Posted 25 August 2022 in Travel wanderlust

Top places to visit in Mussoorie, the ‘Queen of the hills’

Popularly known as ‘Queen of the Hills’, Mussoorie is a captivating paradise for leisure seekers and honeymooners. A twinkling cityscape at night and picturesque mountains in the backdrop make it a perfect spot to bid your summer dues goodbye. It is located on a 15 km long horseshoe ridge and is perched atop a height of around 2000 m above sea level. The grand Himalayan mountain range forms its surroundings and offers blissful vistas of the ghats.

A few prolific and famous people have made Mussoorie their home including Bill Aitken, Ruskin Bond, Prem Nath, Victor Bannerjee and the Bollywood film star Tom Alter. The hilly retreat is home to some spectacular tourist attractions that will leave you mesmerised. It is home to vantage viewpoints, pleasant weather throughout the year, serene temples, bustling markets, cultural monuments, gushing waterfalls, lush parks and historically rich buildings.

Located only 35 km from the famous city Dehradun, Mussoorie is covered with dense forests that cover the slopes and cedars that enrich the landscape. An ideal destination and perfect getaway for the less harried traveller, the town will encompass you in its beauty and transport you into a world of enchanting splendour, quite like the backgrounds of a fairy-tale.

Among the many hill stations in India, Mussoorie is an exotic getaway for those looking to explore the less urban towns in the country. While it offers all the top-notch services, the lifestyle of the locals is simple, slow and reminds you of a simpler time. Also starkly different to bustling cities, you will enjoy every moment with peace and serenity when here. Any trip to this quaint little town would be incomplete without exploring the top places to visit in Mussoorie.

Whether you are a peace seeker, adventure junkie, monsoon lover, luxury hotel lover, honeymooner, family traveller or solo tourist, there will be many places you will be enthralled with during your stay here.

Here are the list of 9 prominent places to visit in Mussoorie:

1. Kempty Falls

The famous Kempty Falls is always high on the priority list of every traveller making his or her way to Mussoorie. Originally developed by a British officer in the 1830s, Kempty Falls is a popular place for family picnics and recreational activities. Water cascades down from a staggering height of nearly 1360 m, giving mesmerising views of the valleys surrounding it. You can bathe in these falls, sit on the edge of them and enjoy the view or even spend your time taking selfies and family photos. There is no entry charge to visit this attraction, and it is open from 10:00 to 18:00.

2. Cloud’s End

A scenic expanse of beautiful trees such as oak and deodar covers the grounds of the quiet and peaceful Cloud’s End. It is right at the end of Mussoorie and offers solitude to those seeking it. Seldom crowded, you can get here by trekking up Hathipaon Road from Happy Valley. During the day, you can get spectacular views of the surrounding landscape, and it is a popular point for watching sunsets. It is always open, and entry to it costs ₹50 per person.

3. Company Garden

A great spot to spend quality time amidst the lush greenery with your family and friends, Company Garden is a beautiful park that is plush with exotic birds, stunning landscape, beautiful water fountains and a huge variety of flowers and plants. From here, you can also go boating at the Artificial Lake. It is open from 08:00 to 21:00 , and you will need to pay an entry cost of ₹25 per person.

4. Mussoorie Lake

One of the most colourful and beautiful sites in the city, this artificial man-made lake is a popular tourist spot. You can go boating here and also engage in fun water sports such as zip-lining and zorbing nearby. Close to it, you can also go paragliding and get your adrenalin rush. There are small souvenir shops bordering the lake in addition to a horror house. Full of fun activities for all ages, this is definitely one of the top places to visit in Mussoorie. Its opening time is 08:00, and it closes by 19:00. Entry to the lake will cost ₹25 per person, and all activities and excursions will be charged as per the one chosen.

5. Mall Road

The most ‘happening’ place in Mussoorie, no trip to the lovely hill station is complete without a stroll through the bustling and vibrant Mall Road. It is a single stretch of road that is dotted with shops, stores, restaurants, cafes and bakeries on each side. You can spend a day of bargain shopping, have a nice lunch overlooking the gorgeous mountainous backdrop, indulge in some street food or just walk around it to get a feel of the place. It is one of the busiest areas in Mussoorie.

6. Bhatta Falls

If you are a nature lover, then you must take a trip to Bhatta Falls. It is a picturesque picnic spot, complete with a small freshwater pond and waterfalls. You can get there by taking the cable car from Bhatta village to the falls. Since there is no availability of food and drinks, you should pack yourself a meal and make a day excursion of it. It is open from 08:30 to 20:00 every day.

