TempleFree entry

Jakhoo Temple

#5of 10 places to visit in ShimlaShimla, Himachal Pradesh

Also known as Jakhu Temple

Quick answer

Opening hours: 05:00-12:00 and 16:00-21:00 daily. Entry is free. Allow 1.5 hrs. Best time: 07:00-09:00 or 17:30-19:00.

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

Get directionsOfficial site

Photo: Minaxi choudhary / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Opening hours: 05:00-12:00 and 16:00-21:00 daily; Temple closed for a midday break
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 1.5 hrs
Best time of day: 07:00-09:00 or 17:30-19:00
Best months: Mar – Jun, Sep – Dec
Address: Jakhoo Hill, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171008

About Jakhoo Temple

Jakhoo Temple sits at roughly 2,455 metres on Shimla's highest hill and is watched over by a 108-foot statue of Hanuman, installed in 2010 and visible from most vantage points across the town below. The temple itself predates the statue by centuries and is linked in local legend to the Ramayana, where Hanuman is said to have rested on this hilltop while searching for the Sanjeevani herb to save Lakshmana - a story residents recount as devotional tradition rather than verified record. Getting there means either a 2-kilometre uphill forest walk from the Ridge, taking 30-45 minutes through deodar trees, or a five-minute ropeway ride from a station just off Mall Road.

Best time of day: 07:00-09:00 or 17:30-19:00. For the clearest Himalayan views from the hilltop before cloud builds up, or 17:30-19:00 for the evening aarti.

Jakhoo Temple timings

Opening hours: 05:00-12:00 and 16:00-21:00 daily; Temple closed for a midday break
Closed on: Open every day

Jakhoo Temple ticket price

Entry fees for Jakhoo Temple
Ticket	Price
Indian visitors	Free
Foreign visitors	Free
Children	Free
Camera	Free

Temple entry is free. The optional ropeway from near the Ridge charges separately, approximately Rs 350 per person one-way and Rs 600 return as of 2026 - verify at the counter, since fares are revised periodically.

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

Best time to visit Jakhoo Temple

Quiet
Moderate
Busy
Very busy

05:00-07:00
Dawn DarshanBest time to go
Early devotees and the occasional trekker outnumber tourists; the forest path and viewing deck are at their quietest.
Quiet
07:00-12:00
Morning Visibility Window
Tour groups arrive via ropeway once it opens; visibility toward the snow line is best before midday cloud builds, and the courtyard sees a steady but manageable flow.
Moderate
16:00-18:00
Afternoon Reopening
The temple reopens after its midday break and absorbs the backlog of day visitors alongside the regular evening crowd; ropeway queues lengthen.
Busy
18:00-21:00
Evening Aarti
The evening aarti draws the largest devotional crowd of the day; the statue is floodlit and visible across Shimla after dark.
Very busy

History of Jakhoo Temple

Local tradition places the origin of Jakhoo's Hanuman worship in the Ramayana narrative, though the temple structure visitors see today has been rebuilt and expanded multiple times, most recently around the installation of the large statue in 2010. The hill takes its name from a sage associated with the site in regional legend, and the location's height made it a natural lookout point long before Shimla existed as a British hill station.

When the British developed Shimla from the 1820s onward, Jakhoo Hill remained one of the few points left largely to local religious use rather than converted into another colonial villa site, unlike Summer Hill or Observatory Hill nearby. The temple trust that manages the site today operates independently of the municipal corporation, funding upkeep through donations rather than any government tourism budget.

Rules & etiquette at Jakhoo Temple

Jakhoo Temple's approach path and courtyard are home to langurs (rhesus and grey monkeys) habituated to snatching food, sunglasses, and loose bags from visitors; temple staff rent bamboo sticks near the entrance for a small deposit to discourage them, and walking with visible food in hand is the single most common trigger for an incident. Shoes must be removed at the temple's designated rack before entering the inner courtyard, and a small cloakroom fee applies for bag storage.

Jakhoo Temple observes a midday closure, generally 12:00 to 16:00, so arriving in that window means waiting outside rather than entering. Camera use around the statue and courtyard is generally permitted, though photography inside the inner sanctum during active worship is discouraged by attendants. The forest path can be slick after rain, and footwear with grip matters more here than on the paved Ridge below.

Tips for visiting Jakhoo Temple

1
Walking up to Jakhoo Temple saves the ropeway fee and takes about the same total time once queueing for the cable car is factored in during peak season, but it demands a reasonable level of fitness for the sustained incline through forest switchbacks. The ropeway station near the Ridge runs continuously through the day and is the more practical choice for elderly visitors or anyone travelling with small children.
2
The viewing deck beside the statue gives a genuine 360-degree view of the Shimla ridge line and, on clear winter mornings, distant snow peaks toward the Pir Panjal range - arrive before 09:00 for the best visibility before valley haze builds. Carry a stick or keep bags zipped closed against the langurs, and avoid direct eye contact with the larger males, which can read as a challenge.

How to reach Jakhoo Temple

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

Jakhoo Hill, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh 171008Directions in Google Maps

From The Ridge (ropeway station)
1 km · 5 min (ropeway) / 30-45 min (forest walk)
Approx. Rs 350 one-way / Rs 600 return per person as of 2026
From Shimla Railway Station
Rs 200-300
3.2 km · 35-45 min combined walk/taxi plus final climb
By taxi to the base, then walk or ropeway
From Shimla Airport, Jubbarhatti (SLV)
Rs 750-950
25 km · 55-70 min
By taxi

Nearest airport

From Shimla Airport, Jubbarhatti (SLV)

approximately 25 km, 55-70 minutes by taxi; Chandigarh International Airport (IXC) is roughly 115 km.

Nearest railway station

From Shimla Railway Station

approximately 3.2 km, followed by a steep final climb on foot or by ropeway.

Jakhoo Temple FAQs

Is there an entry fee for Jakhoo Temple?

No. Jakhoo Temple itself is free to enter; only the optional ropeway and the bag/shoe cloakroom charge separate small fees.

How tall is the Hanuman statue at Jakhoo Temple?

The statue stands 108 feet tall, was installed in 2010, and is visible from most parts of Shimla town below the hill.

Are monkeys a real concern at Jakhoo Temple?

Yes. Rhesus and grey langurs are common along the approach path and courtyard and are known to snatch food, sunglasses, and bags; renting a bamboo stick near the entrance and keeping food out of sight are the standard precautions.

What is the fastest way to reach Jakhoo Temple from the Ridge?

The Jakhoo Ropeway covers the distance in about 5 minutes for a fee of roughly Rs 350 one-way as of 2026, compared with a 30-45 minute uphill forest walk on foot for those preferring to skip the fare.

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