The gateway
Kotdwar
The plains loosen their hold here. Use Kotdwar for fuel, cash, supplies and a daylight start before the road begins to fold into the hills.
Beyond the cantonment
Five places.
One changing road.
Lansdowne may be the name on the plan, but the belt is what gives the journey its shape.
The river bend
Dugadda
An older market settlement where the journey begins to feel local rather than merely scenic. The river, bends and roadside pauses ask you to slow down.
The ridge road
Ghumkhal
A working hill junction wrapped in forest and open ridge air. It connects several parts of the belt and changes character quickly in mist.
The quiet shoulder
Jaiharikhal
Close enough to Lansdowne for an easy outing, yet quieter in temperament—orchards, village stays, school roads and long pauses over the valley.
The road beyond
Deriyakhal
A useful name to know when choosing stays or moving toward the Tarkeshwar side. It belongs to the connective tissue of the belt, not a postcard checklist.
Turn places into days
Let the road set the pace.
Our itineraries connect these stops without pretending hill distances behave like city kilometres.
See the itineraries →