Trip to Mussoorie

Posted November 25, 2019 by Avdhesh

Trip to Mussoorie - Best escape for all

Trip to Mussoorie – whenever we heard this name, we dream of a beautiful holiday in mountains. The beautiful hill station of Mussoorie is one of the renowned spots in India. With a travel distance of just 285 km from the national capital Delhi, Mussoorie is such a destination that can be visited in weekends.

Often known as “Queen of the Hills”, Mussoorie is a famous hill station in North Indian state of Uttarakhand, which is a paradise for leisure travellers and honeymooners. Unlike Shimla and Nainital, Mussoorie was never declared the summer capital during British government rule and the town always remained a place for leisure and to spend holidays. Today also, be it a family tour, honeymoon trip or an outing of friends and colleagues, Mussoorie fits perfectly for everyone, for every kind of holiday.

Trip to Mussoorie

Best time to plan budget trip to Mussoorie

There are very few places in India that can be visited anytime in a year and Mussoorie is one of them.

Suggesting any particular month or season, for taking a trip to Mussoorie would not be justified at all. It is such a place that can be visited any time as nature has gifted Mussoorie with everything, that makes this hill station charming and enjoyable.

During Summers, when the temperature in northern plains is unbearably hot, the climate in Mussoorie at that time is cool and pleasant. This is the reason, why there is a huge rush during summers in Mussoorie.

Due to past few disastrous incidents that happened in Uttarakhand, travelers now fear to travel to Uttarakhand hills during the monsoons. But, Mussoorie which is just 35 km uphill from the state capital Dehradun, is one of the safest hill station to visit in monsoons as well.

Although, sometimes it rains heavily in Doon valley including Mussoorie, the scenic views during this time are mindfully awesome. You can see the clouds floating above the valley and mountains. The fog and cool breeze chills your mind and soul.

Autumn is considered the best time to visit any hill station in India and this includes Mussoorie as well. During the month of October and November, the far-sighted visibility is very much clear and crisp. One can clearly witness the Himalayan ranges from some parts of Mussoorie. You can also see some villages far away from the back hill of Mussoorie. The views are really awesome during this time and the climate also remains pleasing.

Winters can be really chilling in Mussoorie, sometimes the temperature falling down to sub-zero degrees at night. Between mid-December to February, Mussoorie experiences light to moderate snowfalls making one more season for tourists to enjoy the snow with their loved ones or as a solo traveller also.

How to reach?

One of the best things about Mussoorie is that it is easily accessible from all parts of the country. The nearest railway station is Dehradun which is at a distance of just 35 Kms.

Dehradun is well connected by trains from other parts of the country. From Delhi, there are 3 superfast trains to Dehradun viz. Shatabdi Express, Jan-Shatabdi Express and Nanda Devi Express.

Dehradun is also connected by highways from the nearby states with good bus services including Deluxe and Volvo. From Dehradun Hill Bus Stand, there are regular government bus services for Mussoorie. You can take a seat in the same which will cost you around Rs. 60 per person per way.

In case, if it is a huge rush at the bus station, you can also pool a cab which is easily available outside the hill bus stand. The per person cost for a shared cab would be around Rs. 200.

For local Mussoorie Sightseeing

You can hire a taxi or rent a scooty/bike for Mussoorie local sightseeing. Hiring a taxi would cost you around Rs. 2000-2500 for a full day.

In my opinion, the best way to explore Mussoorie is on a scooty or a bike, as you can easily take it anywhere and park it conveniently. You will get both options – activa and bike for the local tour.

Taking an activa for full day will cost you around Rs. 800-1000 and for a bike it will cost Rs. 1200-1500 per day. Fuel you have to fill in extra.

Places to visit in Mussoorie

Although there are many places to visit in and around Mussoorie and it would take around 3-4 days to cover them all. But, below I have listed few places which must not be skipped when you are visiting this beautiful hill station.

The Mall Road – One of the main attractions of Mussoorie, Mall Road is a total shopper’s delight where one can buy memorable items from the shops. One can also enjoy delicious snacks and foods at the restaurants in Mall Road. Apart from that the place provides amazing views of the Doon valley.

Soham Heritage and Art Centre – The art centre that showcases the traditions and culture of the Himalayas through frescoes, murals, paintings of canvas etc. The main purpose to develop this art centre was to display the diversity and wisdom of the Himalayas in a single place through various art forms.

Gun Hill – The second highest peak in Mussoorie, Gun Hill is one of the major tourist attractions in the queen of hills. It is a favourable spot for witnessing picturesque Himalayan ranges and Doon valley. One can take a cable car from Mall Road to reach Gun Hill. The rope way charges would be around Rs. 100 per person. However, if you like walking then you can take a kilometer hike to reach Gun Hill.

Landour – Without visiting Landour, your Mussoorie trip is incomplete. Landour is a perfect place to take a walking tour around and enjoy the nature and heritage. You can explore a couple of churches, temple, few shops and the highest peak of Mussoorie – Lal Tibba, that offers amazing views of the snow-capped Himalayas. Landour is also famous for eateries especially the bakery items.

Happy Valley – One of the picturesque spots, Happy Valley is located near Lal Bahadur Shastri IAS academy in Mussoorie. It is said to be the first home of the 14th Dalai Lama in India. There is a beautiful monastery and Tibetan school in Happy Valley where the students are taught to maintain their Tibetan culture.

Sir George’s Everest – This is also one of the famous spots in Mussoorie. It is a house of the renowned geographer and surveyor, Sir George Everest, who got so much impressed with the beauty of Mussoorie that he stayed here for three decades. George Everest house is one of the major Mussoorie tourist spots and it was built in the year 1832.

Apart from the above, there are many other places in Mussoorie where you can visit and experience the nature, culture and heritage of The Queen of Hills. Some of the other prime spots like Jabarkhet Nature Reserve, Kempty Falls, K Devbhoomi Wax Museum (The mini Tussauds museum), Company Garden, Camel’s Back Road, Bhadraj Temple etc. attracts many tourists throughout the year.

Mussoorie has always amazed tourists with its beauty and environment. It is the place that grabbed the attention of British Officials as well. Since then this hamlet has attracted many and many visitors from all corners of the world.