Mussoorie Hills

Located at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level, Mussourie, is sprawled over a horse - shoe shaped ridge. Easily accessible from Delhi, Mussourie is one of the prime hill resorts of the country. It offers some breathtaking views of the snowclad Himalayan peaks of western Garhwal, as well as of the Dehradun valley below. It was in the 1820s, that the area was 'discovered' by Captain Young. It grew in popularity amongst the British officials, who craved for some respite from the heat and grime of the plains. By the mid - 19th century, Mussourie became a flourishing resort, with its famous Mall, a long promenade, that was the hub of the town's activity. What to See The Mall, the nerve - centre of Mussourie, faces Dehradun, and distant snowclad peaks can be spotted from the summit of Gun Hill, 2142 m above sea level. A 400 m Ropeway' cable - car ride links Gun Hill with the Mall. Another tourist attraction is the Childers Lodge, the highest vantage point in the vicinity, 5 km east of the Mall. Lal Tibba, is the highest point in Mussourie at 2,438 m, five km from the centre of the town. 15 kms from Mussourie, along the Chakrata road are the famous Kempty Falls, which are a popular tourist site. The stretch of land from the Falls to the Yamuna gorge, which houses gorals (mountain goats), a few leopards, and a teeming avianfauna population, is being called a sanctuary. The Mossey Falls, (6 kms), and the Bhatta Falls (12 kms) are the other places worth seeing around Mussourie. 24 kms away from the resort, on the Tehri road, is Dhanoulti, a picturesque spot, beyond which is the Sukhanda Devi temple, perched at an altitude of 3021 m, the highest point in the outlying area. 45 km away from Mussourie, the shrine is reached, after a dramatic 3 km climb to the summit, which offers a fantastic panoramic view of neverending stretches of pristine snow.