Indian Institute of Advanced Study
viewpoint · 9 min from Shimla
Day planFirst visitClassicrelaxed
One day in Shimla — the Ridge, Christ Church and Jakhoo
A single-day Shimla loop: the Ridge, Christ Church, the former Viceregal Lodge, and Jakhoo Temple's giant Hanuman statue. Free, copyable itinerary.
A single day for anyone based in Shimla with one free day — the Ridge, Christ Church, the Indian Institute of Advanced Study and Jakhoo Temple, the town's essential walk.
It doesn't reach Kufri or Tara Devi Temple, the two proper day trips further out — see the two-day plan for both.
Photos: Virusism (CC BY-SA 4.0) · ShashankSharma2511 (CC BY 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Who this is for
Anyone with a single day in Shimla, or breaking a longer Himachal circuit with one night here.
Day by day
Day 1
The Ridge, Christ Church, the Viceregal Lodge and Jakhoo
The core of Shimla's colonial-era town, all within a short taxi ride of each other.
- 09:00The Ridge, ShimlaThe open square at the heart of Shimla, connecting the Mall to Lakkar Bazaar — the town's own hub of cultural and social life.
- ↓ a short walk10:30Christ Church (Shimla)On the Ridge itself, the second oldest church in North India — designed in 1844, consecrated in 1857, in the neo-Gothic style.
- ↓ 26 min by road · 11 km11:30Indian Institute of Advanced StudyThe former Viceregal Lodge, where the 1945 Simla Conference and the 1947 partition decision both took place — now a research institute.
- ↓ 22 min by road · 10 km14:00Jakhoo TempleOn the town's highest point, home to the world's largest Hanuman statue, unveiled in 2010.
Getting there
Shimla is reached from Chandigarh by car, bus or train — about 108 km and just over three hours by road. See the hub guide for the full arrival table.
Where to stay
Stay in Shimla itself — all four stops on this day are a short taxi ride from the Mall.
Know before you go
- Wear sturdy shoes — the walk up to Jakhoo Temple is genuinely uphill, whether on foot or from wherever the taxi drops you.
- Watch your belongings at Jakhoo — the temple's monkeys are known to grab cameras, glasses and food.
- Book the Indian Institute of Advanced Study's guided tour slot rather than just turning up — a walk-in visit without one shows very little of the actual building.
Places on this route
Other ways to do it
All Shimla itineraries →
Questions people ask
How far is the Ridge from central Shimla?
It IS the centre — the Ridge sits right beside the Mall, Shimla's main traffic-free street, about 20 minutes by road from the edge of town where most taxis and buses actually arrive and park before the last walk in.
Can I go inside the Indian Institute of Advanced Study?
Casual visitors see the reception area and the grounds; the rest of the former Viceregal Lodge is reserved for those on a guided tour, which explains the building's real historical importance in far more depth than wandering through alone.
How hard is the walk up to Jakhoo Temple?
A genuinely demanding 2-kilometre walk from Christ Church, taking 30 to 60 minutes depending on fitness — taxis and the Jakhu Ropeway are both real alternatives if the climb itself isn't the whole point of the visit for you.