Mussoorie

The "Queen of the Hills," a British-era hill station overlooking the Doon Valley and Himalayan snow peaks; the Mall, old Landour and Kempty Falls make it a classic North Indian getaway.

Mussoorie sits in Uttarakhand, India, on a ridge at about 2,000 m in the outer ranges of the Himalayas. To the south it overlooks the Doon Valley and the state capital Dehradun, and to the north it offers distant views of Himalayan snow peaks, earning it the nickname "Queen of the Hills." British officers founded it as a summer retreat in the 1820s, and it still retains its Mall, old churches, colonial-era hotels and schools. Climate: Mar–Jun is mild and cool, the peak season for North Indians escaping the heat; Jul–Aug brings monsoon rain, frequent landslides and thick fog; Sep–Nov is crisp and clear, with the best views of the snow peaks; Dec–Feb is cold, with occasional snow. Areas to explore: in town, the Mall is the main axis. Around Library Chowk at its western end are Christ Church, Company Garden and the Tibetan community of Happy Valley; at the eastern end, beside Kulri Bazaar, a ropeway climbs to Gun Hill, and Camel's Back Road loops around the northern slope. Higher up to the east is Landour, the tranquil old British cantonment, with Char Dukan, the Lal Tibba viewpoint and a circular forest walk. On the western outskirts are Sir George Everest's House, Cloud's End and Benog Hill. For day trips, head northwest to Kempty Falls, or east via Dhanaulti and the Surkanda Devi Temple to Kanatal for snow and forests. Getting there: the nearest airport is Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport (about 60 km); take a train to Dehradun station, then a taxi or bus up the hill, about 1–1.5 hours on a winding road. Plan on 2–3 days. Note: weekends and Indian school holidays (May–Jun, Oct, and Christmas–New Year) are extremely crowded and hotel prices rise; vehicles are banned from parts of the Mall at certain times; roads may close when it snows in winter.

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