Things to do in Dehradun
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Dehradun
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months, post monsoon clarity in autumn and comfortable walking weather from late winter into spring.
Hot in the valley with peak Mussoorie Road traffic and full hotels, sightsee early and do hills on weekdays.
Monsoon, the worst months for most picks, Rajaji closed, rafting stopped at peak and river sights unsafe after heavy rain.
Cold mornings and fog that can delay travel, with the clearest mountain views and the best Asan Barrage birding.
What's on
- Tapkeshwar Mela Mahashivratri, February or March
A fair lasting over a week at Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple, with huge devotee crowds.
- Jhanda Mela Fifth day after Holi, March or April
Guru Ram Rai Darbar Sahib great fair, centred on raising a new ceremonial flag pole.
- Bissu Fair April
A Jaunsari harvest fair in the Chakrata side of the district, with folk dance and archery traditions.
- Lakshman Siddha Fair April
A local religious fair at the Lakshman Siddha temple in forest east of the city.
- Virasat Festival October, roughly a fortnight
A folk and heritage festival of traditional arts, crafts, music and food in pleasant post monsoon weather.
Best things to do in Dehradun
Forest Research Institute
A monumental colonial building in vast tree filled grounds, with six forestry museums and the best lawns in the city.
Robber's Cave
A river runs through a narrow limestone cave and you wade it, ankle to knee deep, to a pool between rock walls.
Mindrolling Monastery
A working Tibetan monastery with gardens, prayer wheels and a great stupa, at its calmest on a weekday morning.
Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple
A cave temple where water drips onto the shivling, in a wooded hollow by the Tons river, quiet on weekday mornings.
Sahastradhara
Sulphur springs, terraced pools and a ropeway in a green bowl, worth it early on a weekday and a trap at weekends.
Dehradun Zoo
A small shady zoo on Mussoorie Road with deer, birds and an aquarium, an easy hour or two for families with children.
Lachhiwala Nature Park
Sal forest picnic park with river fed pools and walking trails, a green half day that locals use as an escape.
Clock Tower
The six faced Clock Tower anchors a Paltan Bazaar walk for rusks, stickjaw, bal mithai and the old city at work.
Where to stay in Dehradun
Rajpur Road and Jakhan
first trip, all round base
The best cafes and restaurants, Pacific Mall, and easy runs north to the sights and south to the Clock Tower.
Mussoorie Road and Malsi
resort stay, families and quiet
Large resorts in greenery above the city, with views and facilities, and a drive needed for cafes and sights.
City Centre
transport and budget
Trains, buses and Paltan Bazaar on foot, with the widest cheap choice, at the cost of noise and congestion.
Rajpur
character and boutique quiet
Greener and slower at the top of Rajpur Road, with a fine boutique resort and day cafe life around it.
Think twice about
- ISBT and Haridwar Road strip
Built for transit and through traffic, noisy and dusty, with nothing to walk to and a taxi ride to every sight.
- Patel Nagar and Selaqui
Industrial and institutional belt flagged for higher crime and safety concerns, with nothing for a visitor in the evening.
- Clock Tower and station perimeter
Congested, loud and short on pavement late at night, fine by day but a poor choice for a quiet multi night base.
Best restaurants in Dehradun
Range
The city most ambitious restaurant, a global food gallery that also presents regional Garhwali specialities well.
Muse: The Art Of Gourmet
A small fine dining room with an open kitchen where dishes are tailored to the table, made for an occasion.
Orchard
A hillside Rajpur restaurant with a city view patio and Tibetan Asian food, famous locally for its momos.
Black Pepper Restaurant
Dehraduns classic licensed fine dining room for formal North Indian food, at Astley Hall on Rajpur Road.
Countdown Restaurant Since 1984
Italian and Chinese family dining since 1984, the most reliably enjoyable family dinner in the city.
Kalsang AMA Cafe
The bright cafe arm of the Kalsang Tibetan family, for devil momos, thukpa and Korean spicy chicken on Rajpur Road.
Yellow Marigold Experience Studio and House Cafe
Part cafe, part studio and shop in Race Course, the best slow brunch and afternoon pick on the centre side of town.
First Gear Cafe
A hillside cafe with a balcony over the valley, for momos, pasta and cold coffee at democratic prices.
