Located at the heart of the ‘Queen of Hills’ is Mall Road in Mussoorie. Surrounded by the Doon Valley and Shivalik Ranges, the mall road in Mussoorie is one the liveliest places to saunter in. Mall road is around 2 km long embraced with local shops, eateries, churches, and Colonial-styled houses which thousands of tourists visit to experience the sublime atmosphere of the mall road.
Things to Do at The Mall Road in Mussoorie
The street is lined with stores and restaurants, making it the ideal location to spend the day browsing or dining. The mall is often known as the ‘Gateway of Mussoorie’ and has the best crowd in Mussoorie mainly comprising newlyweds, couples, and collegians. Mall road is the central hub of Mussoorie and there are a lot of things to do here.
1. Gun Hill Point
Gun Hill Point is also known as Gun View Point. It is located 400 feet above the Mall and is the second-tallest peak in Mussoorie after Lal Tibba.
It is said that a gun (canon) was placed here during the British Raj at the time of the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. Every noon the canon would be fired to let the locals adjust their watches. Another tale suggests that the habitants of the area were fed up with Britishers post-independence and would fire at them using the canon.
You are literally at the top of the hill and you can get a 360-degree view by peeking at the glittering beauty of Doon Valley and Himalayan ranges namely Srikantha, Bunderpunch, Pithwara, and Gangotri group through a telescope located at the hill (pun intended !). It is a famous point for couples and it is most crowded during sunset time.
How to Get to Gun Hill Point
By Cable Car :
You can get to Gun Hill Point via a cable car at Jhoola Ghar. It cost INR 75 / 0.9 USD per head for roundtrip and the ride takes about 5 minutes to reach the point. On the way up you can find some of the most scenic views of the city and the surrounding ranges and it accounts for a unique experience in itself.
Timings: 10 am – 6 pm
By Foot :
You can also take a walk to reach Gun Hill. It takes around 20 min to get there and the way is a combination of paved and unpaved paths.
Tip: Wear sturdy and good-quality shoes when going via foot
2. Visiting Methodist Church
Methodist Church was founded in 1885 by Rev Dennis Osborne with the intention of helping Mussoorie’s native Christians. The church’s spire included clocks on each of its four sides. After the devastating earthquake in 1905, they had to be taken down. Three of these clocks were restored in 2010–2011 to coincide with the 125th-anniversary festivities.
This magnificent building is made of grey and white stone, and the angular roofs and elaborate arched doors give it an intriguing appearance. It is open only on Sundays from 11 am to 1 pm, so plan your trip accordingly if you wanna visit the church.
Tip: You can also visit the Christ Church and the Union Church at mall road in Mussoorie.
3. Making Memories
Mall Road in Mussoorie is a long one and you never know what you might encounter. The place is always bustling with crowds no matter what time you visit and the sun setting behind the Himalayas ranges from the mall offers some of the most alluring picturesque views of the city, the ranges, and the Doon Valley.
So grab those moments and make some memories with your friends and family with of course a plate of maggie in one hand and momos in the other.
Shopping on Mall Road Mussoorie
As always no trip is complete without taking some ‘souvenirs’ back home. Mall road in Mussoorie is the hub for shopaholics and foodaholics. Here you can find the best deals on clothes, home accessories, trinkets, and gifts, etc.
The mall stretches for about 2 km from Kulri Bazaar, Picture Palace on the east side to the Gandhi Statue, Library on the west side, and within this short distance, you can find hundreds of local shops and brand-oriented shops.
They have all kinds of goods like apparel, handcrafted products, toys, fashion and makeup products, home decorating stuff, and many more. Just don’t forget to use some of your bargaining skills and you can get these goods at a heavy discount
Tip: You can also shop at Kulri Bazaar which is renowned for its apparel, handicrafts, and artifacts.
