SKIPin July
UTTARAKHAND · JULY 2026 · SKIP · 2.0/10
Army cantonment frozen in time — silent oak forests, no commercial circus.
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Uttarakhand, India
Monsoon landslides make the main road to Lansdowne frequently impassable in July
July is full monsoon. Lansdowne gets 300-400mm of rain this month. The pine and oak forests are so green they almost glow. Clouds sit inside the town. Visibility can drop to 20 metres. Leeches are guaranteed on any trail. Tourist numbers are negligible. The cantonment operates on its own time, indifferent to whether anyone visits.
July Lansdowne is for people who find beauty in grey, wet, atmospheric places. The Garhwal Rifles Museum is the perfect rainy-day refuge—two hours of military history, medals, and vintage photographs. The church looks magnificent through sheets of rain. If you're driving from Delhi (260 km), add time for potential road issues between Kotdwar and Lansdowne. The town's restaurants serve hot maggi and pakoras that taste better when you're shivering. The forests produce wild orchids in July that you won't see any other month. There's a certain luxury to being in a place where nothing is expected of you—no sights to tick off, no crowds to navigate, just rain and quiet.
Weather
Heavy monsoon. Landslides on Kotdwar road common. Leeches in forest trails. Avoid unless stranded.
PEAK ALERT · MARCH
One email, three weeks before Lansdowne hits its peak in March. No spam, easy unsubscribe.
| Month | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|
| January | 6.0/10 | Quiet cantonment at 5-15°C. Fog wraps oak forests. Perfect for solitude seekers. No crowds at all. |
| February | 6.0/10 | Still cool 6-16°C with occasional fog. War memorial and Tip N Top viewpoint clear on good days. |
| March | 10.0/10 | Spring wildflowers carpet the hills, 12-22°C. Himalayan views at dawn. Oak forests at their greenest. |
| April | 10.0/10 | Perfect 15-25°C. Clearest Himalayan views. Oak and pine forests lush green. Weekend getaway from Delhi. |
| May | 8.0/10 | Great plains-heat escape at 18-28°C. Weekends get busy with Delhi/NCR visitors. Book cottages ahead. |
| June | 6.0/10 | Pre-monsoon humidity builds. 22-30°C. Hazy views. Last clear window before rains hit Garhwal hard. |
| Julyviewing | 2.0/10 | Heavy monsoon. Landslides on Kotdwar road common. Leeches in forest trails. Avoid unless stranded. |
| August | 2.0/10 | Monsoon continues with daily heavy rain. Road closures likely. Forests lush but trails waterlogged and risky. |
| September | 6.0/10 | Rain easing by late Sept. Forests dripping green. Views clearing. Roads recovering. Peaceful and uncrowded. |
| October | 10.0/10 | Post-monsoon magic. Crystal-clear Himalayan panorama. 14-22°C. Cleanest air. Best month for photography. |
| November | 8.0/10 | Crisp autumn 8-18°C. Pine-scented air. Very few tourists. Perfect for quiet forest walks and reading. |
| December | 6.0/10 | Cold 4-14°C with morning frost. Fog possible. Quiet and atmospheric. Warm clothes essential for evening walks. |
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