Places to visit in Dehradun

Nestled in the picturesque, forested Doon Valley between the surging waters of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers and cradled by the rolling Shivalik hills and the high Garhwal Himalayan foothills, Dehradun offers a unique blend of prestigious academic institutions, colonial architectural grandeur, ancient river-cave temples, and refreshing nature trails. A weekend spent inside the valley allows you to wander the grand Greco-Roman colonnades of the Forest Research Institute, wade through the chilly subterranean limestone slot canyon of Robber's Cave (Guchhupani), take darshan at the ancient Drona cave temple of Tapkeshwar where spring water drips onto the Shivalingam, circumambulate the 220-foot Great Stupa at Mindrolling Monastery in Clement Town, and shop for fragrant Basmati rice and vintage bakery rusks in Paltan Bazaar.

When you look beyond the valley floor, Dehradun serves as India's premier gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas, connected by excellent mountain highways to world-famous hill stations, sacred riverfronts, and wildlife reserves - all well within a supported 200-kilometre road distance. Within 30 to 45 kilometres, you can ascend into the clouds to stroll the colonial Mall Road and Gun Hill in Mussoorie, explore the deodar-scented silence of Landour Cantonment, visit Sir George Everest’s 1832 cartography estate, or descend to the sacred yoga ashrams and river rapids of Rishikesh. Extending your drive to 50 - 95 kilometres opens up the sunset aartis of Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar, open-top elephant safaris in Rajaji National Park, the high-altitude deodar forests of Dhanaulti, the 2,756-metre clifftop Shakti Peetha of Surkanda Devi, high-speed jet skiing on the vast turquoise waters of Tehri Lake, Emperor Ashoka's 3rd-century BCE rock edict at Kalsi, and the thunderous 312-foot plunge of Tiger Falls in the secluded tribal highlands of Chakrata.