The Hidden Gems of Mussoorie

If you are from India, Mussoorie might be a common name for you, especially, if you belong to the north. It's one of the most popular hill stations here. Residing in the Dehradun District of Uttarakhand, Mussoorie is also known as the "Queen of Hills".

Most of us, at some point in our lives, would have visited or will visit Mussoorie. The common tourist spots such as Company Bagh, Kempty Falls, Ropeway, Camel Back Road need no introduction and are well known to the masses. But this post is not about them. It's about the lesser known areas, the hidden gems, residing in "the not so visited, uncommon area".

LAL TIBBA

Most of you might have heard of Lal Tibba from TV commercials or even the guide books about 'Things to do in Mussoorie'. Nestled amongst the high Deodar trees, about 3 Km away from new Mussoorie that we all know so well, lies a view point in Old Mussoorie or Landour as it is known. As soon as you move out of new Mussoorie and move towards Landour, the road up the hills is nothing but a roller coaster ride of endless curves making you tuck back to your seat at every curve.

Lal Tibba is a view point nestled high up in the hills that gives you a magnificent view of the Himalayas ( only if you're lucky and the weather is clear and there are no clouds around ). But even if you don't get a peak of the majestic snow capped Himalayan range, you won't be disheartened by the beautiful and breathtaking view of the hill ranges in front of your eyes and also the settlement of new Mussoorie that sits in the lap of the hills.

The best time to visit Lal Tibba is at sunrise or sunset but preferably just before sunrise as the road leading out of new Mussoorie and taking you into Landour is crowded with shops during daytime. You can reach Lal Tibba by hiring a cab or in your own car.

GEORGE EVEREST POINT

I believe most of you have heard the name of Mount Everest but I suppose very few of you know that it was named after Sir George Everest, one of the British Surveyor Generals of India. At a distance of about 6Km from the Library Chowk ( one of the entry points to Mall Road ), lies the very home of Sir George Everest. Though in ruins now, it still makes up for one of the best less explored places of Mussoorie, probably the only reason behind it's serene and beautiful surroundings. You can reach here either by car or a bike/scooty, though, a bike is more preferable because of the rough, rocky stretch of about 1.5 Kms. If you are more of an adventure seeker and looking for a trek and also a beginner, voila, here is your answer. You can also choose to trek your way to the peak with a trek guide that you can hire from Main Mussoorie. The trek is about 1.5 kms from Hathipaon and takes you through dense forests with sounds of various birds and insects to accompany you.

On one side of the house, you get the entire view of Doon valley and on the other side you get the breathtaking view of the snow capped hills and the Himalayan range. If you are looking for something to warm you up amongst the cold winds, there are two chai(tea) stalls nearby that give you freshly prepared tea and maggi. Spend some time here, among the calmness and wilderness of nature and I assure you, you will find some peace and forget all your problems, atleast for a while.

If you are looking for more "off the beat" places in Mussoorie and have got some more time on your hands to spare, do give a visit to the Sister Bazzar , Landour Bakery and Char Dukan in Landour. Also, if you are a fan of the famous English author Ruskin Bond, you might just get lucky and give him a visit too at his house in Landour.

For all those, yearning to explore the old Mussoorie, the Mussoorie in its truest form and the Mussoorie still hardly touched by human population, do spend atleast a night in Landour and witness the nature's glory and gemstone by your own eyes.

Keep exploring, Keep traveling !! :)

---

---