7. Benog Wildlife Sanctuary

Wildlife lovers would love this sanctuary which is located at a distance of around 11 km from the famous Mall Road in Mussoorie. Once you are here, you will be able to spot some of the most exotic birds and flowers. It is one of the most visited places in Mussoorie and has something on offer for all types of age groups. It is open from 07:00 to 17:00 hr so you should head there early and spend time there as leisurely as possible.

8. Sir George Everest’s House

Dating back to the year 1832, Sir George Everest’s House is a historically prominent landmark in the evergreen hill town. Located 6 km away from Gandhi Chowk, it is easy to reach. The house was used by Sir George Everest as his home, observation deck as well as a laboratory where he would measure the height of mountains and scale distances between them. The views from the summit atop are breathtaking as expected and more so when it is covered in the beautiful mist of the clouds.

9. Camel’s Back Road

Camel’s Back Road is a 3 km long road on which you can enjoy a calm and peaceful walk in the lap of Mother Nature. It gets its name from the natural layout of the rocks around the area that forms the shape of camel humps. It commences from the Library Point in Mussoorie and treads up to Kulri Bazaar. Visitors can look at the beautiful sunrise as well as sunsets from here, depending on what time they visit. It is open throughout the year but can be very crowded during peak season time.

How to reach Mussoorie?

Mussoorie is an extremely coveted holiday destination and has good connections via road, rail and air. If you are travelling by air, then IndiGo is one of the best options as it has some of the best routes and flight durations from major cities such as Delhi, Chandigarh and Mumbai to name a few. A few ways you can reach Mussoorie are -

Via air: Located nearly 60 km from Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, Mussoorie can be reached from there via road by taxis, rented cars and buses with ease and comfort. IndiGo offers non-stop flights to Dehradun on a daily basis.

Via road: Both, private- and state government-run buses operate to and from Mussoorie. You can get off or get on the Library Bus Stand close to Mall Road which will drop you right in the heart of the town.

Via rail: The closest train station to Mussoorie is in Dehradun (around 35 km away) from where you can find train connections to and from most of the prominent cities of India. The most operated route is via the Shatabdi Express which runs from Delhi to Mussoorie and back. Other city connections include Jammu, Kolkata and Amritsar among others. Once you get off at the train station, you can take a bus, taxi or private car to Mussoorie.

A town as picturesque and serene as Mussoorie will take you by surprise and showcase some of the most spectacular spots and hidden nooks and crannies which you will never forget for the rest of your life.

Travel tips for Mussoorie

When you head to Mussoorie, you should keep in mind the following travel tips:

Do not litter at any public place
Make sure you keep small amounts of cash on you for small purchases such as street shopping and street food items
In the monsoon, keep a raincoat and/or umbrella
It is a safe place but to keep safety precautions in mind, do not venture out alone very late in the night in unknown areas

Best time to visit Mussoorie

Mussoorie has something for all seasons and is especially pleasant in the summer season. Located at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level, it offers respite from the scorching heat in most places across the country so people tend to flock there in the months from March to June. Depending on how you want to spend your vacation exploring the top places to visit in Mussoorie, have a look at the seasonal climatic conditions so you can decide which one will work best for you.

Peak season – March to June: The time that falls between the months of March to June comprises the summer season, and Mussoorie is the busiest around then. Heavy on tourists, the place opens up to all the thrilling activities, adventure sports, sightseeing attractions and so on. It is also the time when you can experience the colourful splendour of the scintillating landscape at its finest. All its delights are open to visitors, and hotels often go full. During this time, the temperatures range from 11°C at its lowest and 36°C at its highest.

Low season – July to September: The months from July to September see a lower influx of tourists as it forms the monsoon season, and the hill station sees heavy rainfall. Many activities that could be harmful to engage in during the monsoon remain closed in this season but the town comes to life with nature displaying its finest gems. The rains bring out the lush green landscape which is incomparable to any other hill station within the state. The temperature at its lowest is approximately 21 and 32°C at its highest. Despite it not being considered peak season to travel, Mussoorie in monsoon is a pluviophile’s dream come true.

Shoulder season – October to February: Starting in October, the onset of winter that reaches its peak in December is formed. October starts getting cooler with November following suit. December to February is the coldest time in Mussoorie with temperatures ranging from 4 to 30°C. December and January also see medium snowfall in the peak of winter which leaves you enchanted at the vistas surrounding the hill station.