Outdoor things to do in Dehradun
George Everest's House
The 1832 surveyors house below a short steep hike to George Everest Peak, for views over the Doon and Aglar valleys.
Rajaji National Park
A tiger reserve famous for wild elephants, with three hour jeep safaris from gates reachable as a Dehradun day trip.
Shivpuri
The start of the standard rafting run to Rishikesh, about 16 km of Grade II and III rapids with certified guides.
Jumpin Heights
Indias reference fixed platform bungee site near Rishikesh, with a giant swing and flying fox on the same site.
Maldevta
A wide Song river bed for picnics and paddling, and the valley Dehraduns tandem paragliding operators fly from.
Shikhar Fall
A short forest hike through Kimadi village to a tiered waterfall and pool, quiet because facilities are minimal.
Asan Barrage
A Ramsar wetland at the Asan and Yamuna confluence, at dawn in winter full of migratory ducks and waterbirds.
Nag Tibba
The highest lesser Himalayan peak near Mussoorie at about 3022 metres, best done as a two day guided trek.
Best hotels in Dehradun
Hyatt Regency Dehradun Resort and Spa
The city flagship resort beside Malsi forest, with large rooms, pools, a spa and several restaurants and bars.
Shaheen Bagh, A Luxury Boutique Resort and Spa in Dehradun
A small owner run boutique resort in bird filled gardens, with personal service the big resorts do not attempt.
Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Madhuban Dehradun
The established upscale Rajpur Road address with gardens, a spa and two restaurants, walkable to the cafes.
Hyatt Centric Rajpur Road Dehradun
A contemporary Rajpur Road hotel with a rooftop and pool, in the middle of the dining and Mussoorie run.
Hotel Aketa
A long running Rajpur Road hotel with a respected restaurant and gardens, at the top of the mid range for value.
Red Fox by Lemon Tree Hotels, Dehradun
A dependable Lemon Tree mid range hotel on Rajpur Road, with predictable standards at a predictable price.
Zostel Dehradun
The social budget base with dorms and privates, and the easiest place to meet travellers heading to the hills.
Hotel JSR Continental
A clean functional budget hotel near Rispana Bridge, practical for families and Rishikesh direction road trips.
Is Dehradun expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ₹1,800 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ₹4,500 a person |
| Splurge | ₹12,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Rajaji National Park: weeks ahead
- Shivpuri: a few days ahead
- Jumpin Heights: a few days ahead
- Nag Tibba: a few days ahead
- FRIMA Golf Course: weeks ahead
- Pacific Golf Estate: a few days ahead
- Hyatt Regency Dehradun Resort and Spa: weeks ahead
- Shaheen Bagh, A Luxury Boutique Resort and Spa in Dehradun: weeks ahead
- Book Rajaji safaris in season with ID, the park closes for the monsoon.
- Book Jumpin Heights and a licensed rafting operator for weekends, not just the day.
- Check FRI museum days and current fees the day before, and ask Rajpur and Mussoorie Road hotels about wedding bookings.
Is Dehradun safe?
- Monsoon water is the main risk, river sights can turn dangerous fast and hill roads suffer slips, abandon water plans after heavy rain.
- Do not feed monkeys at temples and hill stops, and keep a firm hold on glasses, phones and food packets.
- Wear a helmet on rented two wheelers, take cabs after dark on faster roads, and call 112 in an emergency.
Dehradun travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Sahastradhara at weekend midday brings crowds, parking overcharges and litter, go early on a weekday or not at all.
- Kempty Falls in peak season is congested and eats half a day, George Everest and Landour are better Mussoorie hours.
- Roadside adventure touts in Rishikesh are not a saving, use a licensed operator with a named price in writing.
- Pacific Mall is useful for a rainy hour but is not a sight, do not build a day around it.
Getting around Dehradun: public transport and more
- Group sights by direction, FRI west, Mindrolling south, Robbers Cave north and Sahastradhara northeast, one cluster per half day.
- Shared Vikrams run fixed routes cheaply and autos cover short hops, agree the fare first if it is not metered or app booked.
- Hire a car and driver through your hotel for Mussoorie, Rajaji, Rishikesh and Nag Tibba, with itinerary and tolls agreed in writing.
- Jolly Grant Airport is about 25 to 30 km away, and Delhi trains such as the Vande Bharat take roughly five hours.
Who Dehradun suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Good |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Dehradun your trip
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