HILL STATION MUSSORIE- THE QUEEN OF HILLS

MUSSOORIE THE QUEEN OF HILLS

When I was a little girl I remember our summer vacations with my parents and siblings. Our all time favourite route was Delhi to Haridwar Mussoorie and Dehradun. It was all about enjoying  good time with each other and all these wonderful moments are now a beautiful memory. All that fun we had on our way stopping by for a small waterfall or may be picking some raw mangoes hanging from the trees with my sisters and our Dad helping us just to see a smile on our face. My precious memories with my family is unforgettable 

The very thought of mountains and water make me feel so happy. 

After a very long time I once again visited Mussoorie to refresh my memories but this time for work related.

The distance from Dehradun to Mussoorie is approximately 35 kilometres and from New Delhi the distance is 290 km. We were travelling by road to enjoy the scenic beauty and also can stop whenever or wherever we wish to stop .

Mussoorie is a hill station and a municipal board in the Dehradun District of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Popularly known as the Queen of Hills, Mussoorie is located in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayan range. Situated at an altitude of 2003 mts in the Garhwal hills, above sea-level this place is incredible. 

It was hard to visit all places but I am sharing few of my interesting spots.

GUN HILL

Gun Hill, the second highest peak in the region after Lal Tibba is among the most famous tourist attractions of Mussoorie. 

Gun Hill of Mussoorie is located at about 400 mtrs from The Mall Road  Mussoorie. To reach Gun Hill you can either take a Ropeway or by foot. Nearby rail is at Dehradun railway station (32 kms) and airport at Jolly Grant Airport (54 kms).

This place is so much fun

MALL ROAD 

Mall Road is the heart of Mussoorie which is always very crowded.

The main shopping spot is the best place to spend leisure time and may be hanging out with friends.

You will find many restaurants and street vendors along the streets.

Best place for foodies with Chinese  south Indian North Indian also fast food snacks. Bargains to avoid overcharged when buying from the street vendors. 

The road is narrow so no vehicles. Mussoorie’s Mall Road offers all that is expected from a typical Indian hill station. Restaurants and cafes coexist alongside video game parlours and souvenir vendors. There are two opposite ends of the Mall Road, referred to as Library and Picture Palace sides by locals.

This place is amazing during a cool evening with a hot cup of tea to watch the amazing view of doon valley .

There are many restaurants but not all have the same taste but we could find one where we enjoyed our dinner. Not a big fan of warm milk but still tried .

KEMPTY FALLS

I love to visit places where I find lakes, rivers , beaches or a beautiful waterfall.

Located about 15 kilometres from the centre of Mussoorie, Kempty Fall is the most popular tourist attraction. The waterfalls gush down from a height of about 12 metres. The best part about visiting the Kempty Falls is the fact that you can enjoy staying in the river with a cool bath under the shower. Having fun in water is great and you feel like a child again. 

JHARIPANI FALLS

This was my first time visiting this place. As I said I try not to miss waterfalls. The enchanting Jharipani Falls in the Jharipani village is approximately 7 km away from Mussoorie. The breathtaking view of Shivalik Range adds to the beauty of this place and is also a very peaceful place. I would like to mention that it's a bit of a dangerous road but I am sure the nature lovers will love it. This is more like a trekking road so no vehicles. I recommend this place but avoid taking children as this can be not safe for them especially during the rain season.

JWALA DEVI MANDIR 

 Jwala Devi Temple is a  place of Hindu worship and the oldest temple. Hidden in the lush greens of the Benog Hill, Jwala Devi Temple is perched atop Benog Tibba at an altitude of 2100 m above sea level. 

The temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is an ancient temple with an old stone idol of Goddess Durga placed at the temple to be worshiped. 

The temple is also one of the Shakti Peeths with the eternal flame and people come from all over the country to worship Goddess Durga. The Pine and Oak trees enhance the beauty of this place and it feels good to spend some time around the temple to enjoy the glory of nature.

You can also enjoy Langar( full meal at no cost ).

Jwala Devi Temple is located about 8 kilometers away from Mussoorie city. In order to reach the temple, one has to trek from Clouds End Mussoorie for about 2 kilometers.

CHRIST CHURCH 

The Christ Church is located at a distance of 0.6 km from the Library Bus Stand in Mussoorie. It is believed to be the first Catholic Church in the entire Himalayan region. It was beautifully built in 1836 during the British time with

 of Gothic style architecture. The beautiful pre-Raphaelite stained glass windows, representing the life events of Jesus Christ, fascinate the visitors. The Church has been very well maintained.

Vacations are not complete without shopping and yes it was time to SHOP!

I had heard a lot good about

HIMALAYAN WEAVERS which is 

a Mussoorie based company and produces beautiful hand-made shawls and scarves using only natural dyes. It uses Himalayan wool, pashmina and eri silk and works with works with tribal communities – Bhotia and Shilpkar that help in the making of traditional products. These products are ideal gifts as these gifts represent the local craft and skills that aim to promote environment friendly products. The Himalayan Weavers was started by Patricia and Ghayur Alam in the year 2005.

I had an awesome visit and my stay at these two hotels was very comfortable and relaxing. 

Country Inn and Suites by Radisson

Is a serene hillside hotel with amazing mountain views. The hotel also provides a shuttle to.the main market . Not far from the Mall just uphill from the main market I 

had the mesmerising view from my balcony.

Also had one night stay at Sterling Mussoorie hotel situated at the edge which indeed has an awesome view of the valley. The Christ Church is approximately 5 km from the hotel.

The one thing to be kept in mind while choosing this hotel is that  the Mall Road is far around 7 km and the hotel does not provide shuttle services. If you don't have your own vehicle the one way cab to mall.road will cost you around INR 300 to 400.

My most favorite place in Mussoorie was The Mall Road and I would prefer to stay at  Country Inn and Suites during my next visit.

I am not an expert and just share my experiences with my honest opinions. Hope this information will be helpful.