Lansdowne, Uttarakhand

Situated at an altitude of 1700 metres above sea level, Lancedowne is a picturesque cantonment town in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttrakhand. Surrounded by lush green forests of thick oak and blue pines, the serene town is apt for nature and adventure enthusiasts. A cantonment was built at the popular hill resort by British Viceroy Lancedowne. It is still preserved and maintained by the legendary Garhwal Rifles of the Indian Army. The Garhwal Rifles Regimental War Memorial and the Regimental Museum are places of significance in Lansdowne.
The tranquil environment and breathtaking scenic beauty of this place attracts tourists who seek seclusion and peace. The destination is a good break from the busy lives of the bustling cities. It is a perfect weekend getaway from Delhi owing to its location and good road connectivity. Apart from trekking, bird watching, boating, there are many temples one can visit during their stay in Lancedowne. But all in all it is a place to just relax and unwind.
The hill town of Lancedowne is well connected by air, road and rail transport. Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun is the nearest airport followed by New Delhi, having connectivity to all major cities in the country. At a distance of about 40kms is the nearest railhead of Kotdwar. One can also access this beautiful town by road. Regular bus service and cabs are available from Delhi, Dehradun, haridwar, Mussoorie and Kotdwar.
Being a hill resort weather is a key attraction for this destination. Summers are cool and pleasant for people to trek and explore the place. A People visit the place during peak summers to escape the heat. Winters however can be extremely severe as the places witnesses a good snowfall during peak winters. So, if you really wish to see the snow then lancedowne can be a destination of choice. During autumn the festival of 'Shardotsav' is celebrated in a grand way in Lancedowne.
The lush green hill resort has ample options for trekking and nature walks. The thick forets of Oak and pine form an ideal backdrop for exploring the natural beauty of the town. The serene environment and breathtaking beauty makes the place to unwind and relax from the busy lifestyle of the metro cities. One can trek to Tip-in-Top or Hawagarh as they offer mesmerizing views of the surrounding Shivalik ranges. There are many temples in and around Lancedowne like the Santoshi Mata temple, Tarkeshwar Mahadev temple and the Bhairav Garhi temple. Other popular points are the Lover's lane, St. Mary's Church, Regimental Museum and Bhim Pakora - a stone that vibrates when touched. If you want to enjoy bird watching, boating and paddling then Bhulla Tal is the place to be in. The festival of Autumn - Sharadotsav is a great attraction for tourists far and wide given its grandeur.
3 Reviews
Anil Dixit
Wednesday, June 7, 2017Lansdowne is a poem in pine and oaks. It is the best place to do the best thing in the world, "nothing". The serpentine road that leads to lansdowne from kotdwara is no less a beauty, and behold, when you enter the boundary of the township, the greenery mesmerizes you. Kudos to garhwal rifles for maintaining the place green and clean. The place is specially suitable for a few class of men: Writer, Birder, Historian, Architect, Painter and the one who wants to get away from the madness of life (I suppose that includes everyone). Agreed, there is not much to see, but that is what makes this place iresistible: the lack of purpose, when you visit here. But if you are not a total sloth there is always a trek to "Bhulla lake" or "Sunrise point". And then there are these magnificient English cottages, which give an ancient and mighty feel to this place; also associated with them are spooky ghost stories. But if these do not allue you, then there is the climate silly. It is salubriuous, no extremes, except in the month of December and January. And if this is not enough to entice you, there are stars, oh so many of them, so near and so untouched by layers of pollution. But my advice, always carry light woolens and always make hotel booking in advance. Cheers
Anshul kumar
Saturday, May 27, 2017I have been to Lansdowne from New Delhi, which is around 260km away and is the best possible place for weekend outing for mental peace and time together with family and friends. There are excellent Garhwal Tourist Bunglows and private resorts, like River dale etc which are excellent hotels and resorts. Travel by road is comfortable and this is a Contonment area which is clean and without mess of a Propoer Hill station, it is peaceful and safe with excellent views picturously and nice hill side places.
Akshay Gupta
Tuesday, April 25, 2017Surrounded by beautiful oak, silver fir, spruce, bamboo and pine forests, it is a summer getaway for nature lovers and romantics. Sight seeing is natural beauty all around you and there is no shopping whatsoever. This destination is perfect if you don''t want to do anything and just Unwind yourself... Relax , discover yourself , be with your loved ones..