A Quick Travel Guide to Explore Kasauli, a Popular Hill Station in Himachal Pradesh

…O Shimle ni vasna, Kasauli ni vasna
Shimle ni vasna, Kasauli ni vasna
Chambe jana zaroor…

And I was in a sudden fuss, a feeling of liveliness came into me and in the backdrop, the song ‘Mai Ni Meriye’ started playing on loop!

No, I am not mad! I am just being quirky to explain how I felt when I think about the sublime hamlet of Kasauli – for which I have a soft spot in my heart. Although I know, the above song focuses on Chamba tourism, yet a mention of Kasauli in this masterpiece is just enough to tell the world about the concealed beauty of this place. Because that’s the charm of this nature’s baguette which the flourishing Himachal Pradesh tourism offers to travellers! Thus, without wasting any more time, I present you my blog which covers the best places to see in Kasauli along with the things to do there. So, here we go!

Note to Travellers: Summer is the best time to visit Kasauli if you want to make most of your vacation. However, a lot of tourists also consider winter an ideal season to visit Kasauli as during this time the town receives occasional snowfall. So, it is advisable to plan your trip to Kasauli accordingly.

The Mall Road: Shop, Stroll and Hangout

What’s the first thing that comes into your mind when you hear the name The Mall Road? Maybe, Mussoorie, Shimla or Nainital, right? Well, it is obvious after all these places are best known for their Mall Road market. But, I assure you when you’ll return from your family trip to Kasauli, there would be the name of one more place added along with these amazing destinations. The main shopping area, the Mall Road is indeed a not-to-miss attraction in Kasauli. From shops to bookstores to restaurants to cafes, the Mall Road is the busiest and lively tourism place in Kasauli.

Timings: 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Famous For: Shopping, Eating, Photography, and Strolling.

Ticket: No Entry Ticket

Barog: A Land of Exquisite Beauty

Literally, wow! These were my words when I first got to know about this majestic town which is located at a distance of 17 km from Kasauli. Brimming with serenity and adorned with pine deodar forests, this place is indeed one of the best sightseeing places near Kasauli. Dolanji Bon Monastery, Suketi Fossil Park, Choor Chandni Peak, Graveyard of Barog, and Barog Camping Grounds are some of the major attractions of this quaint hamlet. However, these places are not just the reasons to visit, the rich history of Barog can also arouse the curiosity of anyone to get to know more about this place.

The town came into limelight in the late 20th century when Kalka-Shimla railway line was in construction. The name Barog came from a British railway engineer’s name who committed suicide during the construction of the same railway line. Barog was an incharge of a tunnel project which was supposed to be built alongside the railway track. However, a mistake was made due to some miscalculation. As a result of this, he got fined and humiliated which led him to end his life.

Timings: All Day

Famous For: Nature, Photography, Monastery

Ticket: No Entry Ticket

Gurkha Fort: An Emblem of Bravery

Engirdled by a thick forest, Gurkha Fort is a masterpiece situated at a height of 4500 ft. Tracing its history to 1900 AD, the fort was built by Amar Singh Thapa, a Gurkha Army Chief. The main motive behind the construction of this fort was to fight against the British Army during Anglo-Nepal war, and hence, this fort serves as the emblem of valour and bravery. However, Gurkhas were defeated in the war and the region later came under British rule. At present, it is under the possession of Indian Army and serves as a training centre for the Gurkha region. Inside the fort, there are 180-year old canons that were once used in battles. Apart from exploring the fort, visitors can also indulge in trekking in the valleys located close to the fort.

Timings: All Day

Famous For: Photography, Historical Tour, Trekking, and Sightseeing

Ticket: No Entry Ticket

Christ Church: Oldest Church in Himachal Pradesh

Located on The Mall Road, Christ Church is surely one of the incredible tourist places to visit in Kasauli. Built in the year 1853 by British, Christ Church is enclosed by the scenic deodar and pine trees. The splendid construction, non-gothic architecture, and the serene ambiance make it one of the best places for those looking for a quality self-time. Just for the fact, Christ Church is the oldest church in Himachal Pradesh which is devoted to St. Francis and St, Barnabas. With a grey building, a clock tower in front consisting a sundial, and the magnificent mirror add a surreal grandeur to the stunning architecture of the church.

