Plan A Weekend Away At Lansdowne Hill Station

1. The Lowdown

Sprawling valleys and majestic mountains await as you enter the pristine hill town of Lansdowne. This beautiful hill station is part of the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand. Named after Viceroy Lord Lansdowne, it was a favorite hill station during the erstwhile British Raj days.

2. Best Time To Visit

Summer months, from April to June, are ideal for a trip here. If on the other hand, you want to enjoy some snowfall, make your way here during the winter months of December and January. However, if you are planning to go during February and October, be warned as the area becomes extremely chaotic due to celebrations of Mahashivratri and Shardotsav.

Source: Mishra.vinesh620 via Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

3. How To Get There

By road – The 260 km drive from Delhi to Lansdowne can be completed in about 7 hours, and the ideal route is via Meerut, Bijnore, Najibabad, and Kotdwar. You can also book a Zoomcar and drive down to the resort – did someone say road trip?

By air – You can take a one-hour flight from Delhi to Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport, located 150 km (~ 4 hours) from Landsowne. Take a shared taxi or hire a private one for anywhere between ₹2,500 to ₹5,000.

By train – Alternatively, take the Garhwal Express or Mussoorie Express from either Old Delhi or New Delhi station to Kotdwar station, located about 40 km away Most cabs available from here are shared cabs and cost about ₹80 to ₹100 per person.

4. Where to Stay

Accommodation options are plentiful and often offer charming views of the valleys and hills.

Luxury hotels – Luxury resorts like Aranyam River Retreat and Raga on the Ganges are located 25-40 kilometers from town and priced between ₹6,000 and ₹8,000 a night.

Budget stay – FabHotels and GMVN’s Tourist Rest House are available for under ₹2,500 a night.

Source: Blue Pine Resort

5. What’s Around

Boating – The man-made Bhulla Lake is open on all days. Entry to the park in which the lake is located costs ₹30, and for ₹80 you can hire a pedal boat.

Jungle Safari – Interested in a Himalayan wild animal trail? A jungle safari at the Kalagarh Tiger Reserve (open between October and March) can be pre-booked either online or through the hotel staff that you are staying at – make sure they offer the same.

Feature photo source: Sudhanshu. s.s via Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)