About Mashobra
Mashobra is a town in the Shimla district of Himachal Pradesh. It is connected to the state capital Shimla through the historic Hindustan-Tibet Road built in 1850 by Lord Dalhousie. A quaint town in the district of Shimla, located at an altitude of 2,500 mts, it is located on one of Asia’s largest watersheds, with the Indus and Ganges on either sides. Surrounded with densely covered forests of oaks and pines, it is also one of the main markets supplying fruits and vegetables to Shimla.
It is a beautiful place if one is seeking solitude and rejuvenation. It has plenty of orchards that one can visit, and several grand old houses named after fruits and flowers.
A part of the Shimla Reserve Forest Sanctuary, it is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including the musk deer, the state animal of Himachal. You could also trek your way to the many peaks that surround this place to catch some breathtaking views.
Further up one can head to Mahasu, where there is an ancient temple or Kufri, famous for skiing and winter sports. Fagu, situated in the middle of apple orchards and forests, offers a great place to rest and open out your picnic lunch baskets.
About 9km away is Naldehra, a former camping ground during the colonial rule and also home to a nine-hole golf course.
Beautiful sceneries and forest cover this marvelous hill station. Oak, Deodar, Pine and Apples are richly available in the hill station, which add more beauty in it. Mashobra has it’s own importance owing to presence of ideal climate in both either summer or winter and it is also a site of the annual Sipi Fair, which celebrated in the month of June.
Mashobra is one of the two presidential retreats of India, and is one of the most high profile, yet, lesser known hill stations of Himachal Pradesh. The sleepy hamlet of Mashobra is a definite must visit while planning a tour itinerary to Himachal Pradesh. Snow covered slopes of the Western Himalayas act as a natural boundary to a land which remains charmingly covered by mist almost all around the year. Winding roads take one past streams of the clearest water imaginable in to a land which offers one all the ingredients to make one’s holiday in Mashobra the dream vacation one had always wished for.
Geographical location of Mashobra:
Mashobra is located at 31°08′N 77°14′E / 31.13, 77.23. It has an average elevation of 2,146 metres (7,041 feet).
Best time to visit Mashobra:
Although all the year round, July to September is the best time to visit Mashobra.
Places around Mashobra:
Craignano (18 km): Motorable on Shimla-Naldhera road, it is an ideal picnic spot with lawns and garden.
Naldehra (22 km): Motorable On Shimla Tattapani road. This is a nine hole golf course. It was designed by the British viceroy, Lord Curzon who was so enchanted by this place that he gave his daughter Alexandra, Naldehra as her second name. Ancient Nag temple is also situated here.
Tara Devi (11 Km): On Shimla-Kalka road (NH-22) this holy place is accessible by Rail, bus and car. From the station/road-one can visit the temple either on foot or by taxi / jeep.
Chadwick Falls (7 Km) 1586 m : Surrounded by thick forests. About 45 minutes walk from Summer Hill Chowk.
How to reach Mashobra:
By air: Linked by air to Delhi, Chandigarh, Kangra and Kullu. The airport at Jubbarhati is 23 km from Shimla.
By rail: It is linked by a narrow gauge line to Kalka which is connected to Delhi, Calcutta and Amritsar by broad gauge. Kalka-Shimla in 96 km and 6 hours by train but only 4 hours by a quaint rail car.
By road: Shimla is well connected by road to most towns within the state and to all major towns in Punjab and Haryana. It is linked by bus and coach to Delhi and Chandigarh as well. Delhi is 370 km away, Chandigarh 117 km, Kalka 90 km and Ambala 166 km. Within the state, Narakanda is 64 km away, Mandi 156 km, Kullu 240 km, Manali 280 km and Dharmashala 280 km.
(Please note: The information has been compiled from what we could lay our hands on while preparing for the trip)
