• Walks: Mussoorie
is one preferred destination for strolls through the mall road, the
tranquil pathways through old colonial building and nature walks through
thick wooded stretches.
• Landour-Sister Bazaar : The
Landour area is the oldest settlement in the entire township and still
preserves the tranquility of the bygone colonial times. The uphill walk
towards Landour begins from the eastern end of the Mall road. The Clock
Tower point is where from where the Landour Bazaar exceeds till the
Gurudwara Chowk. During the British times the same stretch was known as
Parade Lane as the British Army troops marched on it. Later a market
evolved there which was named as Shivaji Market. The former Clock Tower
had a history of its own the gong of which was audible till Rajpur as
claim some elders. The Castle Hill is the estate where Maharani Jinda
Kaur of Patiala was kept in exile. Now the estate belongs to the Survey
of India. The numerous Dosa joints opposite to the Castle Hill gate are
favorite hang outs amongst youngsters of the town who frequent there for
mouth watering South Indian cuisines. Another land mark in the Landour
Bazaar is the Kohinoor Building which has completed more than hundred
years of existence. The Survey Chowk is lined with shops famous for
delicious sweets and Namkeens. The Landour Bazaar is also famous for the
shops where exclusive Pahaari silver jewelry is made to order.
• The Mall Road: stretched
over a distance of 4 km, the Mall road beats through the very heart of
the town on the south face of the hillside providing a commanding
panorama of the vast Doon Valley which appears as a dream during the day
and a real heaven in night. Most of the hotels, restaurant, bars,
showrooms, handicrafts and souvenir shops lie on the Mall road.
• Gun Hill / Rope Way: The
gun hill is the highest point in the Mall road which can be reached by a
cable car or after a short trek from Jhulaghar. Gun hill is called so
because during the British times a gun was fired from the top exactly at
noon to enable people to set their watches. Today lots of souvenir
shops and eating joints stand on the huge water reservoir tank which
provides an excellent view of the mighty Himalayas and the enticing Doon
Valley. A must do at gun hill has always been getting photographed in
the local pahaari attire.
• Kempty Falls: A
natural waterfall cascading from the height of over 100 meters, the
Kempty Falls is one major tourist attraction which can be reached after a
14 km enchanting drive through the hamlets of Jaunpur tribal area on
the Yamunotri highway. The Kempty falls remains thronged with tourists
as the region encircles numerous natural pools and artificial lakes, fun
slides, a rope way and tempting eating joints.
• Company Garden: The
soothing climate of the Queen of the Hills prompted Dr. King of the
Royal Botanical Garden Calcutta, Dr. Royale of the Saharanpore Botanical
Garden and General Biddulf of the Bengal Engineers to establish a
branch of the gardens in Mussoorie and the plan was executed in the year
1842 as Company Garden. Today the Company Garden is managed by the
Garden Welfare Association as a tie-up with the Nagar Paalika Parishad
Mussoorie under the Public Private Partnership scheme. The Company
Garden is an ideal spacious zone for a picnic amidst the environs which
is the coldest in the entire township. The garden houses a healthy
accumulation of exotic flowers and the rare Gingko Biloba trees (Gingko
Biloba is a living fossil). Fun rides, artificial lakes, cascades and
ponds beside the alluring eating joints make it a trip worthwhile.
• Camel's Back Road: Most
of the habitation and the Mall road fall on the south face of the
Mussoorie ridge where as the north face is comparatively less populated.
The Camel's Back road is rather a hushed zone primarily meant for walks
and horse rides. The serpentine road provides an awesome view of the
great Himalayas and the hamlets of Jaunpur tribal belt. The road enables
a view of a natural rock formation which resembles like a sitting
camel, hence the name. An old cemetery on the deodar slopes of the road
is the resting ground of great personalities like Sir Henry Bohle, Sir
John Mackinnon and Sir John Lang. The Hawa Ghar on the road was imported
from England and was reassembled here. According to a gossip, the Hawa
Ghar got to be known as scandal point when a few young officers of the
British army were caught making merry with the wives of their seniors.
The humble witness of the bygone times still stands strong at on of the
most scenic turns of the road.
• Lal Tibba / Chaar Dukaan / Sister Bazaar: The
evening sun of autumn and winter kiss the forehead of the Queen of the
Hills and she blushes red. Lal Tibba is the highest hill in the town
which turns into the hues of red when the evening sun of winter falls on
it. Highly recommended for walk, the cantonment area encompasses a
circular pathway which begins from St. Paul Church at Chaar Dukaan. It
is a laidback slumbering place with only four shops in a row which
serves delicious noodles, omlettes, pizzas and hot and cold beverages.
