Winter has finally arrived in Shimla, bringing the much-awaited chill. If you’ve been scouring the news for the snowfall updates, well, your wait is over! But don’t let the excitement of snow steal the spotlight from all that the Himachal capital has to offer.

Got just 24 hours? Here’s how to make every moment count.

Meena Bagh Homes - A journalist’s retreat 

Winter draws tourists to Shimla like a moth to a flame. But the last thing you want is to be surrounded by a mob. In search of the quieter pockets, we stumbled upon Meena Bagh Homes — a ‘typical Himachali home’ created by journalist Sanjay Austa in 2017.

The place is a carousel of colour — right from the surrounding fruit orchards and the kath kuni-inspired cottage to the kitchen garden ripe with exotic produce and the artisanal decor in the rooms.

Elaborating on how Meena Bagh Homes prides itself on its judicious and sustainable use of recycled wood, Sanjay credits barbeques, factories and mills as his sources. Don’t get so lost in the indoors that you miss out on Sanjay’s best offering — a night under the stars. We hear guests clamber for a minute with the telescope that’s on the property.

Book your trip, here.

NORTH - Experience Himachal at its best

Growing up in Shimla, Rahul Bhushan had a VIP pass to the region’s potential when it came to arts and crafts. He revelled in the slow pace of life here. Today, he encourages city folk to experience the same unruffled ways of life at NORTH — a Himachal-based collective and homestay nestled in the heart of Naggar.

Explaining his mindset, Rahul shares, “Traditional tourism often involves telling people about a place. But, at North Collective, we believe in a more immersive experience. Through tourism, visitors can experience our........

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