Lush green forests, flowery meadows, enchanting gorges & crystal-clear waterfalls, Shimla is every traveler’s dream destination. Pulsating with vibrant echoes of beauty, peace & quiet, Shimla is at once adventurous & romantic. Just ask newlyweds their top honeymoon destinations, & Shimla is the first name you’ll get.
The tourism industry has also been listening in to popular opinions, & has been doing its bit in ensuring travelers visit this heaven of picture-perfect sights & experiences.
Winters are an especially good time to visit this wonderland, as the snow-clad mountains shine golden with the sunlight, & dew drops on leaves appear exceptionally beautiful!
With so much to witness & experience, it’s no wonder that you’d be planning a vacation in Shimla.
However, even though you might have good intentions & plans, when it comes to planning a trip to Shimla, there are certain things you must keep in mind.
Below, we bring you a checklist of 8 things you need to know before planning a trip to Shimla.
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A well-planned itinerary
No trip is complete without a well-planned out itinerary. Your plan should include famous places to visit in Shimla, iconic monuments, sights with splendid views & places where you can shop local produce.
It’s great to have a travel-freak friend, family member, relative or co-worker help you out at this stage. However, if these are nowhere, you can always check out travel agencies’ travel checklist to prepare your own Shimla itinerary!
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Weather conditions
The hilly area of Shimla pretty much always experiences lower temperatures than the mainlands. It’d still behove you to do a little check on weather conditions at the time of your trip.
This goes to say that you should plan your vacation to Shimla around certain seasons where you can get the utmost residential availability, less crowd & more opportunity to travel.
Generally, winters in Shimla see major crowd flow, & the majority of travel bookings are made around these few months of winter.
Anyway, you should always make a note of weather conditions in Shimla before you plan your travel.
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Pack your luggage accordingly
Packing adequate luggage is a major bone of contention for today’s travelers. While you might want to stroll around in comfortable clothing, keep in mind the temperature in the area & pack layers accordingly. Evenings might see you want to put on something fancy, but again, make sure you aren’t compromising your health in doing so!
Also, if you’re planning to go with friends on a hiking spree or rummage around in tents, you should carry luggage that you can tote along with you.
Romantic trips might need a different kind of luggage planning, & if there are kids in the picture, there go the extra bags!
All in all, you should ensure that your luggage is well-planned & is packed suiting your particular travel needs.
Pack for comfort, fun & luxury can come later!
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Important documents
Even though you might have booked everything. Right from hotels, tour guides, & Delhi to Shimla taxis, in advance, most hospitality services would still require you to carry valid ID proof.
Most hotel chains around Shimla, taxi services & bus/train/flight services will need you to furnish ID proofs as well as other essential documents. This is part of a bigger security network, & helps these services determine the actual identity of their guests. Any law-abiding citizen of India won’t be having any trouble adhering to this particular rule.
So, to ensure a smooth travel experience, take along your ID proofs & other documents as mentioned in the hotel/cab service agreements.
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Selecting the right hotel
The budget might be on your mind when you’re planning your Shimla vacation, & if you’re with family & friends, it takes the top priority!
But it’s important to remember that the hotel you choose has all the necessary amenities, even at a low price. You should check for the facilities they provide, like clean linen, clean bathrooms, additional toiletries, meals, hotel-to-airport taxis, etc.
Don’t forget to check for customer reviews of the hotel you’re choosing for your stay. Customers generally give quite honest reviews & detail their grievances which help you decide better.
Most touring agencies give you a clear picture of hotels too. It’s essential to check the reviews of the place you’re choosing over their portals as well.
You could also rope in your friends, relatives, co-workers & other people to help you decide on the best hotel under your budget in Shimla. As they say, there’s nothing better than teamwork!
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Selecting the right tour operator
This is valid if you’re traveling via a tour operator. Many people who’re either on their honeymoon vacations or are going with their families, choose touring operators rather than solo trips.
The reasons for this are fewer hassles & official hangups that a solo trip usually involves.
If you’re also looking to travel via a tour operator’s pre-planned tour to Shimla, make sure you select the right tour for your needs.
This includes comparing prices of various tour agencies for Shimla tours, checking out their itineraries, the hotels they have in their packages, meals, tour reviews, etc.
Check out their website & scroll to know more about the agency. Carefully read the tour agreement, their user reviews, the facilities they provide & other points they’ve mentioned.
Selecting the right tour operator not only helps you save your money but also lets you enjoy your trip smoothly.
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Health Precautions
Health is a primary concern for every traveler. While you might want to gorge on local delicacies on your Shimla trip, it’s advisable not to intake food that’s prepared out in the open or kept unpacked for long. This includes fried items, snacks, fruit chats, sweet items, etc. When traveling, you should be especially careful about eating food from roadside vendors. That said, we understand that the temptation is sometimes too high. If you want to try out some dishes from a roadside vendor in Shimla, you should take care to do a thorough hygiene check on the stall. Check if the vendor is wearing gloves, the condition of the raw items they’re using, the conditions in which they’re preparing food & the packaging they’re pouring the food items into.
Besides all of this, you might also want to taste a little bit of the food before taking a huge bite, as it helps you determine if it’s safe to eat.
Apart from food, remember always to carry & buy bottled water en-route, as drinking water kept in open pots or containers can get you sick.
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Choosing the best Delhi to Shimla taxi
If you’re traveling with your family or friends, & don’t want to put up with noisy strangers on a bus or train, Delhi to Shimla taxis is the perfect choice for you!
Look for a taxi service that lets you book comfortable, quick & budget-friendly one-way or round-trip Delhi to Shimla taxis.
Look for a taxi service that lets you book comfortable, quick & budget-friendly one-way or round-trip Delhi to Shimla taxis.
There are a few things to keep in mind while booking an outstation taxi to Shimla.
- Price. You should compare various taxi services & make a note of their pricing. When on vacation, you should go for a Delhi to Shimla taxi that charges you feasibly & doesn’t rake up additional costs at every step.
- Surge Pricing. Check if the taxi service charges you additional money for surges. Ideally, when you’ve already made a booking & paid a certain amount of money to the taxi service, they shouldn’t be charging you any more money.
- Comfort. Check the condition of the Delhi to Shimla taxis the service provides carefully. This includes taking careful note of their driving partners as well, as it’s them you’d be riding with.
- Facilities. Check for the facilities the Delhi to Shimla taxi service provides. Look for in-taxi wifi, food stops, driver behavior & additional costs at every step of the ride.
That was our 8-point checklist for your Shimla Vacation. Make sure you follow all the points before planning your vacation. I hope you have a great trip to Shimla!
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