lansdowne
Travel Uttarakhand Journal

“Lansdowne” – Home For The Garhwal Rifle Regiment

Lansdowne is a beautiful hill station, situated amidst the Garhwal hills in the state of Uttarakhand. It is a tourist destination that many people may not know about. Located at an altitude of 1706 meters above sea level, Lansdowne is an untouched ancient city that is far from the hustle and bustle of the city. Lansdowne is also known as the home for the Garhwal Rifle Regiment of the Indian Army. The British developed this place as a Garhwal Rifles training center. Having a population of around 20,000 the infrastructure of buildings of this fascinating city will remind you of the colonial period. This tourist destination is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and lush green forests. The main attraction of this beautiful hill station is its ancient atmosphere which attracts a large number of tourists every year. Also, it is the best place for eco-tourism.

Places To Visit In Lansdowne

Bhulla Lake

bhulla lake

Bhulla Lake is one of the major attractions of Lansdowne. In the construction of this unnatural lake, the soldiers of Garhwal Rifles had greatly helped, due to which this lake is dedicated to them. The lake is named after the Garhwali word “bulla”, which means “younger brother”. Tourists can enjoy boating and paddle in this lake. It has parks, beautiful fountains, and bamboo scaffolds for children to play.

Tip N Top

tip n top

Tip N Top is a hilltop viewpoint located at an altitude of 1756 meters above sea level. Commonly known as Tiffin Top this place is located just 1.5 km from the beautiful hill station of Lansdowne. As the name itself suggest it is one of the highest points of Lansdowne. This place offers splendid panoramic views of the entire city as well as the nearby region with the mighty Himalayas standing with grandeur in the background. Tip N Top is the perfect place to experience peace and calmness in the lap of nature. This place is very famous among the newly married couples who visit here to spend some romantic moments midst of the hills and tall trees.

Darwan Singh Regimental Museum

darwan singh memorial

Located near the parade ground in Lansdowne, Darwan Singh Regimental Museum is a beautifully adorned two-story building. Established in the year 1923, this museum is also known as the “Pride of Lansdowne”. This museum is considered the war memorial and has rare photographs of army generals, weapons, uniforms, certificates, and other details about the origin and achievements of the Garhwal Rifles.

Bhim Pakora

bhim pakora

Bhim Pakora is a historical place that has its roots connected with the legends of Mahabharata “The Pandavas”. This place is located just 2 km away from the Gandhi Chowk, Lansdowne. According to legends, the Pandavas cooked food here during their exile. Bhim Pakora can be reached after a 2km trek downhill on a rough path and the place is quite surprising as the Pandava brother Bhim placed one rock on another which you can still find here. These rocks are placed in a perfect that it never falls down. If you want, you can move it only with a finger, but it does not fall down.

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Snow View Point and Hawaghar

Snow View Point and Hawaghar

Located about 2 km from Lansdowne market Snow Viewpoint and Hawaghar are beautiful vantage points that offer you breathtaking views of the snow-clad Himalayan mountains. With its serene surrounding and splendid views, this place is a treat for nature lovers. This place can be visited by undertaking a short trek. The view from the top is totally worth the efforts and energy. The bird’s eye view of the valley below and the nearby verdant green forests are sure to mesmerize you. This spot is one of the best places to visit in Lansdowne and the most surreal and thrilling things to do in Lansdowne.

Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple

tarkeshwar mahadev temple

Situated at an altitude of 2092 meters above sea level, Tarakeswar Mahadev Temple on the top of the hill is the holy place of Lansdowne. Thousands of devotees visit the temple every year to pay homage to Lord Shiva. It is believed that God fulfills every wish of the devotees sought in this temple. Every year, the festival of Maha Shivaratri is celebrated with great enthusiasm here. There are oak and cedar trees surrounding the temple. Also, many small waterfalls can be seen in the nearby area here.