Timings: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Famous For: Pilgrimage and Sightseeing

Ticket: No Entry Ticket

Kasauli Brewery: Oldest Distillery in Asia

The oldest distillery in Asia for scotch whiskey, Kasauli Brewery was established by Sir Edward Abraham Dyer during the British Period in the late 1820s. Edward himself brought the equipment from England for brewing and distillery. The place now also serving as one of the best visit places in Kasauli. And while being here, I strongly recommend you to taste some classic malt whiskey or Indian Pale Ale (only if you drink) from this brewery for that indelible taste.

Timings: 7:00 AM 7:00 PM

Famous For: Whiskey

Ticket: No Entry Ticket

Monkey Point: The Highest Point of Kasauli

Monkey Point (also known as Manki Point) according to locals is the place where Lord Hanuman rest his foot while looking for a medicinal herb to cure Laxman, younger brother of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic “Ramayana”. Interesting isn’t it? From this place, you can take a tour of the bewildering vistas of the entire valley along with snow-clad rolling Himalayas. An important tourist destination in Himachal Pradesh located close to Lower Mall region, Monkey Point is also known for housing Lord Hanuman temple which is packed by mischievous monkeys. Just to let you know that from this highest point, you can view faint borders of Chandigarh and Sutlej River.

Timings: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Famous For: Nature, Sightseeing, Photography, and Pilgrimage.

Ticket: No Entry Ticket

Timber Trail: An Experience of a Lifetime

An unexplored attraction yet the most enthralling one! Timber Trail is located at a distance of 36 km from The Mall Road and is an ideal place in Kasauli to enjoy the soothing vistas of deep valleys and rolling mountains. However, this is not the only thing for the Timber Trail is famous for. It’s the Timber Trail cable car which makes this scenic destination a must-visit one while visiting Kasauli. This 1.8 km ropeway takes tourists from one side of the valley to other with the panoramic views of the mesmerizing gorges and mountains in the backdrop. Don’t forget to bring your camera as you’ll be treated with some mind-boggling bird-eye views of the entire town.

Timings: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Famous For: Sightseeing, Nature, and Photography.

Ticket: 1200 for Adults and 1000 for Children (For Cable Car Ride)

Top Things to Do in Kasauli:

Showcase Your Photography Skill at Gilbert Nature Trail

For all the shutterbugs who always remain in a search for amazing clicks, Gilbert Nature Trail is the best place to conclude your photography hunt in Kasauli. Adorned with opulent flora and fauna, Gilbert Trail is a short excursion that gives travellers a chance to praise the charm of this enthralling place. A must-visit attraction in Kasauli, Gilbert Nature Trail is ideal for bird watchers, nature buffs, and photographers. This short yet amazing trail starts after Kasauli Club and lasts till Air Force Station. So, don’t you dare to even think of missing this place!

Adore the Surreal Views at the Sunset Point

Picture this, the surreal view of sun falling asleep behind the rolling blue mountains and meanwhile the unmoving trees surround the mountains. Well, this is what a sunset view in the hills looks like! And when you are in Kasauli, Sunset Point is undoubtedly a place of tourist interest that offers such splendid views of the sundowning. Situated at the end of the upper mall road, Sunset Point is one of the top tourist attractions in Kasauli and also a great place to spend your evening.

Savour One of the Great Experiences in Kasauli Through Trekking

Well, trekking is one such activity which most of the hill stations offer, so does Kasauli! For adrenaline junkies, Kasauli is one of the perfect adventurous places to visit in the Himalayas as it offers some great trekking routes that range from easy to challenging ones. Breathtaking vistas, cool weather, and pulchritudinous nature make trekking in Kasauli an experience of a lifetime. Kalka, Jabli, and Garkhal are some major treks that shouldn’t be ignored if you are making a plan to trek in Kasauli.

