If I were asked to describe Landour, I would call it a pleasant surprise. It lived up to my expectations of a cosy mountain get-away, yet caught me smiling in awe at its pops of unexpected gems as I uncovered it bit by bit.
THE EXCITEMENT IN THE CALMNESS
This quaint little town, at an altitude of 7,000 ft, flanked by lush rhododendrons and deodars, made for an ideal getaway from the madness of the city over a long weekend. Landour is located about 35 km from the city of Dehradun in the northern state of Uttarakhand and about 290 km from Delhi, which is an eight-hour drive, if you love to take the road like I do.
As you leave behind the hullabaloo of Mussoorie, and take the winding roads for just 6 km uphill, you witness the stark contrast. Landour is dreamy in its slow pace and surrounding calm, yet interesting enough to keep your exploring shoes on. Named after Llanddowror, a faraway village in Southwest, it diligently served as the cantonment area during the British Raj. It is no surprise that the fairytale town reeks of the colonial times. Churches with Greek-Roman architecture style, houses with old-world charm and cobblestone streets will take you to a forgotten era.
LOCAL FLAVOURS AT DOMA’S INN
Crossing the bazaar as you move uphill, the bright red doors of Doma’s Inn adorned with Tibetan artefacts stare invitingly at you. Hearing rave reviews I had decided to stay at this bright, lovely Tibetan decor-inspired homestay. The decor is kitsch throughout the inn and its rooms, with Tibetan wall art, masks, dragons, and even old school Bollywood and Hollywood posters (Prem Chopra as well as Dustin Hoffman adorn the walls!). While here, do gorge on delicious Tibetan delicacies like Tingmo and Shakpat — which is stir fried meat in Tibetan sauce.
The inn is adjacent to the famous Ivy Cottage, the building that is also home to Ruskin Bond, who I secretly wished to bump into every day of my stay there.
CHAAR DUKAN
As you walk along the ‘Gol Chakkar’, the 3 km circuit around Landour, it will take you around the town, giving you a panoramic view of all the surroundings. A 15-minute walk along the Gol Chakkar will lead you to a seemingly normal market area with a few shops in a row. But a taste of the banana waffles, ginger lemon tea and omelettes at the shops (especially at the first one) will make you think otherwise. The name ‘Chaar Dukan’ was given to the area because of the four shops that stood in a row together. They were the only Indian-owned ones during the colonial era. The market now has six shops which serve good snacks. You can sit and relax there.
SURREAL SUNSETS AT LAL TIBBA
Another 10 minutes straight from Chaar Dukan will take you to a point, atop a small eatery which charges a minimal fee of Rs 20 to go to the terrace view point. You can see sky colours you would have rarely seen. Visit during sunset to witness the sky in stunning hues of purple, pink, vermilion and red, the perfect canvas of nature for a photographer.
HOMEMADE JAMS AND PEANUT BUTTER
Thanks to American missionaries, Landour became one of the first places in India to commercially make peanut butter, the equipment eventually making its way to Anil Prakash’s family. He now runs a shop in Sister’s Bazaar, a little ahead of Lal Tibba, and offers yummy homemade jams, marmalades, smoked cheese and their most famous peanut butter.
YOUR COSY HILL-CAFE WITH A MODERN VIBE
Near the Sister’s Bazaar is a hidden gem — the Landour Bakehouse. With interesting decor and food which will give you the warmest of vibes, this is a must for your breaks of hot chocolate, mouth-watering desserts and even savoury crepes (do try these out!)
THE WINTERLINE TO DIE FOR AT GEORGE EVEREST VIEW POINT
A phenomenon so rare, that it can only be witnessed at two places in the world (Switzerland and Mussoorie), the winterline view from Landour is breathtaking. The western horizon shows myriad hues as the sun sets — a grey-mauve strip with a bright line of yellow and orange at the top. The George Everest Point is perhaps the best spot to capture this occurrence.
(The writer is a storyteller, photographer and traveller who blogs at Moving Compass)
