Dehradun

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Dehradun [1] is the provisional capital of Uttarakhand state. It is nestled between the Himalayan foothills to the north and the Shivaliks to the South. The town offers breathtaking scenery.

[edit] Understand

Dehradun is situated at an altitude of 2,200 ft in the Doon Valley between two of the most important rivers in India, the Ganges and Yamuna. It offers beautiful scenery and a moderate climate in summer, and so is an ideal place to relax and escape the heat of the plains below. The town also serves as a convenient base for visiting the area's many tourist sites.

Dehradun has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, and currently has a population of around 550,000. It is also famous for the Doon School, which is often referred to as the Eton of India.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

• Jolly Grant Airport (IATA: DED) (ICAO: VIDN) - light aircraft only - currently only Air Deccan [2] flies to Dehradun, and there are two daily flights from Delhi, departing at 10:55AM and 1:40PM. The flights take around 1 hour.

This airport is currently (2007) closed for modernization. Air Deccan's flights have been suspended.

[edit] By train

• Dehradun is a major station and a terminus in the state of Uttarakhand. It is connected by rail to all parts of the country, and the Shatabdi Express from New Delhi and the Bandra-Dehradun Express from Mumbai are two of the important services.

• Shatabdi Express (NR) - Dep. New Delhi, 0655. Arr. Dehradun 1240 - meals included
• JanShatabdi Express (NR) - Dep. New Delhi, 1500. Arr. Dehradun 2100 - meals available (extra charge)
• Mussorie Express (NR) - Dep. Delhi Jn, 2215. Arr. Dehradun 0800 - no meals

[edit] By bus

Semi-deluxe and ordinary Uttarakhand State buses depart every hour from ISBT, Kashmere Gate in New Delhi. There is also an overnight deluxe A/C service run by Uttarakhand Tourism. It is a six to seven hour journey from Delhi.

[edit] By car

Dehradun is in principle a 4-5 hour drive from Delhi, but unless you leave Delhi before 6am, you will encounter traffic that makes the trip significantly longer. The town is located on NH 72A (Chhutmalpur to Dehradun). The road is two-laned and tarred, but not very wide. There may be many slow-moving vehicles at harvest times, and pilgrims walking on the road in late July and early August.

[edit] Get around

[edit] By bus

Dehradun has a bus service run by Uttarakhand Roadways. The destinations are written in Hindi above the windshield. Generally, however, the buses are crowded, so it is better to use other means of transport.

[edit] By auto rickshaw

Auto rickshaws are plentiful in the downtown area. They are not metered, but instead use a fixed rate system. However, as the rate is often not prominently displayed, it is advisable to have some idea of the cost to your destination before taking an auto rickshaw. Otherwise, you are very likely to be charged well over the odds.

[edit] By Shared (Fixed-Route) Autorickshaws

The cheapest way to get around town is via the ubiquitous blue three wheelers called Vikrams. These vehicles are often crammed, with capacity for 8 cramped passengers in the back. The Vikrams are numbered according to their routes through the city. Fare is 3-5 rupees.

• 1 - Rajpur Road: begins at Astley Road and travels North to the Rajpur-Mussoorie Road Fork.
• 2 - Sahastradhara/Raipur: begins at Survey Chowk, procedes eastward to Sahastradhara Crossing, before splitting towards the North (Sahastradhara Road) or East (Raipur Road) depending on the Autorickshaw.
• 3 - Dharampur, Rispana Bridge: begins at Survey Chowk, procedes to Haridwar Road and Dharampur, before proceding through the Nehru Colony to Rispana Bridge.
• 4 - Doiwala: begins at Rispana Bridge and procedes to Doiwala.
• 5 - Majra/ISBT: begins at Astley Hall, procedes South to Majra and the Interstate Bus Stand.
• 6 - Kaulagarh Road: begins at Connaught Place, goes Northwest up Kaulagarh Road.
• 7 - Chakrata Road: begins at Connaught Place, goes West on Chakrata Road.
• 8 - Kanwali/Kaonli Road: begins at Astley Hall, procedes South to Saharanpur Chowk, before going West on Kanwali/Kaonli Road.
• 10 - Premnagar: very infrequent, goes West to Premnagar via Kaonli Road.

