Exploring Scenic & Hidden Beauty of Mussoorie Hill Station on a short trip!
A genuine review of our travel and stay in Uttarakhand.
When: In Oct 2022 as the temperature was not too cold and no longer hot. The rains stop by this time so you can safely avoid landslides and floods.
Why: It was not a revenge Travel post-Covid but a relaxation of sorts.
How to choose the Best Hotel in Mussoorie for your Trip on a budget?If you want to view the majestic mountains and stay away from the humdrum of Dehradun city, visit Make My Trip and search for the best deals on hotel accommodations in the locality of your choice. We chose the Aurum Resort Mussorie located at the below address. | |
Each room has its own private balcony with long glass doors, offering peaceful views of the valley. The sound of the water flowing, in the nearby stream, just reminds you to soak in the beauty of the place and to forget the past.   Aurum Mussorie offers a clean bathroom, with a western loo and some bathroom accessories like shampoo, soap, towels, toothbrush kit etc. The bed was cozy enough to let us sleep till 9 am! And free wifi allowed me to continue working even while I was on vacation.  They were also kind enough to give us a heater which made us enjoy the toasty room. 17 degrees celsius was chilled enough for me. The fresh air and no crowds and a star-studded sky made it a memorable experience. As we were keen to check out the local cuisine, we booked just the room and decided to try out their dinner instead. The food was ok and the tea could have been better. We tried out the eateries by the roadside for a better meal. Don't hesitate to ask them for a local taxi driver, who can drive you locally to the scenic spots as Ola or Uber are tough to catch. We moved around with a great local driver who took us to Mussoorie scenic spots and returned to pick us up too. Alternatively, you can hire a car or a bike if you have a 2 or 4-wheeler license. Just head to Mall Road if you need to rent a vehicle. Where to eat in Mussoorie authentic local cuisine?The shops located within half a kilometer on the main road had much better food like Parathas, good tea with ginger, and bread omelet and scrambled eggs cooked to perfection (provided you mention the specifics you desire). It's way better than Maggi which is available at any shop anywhere all the time in Dehradun. So if you are finding all shops closed, don't be shy to ask for Maggi for that quick bite when you are cold and hungry and traveling on a budget. On Mall road, you can also find Panwar Bhojanalay, a Shop selling the authentic cuisine of Uttarakhand or the hills, freshly cooked hot meals, totally vegetarian. While it's a Thali, it will keep you full for 5 hours minimum even after all the walking. The owner also can you give you a long talk on it irrespective of your interest in it! Visit the top cafes on Mall Road or Landour to enjoy the best-baked items and a hot coffee or even chinese. Landour BakeHouse at Landour Lotte's Homebaked Goods & Cafe at Landour The Rokeby Manor at Landour Cafe Tea Totaller at Mall Road |
Places to see in Mussoorie: A Traveler’s Bucket List?
If you have 3 to 4 days in hand and lack interest in just shopping, then find a hotel/resort away from Dehradun city, in the middle of the mountains, that's scenic and close to nature.
1. Check the twin towns of Mussorie and Langdoh which are very close to each other by hiring a taxi driver, from the local hotel who drove us around the maze of the city.
Take one stop and visit and enjoy the rest of the day off!
Trek in and around Mussorie to discover quaint places such as:-
Here's how we saved money. Have a read and plan your trek. Don't forget to share your experiences too!
The Ultimate List of Things to Do (DIY) in Mussoorie
1. Reach Char Dukan- a collection of roadside eateries, here you can grab some tea and snacks and a water bottle to start trekking to the Lal Tibba. Covered with forests, Dahlias, leaves and trees of all varieties. It's a must-do trek on foot, if you have the legs and stamina.
2. Ruskin Bonds House - Imagine what inspired literary genius to write heartwarming, nature-loving stories while trekking past his house on the way to the top. Wonder if these beautiful surroundings made him write those soul-touching stories that transported us to another world, straight out of school!
3. Bhatta Falls- Take a Ropeway to Bhatta falls and enjoy the beautiful view of the Mussoorie valley too. Costs Rs 150 per head for the ropeway.
Things to do -
- Paddlle boating with the fish. We dint find much crowd at 11.30 am in the morning and had the pond to ourselves!
- Dancing to loud music in the cafe. We found it too loud and just sat instead after trekking to the top to see from where the falls are cascading down through the ferns.
- Snack time - Grab an ice cream, juice, or some tea and snacks from the shops grabbing space near the falls. The only con of visiting this waterfall was looking at garbage trashed by tourists in the waterfalls like plastic water bottles and empty chips packets in the waterfall.
-Shop from the Tibetan Market which has been set up to help refugees displaced from Tibet.
-Buy a snack from Chardukan before/after your trek and enjoy it by sitting in a garden just opposite to it watching, beautiful mountain dogs sleeping.
- Enjoy some quiet time looking at Kellog Memorial Church, another tourist attraction in Landour. The gothic beauty and stain glass windows will be a good treat for those who love art and architecture!
5. Lal Tibba- It is the tallest peak in Mussorie, situated at 1837m above sea level. So comfortable walking shoes, water and google maps will come in very handy. Start by the afternoon to enjoy the trees and foliage. You can drive or walk like we did- 13,000 steps up and down and save some money for a nice meal in one of the good cafes enroute!
Once you have given your legs and lungs a run for their money, you will reach a restaurant that has a telescope to view the snow-clad Himalayas for a charge from their roof. The telescope was installed by the Municipality in the 60's but the building owner seems to be raking in a lot of money for it. We used our own eyes to check out the beauty of the Himalayas, instead and to breathe fresh mountain air from the Deodar trees.
For such a large distance, at a crowded terrace at fee of Rs 50 to just go on the roof, we chose to see the mountains near us with our naked eyes without making it to the top of his roof!
5. George Everests' House is a long trek across a beautiful meadow, one of the best in Mussoorie attractions! The trek takes 60 minutes minimum to walk up to the top of the mountain. You can spend an entire afternoon there just trekking among the clouds at the top. Small eateries are also available to quench your hunger pangs after you complete the daily step count! As no vehicles are allowed beyond a parking spot which is also not a paved road. Be prepared to use the legs and trek!
6. Sahastradhara waterfalls near Dehradun, just 30 kms away. Half a day at this spot will give you enough live screensavers of waterfalls for your electronic devices or social media. A mind-blowing experience, if you love beautiful waterfalls covered with ferns, flora of all kinds. These sulphur springs are good for your skin, so go ahead and take a dip or dip your feet, and enjoy the cool water which will surely, take your breath away.
Don't forget to visit Lord Shiva at the cave temple (Tapkeshwar Mahadev) made of calcium deposits. It is just magical to see the calcium deposits from the water seeping in the cave. You can do this on the last day since its 30 km from the Dehradun Junction railway station.
If you need my help, just write your question in the comments and I will help you make a booking at the resort or even a train journey to Uttarakhand.
P.S. The scenic beauty of Mussorie and the Himalayas is breathtaking and beautiful without garbage. Let us try to stop throwing trash in our waters, forests, and in our tourist spots. Be a responsible traveler!
#responsibletourism #naturebasedtourism #sustainabletourism#Uttarakhand
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