Best time to visit : March to October
Lansdowne is a well-known name in the state of Uttarakhand, but lately has gained popularity for a very different but appropriate reason. With its towering peaks and gushing streams and rivers, this town in North India is fast becoming one of the sought-after tourist places. At an altitude of 1,700 m. above sea-level, Lansdowne is deemed to be the nearest hill station from the national capital Delhi. This town in Pauri Garhwal district is dotted with tall trees of oaks and pines and lakes and water bodies. Simply taking a walk under the canopy of the branches of trees and breathing in the fresh air will shed all your fatigue and rejuvenate your senses.
In certain seasons, migratory birds fly to Lansdowne and ornithologists have a grand time during this period. Boating and weekend trips add to the place’s tourism value. Its well-maintained roads and trimmed gardens give this visually-rich town a neat and tidy look. This travel guide gives you some more facts about this beautiful town.
Facts
It is important tourist information that this town played a significant role during the British era. Lord Lansdowne, who was appointed Viceroy of India in 1887, developed this place to train soldiers recruited into the Army. In native tongue, the place was called ‘Kaludanda’ after the huge dark mountains surrounding it. The soldiers from this part fought many wars for British India. This place has now been transformed as the headquarters of the present-day Garhwal Rifles. The scenic splendour of Lansdowne will urge you to visit the place again and again. There are some marvellous structures built during the Raj where you can go for sightseeing in Lansdowne. Winters are extremely cold and bring heavy snowfall.
There are families who provide home-stays in Lansdowne and serve tasty home-cooked meals. Some good hotels and resorts like Blue Pine Resort, Heritage Hotel and Colonial Villa also offer a variety of eating options. Gandhi Chowk in the main market has small restaurants where you can enjoy food as well as hot beverages. Baal mithai, a local sweet is definitely worth trying.
Lansdowne is not a place for shop-hopping. Still, you can visit Alaknanda Market and look for woollen items like caps, gloves in beautiful colours, leather bags and shoes. You can also shop for locally prepared sweets called chocolates and baal mithai.
Nearby Places:
- Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple (about 37 km.): This Shiva temple is easily accessible from Lansdowne. You need to leave your vehicle some 2-3 km. behind before reaching the temple. Devotees take a bath in the Gauri Kund (small pond) near the temple before offering worship.
- Durga Temple (about 30 km.): This revered temple of goddess Durga is actually a cave. It is surrounded by immense natural beauty.
- Kanva Ashram (about 27 km.): It is believed that Shakuntala, the forlorn wife of king Dushyanta, gave birth to their child here. The ashram offers extreme tranquillity and peace of mind.