Shimla:
Shimla was once part of the Nepalese kingdom and called Shyamala. In 1864 Shimla became the summer capital of India. Following independence, Shimla was initially the capital of the Punjab, then became the capital of Himachal Pradesh in 1966. It is the "Queen of Hill Stations" situated in the north-west Himalayas, Shimla the summer capital of India before independence is now the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla derives its name from "Shyamala" the goddess Kali, whose temple existed in the dense forest that covered Jakhu Hill in the early 19th century. The English named it Simla. Shimla is well connected by air, road and rail with all parts of Himachal Pradesh, and the neighbouring states of Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashimir and the Union territory of Chandigarh. Covering the area of 18 sq. km. at a height of 7,238 ft. Shimla is surrounded by pine, deodar, oak and rhododendron forests. Its well developed facilities, easy accessibility and numerous attractions make it one of Indian's most popular and biggest hill-stations.

Indian Institute of Advanced Study: At 1983, this magnificent English renaissance structure was the former Vicerega Lodge. Its lawns and woodland and added attractions. A portion of the interior is also open to the public, except on Sundays and Holidays. Today, Shimla is a pleasant, sprawling town, set among cool pine-clad hills with plenty of crumbling colonial charm. High season is mid-April to mid-July, mid-September to late October and mid-December to mid-January. The best time to visit is mid-September to late November.

Chail:
Chail is a beautiful hill station and it is the palace of the maharajas, built in the late 19th century and the pretty cottages of the complex. The deodar and oak forests and grasslands around the town are part of the sanctuary. One can see sambhar, ghoral and cheer phesants at Blossom and Jhaja - where there are pheasant breeding centres.

Barking deer and khalij pheasant are often spotted at dusk and dawn in the sanctuary. Treks from Chail to Gaura and Chail to Jhaja are popular. For those interested in sports, Chail has fine tennis and squash courts and a putting green. There are excellent spots along the River Gaura with opportunities for anglers to tangle with the Himalayan mahaseer. Chail has also the highest cricket ground in the world - 2,250 m above sea level.

Kufri:
Kufri, near Shimla is one of the oldest places in India to be associated with skiing and the slopes are still in use during winter. It is famous for its trekking and hiking trails. Adventure-seeking travelers throng Kufri in winters to enjoy skiing and tobogganing along its snow-covered slopes. The Skiing season spreads between November to February and the tourist inflow is at its peak during winters.

Kufri is a tiny hill station located 19-kms from Shimla on the National Highway No.22. It has a Himalayan Nature park and close by is the Indira Tourist Park. Indira Park provides some great views of the nearby places. Here one can enjoy a Pony or a Yak Ride. There is a range of slopes, including a beginner's run, an advanced slope and slalom run. Himachal Tourism offers ski courses, instruction and has equipment on hire at Kufri.

Chamba:
Chamba district is situated in the western Himalayas between north latitudes 32°10' and 33°13' and east longitudes 75°45' and 77°33'. The town stands on a plateau on the right bank of the Ravi river valley between Dhauladhar and Zanskar ranges south of the inner Himalayas. This town was founded by Raja Sahil Varman when he conquered the lower Rani valley from the petty chiefs called Ranas and Thakurs in the beginning of 10th Century. It seems the original name of the town was Champa as mentioned in Kalhan's Rajtarangani. The temple was built by Sahil Varman in the honour of his daughter Champavati who is worshipped as a goddess in Chamba.

VAJRESHWARI TEMPLE: This ancient temple is believed to be 1000 years old and is dedicated to Devi Vajreshwari-Goddess of lightning. The temple is situated on the northern most corner of the town at the end of Jansali Bazar. No historical record of the temple is available. The temple is built in the Shikhara style with wooden Chhattries and stands on the platform. The Shikhara of the temple is elaborately carved. There are two other minor temples on either side of the main shrine.

The best tourist season to visit Chamba is between April and October. Adventure tourists may like to undertake winter trekking from November to March when the higher reaches of the district are snow clad and access to most of the villages is on foot.