Delhi Shoghi Shimla Family Tour

07/04/2013 16:52

Duration: 5 days / 4 nights

Places covered: Delhi - Shoghi - Shimla - Naldhers - Mashobra   

Detailed itinerary:

Day 1	Delhi - Shoghi (350 kms / 7.5 hrs)  Pick up from Delhi airport and proceed to Shoghi. If you are looking for something slightly offbeat (no crowds or shopping!) but at the same time comfort and novelty; this is the right place to choose, a destination resort at Shoghi - quaint cottage style rooms, forest-valley-Himalayan views, delectable cuisine.  Park Woods Forest Retreat in Shoghi: For nature lovers and / or adventure seekers, there is nothing to compare with Parkwoods  - 18 kms short of Shimla. Rustic, bamboo cottages with all modern facilities in the middle of a pine forest on a ridge. The locale is  surrounded by untouched countryside with panoramic views, numerous village treks, jungle walks in pine, oak and rhododendron forests. A perfect juxtaposition of comfort, safety and serenity. Also on offer are numerous activities. In the afternoon, laze around in the hammocks or thatched sit-outs just taking in the splendor and beauty of nature all around – verdant forested valleys, emerald rolling meadows, misty mountains. Enjoy hot tea and cookies at Westend in Parkwoods from where you get to see mesmerizing sunsets with the sky a riot of blazing colors. Overnight at Parkwoods Hill Resort, Shoghi.
Day 2	Shoghi.  Early risers, after morning tea, take a pre-breakfast nature walk amongst the Himalayan flora & fauna in the surrounding pine forest along our marked trails. Here you get to see a lot birdlife – blue tailed magpies, brown fronted woodpeckers, khalij pheasants and many more. The experience is absolutely meditative and invigorating. Today is the day to loosen your limbs and test your physical and mental strength. Our team of trained and certified adventure instructors lead you through interesting activities on the obstacle course like tyre web, tree bridge, burma bridge, commando net, rope walk, cat walk. Surprise yourself with how much more you can actually do than you ever imagined! Also surprise yourself by noticing how the pure mountain environment and the activities have almost doubled your appetite.  After lunch, let the instructors make a mountaineer out of you. Reach for the heights! Rock climbing can be interesting and you start appreciating simple things like stairs, escalators and elevators so much more J. Follow this with rappelling which brings back your self-esteem to respectable levels!  A quick nap, and you are ready for the bonfire under the star spangled sky. Evenings are reserved for soulful songs with moonlight spreading radiance thru' pines adding to the inimitable ambience. After dinner your snug cottages / tents await you for a well deserved sleep. Overnight at Parkwoods Hill Resort, Shoghi.
Day 3	Shoghi - Shimla - (18 kms / 45 mins). Start from Shoghi after a relaxed morning to  Reach Shimla by 1 P.M., with its lingering echoes of a bygone era. After settling into the resort, late afternoon climb up 2 kms to Jakhoo Hill near the highest point on the Shimla Ridge and visit Jakhoo Temple (dedicated to Lord Hanuman). On the way back pick souvenirs and curios at Lakkar Bazaar. Enjoy the evening at The Ridge / Scandal Point - the hub of the town with its ice-cream vendors, pony rides and spectacular Himalayan views. Later on, pamper yourself at the facilities of the resort. For those who love the hustle-bustle of the Mall Road and the action at the Ridge, Shimla is the place to be with its lingering echoes of a bygone era. It evokes a sense of nostalgia with its pretty gabled cottages, half-timbered buildings and old churches. Overnight at Shimla.
Day 4	Shimla .  Wake up to the invigorating mountain air. After breakfast, explore the old colonial buildings, most famous amongst them being the Viceregal Lodge. It once served as the seat of British power, from a hillock west of Shimla. The imposing six-storey edifice, with its manicured gardens is today the institute for advanced studies. It overlooks the Shimla State Museum, which is a treasure trove of Pahari art and sculpture. Further move on to explore the scenic places around Simla – Naldhera with its rolling meadows and a 9 hole golf course,  Mashobra with its pine forests offering lovely walks, specially the pathways from Bekalty Road, Kufri's famed ski slopes views and the small zoo and Chail with its romantic palace, deodhar forests, not to forget  its highest cricket pitch. The area has breathtaking views of the Himalayan peaks foreshadowed by the terraced fields and verdant forests. In the evening soak in the ambience of this old world town, going shopping  on the the fashionable Mall - the main promenade that is agog with elegant shops, splendid hotels, restaurants and bustling, gay cosmopolitan crowds that give the appearance of being on a perpetual holiday. Cobble-stoned paths wind down to the middle and lower bazaars. Overnight at Shimla.
Day 5	Shimla - Delhi (350 kms / 8 hrs).  After a leisurely breakfast, depart from the resort at 10 A.M. Reach Delhi by 6 P.M.