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A large bronze bell hanging under a small green roof at the top of steps among tall deodar trees at Tarkeshwar Mahadev
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Photo: Mr. Guide07 · CC BY-SA 4.0
1 night · 2 daysweekend travellers from Delhihill weekendrelaxed

A weekend in Lansdowne from Delhi — the town, then Tarkeshwar Mahadev in the forest

A two-day Lansdowne weekend from Delhi: the drive up, Bhulla Tal, St Mary's Church and Tip-n-Top, then the forest temple of Tarkeshwar Mahadev before home.
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The closest hill weekend from Delhi that still feels empty. Drive up to Lansdowne on the first morning and spend the afternoon at Bhulla Tal, St Mary's Church and the Tip-n-Top view. On the second day go deep into the forest to the temple of Tarkeshwar Mahadev, then head home.

Photos: Mr. Guide07 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Mishra.vishesh620 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Ashish Gupta from Noida, India (CC BY 2.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Couples, families and friends from Delhi and the plains who want two quiet days in the hills without a long drive.

Day by day

Day 1

Arrive and walk the town

3 stops · 11 min on the road

Drive up from Delhi early; by afternoon you are by the lake and on the ridge.

  1. 13:30
    Bhulla Tal
    lake · 3 min from Lansdowne · about 1 h there
    The small lake below the town; a gentle first walk after the drive.
  2. ↓ 10 min by road · 4 km
    15:00
    St Mary's Church, Lansdowne
    temple · 8 min from Lansdowne · about 30 min there
    The old stone church on the ridge, about 8 minutes from the centre.
  3. ↓ a short walk
    16:00
    Tip-n-Top
    viewpoint · 9 min from Lansdowne · about 45 min there
    The ridge viewpoint beside the church, for the evening light over the Shivaliks.
Day 2

Tarkeshwar Mahadev, then home

1 stop

Leave early for the forest temple, about two hours each way, and start back towards Delhi after lunch.

  1. 09:00
    Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple
    temple · 2 h 3 min from Lansdowne · about 1 h there
    Shiva's temple at about 1,800 m in deodar and pine forest, about 123 minutes from Lansdowne on our routing (Wikipedia gives 36 km); a railed path leads in through the trees.

Getting there

Delhi to Lansdowne is about 258 km on our routing, free-flow about 4.5 hours, by way of Meerut and Kotdwar; the train goes as far as Kotdwar, about 41 km below. See how to reach Lansdowne and the best time to go.

Where to stay

Stay in Lansdowne. We have no verified lodging, prices or booking rules; the temple committee at Tarkeshwar keeps a dharamshala, by Wikipedia's account.

Know before you go

  • Leave Delhi before dawn to beat the traffic on the plains.
  • The forest road to Tarkeshwar is slow; start early on day two and keep daylight for the drive home.
  • Carry a warm layer and rain gear; the forest is cool and the weather turns quickly.

Places on this route

Bhulla Tal, Lansdowne — the small lake the Garhwal Rifles' young soldiers built
Bhulla Tal, Lansdowne — the small lake the Garhwal Rifles' young soldiers built
lake · 3 min from Lansdowne
St Mary's Church, Lansdowne — the old stone church on the ridge by Tip-n-Top
St Mary's Church, Lansdowne — the old stone church on the ridge by Tip-n-Top
temple · 8 min from Lansdowne
Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple near Lansdowne — Shiva's shrine in the deodar forest
Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple near Lansdowne — Shiva's shrine in the deodar forest
temple · 2 h 3 min from Lansdowne

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

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Other ways to do it

All Lansdowne itineraries →
One day in Lansdowne — Bhulla Tal, St Mary's Church, Tip-n-Top and the temple on top
One day in Lansdowne — Bhulla Tal, St Mary's Church, Tip-n-Top and the temple on top
Day plan · couples and families · slow hill-town day
A slow one-day plan for Lansdowne: Bhulla Tal in the morning, St Mary's Church and the Tip-n-Top view on the ridge, and the Santoshi Mata temple at the top.
Best Mar–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
The green Ganges flowing between forested hills at Rishikesh, with buildings on the left bank
Rishikesh
48 km away · 3 itineraries · 4 places
The ghats of Har Ki Pauri on the Ganga, with the clock tower, small red-roofed shrines and bathers on the steps
Haridwar
51 km away · 3 itineraries · 5 places
The green waters of the Tehri reservoir winding between forested hills, with the dam's grey wall on the right
Tehri
64 km away · 2 itineraries · 3 places
A wide grassy river valley in Jim Corbett National Park under a pale sky, with forested ridges and blue hills beyond
Ramnagar
65 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
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Questions people ask

Is Lansdowne good for a weekend from Delhi?

Yes. It is about 258 km from Delhi on our routing, free-flow about 4.5 hours, and Wikivoyage calls it the nearest hill station to Delhi in any direction. Because the army runs the town, it has stayed quiet and green, so two days are enough for the town, the forest and a temple.

How long does it take to reach Tarkeshwar Mahadev from Lansdowne?

About 123 minutes each way on our routing over OpenStreetMap, which measures about 56 km; Wikipedia gives 36 km. The road runs through forest and is slow, so leave right after breakfast. The last part is a walk along a railed path through deodar and pine to the temple.

What is the best time for a Lansdowne weekend?

Spring and autumn, by Wikivoyage's description of cool summers, a wet and foggy rainy season and cold winters with snow. October and November are clear, and March to May is mild. Avoid the crowded weeks of May and June if you want the town quiet, and check the roads in the rains.