We have experienced that European guests visiting Himachal and staying at Manali/ Shimla/ Dharamsala apart from normal sight seeing tours are also interested in undertaking some walks around the destination.
In Shimla we have a few options of walking tours which would also give a guest introduction to the heritage & natural beauty with which Shimla is associated. The suggested walks would be found interesting specially by the British guests.
All walking tours are based on an assumption that the guest would be staying at The Cecil (normally all of your guests stay at this hotel only). If the guests are staying at hotel other than The Cecil, transfer by vehicle can be organized. Please also note that although the tours are known as the walking trails but still the guest would require services of a vehicle for drops/ pick ups from certain points and hence, also suggest keeping services of a vehicle at disposal for the specified time.

Option I - Colonial Miles Full Day

Packed with history and architecture – and enlivened by delightful anecdotes and shopping – this walk is designed to provide you with a distilled experience of Shimla.
A half hour drop by vehicle from The Cecil leaves one on the top of Mount Jakhoo, the hill that towers over Shimla at 2455 Mts. A temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman crowns the forested hill. After spending some curious moments with the monkeys that crowd the temple, a sharp descent brings one on the famous Mall, a walking promenade that offers some exquisite samples of colonial architecture as well as a plethora of shopping options. The thirty-minute walk down the western end of the Mall through some historic buildings of the Raj Era, such as through splendid visits to Band stand, Gaiety Theatre, Scandal point, Conny Cot, Telegraph office, Bantony, Bantink’s Castle, Catholic Church, Kalibari temple, Imperial Bank, Railway board Building, Knokdrin, Kennedy House, The Retreat, the Cecil meanders.
After a quick spot of lunch at The Cecil, the walk continues to the former Vice regal Lodge atop Shimla’s Observatory Hill, fifteen minutes from the hotel. Even today, colonial grandeur and nostalgia for a long-gone way of life can be experienced here in a single morning. Built on the ripples of Shimla’s western arm, this was the official residence of the British Viceroy of India. After a tour of the imposing interiors and the expansive lawns of the Lodge, step out for a visit to the State Museum perched on Inverarm hill, a display of Himachal’s heritage, culture and history. After a detailed tour of the artifacts on display, a quick descent leads one back to The Cecil where the walk ends.

Tour Duration: 7 hrs. Walking Time: 5 hrs.

Maximum Descent: 30˚ - 35˚ Maximum Ascent: 25˚ - 30˚

Option II - Suburban Heritage Walk Half Day

A charming walk traversing three hills of Shimla richly endowed with the colonial grandeur of British Shimla. After breakfast at The Cecil, starts the climb to the State Museum perched on Inverarm hill, a display of Himachal’s heritage, culture and history. After a look-see, a short trail leads past Peterhoff, the initial sight of the viceroy’s residence in an expanded English-country cottage. A tiny bird – park below houses the resplendent Monal, Himachal’s State Bird. Beyond Inverarm lies the former Viceregal Lodge atop Observatory hill. The building now houses the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, and even today, colonial grandeur and nostalgia for a long–gone way of life can be experienced in a single morning. This was the official residence of the British Viceroy of India. Within its walls were marked some of the most momentous events of Indian history – including the decision to partition India. A trail past the Viceregal Lodge leads to Boileauganj, a tiny Shimla suburb and a steep climb from the bazaar leads to the top of Prospect Hill, the peak houses a tiny temple and offers a panoramic view of Shimla and its surroundings. From here we retrace our steps back to Cecil through the bazaar and past a cottage in which Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore had once stayed. Return to The Cecil for lunch.

Tour Duration: 5 hrs. Walking Time: 3 hrs.

Maximum Descent: 30˚ - 35˚ Maximum Ascent: 25˚ - 30˚

Option III - Himalayan Forests & Streams Full Day

A memorable day trek that traverses through lush Himalayan forests and valleys. The trail crosses two chattering mountain streams, one with a waterfall and offers a glimpse of a few traditional Himachali villages. In all, a delightful and comprehensive introduction to the Himalayas, packaged into a six-hour experience.
The trek starts at Potters Hill, a twenty-minute drive from The Cecil. From here, we descend through resplendent Oak and Rhododendron groves to Chadwick Falls, a waterfall trundling over a cliff in the Summer Hill gorge. A level walk from the falls and a stride across a ridge at the village of Sanog starts the sharp descent to the tiny hamlet of Chamoh, an ancient village situated amidst picturesque terraced fields at the beginning of the Glen valley. Here we meet the Glen rivulet and trace it upstream through some enchanting forests and breathtakingly beautiful glades, the silence only being punctuated by the constant chattering of the stream or the calls of the plethora of bird-life found here. The enchanting beauty of Glen entices one to halt and savour a well-deserved picnic hamper accompanied by some delightful bird watching. After lunch and some rest starts the ascent back to the Hotel. A short up hill climb from this “little valley of paradise” connects to the Annandale road ascending to The Cecil where one can either be picked-up by vehicle or continue the thirty-minute climb to the hotel.

Tour Duration: 6 hrs. Walking Time: 4 hrs.

Maximum Descent: 35˚ - 40˚ Maximum Ascent: 35˚ - 40˚

Option IV - The Forests of Glen Half Day

A charming walk deep into the Glen Valley that lies hidden amidst the lush-green northern slopes of the ridge that The Cecil is perched on. A short walk (or drive) down the road to Annandale brings one to the bifurcation on a spur that descends through dense Rhododendron and Pine forests to a beautiful mountain stream that gurgles through the richly forested gorges and ravines of Glen. Along the stream are some enchanting picnic spots that invite one to spend a few hours spotting the beautiful Himalayan bird-life that this valley abounds in and enjoy a hearty hamper in the woods. Walk back to the spur to continue the climb back to Cecil or pick the option of a drive back to the hotel.
Tour Duration: 3 hrs. Walking Time: 2 hrs.

Maximum Descent: 35˚ - 40˚ Maximum Ascent: 35˚ - 40˚
Please also note that guide cost for above walking trails would not be same as our normal sight seeing costs.

We hope that you would find the above walking tours interesting and would be promoted among your various guests. For any more clarification and rates on above please feel free to contact us (Team Indo Vacations)

Written by Mr. Ritesh Sood