This rail
track is preserved as a heritage track and without handy cam you’ll not be able
to capture the beauty.
Some small stops, small stations and
numerous tunnels (over 100) definitely add into the beauty of this route. But
the tall deodar, pine and birch trees (though few in numbers) were the most
attractive parts to me. It’s really an experience to me while moving through
the dense hilly forest. It was a journey for over 5 hours.
In Shimla, it’s better not to book hotel before reaching
there, though I booked it from makemytrip but later find lots of good hotels
near Mall. We booked the hotel for room rent along with breakfast + lunch / dinner,
but there are so many good options near Mall for food, hence there is no point
to going into that scheme. One exception if you are travelling with aged
person, then you should book hotel before reaching in Shimla. There is couple
of very good places for food in Mall itself.
We encountered rain in Shimla so either raincoat or carrying
umbrella is recommended. If you’ve paucity of time, then you can go for sightseeing
in Shimla by HPTDC conducted tour otherwise bargain a bit and get your own taxi
so that you can spend time as much as you wish!
