04-May-2015 – DAY 2

Our morning itinerary was dedicated to Kufri, Jakhoo and Chail.

Kufri is a small hill station in Shimla around 15 kms from the city. At 7000 ft, Kufri is a winter destination and renowned for its snow experience. It was once part of the kingdom of Nepal and was later ceded to British Raj.

Our first stop was at Naldehra. It is home to the oldest Golf course in India and is considered to be one of the most challenging courses in India.

Adjacent to Naldehra Golf course was a small zip-line adventure area (aerial rope slide). I tried my hand at it.

Kufri offers some spectacular view of the cedar forests and breathtaking views of the Greater Himalayas.

It is told that with good visibility one can see Kedarnath and Badrinath from here.

Post lunch, we headed towards the Mall Road. Being the nerve centre of Shimla it has constant stream of tourists throughout the day. Known for its quaint shops and restaurants it is actually a good place to relax and idly pass your time. The Mall Road has its own attractions like the Gaiety theatre, Scandal Point, Town hall etc.

The Shimla Christ Church designed in the neo-Gothic style was built-in 1857 and is situated on the Ridge.

I would recommend the “Coffee House” on the Mall Road. Excellent filter coffee and pakoras!

As the Mall Road is not open to vehicles, we had to park our car below the Mall. Further down the ridge (behind the church) we took a taxi to Jakhoo temple. It is situated on the Jakhoo hill. The temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and the legend is Lord Hanuman stopped here to rest when he was searching for Sanjivni. From the base of the hill to the temple it’s a steep climb. It is advisable to rent a walking stick at the base. It serves two purposes – support you during the climb and the descent and keep the monkeys at bay! They have a penchant for glasses and anything shiny that you may carry in your hand.

The climb itself is invigorating as the mountain air is clean and crisp, thanks to the coniferous forest cover. The temple administration has done a good job covering the entire stretch of the climb with high roof to keep the devotees protected in different weather conditions.

On reaching the top you are greeted by a cool tranquil ambiance. The temple is colorfully adorned with paintings of Lord Hanuman. Within the temple precincts is a towering statue of Lord Hanuman (108 feet) which can be even seen from the ridge standing tall amongst the surrounding pine trees.

After spending an hour we made our way back to the Mall. We had planned to start early next day to Manali. We did some brisk shopping at the Mall and headed back to our hotel.