Landour takes its name from Llanddowror, a village in Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales. It began in 1827 as a sanatorium for convalescing British soldiers, which is why much of it is still a cantonment today.
Source: Landour
Hill station in Garhwal
Mussoorie & Landour
A Raj-era ridge town, and the quiet cantonment above it
Mussoorie is the hill station 35 km above Dehradun at about 2,005 m; Landour is the older, quieter cantonment on the ridge above it. Come for oak-and-deodar walks, Raj-era churches and cemeteries, George Everest's house and winter views of the Bandarpunch range. Two or three nights suit most trips; avoid holiday weekends.
Photo: Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · CommonsMussoorie and Landour share one long ridge above the Doon Valley. Mussoorie, founded as a resort by Captain Frederick Young of the East India Company in the 1820s, runs along the Mall Road from Library Chowk to Kulri Bazaar, with hotels, schools and viewpoints. Landour climbs above it to the east, rising to about 2,270 m. It began in 1827 as a sanatorium for British soldiers, and much of it is still a cantonment, which is why it has stayed small, wooded and slow.
The twin towns hold a dense layer of history for so small a place. George Everest, Surveyor-General of India, built his house and laboratory at Park Estate west of the town. The 14th Dalai Lama lived in Mussoorie from April 1959 to April 1960 before moving to Dharamsala, and the first Tibetan school opened here in 1960. Landour's churches, cemeteries and missionary language school, and the writer Ruskin Bond, who has lived in Landour for decades, give the upper ridge its character.
For travellers, Mussoorie is a weekend hill town and can be crowded and noisy on the Mall. Landour is the reason we bring guests here: a 5 km loop of quiet roads through deodar and oak, with views north to the snow peaks of the Bandarpunch and Gangotri groups on clear winter mornings. It is also a gentle first stop before the Yamunotri road, which drops north from Kempty Falls towards Barkot.
Say it like a local · GarhwaliMansur
a shrub common on these slopes; the name Mussoorie is often traced to it
What to do in Mussoorie & Landour
The Landour loop
A 5 km circuit, known as the chakkar, round the top of the Landour ridge through deodar and oak, past Char Dukan, Sisters Bazaar and Lal Tibba. Walk it at 7 am for birds and snow views, or at sunset for colour over the Doon Valley.
Char Dukan and St Paul's
Char Dukan, the four shops, is Landour's tiny square of tea stalls serving pancakes, Maggi and bun-omelettes. Beside it stands St Paul's Church, built in 1840, where Jim Corbett's parents married in October 1859.
George Everest's house
The ruins of Sir George Everest's house and laboratory at Park Estate, about 6 km west of Library Chowk, sit on a grassy ridge with views over the Doon on one side and the Aglar valley on the other. Go for a sunrise walk.
Camel's Back Road
A level, mostly car-free 3 km road round the north side of the hill, named for a rock outcrop shaped like a camel's hump. It passes Camel's Back Cemetery, opened in 1828, and is the best walk in Mussoorie town itself.
Happy Valley and the Tibetan quarter
Tibetans settled in Happy Valley after 1959, when the Dalai Lama lived in Mussoorie for a year. The quarter has a temple, prayer flags, a Tibetan school and small momo and thukpa kitchens below the Library end of the Mall.
Snow-peak mornings
On clear days from October to March, Lal Tibba and the Landour ridge show a line of snow peaks to the north, including the Bandarpunch massif above Yamunotri. Mornings after rain are clearest; afternoons usually haze over.
Field notes
What most guides miss about Mussoorie & Landour
The 14th Dalai Lama took up residence in Mussoorie on 20 April 1959 and stayed until April 1960, when he moved to Dharamsala. The first Tibetan school was set up in Mussoorie in 1960, and Tibetans settled mainly in Happy Valley.
Source: Mussoorie
Frederick Wilson, the English deserter known as the Raja of Harsil who brought apples to the Bhagirathi valley, died in 1883 and is buried in Mussoorie's Camel's Back Cemetery under a deodar.
Source: Frederick Wilson (Raja)
Experiences
Three days worth having in Mussoorie & Landour
Photo: Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Mussoorie & Landour · 3 hours
Landour heritage walk from Char Dukan
A slow morning loop round the Landour ridge: St Paul's Church at Char Dukan, the old Sisters Bazaar, Kellogg Church and…
Free; tea and pancakes ₹150–350
Photo: Ps14061990 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Mussoorie & Landour · 3–4 hours
Sunrise walk to George Everest's house
Drive or walk to Park Estate, west of Mussoorie, where the Surveyor-General who gave his name to the world's highest pe…
Entry fee at the site; taxi ₹800–1,200 return
Photo: Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Mussoorie & Landour · 2 hours
Happy Valley's Tibetan quarter and kitchens
Below the Library end of the Mall lies Happy Valley, where Tibetan refugees settled after 1959. Walk past prayer flags,…
Free; momos and thukpa ₹100–200
Real prices
What things cost in Mussoorie & Landour
ItemIndicative 2026
UTC bus, Dehradun to Mussoorie₹80–130
Taxi, Dehradun to Mussoorie₹1,500–2,200
Mid-range hotel room on or near the Mall₹3,000–7,000 a night
Pancakes and tea at Char Dukan₹150–350
Momos or thukpa in Happy Valley₹100–200
Taxi, Mussoorie to Kempty Falls and back₹1,000–1,500
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
How to reach Mussoorie & Landour
Air
Fly to Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport, then 60 km by taxi via Dehradun and the Mussoorie road, about 2 hours (₹2,500–3,500).