Cafes and Restaurants on Mall Road Mussoorie
As mentioned above The Mall is the hub for shopaholics as well as foodaholics and you need to eat to travel. Each and every cafe and restaurant on Mall road has its own unique menu and offers some of the most versatile food options which are delicious and cheap. Some of my personal favorites are:
- The Rice Bowl
- Green Restaurant
- Udipi restaurant
- Café by the Way
- Café Ivy.
- Chic Chocolate
- Urban Turban Bistro
- and My Shop
You can also go for some maggie, spring rolls, burritos, and momos for a mid-day snack offered by the small street vendors sprinkled throughout The Mall Road in Mussoorie.
Tip: Check out the Lovely Omelette Centre. It’s a very famous shop with minimum sitting but makes the best omelette in all of Mall road and offers 4-6 kinds of omelettes.
All the shops, restaurants, and cafes are open all 7 days of the week from 10:30 am to 11 pm. Although some shops pull their shutter down from 8:30 pm onwards
Accommodation on The Mall Road in Mussoorie
The accommodation on the Mall road is not that costly. You can find both cheap and luxury hotels/hostels with amazing views of the ranges, and the city. Some of them are:
- The Hosteller
- Hotel Siver Rock
- Hotel Mall Palace
- Hotel Vishnu Palace
- Shiva Continental etc.
How to Reach the Mall Road in Mussoorie
Getting to Mall Road
By Car :
You can easily bring your personal car to the Mall and see the vibrant nature of the majestic Himalayas ranges full of lush greenery, and jungle. You can also Uber/Ola your way to the Mall from Dehradun which is only 35 km away. No taxi is allowed on the Mall road 24/7.
By Bus :
The nearest point where a bus can drop you off is the Library Bus Stand which is only 1.3 km from the Mall. You can walk up to the Mall or grab a tuk-tuk from the bus stand.
By Bike :
The best way to reach the Mall road is by riding a bike up there. If you are traveling solo or as a duo riding a bike will be a great experience for you.
Getting Around Mall Road
By Car :
You can get around the Mall in your private car but the area is really crammed so parking is only possible in the designated parking lots only. The Mall Road is closed for vehicles from 1600 hours till 2330 hours daily and taxis are not allowed at all.
By Bike :
As bikes take up less area so parking on the Mall is possible but the timings mentioned above also apply to bikes and cycles. So plan your trip to the Mall road accordingly.
By Foot :
The fun of exploring the Mall road is by walking. You can go anywhere, meet new people, and enter any shop and restaurant you like.
How Much Does Mall Road in Mussoorie Cost
The Mall road in Mussoorie is not that expensive to visit. Even the accommodation is fairly priced there and you can easily grab supplies from the Mall instead of the hotel you are staying in and that in itself is very cost-effective.
Budget
- Hotel: INR 2000 / 24 USD – INR 8000 / 96 USD per night
- Hostel: INR 500 / 6 USD – INR 3000 / 36 USD per night
- Food: INR 300 / 4 USD – INR 500 / 6 USD per meal
- Entrances: INR 20 / 0.2 USD – INR 100 / 1.2 USD
- Travel: None
Best Time to Visit Mall Road in Mussoorie
The finest season to visit the Mussoorie Mall is in the spring when the area is graced with a calming wind and a variety of vibrant flowers. The temperature ranges from 28 degrees Celsius to 9 degrees Celsius and it is also the peak time when the prices are the highest and the tourists are countless.
Alternatively, the winter season has its own perks too. The view of the Mall road in Mussoorie covered in snow and the Himalayas ranges seem mindblowing. The temperature in the winter season ranges from 18 degrees Celsius to -3 degrees Celsius. There is a slight reduction in tourists but all the shops and restaurants are still open.
Places to Visit Near Mall Road in Mussoorie
The Mall road is not the only popular place in Mussoorie and there are nearby places that can yield some exhilarating moments for you too. Well if you want to go beyond the Mall road some of these places are:
- Lal Tibba Point
- Mussoorie Lake
- Company Garden
- George Everest House
- Cloud’s End
- Camels Back Road etc.
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