Lansdowne Travel

One of the less explored hill towns, Lansdowne is perched amidst the Garhwal Hills of Uttarakhand. This untouched and pristine town is away from the hustle bustle of the city, and is more famously known for being home to the Garhwal Rifle regiment of the Indian Army. Nor is this hill station commercialized neither it’s heavily urbanized; that’s what makes this place a perfect getaway for those seeking a break amidst peace and solitude.

Attractions
All the popular buildings in this region are fading reminders of the colonial era. Deriving its name from the then Viceroy of India, Lansdowne is surrounded on all sides by snow capped mountains and lush green forests.

One of the popular attractions here is the Garhwal Rifles Regimental War Memorial. Situated at the Parade Ground, the War Memorial is a major attraction that acts as a magnet for the tourists all over India and the world. One can enjoy amazing views of the Western Himalayas from various vantage points here like Snow View and Tip in Top.

The Garhwali Mess, built in January 1888, is another popular attraction of Lansdowne. It is one of the oldest buildings in Lansdowne and reveals a lot about the heritage of the region.

Another popular attraction here is the Regimental Museum, which was a motivational hall and was inaugurated in the year 1983 to display the rare collections of Garhwal Rifles over the period of 119 years.

Kaleshwar Temple is the oldest temple building of Lansdowne, around 500 years old. The temple draws devotees from around the country and is deeply worshipped by locals and villagers who flock it during “Shivratri”.

St Mary’s Church is also a major attraction of Lansdowne. The construction of the church began in 1895 and was completed in the year 1896. After falling into disuse after 1947, the church gradually began to deteriorate. The building has now been restored by Garhwal Rifles Regimental centre with additional facilities.

Another popular attraction here is the Bhulla Tal. Boating facilities are available here and the areas around the lakes fromed by the dams have been beautified. A children park, bamboo machan (tree house) and fountains have been built as part of beautification of pristine surroundings.

Best time to visit Lansdowne
Lansdowne can be visited throughout the year. The climatic condition of Lansdowne can be described as cold winters and pleasant summers. Summers during March to June are pretty enjoyable in Lansdowne with pleasant climate. Winters during December to February are extremely cold with minimum temperature falls subzero level.

How to reach Lansdowne
By Air – Jolly Grant airport Dehradun is the nearest airport from Lansdowne. Lansdowne can also be easily reached by air from all major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur.
By Train – The nearest railway station to Lansdowne is the Kotdwara Railway Station, which is well connected to majr cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Jaipur.
By Road – Tourists can drive from Delhi to Lansdowne. Buses too are available from Delhi to Kotdwara and Dugadda. Also, there is availability of bus services from major cities like Mumbai, Jaipur and Kolkata.