You know how my favourite trips are always the ones with my favourite people, the destination usually plays a secondary role. Additionally, I love hill stations. Indian hill stations more so. I was pretty much sure that this trip to Mussoorie is definitely going to be one of my favourites, but let me tell you I loved it more than I could ever have thought, I left a piece of my heart there in Mussoorie. Forever.

I had always wanted to visit Mussoorie, having read countless blog posts and, of course, the Ruskin Bond connection, which you get to read about every now and then is there too. Mussoorie is romanticised crazily in all or most of Ruskin Bond literature. Recently, there is so much else that I have read about it, be it the colonial era bakeries where time stands still, the old but gold Prakash departmental store for preservatives, cheeses & what nots, the beautiful view of Dehradun lit at night from up above, the hills, the bookshops & this list will never stop.

With my best friends in tow, this was one of the most memorable trips I ever made. Yes, I am saying this for the same people with whom, for the first time, I explored the streets of Berlin, the too good to be true Paris or the tiny gullies of Venice but this trip to Mussoorie still remains one of the most close to my heart.

When else do you get so lucky that you wake up in the morning with hot chai, awesome snacks in the mountains for company & long, lingering chats in the hills with your best friends at night?

Sharing some of the bits when I managed to sneak away from being in the moment. The pictures do not do justice to the vintage beauty that Mussoorie is, but I’ll definitely be going back for more & you will see many odes to Mussoorie here. 🙂

Please also scroll to the end of this post regarding a list of things to do in Mussoorie on your first trip.

A List of Things to Do in Mussoorie:

1. Walks from Picture Palace to the Mall Road (till Mussoorie Library) are the best things. For me, the best part is stopping every 10 minutes for food, be it popcorn, kadahi doodh (milk), maggi (instant noodles), corn on the cob, cotton candy, omelettes, kachori (Indian fried bread), jalebi, cotton candy, you name it! If you are someone who enjoys more quiet, peaceful walks, you can proceed further  ahead from the Mussoorie Library.
2. Cambridge Bookstore: Well, there is no dearth of bookstores in this cute hill station, but this one is extra famous because Ruskin Bond himself visits this on Saturdays.
3. Mummy da Kitchen: A personal recommendation that is right next to Cambridge Bookstore. It’s a stand-and-eat stall but the food is absolutely mind blowing. Do give it a try & comment here if you do. 🙂
4. Kempty Falls: This waterfall has become extremely overcrowded & filthy now a days but can be done as a tourist-y thing on your first trip.
5. Kadai Milk: Heated, creamy milk with lots of nutty goodness, it’s a must have in the hills!
6. Landour: It’s a cantonment area near Mussoorie. We trekked upto Landour for copious amounts of gorgeous views but you can very well take a cab. There are many things that one can do in Landour:
   1. Char Dukaan: When you reach the St. Paul’s Church in Landour, there is an area right outside it called ‘Char Dukaan’ which is Hindi for four shops. It is actually 6 shops famous for their food, all of them sell more or less the same stuff and, honestly, the food is pretty average but its anyway a fun idea to trek upto there which makes the regular food taste extra delish.
   2. Sisters Bazaar: Named so after the nurses who worked in the military sanatorium here, this place is now essentially a small lane with tiny shops but with some of the best things. There is Landour Bakehouse, a gorgeous bakery with the best quirky lines & some delicious stuff on the menu. Then there is the ages old Prakash departmental shop who make peanut butter, cheeses, pasta sauces, jams, preservatives etc after the American missionaries who settled here in the 1830s left.
   3. Lal Tibba: This is just a point in Landour which is known for its views but the views are endless everywhere in Landour.
   4. Lama Cafe: On your way to Char Dukaan, you will spot this Tibetan cafe that stands out due to its colorful architecture.  I haven’t been here but heard that it’s good.
   5. Rokeby Manor: One of the most famous home stays in Landour, I haven’t stayed here as yet, but I think it deserved a mention.
   6. Boarding Schools: Sneaking around them for a quick look is fun.

Definitely going back for more! ❤