Introduction

Nestled in the mountains of Uttarakhand is a peaceful and serene hill station not as crowded as Shimla or Mussoorie. This is the beautiful town of Lansdowne where you can reach within 6-7 hours of drive from Delhi.

Although there aren’t a lot of tourist attractions in Lansdowne, you can spend 2-3 days here if you are looking to unwind and rejuvenate yourself away from the city crowds. 

Lansdowne is also known for having the headquarters of the Garhwal Regiment of the Indian Army.

1. Best time to visit

Summer season (May-June) is the ideal time to visit Lansdowne in order to escape the heat of the plains.

Although we visited Lansdowne during end of July in 2026. I would not recommend travelling during this period since there is generally heavy rainfall at this time of the year. That increases chances of landslides and roadblocks. In addition to that, we faced another challenge which was the closure of many parts of the highways due to the religious festival of ‘Kanwar’ in Uttar Pradesh. Hence it took us almost 10 hours to reach Lansdowne from Delhi due to all kinds of detour.

However the best part of travelling during the rainy season was abundance of greenery all around.

2. Places to visit

• Bhulla Taal

This man-made lake is around 1.5 km from the main market area of Lansdowne. It was built by the Garhwal Regiment and was thereby named as Bhulla Taal to honour the soldiers (‘Bhulla’ means younger brother). The entry fees is around Rs. 200 per person. 

You can opt to do paddle boating in the lake or simply admire the beautiful surroundings from the adjoining gardens or the bridge overlooking the lake. You can also enjoy time on the huge swing or "Jhula" in the gardens of Bhulla Tal. The fun part during our visit was watching the cute ducks following the paddle boats all along the lake!

• Tip N Top Viewpoint

Located near the Bhulla Taal, this is a lovely viewpoint with panoramic views of the Himalayas and the villages in these mountains. The entry fees for this viewpoint is Rs. 20 per person. However, when we went there, it was raining and the horizon was fully covered by fog. Hence we could see on a cloud cover and nothing beyond that! Hoping to get a better view next time!

• St Mary's Church

On the way to the Tip N Top viewpoint, you will come across the beautiful St Mary's Church built in neo-Gothic architectural style. Although the church stopped functioning after 1947, it is now maintained by Garhwal regiment as a museum. This serene spot is the best place to admire the tranquility of the mountains.

• Mountain cafes

We also spent some time 'cafe hopping' in Lansdowne exploring the cute cafes in the town. Set in beautiful locations, these cafes not only serve delicious food but also offer splendid views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Trip Travel Cafe: This lovely cafe located near St Mary's Church is set on the edge of the mountains with magnificent views of the surroundings. We tried the cold coffee and non-veg pizza in this cafe and it was really tasty!

Trip is life Cafe: This one is located before entering the main Lansdowne market area - do visit this cafe as well since it also has awesome views and mouth watering menu!

3. Quick Tips

• Number of days needed: 2-3 days

• Mode of travel and distance: The most convenient way to travel is by car (private or hire) from Delhi. It takes about 7-8 hours to reach Lansdowne from Delhi. The distance of Lansdowne from Delhi is 297 kms.

• Other nearby cities: If you have a few more days, you can combine your trip to Lansdowne with another 2 days in Rishikesh.

4. Goodbye

Signing off today from the hills of Lansdowne but I will be back soon with new blogs and more fun facts on travel. Till then, travel safe and be healthy 😊.