Lansdowne Tourist Guide - Quietest Hill Grandeur of India

Lansdowne Tourist Guide: Overview

Lansdowne is one of the quietest hill stations of India situated at an altitude of 1,700mts above sea level surrounded with thick oak and blue pine forests in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand state. Lansdowne is well connected with motorable roads but also remote in its own way so that weekend nuisance crowd remains far away from this scenic place. The salubrious weather and pristine environment of Lansdowne leaves an immortal impact on the tourists. It is the perfect place to meditate and rejuvenate your soul. Adventure activities like, trekking, bird watching, boating, paddling etc. can be done while a visit to Lansdowne. Lansdowne is one of the most popular hill station of Garhwal region when it comes to weekend destination.

Why you must visit Lansdowne?

Snowfall is common during the winter season and the town is covered with a blanket of white snow. For those who want to see snowfall and experience the winter chill, Lansdowne is an ideal place to visit during this time. The weather is cool and pleasant for visitors to trek around and explore the place.

Lansdowne is very quiet town where people come to relax or use it as a rest stop for the trek routes that open up into the great Himalayas. The forests of Lansdowne are lovely and ideal for long walks and picnics. There are amazing mountain views of the Western Himalayas from a number of vantage points like Snow View and Tiffin Top. You can still visit Santoshi Ma Temple, Tip-in-Top, Snow View, Bhulla Lake, St. James’ Church, St. Mary’s Church, Reindeer rock, Garhwal Rifles Museum, Kaleshwar Mahadev Temple. The accommodation facilities in Lansdowne are many as it is a famous tourist spot. Several budget and mid ranged hotels and guest houses are available throughout the city and the luxury hotels are located near the various view points around Lansdowne.

What is unique in Lansdowne?

Bestowed upon with indescribable natural beauty, Lansdowne is one of the lesser known hill stations of India. It is a clean and well-maintained town that houses the command office of Garhwal Rifles of Indian Army. The climate here is the biggest attraction, especially during the hot summers when people from the plains come here to escape the summer heat. Winters in Lansdowne are severe with temperatures falling below 0º Celsius during the peak of winter. Lansdowne is known for its quaint surroundings and pleasant climate. It can be visited during all times of the year and provides a soothing climate to visitors all year round.  During autumn, the annual festival of ‘Shardotsav’ is celebrated in a grand way bringing in tourists from all over.

History about Lansdowne

Lansdowne got its name from Lord Lansdowne, who was the Viceroy of India during the period of 1888 - 1894. Presently, Lansdowne has the command office of the Garhwal Rifles division of the Indian Army.

The regimental centre in Lansdowne is considered the hub of training for the regiment. About 2500 recruits are trained here as soldiers every year. Earlier, the recruitments were held only at Lansdowne but now the recruitments take place at other places in the region as well. The centre has trained more than 60 thousand soldiers since Independence. At present, over 25 thousand soldiers are serving in different battalions of the Garhwal Rifles.

Best Time to Visit Lansdowne

The best time to visit Lansdowne is during the summer months of March to June when the weather is pleasant and suitable for outdoor activities like trekking, hiking and leisurely walks. Since summer is also the peak season, it is advised to make reservations for your hotel well in advance.

September to November:  if you're a nature lover then Lansdowne is at its best between September and November after the rains with greenery and breathtaking views of the majestic mountains.

December to February:  The winter months between December and February get very cold and often witness heavy snowfall with chances of landslides, so you should avoid visiting Lansdowne then, unless you're the adventurous type. The Maha Shivaratri Festival is celebrated sometime between February and March.

Best & Recommended resorts in Lansdowne

Lans Castle - Lansdowne

Lans Castle,a Boutique Hotel is one of such Lansdowne resorts that provide the ultimate stress buster holiday. Lans Castle, A Boutique Hotel will soon become a sought after and a much frequented destination among the Resorts in Lansdowne for as it provides tourists with a spectacular view of many of the natural wonders in Lansdowne and also gives them all the modern amenities which make it special among the Lansdowne Resorts.

Quick Glance at Lansdowne

Coordinates - 29.83°N 78.68°E

Elevation - 1,706 meters (5,686 feet)

Location - Indian Himalayas, Located at 81 km from Pauri and about 250 km from Delhi

Nearest Airport - Jolly Grant Airport, near Dehradun at a distance of 152 km via Kotdwara-Haridwar road

Nearest Best Hill Station to New Delhi

It is the nearest hill station from Delhi and can be reached from Delhi by either road or train. The nearest railway station is Kotdwara at a distance of 41 km situated an elevation of only 370 m. Since Lansdowne is more than 1,500 m higher than Kotdwara, the drive from Kotdwara to Lansdowne is quite steep and scenic.

The other and better route to reach Lansdowne is from Delhi via Meerut, Bijnore, Najibabad, Kotdwar and on to Lansdowne. It saves about 50KM and the road quality is also good all the way to Kotdwar baring a few patches.

Driving Directions to Lansdowne from Delhi

Stage 1: From Delhi to Meerut 70 kms, Mawana 30 kms, Bessuna-Ramraj-Meerapur

Stage 2: Take the Right turn from here for Bijnor-kiratpur 16 kms, Najibabad 17 kms, Kotdwara 25 kms, Dogadda 15 Kms.

Stage 3: 2 kms from Doggada there is a T Junction. Take the RIGHT Turn on the Lansdowne road (the left

Cuisine of Lansdowne

There is Variety of local delicacies which local dishes such as Kafuli, Phaanu, Thechwani, Baadi, Kulath ki dal and Aloo ke gutke. Besides, you can also enjoy some sweet dishes like Gulgula and Arsa and Chinese and Continental dishes. The Garhwali cuisine is simple, nutritious and delicious. Veggies are consumed on a large scale here, although there are a lot of non-veg eaters too. Besides Garhwali food, one can also find other cuisines like Mughlai, Marwari as well as Continental.