Kalagarh Tiger Reserve

kalagarh tiger reserve

Enriched with a variety of Flora and Fauna the Kalagarh Tiger Reserve is a wildlife sanctuary located 13 km from the hill station of Lansdowne. Spread over an area of about 300 sq. km this reserve actually forms the northern end of the Jim Corbett National Park. This wildlife sanctuary is famous for the sighting of tigers, barking deer, hog deer, linga sambar, porcupine, and other diverse exotic animals.

Jungle Safari

jungle safari

Jungle Safari is one of the most popular things that tourists love to try during their visit to Lansdowne. Jungle Safari in Lansdowne will take you through the wilderness of the forests where you can have seen various Himalayan wild animals in their natural habitat. It offers a chance to get lost in the wilderness of the jungle and enjoy the beauty of nature. Various species of flora and fauna found here make the trip more interesting.

St John’s Church

st. jhon church

St John’s Church on Lansdowne’s Mall Road is a living example of religiosity and architecture. The only Roman Catholic Church in Lansdowne was previously a forest bungalow. The church, which had been closed for years, reopened on 29 November 1980. Construction of the church began in 1936 under the leadership of the Diocese of Agra, and in 1937 it was completely ready. After the independence of India in 1947, the Diocese of Agra could not take care of this church due to the lack of priests. Therefore, in 1951 the Church’s management committee handed over the church to the Government of India. In 1977, Rev. Gratian Munden wanted to start a new mission in Lansdowne. He entrusted this task to Father John so that he could reach this subject to the highest authorities of India and start this church as soon as possible. In 1980, Smt Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India, allowed this church to be reopened and entrusted the responsibility of this church to its legitimate owner. On 26 April 1983, Dr. Paulis Zirakth CMI started daily prayer meetings here, blessing its legitimate owner.

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Places To Stay In Lansdowne

Hotels In Lansdowne

  • Samskara & Samsara
  • Kasang Regency Hill Resort
  • Hotel Green Palms
  • Hotel Green Palms
  • Corbett Hill Resort By Sparsh India Hotels

View deals on TripadvisorHome Stay In Lansdowne

  • Royal’s Home Stay
  • Ullaar Home Stay
  • Joshi Holidays Home Stay
  • Aashirwad Homestay
  • Moonlight Homestays

View deals on TripadvisorCamps Stay In Lansdowne

  • Banali Hills
  • Camp Advait
  • Anjuni Camp – Chayan
  • Camp Dogadda
  • Eden Riverside Camp

View deals on TripadvisorThings To Do In Lansdowne

Trekking, Hiking, Camping, Boating, Bird Watching, Religious Tours, Jungle Safari, Nature Walk, Photography

Best Time To Visit Lansdowne

The weather in Lansdowne remains pleasant throughout the year, so you can visit here in any month of the year.

Summer In Lansdowne: Months of summer March – June are considered the best time to visit Lansdowne because the weather here in summer months remain pleasant and the temperature reaches up to 25 ° C.

Monsoon In Lansdowne: You can also visit Lansdowne during the monsoon months of July – September, but due to heavy rainfall in the region you might not get enough time to explore the beauty of the hill station.

Winters In Lansdowne: October – March, there is a winter season in the region. Winters in Lansdowne might get chilled in which the temperature falls up to 0 ° C, so it is advised to keep an ample amount of woolen clothes if you are visiting Lansdowne in winters.

How To Reach Lansdwone

By Flight

The nearest airport to Lansdowne is the Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun, which is well connected to Delhi and other major cities of the country. From outside this airport, you can take a taxi to Lansdowne or you can also go from Dehradun to Lansdowne by public bus.

By Train

For those traveling by train, the nearest railway station to Lansdowne is Kotdwar, which is 40 km from Lansdowne. After reaching Kotdwar railway station, you can take a cab to Lansdowne.

By Road

If you want to travel to Lansdowne by road, then there are many buses available from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and nearby cities to Lansdowne. You can also hire a cab or drive your own vehicle to this beautiful hill station. Believe me, while traveling to Lansdowne by road you will come across many beautiful views throughout your journey.

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