Popularly known as the ‘Queen of Hills’ in India, Mussoorie is a hill station in Uttarakhand, situated at an altitude of approximately 2,000 meters above the sea-level. With its pleasant weather and attractive flora and fauna; it is one of the most visited hill resort in India. Mussoorie is named so because of ‘mansoor’, a shrub indigenous to this area. Adorned with attractive snow ranges on the north-east and glittering views of the Doon Valley and Shiwalik ranges in the south, the town almost looks like ‘a paradise’. Let us explore information on the tourist attractions in Mussoorie. Places to Visit in Mussorie
The Mall
Situated in the ‘heart of the city’, Mall is the main shopping place in Mussoorie. It runs from the old Picture Palace cinema spot, right down to the Library. It is famous for the antique shops at the clock tower. The middle section ‘kulri’ of the mall is famous for shops, restaurants and video parlors.
Kulri Bazaar
Kulri Bazaar, lying on thje eastern end of the Mall road, is a lively market place. At Kulri Bazaar, you will find a number of holets, tourist guest houses and lodges along with a host of eateries offering cuisine that ranges from Tibetan and Chinese to Mughlai and continental. Coffee shops like Café 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.
On the slope by the cinema theatre, there's a skating rink in Silverton. Other beautiful buildings of imperial era include the SBI building which during British Raj was Imperial Bank of India, and Methodist Church.
Company Bagh
Renamed as Municipal Garden, this beautiful garden is still popular as Company Bagh. It is located at a distance of 2 Km from the Library on the Happy Valley Side. This garden is often found crowded with families having a joy time either boating or simply picnicking on the lush green grass.
Camel's Back Road
Camel's Back Road can be a good place for people who want to spend some time in peace and solitude. The 4-km camel’s hump-like stretch, overlooking the hills near the Library end of town, offers horse rides and rickshaw rides as well.
Library Bazaar
Library Bazaar has been so named because of the 19th century Victorian-style Library at the end of the Mall. In British era, people of the town would gather here to listen to their famous musical bands.
The Walks
From the Mall area, there are several diverts that may take you to interesting places in Mussoorie. Known as the walks, they present an interesting option to people who love exploring ancient places and like being in the lap of the nature.
- Along the road below Savoy Hotel, from the Library head to Happy Valley
- From Valley view to Clouds End
- Towards Kapurthala Chateau and Waverly Convent, on to Company Bagh
- In the hillsides of Landour
- The Barlowganj area
Gun Hill
Situated 400 feet above the mall, it is said to be an ancient volcano. The Gun hill provides excellent commanding views of the valleys and mountains and is also an interesting place with lots of restaurants and cafes.
The Churches
There are a number of magnificent churches in Mussoorie. Amongst the most prominent ones are Methodist Church (in the Mall), Christ Church (near Kasmanda Palace), Old Union Church (near Landour) and Kellog's Memorial Church (on the route to Lal Tibba, in the Landour).
Lake Mist
Lake mist is a newly developed picnic spot, 5 km before the Kempty falls, on the Mussoorie-Kempty road. It is an attractive place, with several restaurants, hotels and a lake with boating facility.
Mussoorie Lake
Mussoorie Lake is a beautiful picnic spot-cum-boating spot, developed recently, on Mussoorie-Dehradun road. It provides marvelous view of surrounding valleys and villages, especially during nights.
Sir George Everest House
The lab and building of the first Surveyor-General of India, Sir George Everest, is also an interesting place to visit in Mussoorie. Situated 6 km from Gandhi Chowk, the place provides becharming views of Doon Valley on one side and Yamuna Valley and snow-covered Himalayan ranges, on the other.
Cloud End
Cloud End is a wonderful resort in Mussoorie, surrounded by dense deodar forest. It is one of the first four buildings of the hill resort, built by British Major and now been converted into a hotel. The place provides peace and calm and is full of flora and fauna.
Van Chetna Kendra
Surrounded by pine forest and flowering shrubs, Van Chetna Kendra is a beautifully developed tourist spot. The main attraction of the park is its wildlife, comprising of Ghurar, Kakar, Himalayan Peacock, Monal etc.
Benog Mountain Quail Sanctuary
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.
