Mussoorie's Promenade, the mall straddles a ridge extending from
Clouds End in the west to
Rockville (The Haunted House) in the east. Officially, the mall begins at Gandhi Chowk (or
Library Bazaar) and ends at the Clock Tower near Landour. You can walk
and enjoy this distance in an
hour.
Lengthen your stride and climb the steep road through
the cantonment to Lal Tibba- the peak towering above Landour and Sister's Bazaar. The
circular road at the top of the hill provides great views of the Bandar Poonch Massif and
the Gangotri range. Here, the northern slopes are clad in Deodar and Rhododendron.
The Camel's back road, a 3 km stretch from the library to the Kulri Bazaar, is a pleasant
walk. Another option here: scramble down the northern slopes of Mussoorie to the little
Aular river, a tributary of the Yamuna. But keep your bearings in mind so that you don't
get lost.
From Kutchery (Court) on the mall, you can take a 20-minute stroll down a bridge path to
Gunhill, for early morning views of the snowcaps. However, most tourists prefer the 400
mts. ropeway to go to Gunhill.
DHANOLTI:
Leaving the town behind, you can take the Tehri Bypass and drive down the Tehri road to
Dhanolti, which is fast developing into a satellite hill station. On the way, Buranskhanda
offers a captivating view of the Himalayas amidst pine and Deodar forests.
Further on at KadduKhal, a steep climb (on foot) will take you to the little Surkhanda
Devi Temple, popular with pilgrims seeking a boon from the Goddess and if your wish is
granted, remember to come back and say Thank you. If you have the time reserve the whole
day to enjoy the walk through the towering Deodars while listening to the music of
Cicadas. Dhanolti is an ideal place for a quite weekend.
GUN
HILL:
Enjoy a ropeway ride to the second highest peak of Mussoorie. It can also be negotiated by
Bridle Path which forks off from Mall Road near Kutchery and takes twenty minutes. The
Ropeway distance is only 400 mtrs. and the sheer thrill of the ride is memorable.
Gun hill offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges namely Bundarpunch,
Srikantha, Pithwara, Gangotri Group etc. and a bird's eye view of Mussoorie town and Doon
valley. During Pre-Independence days, a gun mounted on this top was fired to herald
mid-day. This enabled people to adjust their watches hence the name.
MUNICIPAL GARDEN:
A picnic spot with a beautiful garden and an artificial mini lake with boating facilities.
It is located at a distance of 4 km by cycle rickshaw, pony or by car and only 2
km on
foot via Waverly Convent Road.
CHILDER'S LODGE:
The highest peak of Mussoorie near Lal Tibba. It is about 5 Kms. from the Tourist office
and one can go on horse-back or on foot. The snow view from this spot is exhilarating.
CAMEL'S BACK ROAD:
It starts from Kulri Bazaar near Rink Hall and ends at Library Bazaar covering a total
distance of about 3 km. The main charm of this road is the horse riding &
walking. The sunset view of the Himalayas is superb. A lifelike resemblance of the camels back can
be seen from a spot near Mussoorie Public School.
KEMPTY
FALL:
15 kms. From Mussoorie on the Yamunotri road, at an altitude of 4500ft. It has the
distinction of being the biggest and the prettiest waterfall located in this beautiful
valley and is surrounded by high mountains. The bath at the foot of the fall is refreshing
and enjoyable for children and adults alike.
JHARIPANI FALLS:
8.5 Kms. from Mussoorie on the Mussoorie-Dehradun Road. Visitors can go by bus or by car
for 7 Kms. Till Jharipani. From here the falls are 1.5 Kms. on foot.
BHATTA FALLS:
7 Kms from Mussoorie on the Mussoorie-Dehradun Road. There access by car or by bus up to
Bhat Village from where the fall is 3 Kms by car or foot. An ideal spot for bathing and
picnics.
NAGDEVTA TEMPLE:
An ancient temple situated on Cart MacKenzie Road about 6 Kms. from Mussoorie. Vehicles
can go right up to the spot. It provides a charming view of the Doon Valley as well as
Mussoorie.
MUSSOORIE LAKE:
A newly developed picnic spot, situated on the Mussoorie-Dehradun road about 6 Kms from
Mussoorie. Pedal boats are available. A delightful spot which commands an enchanting view
of the Doon Valley and nearby villages.
VAN
CHETNA KENDRA:
At a distance of about 2 Kms on the Tehri bypass road, this picnic spot has a park
surrounded by pine forest and flowering shrubs and is approachable by foot or by car. The
main attraction is the wildlife of the park like Ghurar, Kanakar, Himalayan Peacock, Monal
etc.
SIR GEORGE EVEREST
HOUSE:
6 Kms from Mussoorie. The park estate of Sir George Everest, the First Surveyor General Of
India, who had his office and residence here, is approachable by road. The highest peak in
the world, Mount Everest, is named after him.
MOSSEY
FALL:
7 Kms. From Mussoorie. The access is via Balahisar or Barlowganj. A beautiful fall
surrounded by a dense forest.
