Jakhoo Temple
temple · 7.6 km away
town29 min from Shimla
Kufri
Kufri, at around 2,720 m and 15 km from Shimla, is a resort hill station with a Himalayan wildlife zoo and a winter ski track through the potato plantations.
What it is
A resort hill station on NH5, the Hindustan-Tibet road, about 15 km from Shimla at an average elevation of around 2,720 m — the highest point in the surrounding region. The name comes from the local word "kufr," meaning lake.
Getting there
About 29 minutes by road from the edge of Shimla, roughly 15 km, past several of the closer in-town stops on the way out.
The visit
A wildlife zoo dedicated to Himalayan species keeps rare antelopes, cats and birds, among them the Himalayan monal, which held the title of Himachal Pradesh's state bird until 2007. Just beside it, the Indira Tourist Park opens up a wide view over the neighbouring hills. Come winter, the same walking path cutting through the local potato fields turns into a well-used ski run, reverting to an ordinary trail once the snow melts. Kufri Avenue, the main thoroughfare, mixes boutiques and restaurants with souvenir shops.
> pleasant walk with no snow sports available at all.
When to go
Winter (roughly December to February) for skiing; April to June or September and October for clearer, drier weather without the snow.
Around it
Tara Devi Temple, on a different day trip route from Shimla, is the natural pairing for a two-day plan — see the two-day plan. For the closer town-centre sights alone, the Ridge and Jakhoo Temple fill the shorter one-day loop.
Plans that include this
All 2 plans that stop here →
1 night · 2 days · First visitClassic
Two days in Shimla — the Ridge and Kufri
A two-day Shimla plan: the Ridge, Christ Church and Jakhoo Temple on day one, then Kufri and Tara Devi Temple on day two. Free, copyable plan on HimLocal.
Best Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
See the plan →
2 nights · 3 days · First visitClassic
Three days in Shimla — the full circuit
A three-day Shimla plan: the colonial town core on day one, quieter temples and a waterfall on day two, Kufri and Tara Devi Temple on day three.
Best Apr–Jun · Sep–Oct
See the plan →Nearby places
Questions people ask
What does Kufri mean?
The name derives from the local word "kufr," meaning lake. The town sits at the region's highest point, on NH5 (the Hindustan-Tibet road), with boutiques, restaurants and souvenir shops lining the main Kufri Avenue thoroughfare all year round.
What wildlife can you see at Kufri?
A small zoo built around Himalayan species keeps rare antelope, cats and birds, the Himalayan monal among them — it held the title of Himachal Pradesh's state bird until 2007. The Indira Tourist Park sits right beside it, with wide views over the nearby hills.
Can you ski at Kufri?
Yes, once winter snow settles in — a walking path through the local potato fields turns into a well-used run for the season. For the rest of the year, the same stretch of ground is simply an ordinary trail with no snow sport happening on it.