Landour

Landour is a small cantonment town in the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand, India. It is located at just 3 km uphill from Mussoorie on Massooie-Chamba Road (SH-25). Landour village is famous due to its height which his around 6,800 to 7,798 feet above sea level, which is slightly higher than Mussoorie. Landour has changed very little since the British left, while Mussoorie is crowded with tourists, markets, and traffic. New commercial construction is not permitted, so the town resembles how it did a hundred years ago. If you are looking for calm and quite place for your next vacation, Landour is for you.

Landour is also famous for being the home of Ruskin Bond, one of India’s most loved English-language authors. He has lived here for decades and written some of his best-known stories in this town. Many visitors come to Landour hoping to spot him at the Ivy Cottage or at the Char Dukan bookshop on Saturdays. The highest point in the area, Lal Tibba at 2,275 metres, is also in Landour and gives you one of the best views of the Himalayan ranges you can find from any road-accessible point in Uttarakhand.

Landour, Mussoorie – Quick Information

Information	Details
Location	Landour Cantonment, Mussoorie, Dehradun District, Uttarakhand 248179
Famous For	Colonial hill cantonment, home of Ruskin Bond, Lal Tibba viewpoint
Entry Fee	Free to explore; Lal Tibba scenic point Rs. 50 per person
Timings	Open all day; Lal Tibba scenic point 7:30 am to 8:00 pm
Best Time to Visit	March to June, September to November
Altitude	2,100 m to 2,275 m (Lal Tibba)
Also Known As	Ladour (local phonetic name), the Crown of Mussoorie

History of Landour:

The British found Landour in 1827, when they needed somewhere to send their soldiers to recover. The altitude helped, the air was clean, the forest was thick and forgiving. They built a sanatorium, a hospital, a church or two, and named the place after a village in Wales. When India became free, the cantonment rules stayed. No new buildings, no fresh concrete. And so Landour simply never changed — which is perhaps the finest thing anyone ever did for it.

Why Landour is Famous?

In a country where every hill station has slowly become a traffic jam, Landour remains stubbornly, beautifully quiet. There is Char Dukan for breakfast, Lal Tibba for the Himalayas on a clear morning, old stone churches that have stood since the 1800s, and roads where you can actually hear the birds. Ruskin Bond has written here for decades, which tells you something. Some places earn their reputation simply by refusing to become something else.

Do You Need to Register to Visit Landour?

Yes. From 1 April 2026, the Landour Cantonment Board has made vehicle registration mandatory for all tourists. Only 500 tourist vehicles are permitted entry per day. No vehicle will be allowed inside without prior online registration. Walkers coming up from Mussoorie Mall Road do not need any registration.

Detail	Info
Walking visitors	No registration required
Private vehicle visitors	Registration mandatory
Daily vehicle limit	500 vehicles
Registration fee	Free
Registration portal	registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in
On-spot registration	Available at checkpoints
Helpline	0135-2632687

Note: This policy is applicable primarily during peak season and long weekends. Rules may be updated - verify at registrationandtouristcare.uk.gov.in before your visit.

Things to Do at Landour:

1. Walk Up from Mussoorie to Char Dukan
2. Breakfast at Char Dukan
3. Visit Lal Tibba for Himalayan Views
4. See Kellogg Memorial Church
5. Walk Around Sister’s Bazaar
6. Walk the Landour Loop Road
7. Spot Ruskin Bond on Saturdays
8. Photography Along the Forest Roads

Landour Timings:

Attraction	Attraction
Lal Tibba Scenic Viewpoint	7:30 am to 8:00 pm (all days)
Char Dukan (shops & cafés)	8:00 am to 8:00 pm (approximately)
Landour Bakehouse	8:00 am to 9:00 pm
Sister’s Bazaar shops	9:00 am to 7:00 pm (approximately)
Kellogg Memorial Church	Open to visitors during daylight hours

Landour Entry Fee:

Place / Attraction	Entry Fee
Landour Town (general exploration)	Free
Lal Tibba Scenic Viewpoint	Rs. 50 per person (redeemable at cafe)
Char Dukan, Sister’s Bazaar, churches	Free
Walking trails and roads	Free

Note: Entry fees and cafe charges may be revised. Verify locally before visiting.

Places to Visit Near Landour:

Place	Distance	Highlights
Mussoorie Mall Road	7 km	Shopping, ropeway to Gun Hill, restaurants, views
Gun Hill	5 km	Second-highest peak in Mussoorie with ropeway ride
Camel’s Back Road	5 km	Scenic cycling and walking road shaped like a camel’s back
Kempty Falls	20 km	Popular waterfall on Yamunotri Road, good for picnics
Cloud’s End	12 km	Quiet forest end of Mussoorie with colonial heritage hotel
Dhanaulti	65 km	Peaceful hill town with Eco Park and Surkanda Devi Temple nearby
Surkanda Devi Temple	32 km	High-altitude temple at 2,757 m with 360-degree Himalayan views
Nag Tibba Base	75 km	Starting point of the popular Nag Tibba trek
Dehradun	41 km	State capital with Forest Research Institute, Robber’s Cave

Travel Tips for Visiting Landour:

• Wear walking shoes or sports shoes - roads are hilly with uneven stone surfaces.
• Carry a light jacket even in summer; mornings and evenings get cold. From October onwards bring a warm jacket.
• Visit on a weekday if possible - weekends get crowded, especially near Char Dukan.
• Reach Char Dukan before 8:30 am for breakfast and the best outdoor seating.
• Parking near Char Dukan is very limited - better to park at Library Chowk and walk up.
• No ATMs in Landour - carry enough cash. Some shops accept UPI.
• Visit Landour Bakehouse between 8:00 to 10:00 am before items sell out.
• Mobile network is weak in parts — download offline maps before heading up.

More Uttarakhand Places to Explore:

• Kempty Falls, Mussoorie – Most popular waterfall near Mussoorie on the Yamunotri road
• Surkanda Devi Temple – High-altitude temple near Dhanaulti with panoramic Himalayan views
• Nag Tibba Trek – One of the best weekend treks from Mussoorie, great for beginners
• Rishikesh – Famous for yoga, river rafting, and the Ganga ghats; 70 km from Mussoorie
• Haridwar – One of India’s most sacred cities, famous for the Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri
• Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar – The most sacred ghat in Haridwar where millions take holy dip every year
• Forest Research Institute, Dehradun – Iconic colonial-era institution with beautiful grounds and a museum