JWALAJI TEMPLE (Benog
Hill):
Situated 9 Kms to the west of Mussoorie and at an altitude of 2104 mtrs. It is situated on
the top of the Benog Hill and has an idol of Mata Durga in it. The temple is surrounded by
thick forest and offers a panoramic view of the Himalayan peaks, Doon Valley and Yamuna
Valley.
PLACES NEAR BY MUSSOORIE
HARIDWAR
Haridwar -door of Hari (God or Bhagwan)
Haridwar is the top most spiritual place in India. It is believed that when the Gods left
their footprints on the land of Haridwar, metaphorically they also left an indelible mark
on the spiritual etho- of every Hindu- more so, the devout, who ( would later follow their
holy paths all across this blessed land. It has earned it's sobriquet of honor as 'The
Gateway to The Gods'.
Haridwar is not only famous as holy place but also for it's ever-refreshing mystic
venue which purifies our mind, body and soul in real manner.
Main Places to Visit:
Har Ki Pauri, Chandi Devi Temple, Mansa Devi Temple, Maya Devi Temple, Daksha
Mahadev Temple, Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar.
RISHIKESH
Rishikesh is situated in the northern part of Uttaranchal, on
the banks of river Ganga, 24 kms from Haridwar . It is the access point for the
pilgrimages of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Rishikesh is surrounded by
scenic beauty of the hills on three sides. It is considered to be the Yoga capital of the
world. There are many temples and ashrams along the river Ganga. In the 60's it was here
that the Beatles met their Guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. In the hills Ganga has strong
currents and turbulent flow, but at Rishikesh it becomes smooth. It is a popular place
with rafters and is also a base camp for trekking in the nearby Himalayas.
A Maha Aarti or a Grand Prayer is performed by the priests every evening.
Shivpuri (18 kms) and Brahampuri (10 kms) are 2 important rafting camps. There are also
yoga centers like Shivananda Ashram, Yoga Niketan Ashram, Yoga Study
Centre, etc. Other
tourist attractions are Bharat Mandir, Kailashanand Mission Ashram, Kunjapuri, Nilkhant
Mahadeo, etc.
Dehradun
The Doon Valley is ringed by the Himalayas. Blessed with a
climate that remains perfect all through the year, Dehradun is today a major academic and
research centre. It is home to the Indian Military Academy and a number of prestigious
boarding schools. Adding to Dehradun's popularity is the hill resort of Mussoorie which is
just 34km away.
SIGHTSEEING:
Forest Research Institute (F.R.I.), Robber's Cave (Guchchu Pani),
Sahastradhara, Rajaji National Park, Tapkeshwar Temple, Malsi Deer Park, Kalsi, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dakpather Barrage,
Paltan Bazaar, Clock Tower, Paonta Sahib (a holy place
for sikhs).
SAHARANPUR
Saharanpur forms the most northerly position of the Doab land that stretches between the
holy rivers of the Ganges and the Yamuna, the Shivalik hills rise above it on the northern
frontier. The portion of Doab in which Saharanpur is situated was probably one of the
first region of upper India occupied by the Aryans colonisers as they spread eastward from
the Punjab.
The city which Sah Ranveer Singh founded was surrounded by 'Nakhasa' 'Rani Bajar' Shah
Bahlol' and ' Lakhi Gate' along the 'Paondhoi' River. Saharanpur was a walled city and had
four gates:
Sarai gate, Mali gate, Buria gate, Lakhi gate.
Saharanpur is also famous worldwide for its
beautiful & magnificent wood carving work.
There are almost 50 export houses who are exporting
their products all over world.
The main characteristics of the district can be divided into four parts:
Shivalik hill tract, The Bhabar land, Bangar land, Khadar land (Yamuna, Hindon).
TREKKING
MUSSOORIE-NAGTIBBA:
Thatyur (34 Kms) is a small place. Paying Guest accomodation is available. From Thatyur to
Devalsari is 7 Kms. There is a Forest Rest House at Devalsari. Permits can be obtained
from the Divisional Forest Officer, Mussoorie. From Devalsari to Nagtibba is 14 Kms. There
is no accomodation except Gujjar Huts which may not be available all the time. Therefore,
one has to carry tents. Nagtibba offers a panoramic view of the Himalayan Peaks. One can
return via Panthwari-Naibagh and Kempty covering a total distance of 62 Kms.
MUSSOORIE-BHADRAJ:
About 15 Kms. from Mussoorie, it is an ideal spot for trekking via park Toll Clouds End,
Dudhli. Situated on the extreme western region of Mussoorie town. Bhadraj offers a
commanding view of the Doon Valley, Chakrata ranges and the Jounsar Bawar area of Garhwal
Himalayas.
Bhadrak Temple, dedicated to Lord Bhadra, the brother of Lord Krishna, is situated on top
of hill. An annual fair is organised in the third week of August (Shravan Sankrant) every
year.
MUSSOORIE-DHANOLTI:
On this trek which is about 26 Kms, one come across some breathtaking views of the
Himalayan Peaks and the valley.
