Mussoorie, Dhanaulti & Dehradun - 3 Nights | 4 Days Itinerary

Mussoorie, Dhanaulti, Dehradun

Published on 2021-11-01

Lal Tibba, Mussoorie

Lal Tibba, Mussoorie

Destination

mountains

Railhead

Dehradun

Best time to visit

March to May

  • Mussoorie is one of the most famous hill-stations of India and it is popularly referred to as the Queen of Hills.
  • Situated around 290 km from Delhi and perched at an elevation of 2005 mt above sea level, this town in Uttarakhand attracts major tourists from all across India and abroad.
  • Best Time to Travel - March to April and September to November is ideal for visiting Mussoorie. June to Aug must be avoided as due to continuous rainfall you may not be able to explore the hills. Winters are  cold. In fact, tourists may experience snowfall around the Surkanda Devi Temple and Dhanaulti.

How to reach Dehradun?

  • Airport - Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun is located 60 km from Mussoorie. This airport has flight connectivity from several cities in India like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Chennai and Lucknow.
  • Railhead - The nearest Railway Station is Dehradun, which is around 35 km from Mussoorie.
  • By Road - Mussoorie is however very well connected by roads. Cabs and buses may be availed to travel from Dehradun / Haridwar to reach Mussoorie.

Itinerary

Day - 1 Travel to Mussoorie and enjoy the local spots around the Hill Station

Upon reaching Dehradun, kindly proceed towards Mussoorie. You may visit the following destinations on your route to Mussoorie from Dehradun.

  • Doon Zoo - Formerly known as Malsi Deer Park, this mini zoological garden is famous for animals exclusive to Himalayan mountains, like the two horned Deer, Leopard, Nilgai and several species of birds. Aquatic World houses rare fish species.
    • Entry ticket - Rs. 20 per person / Rs. 50 additional for the Aquatic World
  • Kaafal restaurant - You may have your meal here, this is a good place especially for Pahadi food, Located near IT park on Sahastradhara road.
  • Sahastradhara - Literally meaning “thousandfold spring”, this picnic spot is famous for the pools known for medicinal and therapeutic merits. Located around 15 km from Dehradun, the place also has a ropeway to the mountain top. The place has a temple dedicated to Sai Ram.
  • Gucchu Paani (Robbers’ cave) - This spot provides adventure in the form of a network of caves and streams of cold water. It is located around 12 km from Dehradun & 10 km from Sahastradhara.
  • Prakasheshwar Mahadev Mandir - Around 20 km short of Mussoorie, this is a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Besides its beautiful architecture, it is also popular for cups of tea that are served as prasad to devotees.
  • Bhatta Falls - This is a natural stream of water flowing down the hills. This popular picnic spot, located around 10 km before Mussoorie, also has a cable car ride.
  • Mussoorie Lake - This is a perfect place for a day out / picnic with boating as well. Located just 6 km before Mussoorie, This is a good photography point with waterfall on one side of the lake.
Sahastradhara, Dehradun
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Sahastradhara, Dehradun

Upon arriving, kindly check in the hotel at Mussoorie. You may find a good options to stay with the help of below mentioned link;

In the evening you are recommended to explore the Mall road. This is a neat & clean area with shops, cafes, video game establishments, skating rinks and lots of restaurants to explore food. Few eateries have arrangements for live music performance too.

Dinner options;

  • The Glen Restro & Bar - This multi-cuisine restaurant is popular for the amazing ambience, live music and good food. Location - 300 m from Picture Palace.
  • Madras Cafe - This South Indian eatery is famous for all the South Indian dishes including Idli, Dosa and Rasam. This place is near Picture Palace.
  • Little llama Cafe - This is a popular food joint which serves Walnut Brownie Cake, Falafel, Hummus, Burgers, Chips, and Desserts.

Overnight Stay at Mussoorie.

Day - 2 Visit Kempty Falls and explore local sightseeing spots

You may start your day bit early around 7:30 AM and have breakfast at the hotel before getting ready for an exciting tour of Mussoorie.

Himalayan View, Mussoorie Road
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Himalayan View, Mussoorie Road

  • Company Garden - Located 3 km from Mall Road, this colourful garden is a major picnic spot in Mussoorie. A mini lake, an artificial waterfall and an amusement park for kids add to its beauty.  Tourists may also get themselves photographed in traditional attire.
  • Gun Hill Point - This is the second highest peak in Mussoorie, located 400 mft above the Mall. Tourists may walk about 20 min or avail cable-car to reach the viewpoint to get a 360 degree view of the Himalayan Ranges, like Bunderpunch, Pithwara, Gangotri  etc.
  • Chaar Dukan - This is a heritage market, near St. Paul’s church. Tourists prefer nature walk along this route. Tourists may enjoy pancakes and noodles in the four shops (Meaning of Chaar Dukan in Hindi), which lends this place its name. The road to Chaar Dukan is narrow & steep.
  • It is advisable to take a taxi upto Chaar Dukan and return walking. Distance from Mall Road is 4 km

Camel Back Road - This is a 3 km stretch of road between Library Point and Kulri Bazar that offers nature walks for tourists. The place is so named as the natural layout of the rocks at the top is like that of a camel’s hump.

