Mussoorie

Fast Facts :
Area : 65 sq km
Altitude : 2005.5 m
Languages : Hindi, English, Garhwali
Best time to visit : April-June; September-October
Temperature (summer) : 31.2°C (max); 7.2°C (min)
Temperature (winter) : 7.2°C (max); 1.1°C (min)
STD Code : 0135
Introduction : The hill resort of Mussoorie is often referred to as the "Queen of the Hills". Any tourist who experiences the magic of the hill resort will but agree with the sobriquet. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, Mussoorie gets its name from the Mansur shrub that is commonly seen in the hill resort.
Location : The marvelous hill resort of Mussoorie is located in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Past : Mussoorie has been the summer refugee since the British ruled India. Since 1820's people have flocked to the hill resort of Mussoorie in the summer months, year after year.

Sites to Visit : The lifeline of the hill resort of Mussoorie is undoubted ably the Mall. The Mall besides the series of shops offers wondrous vistas of the surrounding hills and the Doon Valley below. You must be at the Mall while in Mussoorie especially as the evening falls. The tourists come together to enjoy the spectacular sunset. The sunset is followed by the view of the twinkling lights that shine one by one in the valley below. You just can't skip the Kulri Bazaar and the Library Chowk of the Mall. The Kulri Bazaar offers several items of Indian fare. From the Mall you may take a ropeway and visit the Gun Hill. The Gun Hill derives its name from the fact that in the old days a gun was kept atop the hill and was fired at mid-day to denote the time. From the Gun Hill you can experience the magical view of the great Himalayan peaks and a bird's eye view of Mussoorie. Then you must check out the Camel's back Road in Mussoorie. The road owes its name to its shape that is curved like the back of the ship of the desert. On the road you will rest spot of Hawa Ghar. While holidaying in Mussoorie you may picnic at the Lal Tibba. Mussoorie Tour Packages. The Municipal Garden or the Company Bagh and the Cloud End are the other sites worth visiting in Mussoorie. The hill resort of Mussoorie is renowned for its academic institutes too. The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Waverley Convent, Wynberg Allen School, Saint George's, Woodstock, Hampton Court, Indo-Tibetan Border Police Academy and the Defense Institute of Work Studies are few of the institutional landmarks in Mussoorie.

Sites Near By : While at Mussoorie you may move ahead and visit the renowned Kempty Falls that are at a distance of just half an hour. The falls happens to be a favorite with the Indian film industry. The backdrop of the water falling and further getting divided into five waterfalls is simply spectacular. Around Mussoorie you may visit the famous Surkhanda Devi Temple. The temple is at an amazing height of 10,000 feet. You need a stiff two-km climb to reach the temple. Then there is Nag Tibba at a distance of 41 km from Mussoorie. You may trek to Nag Tibba at an altitude of 10,000 feet amidst pine forests, mountain brooks and slate-roofed villages. Not far but away from the madding crowds of Mussoorie are the picture perfect pine-clad slopes of Dhanaulti. You may even enjoy pedal boating at the artificial Lake near Mussoorie.

What to Buy : The Mall of Mussoorie offers several items. Right from the imported goods and Tibetan metal ware, books, antiques, hand-carved walking sticks, cane baskets, embroidered wall hangings, dry pinecones, hill jewelry, garments, knick-knacks and curios you may take your pick.
Adventure Sports : Mussoorie is the place to be checked out by the adventure seekers as much as by the nature lovers. There are several roller skating rinks that attract youngsters. Then you may even opt for the long walks, which are the best bets to explore the treasure of nature in and around Mussoorie. You may check out the scenic walk towards Charleville and the Tibetan settlement of Happy Valley. For the more adventurous tourists, there are walks to the to Benog Hill and the Lal Tibba. Mussoorie also happens to be a comfortable base for the trekkers. You may check out the Gangotri, Yamunotri, the Black Peak, Har-ki-Doon and other treks in the Garhwal Himalayas and into nearby Himachal Pradesh. Further ahead from Mussoorie you may reach the Aglar River and the Yamuna River. Both the Rivers offer ample opportunities for trout fishing. You may seek permits from the Divisional Forest Officer of Mussoorie in advance.
How to Reach : The Jolly Grant airport caters to the air transport to Mussoorie. There are regular flights that link Mussoorie with Delhi. Further from Jolly grant you may reach Mussoorie through taxis and buses. The railhead at Mussoorie caters to the rail transport to the hill resort. The Mussoorie Express links Delhi to Mussoorie. Mussoorie also boasts of excellent road network. There are direct buses from Delhi to Mussoorie, along with private taxis. Regular buses ply between Dehradun and Mussoorie. Private taxis and shared taxis are also available for transportation. For transportation in and around Mussoorie you have hand pulled rickshaws, taxis and cars available.
Air - Though there is an airport (Jollygrant Airport) about 60 kms from Mussoorie, it does not cater to regular flights. One can fly to the Delhi Airport around 278 kms and then travel to Mussoorie via other means.Road - Buses are available from Kashmere Gate ISBT in Delhi - both luxury and ordinary - at regular intervals. These are run by state transport corporations. Alternatively there are private tour operators who run delux buses on this route. You can also hire a taxi for Mussoorie. It usually takes around 10 hours by road to reach Mussoorie from Delhi.Rail - The nearest railway station is at Dehradun. Some of the major trains that stop here areDehradun Shatabdi from New Delhi
Dehradun JanShatabdi from New Delhi
Nzm Ddn Ac Exp from Nizamuddin, Delhi
Dehradun Exp from Bandra, Mumbai
Shatabdi offers comfortable A/C chair car seating and is the preferred train over others. JanShatabdi offers budget travel with Non A/C seating.
Where to Stay : There are ample accommodation options that are easily available in Mussoorie. There are several hotels that dot the hill resort. You may pick up the hotel of your choice as per your budget. Cottages and flats also make excellent accommodation options in Mussoorie. In Mussoorie there are several eating joints that serve different types of cuisines ranging from South Indian to Chinese.