The circular path goes through Childer's lodge where a powerful
binocular enables the best view of the great Himalayas. A canteen at the
ticket counter makes it a cozy little joint. An old cemetery amidst the
scented deodar forest leads through the Sister Bazaar where the sisters
of the Landour Sanitarium once lived. Today, the tiny bazaar is known
all over for some of the best verities of cottage cheese.
• Happy Valley / Tibetan Monastry: The
Happy Valley, as the name suggests, was a place for fun and gaiety
during the British period with the famous Charlieville hotel as the
prime hub. The Happy Valley Club was one of the most happening dos of
those times. Today, the fantastic buildings and the vicinity belongs to
the Lal Bahadur Shashtri National Academy of Administration. The Valley
is also the home to the Tibetans who have established an elaborated
gompa (Buddha temple) and a chorten (stupa) on the Dalai Hill which
becomes prominent with hundreds of colorful tharchuk (praying flags).
Highly recommended for walk.
• Lake Mist: A
secluded water resort on the stream that forms the Kempty Falls is
managed by a private concern. Lake mist is 8 km from the town on the
Yamunotri highway. The well maintained rooms and restaurant makes it a
very private place to holiday beside fresh water stream.
• Bhatta Falls: A
natural stream, near the Bhatta Village on the Dehradun-Mussoorie
highway, gushes down from a height of 30 meters. Unlike the Kempty
Falls, the Bhatta Falls is less explored and hence is less polluted. The
fall cascades through the prestigious Galogi Power house which has to
its credit of being the second pioneer hydro-electricity plant of the
country after Mysore. The isolated fall and the numerous natural pools
on the streams make it a very private affair.
• Jharipaani Falls: An
introvert waterfall in the wilderness, Jharipaani Falls remains
absolutely isolated and very rarely visited. A narrow track through the
thick jungle, that adds to the whole adventure, leads to this 30 meters
cascade. The peculiar location of the fall on a curvey slope makes it
invincible till the last step at its base, all the while the fall
remains audible yet invisible. The hundred steps on the eastern side of
the cliff were laid during the British times for connection of the
pipelines and are elements of adventure at the site. Jharipaani is a
small habitation near the St. Georges College from where a narrow track
elopes into the forest of the foothills of the Mysterious Pari Tibba.
• Pari Tibba: Pari
Tibba, commonly known as Aanchari daanda in Uttarakhand, is a very
common belief in the Himalayan state where certain hilltops are said to
be the abode of Aanchari or pari meaning fairy. These hilltops are often
secluded from the general habitation and are distinctively scenically
located. The Pari Tibba of Mussoorie is an isolated hilltop on an
eastwardly ridge of the town which stretches from the Woodstock School
in the North till the Jharipaani falls in the south. People of the
nearby villages believe the existence of fairies on the hill. They say
that the fairies bathe in the secretly located Jharipaani falls and move
around the entire hillside. The ridge, when seen from the Barlowganj
area, appears like a reclining lady which also supports the logic behind
the name. However, a day hike through the deodar forest is worth a
visit.
• Dhanolti Forest: Dhanolti
(2258 m) is famous for its pristine deodar forest which can be reached
after a 26 km drive eastwards from Mussoorie. The road leads towards the
town of Chamba through the rich fruit belt of the region with a
constant view of the lofty Himalayas. Tiny hamlets through the route
make it a laidback approach towards the serene deodar hub where inns,
restaurants, camp sites and pony rides through the cool deodar breeze
makes it a memorable visit. The Mussoorie Forest Division has encircled
an eco-park at Dhanolti ridge where handicrafts of Garhwal and Kumaon
are available. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) guest house and the
Forest Department Tourist Rest House (TRH) are scenically located.
• Surkanda Devi Temple: Surkanda
Devi temple is majestically situated atop 2903 meters which is also the
highest point in the entire region. Surkanda Devi is an incarnation of
Goddess Shakti who is revered by the locals as the deity of optimum
blessings. The temple can be reached after a trek of approx a kilometer
from Kaddukhal which is 32 km from Mussoorie on the Chamba highway.
Numerous shops with subjects of offering and a number of eating joints
throng the base of the climb. The temple site enables an awesome
panorama of the great Himalayas towards north and the vast valley
towards the south. Navaratra attracts a number of devotees from near and
far towards the ever blessing Surkanda Devi.
• Chamba: beautifully
located on the junction of the roads to Mussoorie, Rishikesh and New
Tehri, Chamba is a small town with a pace of its own. Chamba has its
mention in numerous Garhwali and Jaunpuri folk songs. The fruit and
vegetable belt of Chamba forms the backbone of the economy of the town.
