Mussoorie Hill Station: Places to Visit in Mussoorie

Mussoorie is a popular hill station in Uttarakhand situated in Dehradun district. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas at an altitude of 2000 m, it is surrounded by green hills and various types of flora and fauna. In addition, dominating snowy hill ranges in the northeast and the sparkling scenic beauty of the Doon Valley and Shivalik ranges towards it south had entitled the resort with: ‘The Queen of Hills’ and ‘The Experience of Fairyland Atmosphere’. The area of Mussoorie involves the nearby towns of Landour, Barlowganj, and Jharipani.

The name Mussoorie is said to be derived from ‘mansoor’ that refers to a native shrub. In fact, the local people refer the town as ‘Mansoori’.

History

1826
Captain Young, a daring officer of the British military and Mr. Shore, the Resident Superintendent of Revenues at Dehradun jointly discovered the current spot and erected a shooting cottage.

1827
A sanatorium that is presently a cantonment was erected in Landour.

1832
Colonel George Everest, the Surveyor General of India, erected a home. He actually desired to have a new office here, which was actually built in Dehradun.

1920-1940
The Nehru family members were the frequent visitors here

1959
Dalai Lama laid the foundation of the Tibetan Government in Exile, which is now in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh. Tibetans found their shelter place in the Happy Valley.

1960
The first Tibetan school was constructed here.

Tourists’ Attractions

Mall Road

This is the main public walkway that has Picture Palace on its eastern end and the Public Library (now known as only ‘Library’) on its western end. In the British reign, racist signs were erected on the Mall that stated: “Indians and Dogs Not Allowed”. Rejecting this rule, Motilal Nehru, the father of Jawaharlal Nehru, intentionally used to enter these prohibited areas every day and would give the fine when he was in the town.

Camel’s Back Road

This is famous for its natural walk and is named so due to a rocky projection of a camel’s hump. On the way on this road, a stunning cemetery is situated.

Gun Hill

In ancient times, a cannon was utilized for making a midday sound indicating the noontime. This spot is reachable by the cable car on the Mall road.

St Mary’s Church
This is the oldest church in the Himalayas that is just above the Mall Road. Currently, it is in the process of re-establishment.

Kempty Falls

This is a famous picnic spot.

Company Garden

This is a famous tourist destination holding attractive flowers and plants.

Happy Valley
This is the first, but a small Tibetan temple in India built in 1960 by the Tibetan refugees.

Lal Tibba

This is the highest peak of the hill station at an altitude of 7500 feet. A beautiful spot to watch highest peak of Gangotri, Yamunotri and Others.

Lake Mist

This is a gem of the town that is at 5 km before Kempty Falls and is equipped with restaurant facilities and boating. Apart from this, the place has many small waterfalls formed due to the Kempty River flowing through it.

Municipal Garden

This is a spot of a beautiful garden and a manmade small lake famous for its paddled boating. It is at 2 km through Waverly Convent School road.

Mussoorie Lake

This is a new picnic spot at 6 km on Mussoorie-Dehradun road famous for its pedaled boats and captivating view of Doon Valley and nearby villages. This view is breathtaking at night.

Childer’s Lodge
This is at a distance of 5 km from the Tourist Office to have a thrilling experience of snowy mountains. You can reach here either on horseback or on foot.

Bhatta Falls

This is at a distance of 7 km on Mussoorie-Dehradun Road close to the Bhatta Village. It is a fall having many ponds for bathing and water amusements.

Jharipani Fall

This is at a distance of 8.5 km on Mussoorie-Jharipani road.

Mossy Fall
This is at a distance of 7 km and is enclosed by thick forest.

Sir George Everest’s House

Park Estate is the house of the relics of the building and laboratory of Sir George Everest who was the Surveyor-General of India. From his name comes the name of the world’s highest peak Mt. Everest. This place is a scenic spot of the Doon Valley on one side and the Aglar River valley with the Himalayan snow peaks on other side. You can enjoy a memorable walk from Library Bazaar/Gandhi Chowk until this place.

Cloud End
Surrounded by dense deodar forest, it is a hotel that was previously a bungalow built by a British major in 1838. This bungalow was among the first four buildings of Mussoorie. The spot is covered with flora and fauna that makes it a place of relaxing.

Nag Devta Temple

This is a shrine devoted to the Snake God Lord Shiva and is on the Cart Mackenzie Road nearly 6 km away on Mussoorie-Dehradun road. The temple spot offers a delightful scene of the town and the Doon Valley.

Jwalaji Temple (Benog Hill)

This temple is dedicated to the Goddess Durga (the divine universal power) at 2240 m and 9 km west of Mussoorie. The temple is located atop the top of Benog Tibba (Hill). A thrilling view of the Aglar River valley is another tourist attraction.

Van Chetna Kendra
This is a picnic spot enclosed with pine forest and flowering shrubs located at a distance of about 2 km on Tehri bypass road. The attraction here is the wildlife park housing Ghurar, Kakar, Himalayan peacock, Monal, and so on.

Benog Mountain Quail Sanctuary

This is at a distance of 11 km to the South of library point. It was built in 1993 that is the house of the extinct bird species; Mountain Quail (Pahari Bater) last seen in 1876.

Roller Skating Rink
This is the largest skating rink in India.

Best Visiting Time

The climate of the Mussoorie usually remains cool all around the year. April to June is the best time to enjoy the Mussoorie tour due to pleasant weather conditions. However, these months are also the peak tourist season in Mussoorie. The place remains overcrowded and hotel rooms are costlier during these months. September and October are also nice months to visit the place. The winter months of December to February are very cold here and best for Mussoorie trip to enjoy snowfall in the region.

Reaching Mussoorie

By road, Mussoorie is well connected to Delhi and other major northern cities. It is actually Gateway to Yamunotri and Gangotri Yatra in Northern India.

By rail and air, the closest halt is Dehradun. From here, you can avail of taxis or buses at regular intervals.