Substitute Trekking with a Nature Walk in Kasauli

And if you’re not so adventurous traveller then a nature walk will certainly fill your heart with the same experience. One of the delightful nature walks in Kasauli starts from Lower Mall area and ends at Kimmughat. However, Gilbert Nature Trail is also an ideal place to take a short stroll to capture the glance of a picturesque setting that surrounds you while on a nature sightseeing walk. Talking about nature, Old Kasauli Road to Parwanoo and Sanawar to Mandu Dhar are two more trails that can’t be left ignored.

An Evening Well Spend with Your Friends at Hangout Bar

An evening spent with friends eating, drinking, and gossiping is the best memory one could ever wish from a vacation, right? And when you and your friends are in Kasauli, Hangout Bar is the perfect place to make that evening even more special than your expectations. Here at this rooftop bar, you can expect elegant furniture, tempting lightning, soothing music, and great hospitality altogether giving the best compliment to the composed ambiance. And what more you can expect for a perfect evening? Ohh yeah… I forgot! This restaurant also serves some finger-licking Indian and Continental cuisines along with liquor that are the best companions of any gathering.

Enjoy a Dreamy Affair with Toy Train Ride

Move over Switzerland and Moscow for that famous toy train ride, it’s time to make way for new entrances that are worthy enough of stealing the limelight. And the sublime hill town of Kasauli is one of the ideal candidates to fit in that spot. Ply from Dharampur, which is located at a distance of 10 km from Kasauli, you can take a ride till Barog in one of these heritage toy trains to surprise you with some awe-inspiring views on the journey. So, do add Toy Train Ride in your must things to do in Kasauli. Kalka-Shimla NG Passenger, Kalka-Shimla NG Express, and Himalayan Queen are the toy trains that run from Dharampur to Barog.

A Glimpse: The mesmerizing journey of the toy trains will take you through oak and pine forests, tunnels, valleys, and quaint hamlets.

Conclude Your Vacation with Shopping

No family vacation is complete without shopping! And when you’re in Kasauli where the famous Mall Road is located, it would be unfair to not to have an affair with shopping. The Lower Mall Road area is crammed with numerous Tibetan shops that sell some of the finest handicrafts, hand-woven shawls, scarves, stoles, and winter clothing. You can also explore fruit market which deals in fresh fruits picked from the orchards, especially apricots, peaches, and plums. For your information, Kasauli is also quite-a-bit popular for the authentic fruit wines that are produced in the region only. Therefore, you can try your hands in picking some popular flavours like plum wine, apple wine, black green wine, peach wine, and sherry wine.

Praise the Taste of Tibetan Food in Kasauli

We’ll love to experiment with our taste, right? Certainly!! And if you’re in the pack, then you are surely going to adore your time in Kasauli as it serves tourists with some impeccable flavours and tastes. From thukpa and dumpling to sidu and madara, the food of this beautiful hamlet is something which will be your love on this vacation. There are a plethora of local food outlets serving the authentic food of Kasauli. However, the poppy seed halwa, green ginger tea, and band samosa are some more must-try fares in Kasauli. So, make sure to relish your time in Kasauli with my mantra – Wander, Eat, and Repeat.

So, this was all from today’s blog. I hope you like it! Well, if you did then share it with your buddies with whom you would love to go on a holiday to Kasauli. Also, make sure to give this Kasauli travel guide a thumb’s up (which is the source of our motivation) and also drop your queries, suggestion or feedbacks in the comment section down below. Also, if you’re looking for Himachal Pradesh tour packages then drop us a mail at info@tourmyindia.com or call us at +91-8744012087/88. We proffer some of the finest tour packages accompanied with incredible services essential to make your vacation indelible. Till the next time, this is me, signing off with a promise to come again with another amazing blog.