Fast Facts
Location: Uttranchal
Altitude: 2,200ft above the sea level
Best Time to Visit: March-April & September- October
Dehradun, the capital city of newly formed Indian State of Uttranchal, is one of the most famous and developed cities of India. The city houses some of the strategically important defence establishments of India. Situated in the lap of picturesque Doon Valley in the Shivalik ranges at an altitude of 2, 200 ft, the city is surrounded by two most important and sacred rivers of India namely Ganga (the Ganges) and Yamuna. Dehradun has a pleasant moderate climate all round the year and offers an exotic vacation to tourists. The city is regarded as the gateway to many famous tourist destinations like Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Badrinath, Kedarnath and more. With so much of varieties, Dehradun is truly a picture perfect hill resort.
Major Attractions
Rajaji National Park: A paradise for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts, Rajaji National Park is one of the most famous national parks of India. The park is known for its scenic beauty and a very rich bio-diversity.
Forest Research Institute: The institute is the main centre of research and planning in the fields of flora and fauna in India. It houses six museums displaying the best species of flora and fauna found in India. Wood samples, insects, furniture, wildlife, few stuffed animals, library are the major attractions in the institute.
Tapkeshwar Shiv Temple: An ancient place of worship for Hindus, it is a cave temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, on the banks of a seasonal river.
Besides, Dehradun is known for its various renowned academic institutes. Some of the India's most important institutes such as The Survey of India, Anthropological Survey of India, the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Botanical Survey of India, Zoological Survey of India, Wildlife Institute of India, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Institute of Petroleum, and Indian Military Academy are situated in Dehradun.
Other important attraction of Dehradun include Robbers Cave (8 Km), Malsi Deer Park (9 Km), sulphur springs at Sahastradhara (14 Km), Laxman Sidh Temple (12 Km), Chakrata hills known as 'adventure seekers paradise' and Dakpatthar (45 km).
Besides, Dehradun offers a variety of recreations for adventure seekers. You can enjoy a momentous trekking on beautiful Dehradun-Mussoorie trekking route. You can also enjoy a jeep safari to explore the rich flora and fauna of the famous Rajaji National Park, which would surely be a rewarding experience for you.
How to reach
By Air: Jolly Grant is the nearest airport at 25 km from Dehradun. Indian Airlines operates 5 flights a week for Delhi and back.
By Rail: Dehradun is an important railhead of the Northern Railways. The city is well connected by daily direct trains coming in from Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Varanasi, Lucknow and other places.
By Road: The city is well connected to all parts of the country with good, all-weather roads. Road distances to some important cities are: Delhi - 235 km, Nainital - 300 km, Haridwar - 54 km, Agra - 382 km and Shimla - 221 km.
|