Beauty of Uttarakhand

Lansdowne – the serene beauty of Uttarakhand

	Serene and unspoilt, Lansdowne is a hill station in the secluded reaches of Uttaranchal. Surrounded by beautiful oak, silver fir, spruce, bamboo and pine forests, it is a summer getaway for nature lovers and romantics. HolidayIQ member, Giri from Delhi, takes you to Lansdowne.
	Tourist’s map
	Lansdowne is located in Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand (previously known as Uttaranchal). From Delhi, the distance is approximately 230 km. If you want to drive from Delhi, then follow: Delhi - Ghaziabad - Meerut - Bijnor - Mawana - Kotdwar - Dugadda route to reach Lansdowne. If you start early in the morning around 4 am, then you can reach this place by 9 am. It should not take you more than five hours to complete the journey. Lansdowne, in fact, is a hill station without much commercialisation yet. So, you can actually escape the concrete jungle and enjoy its serenity to the max. We were there on 3rd and 4th of July this year and the temperature at night was quite cold. During the day, however, it was pleasant. It was raining a bit on July 4th and we could witness fog on next day early morning before returning back to Delhi.
	» Driving directions
	Sightseeing highlights
	Just like other hill stations of north India, Lansdowne has a number of temples and shrines to visit. Jwalpa Devi Temple is located 47 Km from Lansdowne on the Pauri - Kotdwar Road, whileTarkeshwar Mahadev Temple 30 Km away is one of the oldest "sidhapeeths" in India. Especially, a holy Shiv Linga is the highlight of this temple. Other temples in the vicinity include Durga Devi Temple. There is a British church which isn't well kept but you can visit it to see the stained glass windows. Other must-sees in Lansdowne are Snow View and Tiffin Top which offer stunning vistas of the snow-clad Himalayas.
	Camping
	We stayed in GMVN Guest House at Tip-n-top. GMVN also has a bigger guest house in Lansdowne. We stayed one night at the "Tree House" and the other night in the usual hotel room. The tree top room was little smaller but it had all the modern facilities. One of the best aspects of the tree house is the view that you can get from the top. Tip-n-top has an in-house restaurant called "Holiday Cafe". You will get fresh food on order, which certainly carries the essence of being home made. In case, you want to try out some other foodstuffs, then try the two restaurants at the market place or the few other resorts in the vicinity.

Tourist points

:: Tip-N-Top: You can get a hands-on overview of the whole valley from the top of Tip and Top. :: Santosh Mata Mandir: It is not a bad idea to walk up to the temple for the evening aarti. :: Bhulla Lake: It is a small lake with ducks roaming around. You can do boating at Rs. 15/- per head for 15 minutes. There is also a children park near Bhulla Lake with swings and a rabbit house.  :: Army Museum: Garhwal Regiment runs a museum, which displays its history, milestones, achievements and awards. Rs.20/- per head is the entry fee and children below 14 years are not allowed.  :: St. Mary's Church: This church, a 110+ year old heritage place, was constructed on 1896. :: St. John's Church: This one was built in the year 1931.  :: Tarkeshwar Mandir: The 600 year old temple is 40 kms away from Lansdowne. The scenic beauty of this place is simply awesome. “Melas” are held twice in year (May and October). Something for the daredevils Several treks are available for the trekkers to explore. Trekking at Lansdowne is easier than other hill stations since the stretches are not that steep. Also, there is a small nursery run by Garhwal regiment; you may buy plants from here. There is a small market place in Lansdowne where you can buy medicines, film rolls, batteries, cosmetics, liquor, etc. Tips to remember :: You can do trekking, bird watching, boating and sightseeing. :: Please refill fuel at Kotdwar before climbing to Lansdowne. There is no petrol pump at Lansdowne. :: There are no restaurants around Tarakeshwar temple. So, either you have to return back to Lansdowne or carry some packed foods along. :: You may get some fresh but cheap seasonal fruits en route. In July, we got fresh mangoes at Rs. 15 per kg near Najibabad (on the highway). :: In Bijnor, "Kwality restaurant" on the highway is a good stopover to have food with your family.