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Annandale

#6of 10 places to visit in ShimlaShimla, Himachal Pradesh

Also known as Annadale

Quick answer

Opening hours: Sunrise to sunset daily. Entry is free. Allow 1 hr. Best time: 10:00-14:00.

Updated 18 September 2026 · By Traveliac Editorial Team · 4 min read

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Photo: Shyamal / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Opening hours: Sunrise to sunset daily; Access can be suspended without notice during Army training exercises or official events
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 1 hr
Best time of day: 10:00-14:00
Best months: Mar – Jun, Sep – Dec
Address: Annandale, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171002

About Annandale

Annandale occupies one of the only genuinely flat stretches of ground near Shimla, roughly 5 kilometres from the Ridge, and served as the colonial town's principal recreation ground under the name Company ka Baag before the British renamed it after either Scotland's Annandale valley or, by another account, a woman named Anna remembered fondly by an early official, Charles Pratt Kennedy. The ground hosted the British garrison's annual National Championship of Polo and now falls under Indian Army control as a training and ceremonial ground, with a golf course restricted to Annandale Golf Club members and army personnel rather than open to public play. An Army Heritage Museum near the ground's edge gives civilian visitors a way to engage with the site's military history even where the golf course itself stays off-limits.

Best time of day: 10:00-14:00. When weekday Army activity is lowest and the ground is most reliably open to casual visitors.

Annandale timings

Opening hours: Sunrise to sunset daily; Access can be suspended without notice during Army training exercises or official events
Closed on: Open every day

Annandale ticket price

Entry fees for Annandale
Ticket	Price
Indian visitors	Free
Foreign visitors	Free
Children	Free
Camera	Free

No entry fee for the ground and surrounding walking paths. The golf course itself is restricted to Annandale Golf Club members and Army personnel; casual visitors cannot pay to play.

Prices last checked 18 September 2026. Confirm on the official website before you go.

Best time to visit Annandale

Quiet
Moderate

sunrise-10:00
Early MorningBest time to go
Local walkers and occasional joggers use the ground; Army activity, if any, is typically administrative rather than field training this early.
Quiet
10:00-14:00
Midday Access Window
The most reliable window for casual civilian access, when training schedules are least likely to restrict the public areas.
Quiet
14:00-17:00
Afternoon Training Hours
Army training exercises are more likely to occupy sections of the ground during these hours, occasionally restricting public walking areas.
Moderate
17:00-sunset
Evening Wind-down
Training activity typically concludes; the ground is quiet again for a final walk before the site closes at dusk.
Quiet

History of Annandale

British officers and their families used Annandale from the 1830s onward for fancy-dress shows, picnics, and birthday celebrations, giving it an informal social role distinct from the more administrative character of the Ridge and Mall Road. Its flatness, rare in a town built almost entirely on slopes, made it Shimla's default venue for any activity requiring open, level ground, most notably the annual polo championship that drew British regiments from across northern India.

The Indian Army inherited custodianship of Annandale after independence, consistent with its continued role as a garrison town, and converted much of the ground's use toward training and ceremonial purposes rather than public recreation. The golf course that operates on part of the grounds today continues under restricted membership rather than public access, a continuity with the ground's colonial-era function as a closed recreational space for a defined community rather than the town at large.

Rules & etiquette at Annandale

General access to walk the ground and enjoy the open views is permitted during daylight hours, but the golf course itself is off-limits to anyone outside Annandale Golf Club membership or serving Army personnel; foreign nationals wanting any access beyond the public walking areas need specific government permission arranged well in advance, not something available on arrival. Military training exercises can close sections of the ground without advance public notice, so treating a visit as flexible rather than fixed avoids disappointment.

The Army Heritage Museum near the ground has its own visiting hours and photography rules, generally stricter than a civilian museum given the site's military context; visitors should expect security checks and possible restrictions on bag contents. Loitering near any barracks or active training areas beyond the designated public ground is neither permitted nor advisable.

Tips for visiting Annandale

1
Combine an Annandale visit with the walk or short taxi ride from Shimla Railway Station, since the ground sits closer to the station than to the Ridge and makes a logical stop for travellers arriving by the Kalka-Shimla toy train before heading up into town. The Army Heritage Museum, when open, adds historical context that the ground itself - now a working military facility rather than a preserved monument - does not provide on its own.
2
Do not plan an Annandale visit around golf; the course's membership restriction is enforced, and travel blogs occasionally overstate casual access. The open ground's forest surroundings make for a quieter walk than the Ridge, useful for travellers wanting a break from Shimla's more crowded central attractions, provided no training activity is underway that day.

How to reach Annandale

The red star is Annandale; the numbered pins are the 8 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Annandale, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171002Directions in Google Maps

From Shimla Railway Station
Rs 150-250
2 km · 10-15 min by taxi
By taxi
From The Ridge / Mall Road
Rs 250-350
5 km · 15-20 min by taxi
By taxi
From Shimla Airport, Jubbarhatti (SLV)
Rs 750-950
24 km · 50-60 min
By taxi

Nearest airport

From Shimla Airport, Jubbarhatti (SLV)

approximately 24 km, 50-60 minutes by taxi; Chandigarh International Airport (IXC) is roughly 116 km.

Nearest railway station

From Shimla Railway Station

approximately 2 km, 10-15 minutes by taxi or a moderate downhill/uphill walk.

Annandale FAQs

Can tourists play golf at Annandale in Shimla?

No. The Annandale golf course is restricted to Annandale Golf Club members and Army personnel; casual visitors cannot pay to play, though they can walk the surrounding ground and view the course from outside.

Is there an entry fee for Annandale ground?

No. Walking the ground and surrounding paths is free; only the separately managed Army Heritage Museum and any golf club membership carry their own costs.

Why is Annandale controlled by the Indian Army?

The Indian Army inherited custodianship of the ground after independence, continuing its garrison-town function; the site is used for training and ceremonial purposes, which is why public access can be restricted without notice.

How did Annandale get its name?

Two explanations persist locally: that British officers named it after Scotland's Annandale valley, or that an early official, Charles Pratt Kennedy, named it after a woman called Anna; the ground was earlier known as Company ka Baag.

Written by Traveliac Editorial Team (Himachal Pradesh Field & Heritage Desk); reviewed by Traveliac Standards Desk. Facts last checked 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places