Weekend Trip from Delhi to the Mountains

Which Mountain Destinations Are Worth Considering from Delhi?

Why choose Mussoorie?

Distance: about 280 km to EBC Mussoorie. Drive time: 5.5 to 6.5 hours via Dehradun. Mussoorie sits at around 2,005 metres. It is one of the easiest true Himalayan hill stations to reach from Delhi, and it works for couples, families and corporate groups alike.

The choice of places to stay has grown a great deal in recent years. It now runs from heritage hotels to luxury glamping resorts set in the forest above the valley.

Is Lansdowne quieter?

Distance: about 250 km. Drive time: 5 to 6 hours. Lansdowne is quieter than Mussoorie and far less commercial. It is a Garhwal Rifles cantonment town, with oak forests, a small lake and very little traffic. It suits travellers who want real quiet more than a busy hill town.

What is Chakrata like?

Distance: about 320 km from Delhi. Drive time: 6 to 7 hours. Chakrata is a cantonment town in a restricted area, with dense forests and the well-known Tiger Falls nearby. Places to stay are few, but it is growing popular with photographers and trekkers.

Why go to Kanatal?

Distance: about 310 km. Drive time: 6 to 7 hours. Kanatal is a small village between Chamba and Dhanaulti. It has very few crowds, apple orchards and clear night skies. It is good for glamping stays and for couples who want seclusion more than convenience.

How Should You Plan a 2-Night Mountain Weekend from Delhi?

A plan that works for most travellers from Delhi:

• Friday night: Leave Delhi by 5 PM or earlier and drive to your stay. Check in, have dinner and sleep. If you will arrive late, tell the property in advance.
• Saturday: A full day for whatever you enjoy. Go trekking, see the sights, walk the local market, or simply stay put if the resort offers enough on its own. At EBC Mussoorie, you need not leave the estate to fill a day. The guided forest walk runs daily from 7 to 9 AM, and the bonfire is lit every evening.
• Sunday: Take a morning walk, then check out. Confirm the check-out time with the team when you book. Drive back and reach Delhi by evening.

This plan works because it does not try to do too much. Mountain weekends are best when they are not packed like a city itinerary.

What Kind of Accommodation Should You Book?

That depends entirely on what you want from the trip.

• Standard hotels: Good if you want a familiar setup and plan to use the hotel mainly as a base for sightseeing.
• Boutique properties: Better if you want character, personal service and fewer guests around you.
• Glamping resorts: The strongest choice for nature lovers, couples and groups who want a stay that feels nothing like a city hotel. EBC Mussoorie's glamping tents and cottages sit in deodar forest on Hathipaon Road, outside the town, and that changes the whole feel of the stay.
• Homestays: Simple, locally run, and often the best way to get to know a small hill town.

What Practical Things Affect Your Weekend Most?

A few things most travel guides skip:

• Book by Wednesday at the latest for weekend travel. The best places in Mussoorie fill up from Thursday onwards in summer and in October and November.
• On a Friday, leave Delhi early in the afternoon if you can, to stay ahead of the evening traffic around Ghaziabad and Meerut.
• Carry your own snacks for the drive. Food on the Haridwar stretch of the highway is hit and miss.
• In the monsoon, from July to September, check road and weather advisories before any hill drive, above all to Chakrata or Kanatal. Landslides can close roads with no warning. Keep your plans flexible, and make it a slow stay rather than a trekking trip.
• Pack one more warm layer than you think you need. Even in May, Mussoorie evenings drop to around 12 to 15 degrees Celsius.

What Makes Mussoorie the Default Choice for Most Delhi Travellers?

Of all the hill stations within weekend reach of Delhi, Mussoorie is chosen most often. It has the widest range of things to do, the best links by road, rail and air, and places to stay for every style of trip.

The main draws include:

• Gun Hill, reached by ropeway, with views across the Doon Valley
• Lal Tibba, the highest point in Mussoorie, where binoculars look out to Bandarpunch and Kedarnath on clear days
• Kempty Falls, 15 km from Mussoorie town, which gets crowded but is truly impressive in full flow; go on a weekday if you can
• Camel's Back Road, a 3 km walking track along the ridge that is lovely at sunrise
• The Library and Landour area, for quieter walks and old bookshops

If you want to go beyond the town and stay somewhere that feels less like a tourist zone, EBC Mussoorie sits away from the crowds but stays easy to reach. It is 35 km from Dehradun, and it sits beside Sir George Everest's old house in Park Estate.

For routes, rooms and activities at one outdoor stay near Mussoorie, read Tripoto's guide to EBC Mussoorie.