Mussoorie Travel Guide

Mussoorie is a hill station famous for its scenic beauty in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, in northern India.

With its green hills and varied flora and fauna, Mussoorie is a fascinating hill resort and a fabulous honeymoon spot.

Commanding a wonderful view of extensive Himalayan snow ranges to the northeast and glittering views of the Doon Valley, Roorkee, Saharanpur, and Haridwar to the South, this small yet busy town presents a fairyland atmosphere to tourists.

Things To Do In Mussoorie

• Go on walks – Mussoorie itself offer some walks around the town. On the walk, you can take from Library Point to Landhaur Market via camel’s back road. It is still free from noise and offers beautiful views
• Bhatta Falls – on the way back to Dehradun from Mussoorie take the opportunity to see Bhatta Falls. 2-km trek, 3 km away from Mussoorie. Mussoorie Lake is also another site to relax that is located on the same route. Boating is available there.
• Kempty Falls – about 15 km from Mussoorie, this now over-built spot is a popular tourist destination. Catch a taxi or a bus from the Library stand.
• Company Garden – it is a government initiative, a man-made beautiful park with artificial falls and fun rides. From Gun Hill Point rickshaws are available
• Gun Hill Point – you can enjoy the trolley ride to Gun Hill to view the splendid view of all the city and ice-capped Himalaya. Lots of photographic opportunities available as traditional dress being worn by the populace is common. Up there, it is like a small fair with lots of stalls for games, snacks, and knick-knacks
• Happy Valley – a couple of kilometers from the Library end of the Mall, Happy Valley is a 5,000 strong Tibetan settlement. This is a beautiful spot for a short hike. Taxis and possibly bicycle rickshaws ply this route
• Himalayan Weavers – an interesting place on the way to Dhanaulti which uses natural dyes to produce hand-woven shawls, scarves and throws from wool, eri silk, and pashmina
• Jawahar Aquarium – located on Mall Road, Jawahar Aquarium has a very nice collection of fish
• Jhari Pani Falls – it is 5 km away from the library bus stand. From Dehradun to Mussoorie, for Jharipani one has to take a right turn 11 km before Mussoorie. Motorable roads are nicely maintained by the govt. It’s a 2-km trek if you try to reach the falls from the main road
• Lake Mist – about 5 km before Kempty Falls on the Mussoorie-Kempty road is a good picnic spot with accommodation and restaurant facilities; boating is also available. With the Kempty river flowing through it, Lake Mist has many small waterfalls made by the river
• Lal Tibba – a scenic 5 km uphill walk from Picture Palace to the highest point in Mussoorie. Passes through Landour Bazaar. The old lighthouse is a nice thing to see there. It’s a long walk to Lal Tibba from Picture Palace, about 2 to 3 hours
• Tibetan Buddhist Temple (Shedup Choepelling temple) – it is located on the Happy Valley road close to the IAS Academy. The temple can be visited between 07:00 to 17:00. Mussoorie was the Dalai Lama’s first place of refuge when he fled Tibet before he was granted land in Dharamshala by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
• The Mall road – the mall road is a long stretch of road surrounded by shops, restaurants, motels, and hotels. it is open for the whole 24 hours and is one of the main tourist attractions. Also a spot of outing for boarding school kids such as The Woodstock School kids. The side heading towards the Mussoorie international school or Kempty Falls is a spot of finding more Tibetans and Indians and is a spot of more hotels
• Cambridge Book Depot – the oldest book shop in the area

