This is a small place with command office of Garhwal Rifles Regiment. About 80% area is under Army control and rest is supporting. Few places to roam around like tiffin top and a church. Thats what information we could gather from internet. one more info was given that since town is small, only 3 places to stay. We thought less info is given about this place.
Initial plan was to go via road as its just 300 KM from delhi. But I suggested Train route. Last station is Kotdwar(BEL factory). From there Lensdowne is 41 KM. Tickets were booked for all 13(a unlucky no?) of us but on final day only 7 of us were going. GNC was going in Taxi with shirish and Kiran dropped out on last moment. So it was (lucky) 7 of us started. It was a good journey as all have been in past.We enjoyed the company. The train reached Kotdwar by 6 in morning. Kotdwar is a small town with few good restraunts and all basic infrastructure. You can compare it with Kathgodam. We hired a taxi to go to Lensdowne. The fare per person in Geep is 35 Rs so a sumo comes around 350 Rs. The way from Kathgodam to Lensdowne is full of lush green forests and blue pines. Till a point named Duggadda, road is quite good(National Highway 119 connected pauri and Kotdwar). After that road is OK types. You watch for Sri Sidhbali temple and Sri Durga Temple on way from Kotdwar to Lensdowne.
You can not see lensdowne until you reach there. yes its hidden behind majestic himalayas. Its
very small, even smalled than you have thought. It has just one bus stand around which you will find 2-3 eating points and 1 hotel (Mayur) + 2 lodges. The condition of lodges in worse than a person from delhi can think of. Mayur hotel seems good from outside. What we expected after reaching there was un expected. All hotels full. There is 1 travel rest house(TRH) and 1 hotel called fairy dell. Both were jam packed as it was a 3 day weekend. We even tried for military guest house near kaleshwar mandir but its only for army staff and we were civilians. This brought all our enthuse to bottom level.
GNC was panic as with kids and ladies it was very difficult. He even didnt get hotels in Haridwar on the way(as planned). We have atleast a full night sleep. What next??? The question was big as there was no place near by. Nainital was 200 KM. Dehradun was 150. Haridwar was 100 but nobody wanted to go there. Some one came up with name PAURI. Its a hill capital of uttaranchal. Again a small place, definitely bigger than lensdowne, with some accommodation(that was on priority). The decision to go pauri brought our trip to lensdowne to end.
At this point, while writings this blog, i think we should have given a thought of staying in Kotdwara than going to Pauri. We could have stayed in some hotel in Kotdwara(first check after etting down from train that are there good hotels in Kotdwara), trekked in Lensdowne and enjoyed scenic beauty. The way from Lensdowne to KOTDWARA is just 1 hrs so it would have been less painful.
From there we started around 11:00 AM. All were tired, hungry and frustrated. It was one of its kind incident happened with us that we reached some spot and didnt get any accommodation. Any way Manuj and Piyush arranged some snacks and drinks(which proved disatsrous later) . The distance between Lensdowne and Pauri is 84 Km but Taxi driver asked 1000 bugs for this distance(more than 12 Rs/km). Actually there is no direct route btw these two places and as per taxi driver, he has to be back empty. The road from Lensdowne to Pauri is with all the zig zags a mountain road is famous for. Over that some of us (in fact all of us excluding me) have that jumpin and chips in their stomachs. Over that, the driver was driving very fast. This caused all of us to a vomiting session mid way. Myself and Piyush were robust enough to avoid. I dont have photos else I can show the same scene if you have watched Problem Child -2. In that movie the kid does some trick in my fair lady and all passengers starts vomiting. Finally we reached Pauri at around 2:30 PM.
Pauri is again a small town with very few basic ammenities for travellers. Infact I can now safely comment