Lunch Options around Mall Road - (at Landour Bazaar or Picture Palace)

  • Hapur Valon ki Dukan - Small Dhaba type restaurant, which will give you an essence of Uttrakhand Culture. Although expensive, this restaurant serves delicious traditional delicacies.
  • Kalsang - Tourists love the Tibetan and Chinese cuisine available at this cozy restaurant near Picture Palace.
  • Upahar - This restaurant near Library Point serves delicious vegetarian food.

Visit the Kempty Falls - Around 15 km from the Mall Road, this 40 feet tall waterfall is one of the most popular tourist spots around Mussoorie. Tourists enjoy boating in the man-made pond at the bottom of the falls.

This can be reached by walking down the steps. There are many food stalls and shops selling collectible items.
Duration: 2 hours.

Kempty Falls, Mussoorie
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Kempty Falls, Mussoorie

Options for dinner at Mall Road;

  • My Shop - This is one of the famous North Indian food restaurant in Mussoorie.
  • The Green Vegetarian - This restaurant is popular for pure vegetarian food.
  • Momos Tibetan Kitchen - This is a casual dining restaurant offering variety of Tibetan food.

Overnight Stay at Mussoorie.

Day - 3 Trip to Dhanaulti covering the shrine of Shri Surkanda Devi

Start your day by 8 AM and after having breakfast at the hotel & proceed towards Dhanaulti. You will capture breath-taking views of Himalayan peaks along the way.

The quaint town of Dhanaulti, at 2286 mt above sea level, is fast emerging as a popular winter destination as it receives heavy snowfall during the winters. You can enjoy camping & adventure activities like zip lining, horse riding, rappelling, etc.

  • Dhanaulti has plenty of homestays available. Amongst the hotels in the area, Rock Resort. Tariff starts Rs 2000.

Explore more hotels in Dhanaulti

Scenic View at Dhanaulti
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Scenic View at Dhanaulti

Surrounded by dense deodar trees, Dhanaulti is popular amongst tourists for Nature Walks. There are no fancy restaurants here. There are small eateries by the roadside offering fruits, noodles and tea/coffee.

  • There are two Eco Parks in Dhanaulti - Amber and Dhara.
  • Entry fee - Rs 15 per person

Shri Surkanda Devi Temple - Tourists may travel to Kaddukhal (on the Dhanaulti-Chamba Road) and undertake a 3 km trek to this Hindu Shrine. As per mythology, this is the spot where the severed head of Devi Sati had fallen during Lord Shiva’s tandava. Hence, it is one of the most revered 51 Shakti-Peeth.

There is pony service too. Perched at 2750 mt above sea level, the temple premise offers grand views of the snow-capped Himalayan peaks.

Shri Surkanda Devi Temple, Dhanaulti
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Shri Surkanda Devi Temple, Dhanaulti

Overnight stay at Dhanaulti. You are recommended to have your Dinner at hotel. 

Tourists also make a day-trip to Dhanaulti and come back to Mussoorie for a night stay.

Day 4 - Return back to your home location.

Have breakfast at your hotel and checkout.

  • Return to the home location.

Suggestions and Recommendations:

  • Entry of vehicles in Mussoorie mall road is restricted during the peak hours. If your hotel is in Mall Road, kindly check with the hotel regarding parking plus entry and exit timings.
    • 7 am to 4 pm : open for commercial & private vehicles
    • 4 pm to 11 pm : No vehicles are allowed.
    • 11 pm to 7 am : Restricted entry into the Mall Road.
  • For a day trip to Dhanaulti tourists may rent a bike from Mussoorie. Roads get blocked after heavy snowfall during January and February.
  • For Dhanaulti there are only 2 buses from Mussoorie, which start at 07:15 and 09:15 in the morning. It is advisable to reach at least an hour in advance.
  • If you wish to add Rishikesh & Haridwar to your itinerary,  you need to have two more days.

Nearby Tourist Attractions:

  • Rishikesh: Popularly called as Yoga capital of the world, located at 75 km distance.
  • Haridwar: Famous Pilgrimage place for Hindus, Located at 80 km distance.
  • Tehri Dam: You may visit Tehri to see the Dam and lake, Distance: 73 km.
Scenic View in mussoorie
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Scenic View in mussoorie