Shimla Colonial Trails Walk: Christ Church to IIAS Tour
Walk Shimla's colonial past with someone who lives it
A two-hour walking tour of Shimla's colonial landmarks, starting at Christ Church and ending at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, led by a local guide fluent in English, Hindi and Pahari. The route passes through the Ridge, Scandal Point, the Telegraph Office, Bantony Castle, Kali Bari Mandir, the Railway Board building, Gorton Castle and Kennedy Cottage. Entry to attractions is not included. The tour is the walk itself and the guide's commentary on what you pass.
Step-by-step itinerary
Guided walk exploring Shimla landmarks
- Begin tour outside Christ Church
- Walk through The Ridge road
- Visit Scandal Point
- See Telegraph Office on Mall Road
- Explore Bantony Castle on Kalibari road
- Visit Kali Bari Mandir temple
- View Shimla Railway Board building
- Stop at Gorton Castle
- See Kennedy Cottage near Annadale
- Pass Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly
- View The Cecil historic hotel
- Pass All India Radio Centre
- End tour at Indian Institute of Advanced Study
- Christ Church 5m
- The Ridge 5m
- Scandal Point 1m
What’s included
- Walking tour led by a local English, Hindi and Pahari-speaking guide.
- one-way route from Christ Church to the Indian Institute of Advanced Study covering colonial landmarks including the Telegraph Office, Railway Board building, Bantony Castle, Gorton Castle and Kennedy Cottage.
- Every day 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00
Information
Walking tour of Shimla's colonial heritage from Christ Church to the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, led by a local guide who speaks English.
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The experience
You start outside Christ Church, the second oldest church in North India, built in the 19th century and still in use for worship in Hindi and English. From there the walk moves through the Ridge, the open center of Shimla, and down to Scandal Point where the Mall Road meets it. The Telegraph Office, a red brick building designed by Scottish architect Scott Begg in 1922, sits on the Mall Road: a landmark of the colonial infrastructure that shaped the hill station. The route then climbs toward Bantony Castle, the summer palace of the Maharaja of Sirmaur built in the 1800s, and Kali Bari Mandir, the Hindu temple on Bantony Hill dedicated to Goddess Kali, after whom Shimla itself is named.
The second half of the walk passes the Railway Board building, constructed in 1896 and the first of its kind in India: cast iron and steel imported from Glasgow and assembled in Bombay, designed to resist fire. Gorton Castle, a heritage monument blending innovative design with craftsmanship, comes next. Kennedy Cottage, built in 1822 near Annadale by Scottish civil servant Charles Pratt Kennedy, marks one of the first permanent structures in the area. The walk ends at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, a research institute established in 1964 and set up by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
Your guide is a local from Himachal Pradesh who speaks English, Hindi and Pahari, the regional language. The two-hour walk is one direction only, from Christ Church downhill and across to IIAS. You will not enter any of the attractions for admission. The tour is the route, the buildings you see from outside, and the guide's knowledge of how they came to be and what they meant to Shimla's colonial history.
Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Hindi.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 10): free.
What is Christ Church and why does the tour start there?
Christ Church is the second oldest church in North India, built in the 19th century after St John's Church in Meerut. Worship is conducted in Hindi and English, and it sits at the starting point of the walk on the Ridge in central Shimla.
What is the Railway Board building and why is it important?
The Shimla Railway Board building, constructed in 1896, was the first of its kind in India. It was made of cast iron and steel imported from Glasgow and assembled in Bombay, designed to be fire-resistant: a landmark of colonial engineering on the Mall Road.
What is Bantony Castle and who built it?
Bantony Castle, located on Kalibari Road near Scandal Point, was the summer palace of the Maharaja of Sirmaur, built in the 19th century. It sits on Bantony Hill, close to Kali Bari Mandir, the Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, after whom Shimla is named.
How long is the walk and what is the route?
The walk takes two hours and runs one direction only, from Christ Church to the Indian Institute of Advanced Study. You pass through the Ridge, Scandal Point, the Telegraph Office, Bantony Castle, Kali Bari Mandir, the Railway Board building, Gorton Castle and Kennedy Cottage on foot.
Do I enter any of the buildings on this tour?
No, entry to attractions is not included. The tour is the walk itself and the guide's commentary on the colonial landmarks you pass. You see them from outside and learn their history as you move through the streets.
Operated by Wonders of Himalaya. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 17 days ago
Shimla Colonial Trails Walk: Christ Church to IIAS Tour
2h · EN +1
from US$ 16.21 per person
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