Nearby Places

• Dhanaulti  – about 28 km from Mussoorie, it’s a quiet forest area converted into two Eco parks by the government. Don’t miss the forest trails (one inside the Eco Park 2 and the other just outside it)
• Kanatal – It is located around 33 km from Mussoorie and now emerging as one of the popular destinations in Uttarakhand. The peacefulness of this place attracts many visitors from different corners of India
• Lakha Mandal – 80 km from the Mussoorie, the site has got special archaeological importance
• Naga Tibba – around 55 km away from Mussoorie, it is a highly exciting place for trekkers. Naga Tibba is the highest peak around the city with a height of 3,000 m. In order to reach such an adventurous place, one has to drive 35 km and then travel remaining distance doing the trek. Visitors also get an opportunity to interact with locals of Garhawali villages while doing the trek
• Surkhanda Devi Temple – around 35 km from the city, the temple demands a stiff climbing of more than 2 km from devotees. The road to Surkhanda Devi temple passes through the highly dense forest has rich flora and fauna. While doing the trek, you can get a majestic view of panoramic snow along with the spectacular Himalayan range
• Yamunotri – a great pilgrim temple at the height of 4,000 meter and above, above the sea level. You can do a trek to Dodital from Hanumanchatti nearby

Best Time To Visit

At an altitude of over 6000 ft (2000m), Mussoorie is a popular retreat from the heat of the plains. Be prepared for the cold if you come in the winter (Dec-Feb), when you can expect freezing weather and snow.

The monsoon arrives in July and stays through to mid-September.

Getting Around

Once in Mussoorie, the affordable and effective way to get around the city is to opt for bus system or cycle rickshaws.

However, it may get crowded, especially during peak hours. For the most part, you will want to get around on foot.

By rickshaw

A relatively flat section of the Mall allows a fleet of rickshaws to ply their trade. You can catch a ride from the Library end of the Mall to about the midpoint.

A full day of Mussoorie sightseeing by rickshaw is less costly compared to private cabs or taxis. But it is time-consuming. So taxis are preferable if you are in a hurry and are prepared to pay the extra money.

By taxi

Taxis are not a useful form of transport within Mussoorie. If you are heading up to Landour with your luggage, it would be wise to catch a ride. They can also be hired for outings to places such as Kempty Falls or Happy Valley. There are taxi stands at both ends of the Mall.

Many locals offer ‘taxi’ services, and if you are staying longer you will likely find these (slightly cheaper) alternatives. But all the taxis are under a union, so the rates will not vary and one has to hire them through the union office at library end, mall road, Kempty bus stand etc.

You can also rent a private car which will be a little costly but less time-consuming. A complete day of sightseeing around the city by taxi including Dhanoltri and Kempty Falls costs less than $30 USD.

How To Get Here

By bus

Buses leave from Dehradun train station. There are two buses which go to opposite ends of the Mussoorie Mall, Library and Picture Palace.

It is quite a hike from one to the other, so make sure you catch the right one. To reach Kempty Falls directly from Dehra Dun catch a bus from the Dehra Dun Railway station Hill Bus Services Section or take a taxi.

You should look for buses heading for destinations like Barkot, Nainbagh, Yamunotri, and Purola (Caution: sometimes Purola buses go via Vikas Nagar which may take you off the route completely so be careful).

You can also take a bus to the Library end of Mussoorie and walk to the Kempty Bus stop and take a bus or taxi or a mini an or even hitch a ride with a tourist going in that direction!

By taxi

It is possible to hire a taxi for the trip up to Mussoorie. If you are traveling during late evening or night, there might be an extra charge.

Mussoorie is just 38 km from Dehradun and you can reach here by taxis and buses. It takes approximately one and a half hour for the regular buses to reach Mussoorie.

You can also hire direct taxis from the Dehradun railway station, and as well as shared taxis which costs less. A shared taxi normally accommodates up to five passengers.

Safety Tips

It is very safe to be in Mussoorie throughout the year. However, visitors are advised to stay cautious during monsoon season. The only thing visitors have to consider is to stay indoors as it may rain continuously during the rainy season.

The standard rules of safety like being alert with strangers and not to hang out in strange places will apply to everyone.

If you are traveling alone then it is advisable to stay in a hotel in Mussoorie itself and not in the remote area.

June 24, 2019 3:31 pm Published by Salil Jha