[edit] On foot

The best way to explore the town is on foot, since Doon is suprisingly compact. Finding your way around is not that difficult, as it may seem at first glance. Rajpur Road is the main avenue and Lytton Road is also quite an important street. They both intersect at the Clock Tower Roundabout. Walking across town can take up to 30 minutes.

[edit] See

• The Kalunga War Memorial, Sahastradhara Road. The only war memorial of its kind in the world which was erected by the British to honour their foe, the Gurkhas (or the Gorkhas).
• The Gurkha Fort, Tapovan Forest Area.
• The Museum, Forest Research Institute. Lavish environs and one of the largest institutes of its kind. Guided tours available. Open:9AM-1PM and 2:30PM-5:30PM. Admission free. Photographs are allowed, but no flash indoors.
• Mindrolling Monastery [3], Clement Town. Tel:+91 135 264-0556, 264-0968. A large Buddhist monastery in the Tibetan Nyingma tradition.
• Chetwoode Hall, The Indian Military Academy. A charming little museum housing collections of 20th century military artifacts.
• Clock Tower, Rajpur Road. Built by the British, this remains the icon of the downtown area.
• Ram Rai Gurudwara, Jhanda Mohalla. Built by Guru Har Rai's son, it attracts many Sikh pilgrims from the nearby state of Punjab. Admission is free and non-Sikhs are welcome.
• Tapkeshwar Temple, Garhi Cantt. An ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shive, Tapkeshwar is situated on the banks of a rivulet.
• Sai Darbar Temple, Rajpur Road. This place of worship holds a high spiritual value, and is thus visited by tourists across the country.
• Tapovan, Rajpur Road. According to legend, Guru Dronacharya had done penance here.
• Jaspal Rana Shooting Ranges, Majhon- Paunda, Via Nanda Ki Chowki, Premnagar, Dehradun
• Tiger View Jungle Camp, Village Goolar Khalla, Post Saura, Via Raipur, Dehradun [4]
• RIMC, Rashtriya Indian Military College one of the finest school in India for making the kids to gentleman cadets

Gate at RIMC

• Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology Another place worth a visit is the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology. It is the best center on Himalayan geology in the country and has done some pioneering work in the field. A museum displaying the geological diversity of the sub-continent is the center of attraction here and a must see for all those visiting the institute.
• Robbers Cave Also known as Guchu Pani, and situated at a distance of eight km from the city center, Robbers cave is a beautiful picnic spot. On display here is one of natures strange phenomena; a stream of water goes underground here and reappears a few meters away. The cave is surrounded by hills and is a beautiful getaway for those looking for peace and quiet of the hills.
• SahastradharaAround 14 km from Dehradun is the cold Sulphur water spring called Sahastradhara. The spring is believed to have exceptional medicinal value and the dripping caves and a bath in the Baldi River near the spring are said to rejuvenate the body and soul.

[edit] Do

• Dehradun is a base for trekking and adventure tourism, and many people just stay overnight in the city before heading into the Garhwal Hills.
• Picnic - Pack a hamper of food and drinks and picnic at Sahastradhara, on the banks of the Baldi River. The mineral waters here are pure and clean. It is a 30 minute drive from the city of Dehradun. You can also rent a cycle from Best Western Hotel Madhuban. It takes a little over an hour to bike down.
• After a hard day's sightseeing, drive down to the village of Dakpathar 45 kms away. The sparkling waters of the Yamuna makes this the perfect spot to relax. The neat little GMVN Tourist Complex is located inside the village. It has a good restaurant and a small swimming pool.

[edit] Buy

What

• Basmati rice - the Dehradun area is famous all over India for its fragrant basmati rice, but you can probably buy bags of it at your local Indian store so don't bother buying any here.
• Brightly colored, hand made woolen items made by tribal communities in the nearby Garhwal Hills.

Where

• Paltan Bazaar - a good place to pick up the local variety of Basmati Rice, and hand made woolen garments made by local tribal communities.
• The English book Depot, [5] 15, Rajpur Road - the best bookshop for miles, with an excellent stock of fiction, travel literature, magazines and newspapers.
• Astley Hall, Rajpur Road - a complex full of interesting, and good value shops and restaurants.
• Mall Road - another popular shopping area.

