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Mussoorie A five-hour drive north of Delhi, or a comfortable but circuitous overnight train journey, Dehradun is the gateway to the pilgrimage sites in the Garhwal Himalayas and the hill station of Mussoorie. It is an area of forests, hill stations, important pilgrimage centers. It also has some of the world's highest peaks. Along the Nepal border, are the great tiger reserves of Corbett and Dudhwa national Parks. The hill stations of Nainital, Mussoorie, Ranikhet and Almora are only a few of the resort towns the fortunate escape to during the hot summer months. The valley is steeped in legend and much of it remains very attractive. Local interest groups have successfully prevented limestone quarrying and the opening of cement area. Mussoorie is only 35 Kms north of Dehra Dun. Winding past a series of asharams (religious retreats) and by passing the village of Rajpur, the road climbs over 1,300 meters. Situated on a horseshoe shaped ridges of the outer range of the Himalayas, Mussoorie is the closest hill station to Delhi and, as such, is subject to a huge influx of visitors in May, June and July. It is best visited in the off season when the Mall between the Library and the Picture Palace is relatively un-congested. East of the Picture Palaces, the road winds up a further 300 meters through Landour Bazaar, perched on a narrow ridge, to the quietest part of town. The area around Mussoorie is rich in bird life, but few animals are seen. West of the Library end of the mall, a road winds around Vincent Hill while another goes northwest towards Kempty Falls and on to Chakrata. The forested hillsides between Kempty Falls and the gorge where the Yamuna cuts through the Himalayas have recently been declared a wildlife sanctuary. |
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