Our Great Rail Journeys trip really kicked off when we boarded the high-speed intercity out of Delhi. Leaving the heat and chaos behind, we headed for Kalka to catch the narrow-gauge train for the long climb into the Himalayan foothills. Some say you only need to do that journey once—and after hours of rattling through tight turns, I see why—but I’d do it again in a heartbeat just for the views. Arriving at Shimla station to that cooler, calmer mountain air was a total reset.
We packed a lot into a few days: the Viceregal Lodge, the mountain vistas from Brocode View Point, and a lovely high tea at Wildflower Hall. Shimla is fascinating—as the old summer capital for the British Raj, it has this unique history of people escaping the plains to find a bit of fresh air.
I loved having the time to adjust to the local pace and pick up a few useful phrases. The highlight, though, was the street market. It was a complete riot of colours and smells. At one point, we just tucked ourselves into a doorway to watch the daily ritual of people jostling for spices and fresh fruit. I’m so glad we deviated from the official tour to just explore on our own.
All too soon, it was time for a taxi to Chandigarh to catch the train back to Delhi. A short stay, but an unforgettable start.
Trains to Shimla, leaving Delhi and some images grabbed from the mountain railway.
Images around Shimla including Christ Church and Street Market
Some images in and around Viceregal Lodge, out at Brocode View Point and at Wild Flower Hall
And return to Delhi via Chandigarh to board another high speed train back to Delhi. It was interesting to see the volume of goods being handled, including motorcycles, all managed by layers of paperwork and hard labour.
