Dehradun is the capital of Uttarakhand, A small state in the north of India. It is small city compared to the big cities like Delhi and Mumbai, But is a famous place to visit for many who want to explore the dev bhumi (land of gods) as it is known to many. Although a small city, Dehradun has a lot to offer for the travelers, And we are going to cover that for you in this edition of Teja’s travography.
Dehradun is on the eastern side of Uttarakhand and a key city which acts as one stop for most of the destinations in Uttarakhand, surrounded by many forests and mountains and possessing some of the best views you will ever see as a traveler.
Best Places to Visit In Dehradun, Time to Visit & Budget Plan
Places to Visit In Dehradun
Dehradun is a great place to visit for the travellers who have an eye for travel. There are many places to visit around in the city and it also has a soothing nightlife. We have listed the places down below:
Clock tower:
The clock tower is an old tower which forms the center of the city. The place is the most crowded area in the city and the reason for it being featured is the food that you will find around this monument. Doon darbar is one of the famous restraunts that you will find which is around 10 minutes from the clock tower down south. While if you head towards the rajpur road you will find “The buffet”, Both of these are very crowded For reasons a foodie can understand.
The paltan bazaar is also something that you can take a stroll in, You will have to walk by foot as it is very crowded and the space for vehicles is very less, This is a place where you will find all kinds of shops and at a very cheap rate.
Sahasradhara Water Reserve:
One of the most famous spots in Dehradun, Sahastradhara is a reserve which is jam-packed in the summers. The place has many dams made of rocks which are created on the banks of the Kali river. The place is about 11 km away from the Dehradun and has some historical significance related to the hindu texts of Mahabharata, the “Dronaguha”( the cave of guru dronacharya) is present here, This will give the tourists an essence of the history and mythology.
There is also an age old shive temple “The tapkeshwar mahadev temple” at this place. So if you visit Dehradun in and around April or later in the summer then do hopin for a cool dip in the waters.
Robbers Cave – Places to Visit In Dehradun
Robbers cave also known as gucchu pani is a river cave formation located near sahasradhara. The cave is around 600 meters long and has many waterfalls. The place is also flocked by tourists in summers and that is exactly when you should visit it.
The place gives you relief from the hot temperatures in and the formations tell you about the passage of time that has gone by with strain printed on the rocks. You don’t have to worry about the water level as it is very low, So you can just stroll through the caves.
Local bus services will take you till the anarwala bridge and from there you can trek for about 1 km. The place is maintained by Uttarakhand state.
Forest Research Institute
FRI is place famous among the locals which is often misinterpreted by the tourists as an administrative building. The place was built by the Britishers during the British raj and is a purely brick structure.
The institute’s history is virtually synonymous with the evolution and development of scientific forestry, not only in India, but over the entire sub-continent.
Built in 1800’s, The building also has been a shooting location for many Bollywood movies ( Eg. Student of the year). The building is near the Indian military academy and is spread over a vast area. It is about 7 km from the clock tower towards the Chakrata road.
The institute is one of it’s kind and you can take a tour of the institute and for that you will have to pay 20 rupees for one person. The institute also has a botanical museum which consists of different kinds of trees from around the world, The ticket for the museum is 40 rs. Per person.
Overall the building is something to marvel at and you should definitely give it a look.
Mussoorie
Mussoorie is a famous hill station which located 35 km from the capital but the drive feels timeless due to the scenic views that one gets while on the road. This Place was discovered by the Britishers and many of their ancestors still live in the area. The hill station attracts a lot of tourists in the winters and sees heavy snowfall during late December and January.
There are many places within Mussoorie which are worth exploring such as the lambi dehar mines which has become a folkfore for it’s haunting stories, George Everest, Lal tibba, Mall road and many more. There is also a wax museum present at the location.
All these places will leave you mesmerised by the sheer beauty of the hills and the maggi points won’t let you stay hungry as you will find one on every turn.
So the time you should be visiting the hill station is around winters, You might encounter a lot of traffic, But you can get it compensated by the scenery.
If you are coming to Dehradun, Then not going to Mussoorie is a sin.
Chakrata Hill Station
Just like mussoorie chakrata is also a hill station, There is one exception though, The foreigners are not allowed in the area for security reasons as the it is near the border with china and is a cantonment area. It is a hill station for those who are looking for tranquility and peace. The locations are picturesque and you will find many things to do in the area as well. The tiger fall is famous among the tourists, But the best time to visit is around the winters as heavy snowfall is regular here around new year.
Bhadraraj Trek
Now this place is one that people won’t tell you about, I happen to know about it as I have grown up near the place, The popularity though is on the rise but since it is not a populated place there is not many who visit it, The mountain has a temple of lord bhdraraj at the top and every year there is affair which is hosted for two days in august 16 and 17.
This is the day that tourists and the locals flock the place in thousands, on other days though the temple hosts about 20 to 50 people at max a most of whom do not trek but get there via the mussorie road.
The trek enthusiasts though will have to reach till the village koti , Which is around 50 km from Dehradun and from there they can start there trekking journey till the top, Which would be around 3-4 hours.
People mostly trek for two hours and set up there camps at the mountain tops and spend the night. This is a place where you will hardly find anyone else apart from a few locals running errands a other trek enthusiasts or just some friends setting up their tents, So it makes up for very peaceful setting one which is far from the population and is in the lap of nature.
There are no shops and no population up on the mountain, So keep everything available with you. You will find water from the natural sources, Beware of the leaches in the rainy season. You can also spend the nights at resorts before you start your trekking as there are a lot of resorts opening near the foothills of the mountain.
The Nightlife at Dehradun
The night life of the city just what you would expect from a little city. It is not very extravagant but rather cool, and you can witness that in many of the local clubs and pubs. The Great Indian pub is one of the most famed but it is a bit expensive. There are many new clubs that have opened up and many of the local bands and dJ’s can be found performing there, The bands in the city are amazing and you won’t be disappointed. So overall the nightlife is pretty good and you should give it a go.
How to Reach Dehradun:
Airways: The state of Uttarakhand has only one airport which is the Joligrant airport, Which is around 19 km from Dehradun.
Railways: The Dehradun terminal railway station is located near the center of the city.
Roadways: Dehradun is connected to the national highway. You can take route from anywhere in the country.
Dehradun Budget Plans
The budget for the whole trip will depend on the things that you want to cover. You can stay in Dehradun for 300 to 500 rent in pg’s or hotels, Mussoorie though will be expensive.
The travel charges are very less and the food can also be available at nominal rates. If you are travelling from Delhi then you would need around 1200 to 1500 to reach Dehradun.
While the flight charges may range between 3000-5000. The tickets for the parks are not that expensive but the nightclubs can do a damage to your pocket. If you spend wisely, Then 10000 would be enough for your entire vacation if you are looking to wrap this all up within 3-4 days.
So pack your bags , Cause land of god’s is calling.
