Mussoorie Attractions : Within Mussoorie
THE MALL ROAD:
The main promenade in Mussoorie is called, as in other hill stations, the Mall. In Mussoorie, the Mall stretches from Picture Palace at its eastern end to the Public Library (shortened to 'Library') at its western end. During the British Raj, signs on the Mall expressly stated: "Indians and Dogs Not Allowed"; racist signs of this type were commonplace in hill stations, which were founded 'by and for' the British. Motilal Nehru, father of Jawaharlal Nehru, deliberately broke this rule every day whenever he was in Mussoorie, and would pay the fine. The Nehru family, including Nehru's daughter Indira (later Indira Gandhi) were frequent visitors to Mussoorie in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s, and stayed at the Savoy Hotel. They also spent much time in nearby Dehradun, where Nehru's sister Vijayalakshmi Pandit ultimately settled full-time.
KULRI BAZAR:
Lying on the eastern end of the Mall Road, is a lively market place. At Kulri Bazaar, you will find a host of eateries offering cuisine that ranges from Tibetan and Chinese to Mughlai and continental. Coffee shops like Cafe Coffee Day and Barista are also located here. This is a well stocked market where you will find what ever you seek - Jackets, Shawls, Branded Clothes, Audio and Video CDs and so on. There is an interesting landmark here, Picture Palace. It was once the biggest cinema in India, but is now defunct.
GUN HILL:
Enjoy a ropeway ride to the second highest peak of Mussoorie. It can also be negotiated by a bridle path which forks off from Mall Road near kutchery and takes twenty minutes. The ropeway distance is about 400mtrs. And the sheet thrill of the ride is memorable. Gun Hill offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges namely Bandarpuch, Srikantha, Pithwara, Gangorti group etc. And a bird's eye view of Mussoorie town and Doon Valley. During pre-independence, a gun mounted on this top was fired to herald mid-day. This enabled people to keep update of time and hence the name.
JHAWAHAR AQUARIUM:
A window to the sea…. A joint venture project of City Board, Mussoorie and Durga Agros & Forestry Pvt.Ltd., the aquarium is a state of the art presentation of public aquaria with aqua scalping and a cafeteria for the need of tourists. Conveniently located on the main Mall Road.
LIBRARY BAZAR:
A Victorian-style Library, built in the mid-19th century, stands proud towards the end of the Mall. This Library permits access only to members and it may not be possible to gain entry inside. Remnants of the town's past are present in the form of a Band Stand, which used to play music all night. The entire day was spent in socializing away to glory, and all lived a life of content and leisure. One can shop to your heart's content in this area, with lots of shops arranged in a circle and towards the Mall Road.. This bazaar is also referred to as Gandhi Chowk symbolic of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, which stands in one corner of the bazaar.
CAMEL'S BACK ROAD:
A life like resemblance of a camel's back can be seen froma particular spot near Mussoorie Public School and hence the name. The quiet road starts from Kulri Bazar and ends at Library Bazar, covering a total distance of about 4 kms. The main charm of this road is horse riding, morning or evening walks and sunset view of the Himalayas is superb.
COMPANY GARDEN:
A rejuvenated company garden with excellent lawns, a beautiful looking cascade, multiple fountains add to the beauty of the garden. An artificial mini-lake for boating and rides for children make this place an excellent entrainment area. The garden, 3kms, is easily approachable by cycle rikshaw, horse-back, car, taxi or by foot.
VAN CHETRA KENDRA:
At a distance of 2 kms on Tehri by-pass road, this picnic spot has a park surrounded by pine trees and flowering shrubs and is approachable by foot, car or taxi. The main attractions are the wildlife of the park like Ghurar, Kanakar, Himalayan Peacock, Monal and many more.
SISTER'S BAZAR: (CHAR DUKAN)
On your way to Lal Tibba, Char Dukan has developed a new charm for its lip-smacking oriental maggi and other junk food as the place is deeply influenced by foreign individuals. Sister's Bazaar acquired its name from the nursing sisters who live nearby the hospital.
CHILDER'S LODGE: (LAL TIBBA)
The highest peak of Mussoorie is about 5kms from our hotel and one can go on horse-back, on foot or by car to the place. The snow capped Himalayas from this peak is an exhilarating experience. Initially, in the British period a very powerful telescope was here to view the mighty Himalayas and keep an eye on the Indo-Tibetian China border.
KEMPTY FALLS:
15 kms from Miussoorie on the Yamunotri Road, Kempty Falls is accessable by car, taxi or bus. It has the distinction of being the biggest and the prettiest waterfall located in this beautiful valley and is surrounded by high mountains. Bathing ate the foot of the waterfalls is refreshing and enjoyable for children and adults alike.
MUSSOORIE LAKE:
A newly developed picnic spot, situated on Mussoorie-Dehradun road is about 8kms. Approachable by car, taxi or bus, the place provides pedal boats for boating and an enchanting view of the Doon Valley and nearby villages.
BHATTA FALLS:
7kms from Mussoorie on the Mussoorie-Dehradun highway, Bhattafalls is accessable by car, taxi and reachable till Bhatta village by bus from where the fall is 3kms. An ideal place for picnics as the fall is second largest in the region.
JHARIPANI FALLS:
Situated 8.5kms Mussoorie on Mussoorie-Dehradun-Jharipani road, visitors can go by bus,taxi or from car uptill Jharipani from where the fall is 1.5kms on foot. An ideally located fall in the wilderness.
NAGDEVTA TEMPLE:
An ancient temple situated on Cart Mackenzie road about 6kms. Vehicles can drive straight up to the temple from where it provides a charming view of the Doon Valley and the entire Mussorie.
LAKE MIST:
A newly developed private picnic spot situated on the way to Kempty Falls is about 10kms. A delightful spot where pedal boats are available for boating and other water slides, the place gives a view of the Garhwal Ranges and nearby villages.
SANTURA DEVI MANDIR:
Situated 12kms from the hotel on the way to Kempty Falls, the mandir is known for its spirituality and holiness among the residents of Mussoorie.
SIR GEORGE EVEREST HOUSE:
8 kms from hotel the park estate of Sir George Everest, the first surveyor general of India, had his office and residence here. The place is approachable by car or taxi. The highest peak in the world Mount Everest is named after him.
CLOUD'S END:
A bungalow, built in 1838 by British major, was one of the first four buildings of Mussoorie. The property now converted into a hotel situated at the extreme west of Mussorie is 9 kms. The place is surrounded by thick forest and offers a wide variety of flora and fauna besides a view of the snow clad Himalayas and Yamuna river.
BENOG HILL (JAWALAJI TEMPLE):
Benog Mountain Quail Sanctuary was established in the year 1993 and is a must visit for those who love nature and its various creations. The sanctuary houses, amongst others, extinct bird species like Mountain Quail. Situated 9kms to the west and approachable by car or taxi till cloud's end and further 6kms on foot, a temple is situated on top of the hill and the 6kms on foot is worthwhile as it has a stunning view of Mussoorie and not to miss the great Himalayas.
