| A number of treks into the hillside are
launched from Lansdowne, which is a popular base camp. The nature treks range from simple
hiking trails of a few hours or one day's duration, to tougher climbs lasting a couple of
days. Garhwal Tourism will organize these treks for you. Like other hill resorts in north
India, Lansdowne too has its fair share of temples and shrines, most of them devoted to
the various forms of the Mother Goddess. While you are here, make a wish at Jwalpa
Devi, 47 km from Lansdowne on the Pauri-Kotdwar Road, or visit the Durga
Devi temple (24 km from Lansdowne) and the Tarkeshwar Mahadev
(30 km) with its special Shivlinga. This temple is one of the oldest Sidhpeeths in India. Another well-known landmark is the Karnva Ashram,
14 km away, where Shakuntala is said to have given birth to Raja Bharat, the forefather of
the nation. The story of Shakuntala and Dushyant has been immortalized by the poet
Kalidasa in his epic, Shakuntalam.
So come and enjoy the Lansdowne magic and make this
charming hill station one of your favourite retreats.
Getting to Lansdowne
Lansdowne lies on the Kotdwar-Pauri road in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttaranchal. The
hill station is 295 km from Delhi - you can drive up via Dehradun (150 km) in about 8-10
hours. The nearest airport is at Jolly Grant - 25 km from Dehradun and 125 km from
Lansdowne. The closest railway station for Lansdowne is 45 km away at Kotdwar, a drive of
2 hours. Buses and tourist taxis are available from Delhi, Dehradun and Kotdwar.
Best time to visit Lansdowne
The best time to visit Lansdowne is from March to October. Lansdowne's summers are warm
while its winters are very cold.
Accommodation in Lansdowne
There are a few private hotels and lodges in addition to Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam's
tourist bungalow in Lansdowne. Besides this, there is a PWD inspection bungalow, Army
Welfare Board Rest House and Uttaranchal Forest Department base camp where you can stay
with prior arrangement. For further information contact GMVNL at Tel 011-23350481 or the
Pauri Regional Tourist Office at Tel 222241. |
