Jakhu Temple and Hill

Jakhu Hill is the highest point immediately accessible from central Shimla — a 2,455-metre summit about 2 km east of the Ridge, reached by a footpath that climbs steeply through pine and oak forest from Scandal Point. The walk takes 45 minutes to an hour uphill and rewards the effort with the best panoramic views available over Shimla: the town spread across its multiple ridges, the forested slopes of the outer Himalayas extending in every direction, and on clear winter days the high snow peaks to the north.

The Jakhu Temple at the summit is an active Hindu shrine dedicated to Hanuman — according to local tradition, the spot where Hanuman rested during his mission to find the Sanjeevani herb to save Lakshmana in the Ramayana. The temple is busy with pilgrims on weekends. The monkeys around the temple are aggressive and skilled thieves; secure any food, spectacles, or loose items before arriving at the summit. Cable car access is available as an alternative to the walk.

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The 33-metre Hanuman statue erected on Jakhu Hill in 2010 is visible from almost anywhere in Shimla — a bright orange figure rising above the forest that serves as both a religious monument and an unavoidable landmark. The original temple at the summit is believed to be 6,000 years old by local tradition, though archaeological evidence suggests the current structure dates from the medieval period. The rhesus monkeys that inhabit the hill in large numbers are neither shy nor polite about bags of food.

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