The small town of Chamba has the pride of being the home of martyr Gabar
Singh Negi of the Garhwal Rifles.
• Sir George Everest House: The
Queen of the Hills has the honor of being the residence and office of
Sir George Everest who lived in the Park Estate near Haathipaon where
the Headquarters of the Great Royal Trigonometrical Survey of India was
shifted from Dehradun. Sir Everest was here as one of the Surveyor
Generals and contributed the most to the world of trigonometry staying
at the Park Estate where he had an observatory an a natural 9 holes golf
coarse. The vast flat grassland provides an excellent view of the great
Himalayas in the north and the vast stretch of the Doon Valley in the
South. The erstwhile bungalow of Sir Everest stand perched on a cliff
which also happens to be an echo-point. The Estate and the vicinity is
on of the most sought after location among film makers.
• Benog Birds Sanctuary/Jwala ji temple: The
Benog Sanctuary covers the forest of the western ridge of Mussoorie and
happens to be the area where the extinct mountain quail was last seen
during the 1970s. The thick oak jungles inhabits a healthy population of
birds along with leopards, Himalayan black bear, barking deer, giant
squirrels, rabbits, pheasants and wild rodents. The impressive Benog
hilltop is perched by Goddess Jwalaji temple where an annual fair is
held during autumn. The hilltop also provides magnificent view of the
great Himalayas, the Mussoorie township, and the Yamuna river valley
towards north and the Doon Valley in the south. The healthy population
of avifauna in the forest makes an ideal place for bird watching.
• Bhadraaj Temple and Forest: Bhadraaj
Devta is the prime deity of the region that encircles Jaunpur-Jaunsaar
belt which also includes Mussoorie. An ancient temple of the deity is
situated on a secluded meadow top, some 8 km westwards from the town of
Mussoorie. The Bhadraaj temple is the border of the Mussoorie
jurisdiction where an annual two day fair is held during 16th and 17th
of August. The fair in which milk is offered to Bhadraaj Devta attracts
thousands of devotees from near and far. A stone outside the temple bear
formal inscriptions in English and Arabic which suggests about the
early visitors of the place. The dirt track to Bhadraaj temple goes
through scenic villages, vast fields and thick forest of oak and
rhododendron which inhabits a healthy population of leopards, Himalayan
black bear, barking deer, giant squirrels, rabbits, pheasants and wild
rodents.
• Yamuna Bridge: 26
km westwards of the town on the Yamunotri highway fresh and crystal
clear Yamuna River gushes her way through a wide valley. The route goes
through some of the breathtaking landscapes dotted with lively villages,
rich fields and virgin wilderness. An iron bridge over the Yamuna
connects the Tehri district with the Dehradun district. The area around
the bridge is adorned with tiny wooden huts which serve as the eating
joints for the commuters. Fresh fish from the Yamuna is a regular and in
demand feast. Angling can be enjoyed with a prior permission from the
DFO Mussoorie. A few adventure agencies provide rafting on the gradually
flowing Yamuna.
• Naag Tibba: One
of the highest peaks in the entire region of the Jaunpur block
including Mussoorie is Naag Tibba. The thick concentration of oak,
deodar and rhododendron inhabits a healthy population of flora and fauna
and a sight of leopard, the Himalayan black bear and wild boar is very
common. The picturesque meadow below the Naag Tibba summit houses an
ancient Naag Devta temple in the wilderness thus got the name. People of
the nearby villages had been coming to the shrine to offer their first
harvest to the Naag Devta who is one of the prime deities of the region.
A pit beside the temple always overflows with water amazingly at such a
height. The summit (10,000 ft.), locally known as Jhandi, is reached
after a steep climb through dense forest which leads to a small meadow
on the top where a deodar pole is erected on which the villager tie
pieces of sanctified cloths, hence called Jhandi. The Jhandi top
provides magnificent view of the mighty Himalayas. The rich pasture land
of Naag Tibba is also the summer grazing ground for the Van Gujjar
(nomadic Herdsmen) and their thatch shelter can be used for night halt.
The ruins of the British Banglow where German mountaineer Heinrich
Harrer of the Seven Years in Tibet fame halted after his escape from the
prisoners of war camp in Dehradun.
• Lakhamandal: An
ASI protected Shiva temple 60 km from Mussoorie on the Yamunotri
highway is an interesting subject for the archaeologists and
anthropologists. This 5000 year old site is believed to have been built
by the Pandavas of the epic Mahabharat which was later rebuilt by
princess Ishwara of Singhpura near Jullundhar. The temple and the
village are rich with ancient statutes and articles which are still
being excavated from inside the earth. Believers also link this place
with the Lakhshagriha conspiracy of the epic Mahabharata.
