Naldehra Shimla

The new summer capital: Naldehra 

Looking forward to taking a break from the monotonous and hectic city life and spending a lazy weekend, or maybe even a week-long vacation at a hill station with minimal human obstruction and without even having to worry about getting stuck in jammed roads? Then, welcome to Naldehra!

Nestled between the beautiful lofty ranges of the Himalaya and just a while away from the hustle-bustle of the 'summer capital', Simla, Naldehra, is definitely going to mesmerize you with its phenomenal beauty and leave you absolutely mellowed out.

The blue sky, the misty clouds, the lofty mountains, and the endless lush green expanse of the cedar tree forest, might make you want to never go back home!
  

From wherever you stand and every glimpse that you take of it, you get to see an absolutely different picture painted in front of you. 

High tee-ing

Its enchanting scenic beauty is not just all about this place, Naldehra is also known for its oldest natural golf course. It is an 18 - hole golf course, which is considered to be the most challenging due to its high altitude (around 2044 m above sea level). British viceroy, Lord Curzon discovered it while exploring the beautiful hill station, and came up with the idea of designing this entirely levelled hilltop into a golf course.

The golf course requires membership but not to get disheartened,  you can still enjoy very interesting pony rides up till the golf course, and beyond!

Now take a minute to just imagine a hot cup of coffee or tea, and a relishing bowl of Maggi noodles being served to you as you sit on a bench amidst this large ground surrounded by mother nature on all sides. Doesn't it sound great? 

Spiritually engaging 
A small pony rides away from the golf course is the Mahunag Temple, dedicated to lord of snakes. Fascinatingly, Naldehra got its name from the fact that it is known as the snake king's abode or महा नाग का डेरा।

Kogi village
2km away from the golf course is this simple village named Kogi. If you decide to rather take a leisure walk and not drive till here, you'll be able to notice several man-made steps leading from the main road into the deep valley. One of these steps takes you down to the temple of Kogi mata. 

And, as the day passes by, spend some time appreciating the old-world charm of this place, by silently observing everything around. Take a seat on any of the benches that you find nearby and watch innocent school children return back to their homes, elderly men of the village coming out of their traditional Himachali houses for a smoke, village women carrying firewood on their heads and so on... It will leave an everlasting soothing effect on you.

Everything is so beautiful here that you might turn into a poet or a writer yourself. If not that, the place has the perfect "pin-drop silence" for you to indulge in some intense book reading without any noise of honking vehicles or people chattering around.

Flora

Apart from tall pine, oak and cedar trees, it has a huge variety of herbs and shrubs. The beautiful red roses, the pastel blue and pink hydrangea, violet orchids, fuchsia, pink petunia, colourful bright little primula and other small, colourful flowering plants, would make you wish if you could take them with you to decorate them in your drawing room but PLEASE DO NOT PLUCK FLOWERS! You might encounter some orange, pear, apple, pomegranate plants/trees here, as well. 

Explore this wilderness and have a memorable experience. Moreover, it's a perfect location for capturing some amazing picture shoots.

However, beware of touching every plant that you come across as it might even sting you!

Hotels & eateries
The Chalet's Naldehra, a Scandinavian-style resort with cosy log cabins, that has its own eatery and a spa and gives a 360° view to its inhibitors.

Picture credit: travelguru

HPTDC Hotel Golf Glade and Cafe Tee-Off are known for its spacious cottages and great service. 

There are multiple other hotels nearby which can be either booked online at a discount or you can personally negotiate the rate with the hotel manager before booking it. But, make sure you book a hotel which has its own eatery to save yourself from another long walk at the end of the day. 

Also, make sure your room has a balcony with a good view so that you can comfortably sit there and admire every passing minute of the day. 

Markets and shops

There is a small fruit market here around 4 km away from the golf course but the availability of good fruits is absolutely dependent on what season it is. There are few dairy and vegetable shops at an approachable distance. A beer and wine shop is around 1.5 km away from the golf course. There is one souvenir shop next to the HPTDC hotel.

Precautionary advice:

✓Drive very carefully as its meandering curvy roads can be risky for you, as well as, others.

✓People who are walking should always walk on either of the sides of the road as in to prevent mishaps. 

✓Do not pluck flowers as it could be dangerous.

✓Don't dare to walk down the steeper steps by yourself, unless accompanied by a local.

✓Avoid going into the bushes.

✓Carry a torch and a raincoat at all times.

✓ Most importantly, carry a good pair of shoes which are resistant to slippage. Also, you're definitely going to soil your shoes, so carry an extra pair (or at least a pair of slippers).