Dehradun Travel Guide
The state capital and transit hub — airport, railhead and the road-head for Mussoorie and the yatra routes.
- Altitude
- 640 m
- Best season
- Year round
- From Dehradun
- Hub
- Category
- Gateway
Why visit Dehradun
- State capital and transit hub for all of Uttarakhand — every route begins or ends here
- Forest Research Institute (FRI) — a stunning 1929 colonial building in 450 acres of forest campus
- Robber's Cave (Gucchupani) and Sahastradhara's limestone formations and sulphur springs
- Pleasant year-round climate in the Doon valley — 640 m altitude keeps summers moderate
Dehradun is Uttarakhand's capital and the practical hub for almost every itinerary — Jolly Grant airport, a major railhead and the road junctions toward Mussoorie, the Char Dham and Kumaon.
Between connections it has its own half-day of sights: Robber's Cave, Sahastradhara, the Forest Research Institute and Tapkeshwar temple.
Explore around
Places near Dehradun
Limestone cave with a stream running through it; entry fee nominal; popular with families
Sulphur springs and waterfall; "thousand-fold spring" — the water has a mild medicinal odour
Shiva temple inside a river cave; water drips naturally onto the Shivalinga — Tapkeshwar means "the dripping lord"
1929 Indo-Gothic building with six museums on forestry, wood technology and entomology
Classic half-day or overnight; the Mall Road hill station above the Doon valley
What to do
Activities at Dehradun
FRI campus visit
The Forest Research Institute is India's premier forestry research body set in a heritage building with a grand quadrangle. Six museums are open to the public (10 am to 5 pm, closed Sundays and holidays). The walk through the specimen tree avenue inside the campus is particularly pleasant.
Robber's Cave walk
A 600 m natural cave channel with a stream flowing inside; you wade through ankle-to-knee-deep water through the passage. Minimal infrastructure — bring footwear you can get wet.
Before you go
Dehradun travel tips
- Dehradun is a transit city — most visitors spend half a day here on the way to or from Mussoorie, the Char Dham or Kumaon
- The city has excellent connectivity for onward travel: Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun Junction and frequent bus services to Rishikesh, Haridwar and Mussoorie
- ISBT Dehradun is the main bus terminus; auto-rickshaws are the standard local transport
Getting there
How to reach Dehradun
Jolly Grant Airport on the eastern edge of the city. Connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata.
Dehradun Junction is well connected — Shatabdi from Delhi (5.5 hrs), Jan Shatabdi and multiple overnight trains.
Delhi → NH-334 → Haridwar → Rishikesh → Dehradun (295 km, 5.5–6 hrs) or NH-58 via Meerut and Roorkee.
Where to stay in Dehradun
- Mid-range: Hotel Great Value, Pacific Hotel (near railway station)
- Upscale: Lemon Tree Hotel, Welcomhotel by ITC, Moti Mahal near Parade Ground
- Budget: Multiple guesthouses near the railway station and Parade Ground
Food & dining
- Kumar Sweets (Rajpur Road): the benchmark for Delhi-style chaat and sweets in Dehradun
- Ellora Restaurant: non-vegetarian Mughlai and north Indian in a heritage building on Rajpur Road
- Osho's Herb Garden (Dehradun): cafe with a garden setting, popular with FRI visitors
- Mindrolling Monastery cafeteria: Tibetan thukpa and momos in the monastery campus
Background
History of Dehradun
Dehradun takes its name from the Doon valley (Dehraa + Dun — the valley of the Dehra/deras, which were Sikh religious rest houses) and from the winter camp (dera) of Guru Ram Rai, a Sikh guru, in the 17th century. Guru Ram Rai's Darbar is still active in the city and draws Sikh pilgrims.
The Survey of India, established in 1767 and headquartered in Dehradun, produced the first systematic triangulation of the subcontinent from this city — including the measurement of the Himalayan peaks, culminating in the calculation of Everest's height by Andrew Waugh's team in 1856.
Plan your trip
Suggested Dehradun itinerary
- Day 1 (transit)Arrive by afternoon. Visit FRI campus and museum. Dinner at Rajpur Road. Overnight.
- Day 2 (half-day)Morning Robber's Cave and Sahastradhara. Depart for Mussoorie, Rishikesh or Char Dham.
Common questions
Dehradun FAQ
- Is Dehradun worth a dedicated visit?
- For 1–2 days as part of a longer Uttarakhand itinerary, yes — FRI, Robber's Cave and Tapkeshwar fill a half-day easily. It is not a standalone destination in the way Mussoorie or Rishikesh are.
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