Things To Do in Mussoorie

Situated at the distance of 38 kms from Dehradun, lies the picturesque hill station, Mussoorie is the most preferred tourist destination present of Uttarakhand. Located at the foothills of the gigantic Himalayas, Mussoorie is the beautiful hill station which offers captivating scenic overview of the majestic Shivalik ranges and the verdant Doon Valley. With an intriguing past that dates back to 1820 when a British officer discovered this admiring hill station, this place has always been an interesting destination for vacation, be it for the people of the bygone era when it was treated as a summer retreat by the British officers or the present day when the vacationers visit the place every year and people have honored the city with the title of “Queen of Hills.”


To find out the things to do in Mussoorie is not a difficult task especially as it has numerous entertaining options and activities which make a visit truly memorable. Read on to know more about the activities which turn the town into a more appealing place for the tourists.

Sightseeing in Mussoorie

Mussoorie is one of the most preferred tourist destinations simply because of the scenic excellence, the brilliant ambience, the varied number of sightseeing spots which includes nature’s beauty, several landmarks, plenty of waterfalls and lakes and not to miss some popular religious places. Some of the highest points in the town include Lal Tibba and Gun Hill which can be visited by local transport or trekking and which provides excellent view of the massive Himalayas, the gigantic Shivalik range and the greenery over the Doon Valley.

Prominent places in Mussoorie are Happy Valley and the Mall Road area which provide a clear glimpse of the cultural side and the essence of Mussoorie. For the adventure lovers, there is Benog Wildlife Sanctuary which has varied collection of migratory birds and wildlife animals making it a truly adventurous spot to visit.

Besides, Mussoorie houses some of the popular religious shrines which attract visitors from far away destinations. Be it the Hindu shrines, Jwala Devi Temple or Nag Devta Temple, or Tibetan shrines Shedup Choepelling Temple - it is incidentally the first Tibetan temple in this region - or the christian churches like the Christ Church or The Methodist Church and others are centres of worship providing peace of mind in the backdrop of heavenly beauty around.

Fun Sport Activity in Mussoorie

Mussoorie is a place with many entertaining activities that are bound to entertain tourists in every way possible. The tourists can visit the multiple picnic spots and engage themselves in various sports activity which, undoubtedly, provides thrilling experience and sensational adventurous feeling. The Development Authority of Mussoorie have taken special care in developing these tourist spots and installed proper precautionary measures so that the visitors can fearlessly engage themselves in various adventurous sports like paragliding, trout fishing, etc.

Water Sports: Mussoorie is a beautiful location which has some of the finest waterfalls and lakes providing the most amazing environment for the travelers. Some of the prominent picnic spots having options of swimming and boating are Kempty Falls or the Jharipani Falls and Bhatta Falls which are a must visit for all.

Paragliding: But if boating or simple water sports don’t seem interesting then one can always try paragliding which can be done from Mussoorie Lake if the weather permits. Seeing the earth from high above the sky and enjoying the air pressure can be really adventurous.

Cable Car Ride: There is always option of cable car ride from Mall Road to Gun Hill with the stunning scenery at the background.

Rock Climbing: For all those adventurous hearts visiting Mussoorie is quite entertaining since there are fun-filled activity options with the Himalayan Adventure Institute which provides courses on several thrilling sports like river crossing, rapelling and rock climbing.

Roller Skating: Roller skating is an extremely fun yet skilled sport and in Mussoorie there are plenty of options to explore it. Jaypee Residency Manor provides an open-air skating rink along with Disco Skating Rink on Mall Road and the Rink at Kulri Bazaar which provide the travelers the joy of engaging themselves in this fun sport.

Trekking: Trekking can be an interesting activity in Mussoorie since the Garhwal Himalayas provide plenty of trekking trails in the nearby places but the most preferred location is Barlowgunj at a distance of two and half kilometers.

Photography in Mussoorie

One of the most preferred activities of any traveler in Mussoorie would be capturing the nature's moods with its versatile attitudes in the small frames of the camera so that the moments can be relived again and again. The snow-capped mountains, brushing of sun rays over the hill tops, the lush greenery of the Doon Valley along with clear blue sky creates a panoramic beauty which induces an unforgettable impression in mind which can only be captured through the camera lens, if possible. The best part of Mussoorie is that there are no charges or bindings regarding photography in the town.

Nature Walk in Mussoorie

Mussoorie is a place which provides huge relaxation of mind and soul simply for its excellent ambience and heavenly environment. Be it the places like Camel’s Back Road or Cloud End, Municipal garden or the Landour area in greater Mussoorie, there are long trails which provides ideal environment for leisure walks and enjoy the fresh air of the town. Most of the locals and tourist are found opting this evening or morning walks not only for healthy living but also to spend some quality time with own self or friends and family.

Shopping in Mussoorie

Shopping can be a really an entertaining activity in any city if their remains the availability of proper shopping zones and quality products. Mussoorie, however, remains free from this threat as there are plenty of good shopping areas in the small town with availability of some of the best and authentic products. One of the oldest market in the area is the Tibetan Market which has the collection of several stalls which includes clothing stores, home décor stores, gift shops,souvenirs and electronic goods shop.

The best among them are the Tibetan goods like the Tibetan prayer wheel which is quite popular among the travelers. The shopping hub, however, is tagged with the Mall Road area where one can find each and everything to buy. The specialties, however, of this market are the handicrafts, antique collections, brass statues, wooden crafted boxes, exclusive dress materials and Jamawar shawls. At Mall Road specialized shop in handicraft is Classic Emporium whereas for the best woolens one can visit Himalayan Weavers. For best antiques one can visit “Ancient Place” in Landour.

Apart from this other popular markets includes Kulri Bazaar for exclusive fashionable apparels, Gandhi Chowk market and Library Bazaar with exclusive items in each place. However, it may be noted that Mussoorie does not have any big shopping malls in the town but it has many small markets which are a real pleasure to visit.

Snacking in Mussoorie

The town has some of the best food joints be it the snacks corner or the restaurant meals, the coffee shops or the versatile sweet shops. Speaking of sweets one should not miss the chocolate barfi or best namkeens of Omi Sweet Shop which is a 100-year-old sweet shop in Landour.

For Tibetan foods one can visit the Kalsang Friends Corner, the most famous Tibetan restaurant in Mussoorie serving absolute authentic dishes. For international cuisines or authentic Indian dishes one can visit the oldest food joint Amitash, the Rice Bowl or Tavern Restaurant or the Emily’s. For the best of vegetarian foods one can visit Green Restaurant or Agarwal Restaurant serving authentic Indian vegetarian dishes. Apart from this Domino’s, Nirula’s and Café Coffee Day are popular snack joints.

Nightlife in Mussoorie

Though it is a small hill station but this factor never affects the brilliant nightlife of the Mussoorie. To relax and enjoy after a day full of sightseeing or adrenaline rushed activity, it is always a pleasure to enjoy in popular places like Dickens Bar, The Victorian Bar or the colonial feel exhibiting Woody Barrel bar. For live music one can always opt for Tapas Bar where live performances are conducted in the evenings. However, to enjoy the best of views and relax lazily another good option is the Sapphire Lounge and Bar.

In a nutshell, Mussoorie is an extremely enjoyable place with loads of entertainment opportunities for a perfect holiday. The best part of Mussoorie is that it is a perfect mixture of hustle, bustle of city life and the peacefulness of a hill station. So go ahead and pack your bags for a perfect holiday tour in the lap of “Queen of Hills”.