Rail
Dehradun station has overnight and day trains from Delhi, including the Shatabdi and Vande Bharat. From Dehradun, UTC buses leave for Mussoorie Library and Picture Palace stands roughly every 30–60 minutes.
Road
Delhi to Mussoorie is about 290 km via Dehradun, 7–8 hours. From Rishikesh it is about 75 km and 2.5–3 hours via Dehradun. Traffic jams on the last 10 km are common on weekends; travel before 9 am.
Where to stay
Sleeping in Mussoorie & Landour
Saver: guesthouses and hostels around Kulri and Library charge ₹1,200–2,500 for a double out of peak weekends, and GMVN runs a tourist bungalow in town. Comfort: WelcomHeritage Kasmanda Palace, a former royal summer house off the Mall, and Rokeby Manor in Landour, a restored 1840s estate near Char Dukan, are our picks for character. Signature: JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove sits on the Kempty Falls road with a spa, indoor pool and wide valley views.
Photo: Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Mid
Heritage hotel · Mussoorie & Landour
Rokeby Manor
A restored 1840s stone estate on the Landour ridge near Char Dukan and St Paul's Church, now a small heritage hote…
₹10,000–20,000 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Mid
Heritage hotel · Mussoorie & Landour
WelcomHeritage Kasmanda Palace
A white nineteenth-century mansion above the Mall Road, built in 1836 as part of the Christ Church complex and bou…
₹8,000–15,000 a night for a double (indicative)
Photo: Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Luxury
Resort · Mussoorie & Landour
JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort & Spa
A large resort at Siya village on the Kempty Falls road, west of Mussoorie, with valley-view rooms and suites, a s…
₹18,000–40,000 a night for a double (indicative)
Trips that stop here
See Mussoorie & Landour on a trip
Photo: Paul Hamilton · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Comfort
Garhwal · 6 nights · sleeps to 3,100 m
Landour, Harsil apples and Gangotri
Private car with driver
From, per person₹52,000May – Jun · Sep – Oct
Photo: McKay Savage from London, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Signature
Garhwal · 6 nights · sleeps to 2,005 m
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Taj Rishikesh and Mussoorie in comfort
Private car with driver
From, per person₹1,10,000Mar – Apr · Oct – Nov
Questions
Mussoorie & Landour, answered
What is the difference between Mussoorie and Landour?
Mussoorie is the main hill station along the Mall Road, with hotels, shops and crowds. Landour is the older cantonment on the ridge above, about 15 minutes by car, with churches, Char Dukan's tea shops and quiet forest roads. We suggest sleeping in Landour or the Library end and visiting the Mall.
What is the best time to visit Mussoorie?
March to June is pleasant at 15–28 °C but busy in May and June. October to December has the clearest snow-peak views. January and February can bring snow and icy roads. July and August are wet and misty, with occasional landslides on the Dehradun road.
Does it snow in Mussoorie?
Sometimes, usually a few light falls between late December and February, more often on the Landour ridge than on the Mall. Snow cannot be guaranteed; for reliable snow, go to Auli in January or February. Roads may close briefly after heavy falls.
How do I get from Dehradun to Mussoorie cheaply?
Take a UTC bus from the Dehradun ISBT or railway station area to Mussoorie Library or Picture Palace, about 1.5 hours for ₹80–130. Shared taxis cost a little more. A private taxi costs ₹1,500–2,200 one way.
Is Mussoorie good for a honeymoon?
Yes, if you choose your stay well. Avoid the noisy middle Mall; pick Landour, the Library end or a resort on the Kempty road. Walks on Camel's Back Road and the Landour loop, and a sunrise at George Everest's house, suit couples best.
How many days do I need in Mussoorie and Landour?
Two nights is enough for the Landour loop, Camel's Back Road, George Everest's house and Happy Valley. Add a third night for a day trip to Dhanaulti or a slow day of reading and walking. It also works as a first stop before the Yamunotri road.
Is Kempty Falls worth visiting?
It is about 15 km from Mussoorie on the Yamunotri road and very crowded in summer, with stalls and paddling pools. Visit early in the morning or on a weekday, or see it in passing on the way to Barkot rather than as a separate trip.
Are there ATMs and network in Mussoorie and Landour?
Yes. ATMs line the Mall in Kulri and Library, and Landour Bazaar has a few. Jio, Airtel and BSNL work well across the town, though some deep valleys on the Camel's Back side have weaker signal.
Is Mussoorie safe for families and solo travellers?
Yes. It is a well-policed tourist town. The main issues are traffic, steep roads and crowds on holiday weekends. On the Landour loop, keep to the road after dark, as streetlights are sparse, and carry a torch.