[edit] Eat

• Rajpur road has an abundance of eateries from McDonalds to Nirula's to roadside buffets... the food is great. Try Tibetan dishes available opposite the Parade Ground, or get some cheap but delicious vegetarian thalies near the station.
• Kumar's, Rajpur Road. This well-known multicuisine restaurant serves Chinese, Indian and Continental food.
• Udipi, Lytton Road. Famous for South Indian food. Start off with piping hot idlis, and move on to crispy dosas. Round off the meal in style with strong filter coffee.
• Moti Mahal, City Bus Stand, Rajpur Road. Famous for North Indian fast food. Try the samosa or bread pakora.
• McDonalds, (2653086) Astley Hall, Rajpur Road. Serves the usual fast food, burgers, wraps etc. No McDelivery or McShakes available. Try the Shahi Paneer Pan, the latest innovation of McDonalds India.
• Nirula's, [6] Astley Hall, Rajpur Road. This is one of the smaller branches of an All India chain of fast food outlets. The menu is extensive, and includes pizzas, burgers, platters and rotis. For home delivery, call 2651202 or 2651203.
• Vatika, [7] 97, Rajpur Road. A good multi-cuisine restaurant serving tasty and wholesome food.
• Ellora, Ellora's amazing cookies and plum cake
• Pizza Hut, In Rajpur Road you can find one Pizza Hut and its a good place to eat out
• Kwality, One of the oldest hotels and restuarants in the Dun valley
• Yeti, One of the good restuarants for Chinees food however now in Dun there is Yo China.. but still Yeti is better..
• Tibetan market. Great momos (steamed buns, filled with meat).

[edit] Drink

• Rajpur Road has many bars. Try a strong Tibetan drink called chang available in Rajpur (7 kms away from clock tower).
• Cafe Coffee Day, Rajpur Road. [8] - excellent coffee and pastries.
• Barista, The English Book Depot, 15 Rajpur Road. [9] - excellent coffee, iced tea and pastries.
• Head Over Hells Bar, 97, Rajpur Road. [10] - a good range of drinks and snacks.
• President Hotel and Bar The finest Bar around in the downtown however some Army retiered officers and serving officers like to Jam out in DSOI, (To try this out either you have to be an Army officer or guest to him.. :) )
• Shipra BarThis bar is the part of the Great Value hotel and is resonably ok

[edit] Sleep

• There are quite a few hotels in Dehradun, with the best options being located on Rajpur Road. The city does not have a five-star hotel yet. However, Mussoorie (34 kms uphill) has quite a few top-end options.

[edit] Budget

• Motel Kwality, 19, Rajpur Road. Tel:+91 135 657-001 - clean, but with basic facilities.
• Hotel Ambassador, Windlass Shopping Centre, Rajpur Road. [11] Tel: +91 135 655-831, 655-832 - very good location, well-designed rooms.

[edit] Mid range

• Best Western Madhuban, 97, Rajpur Road. [12] Tel:+91 135 749-990, 749-995 - Note that the web page for the Best Western international chain does not list this hotel, so its claim to be a Best Western hotel is unverified. The LP guide has dropped this hotel from its listings.
• Great Value Hotel, 74C, Rajpur Road. [13] Tel:+91 135 744-762 - located near the Best Western Madhuban, this well-run establishment is good value for money.

[edit] Contact

There are many internet cafes scattered throughout the town. All the hotels listed above have internet access. There are many iways in the city.

• Computer Base, Windlass Shopping Centre, Rajpur Road.
• Reliance World, 56, Rajpur Road. Tel: +91 135 309-4844
• Sify iway, 20, Raj Plaza, Rajpur Road (Tel: +91 135 309-8880); Anekant Place; Arhat Bazaar; Balliwala Chowk; Capri Mkt; Chakrata Road; Dav College Road; Deeplok Colony; Gandhi Road; Jakhan; Prem Nagar; Race Course; Swaraj Shopping Complex; 18 A, EC Road; St. 12, Arshiwad Enclave; 8, New Road; Ballupur Road; Indira Nagar; Clement Town; 155, Saharanpur Road.

[edit] Get out

• There are innumerable tourist towns that are well connected to Dehradun.
• The Himalayan foothills
• Nagtibba (ten thousand ft) - tribal communities.
• Jaunpur - stunning villages in this area.
• Chakrata - unspoilt views (restricted area for foreign nationals).
• Harkidun - great trekking destination with picture postcard views. all round.
• Haridwar - a sacred site on the Ganges - one hour by train.
• Rishikesh - a sacred site.
• Mussoorie
• Sahastradhara - a hot spring resort.
• The Rajaji National Park

Wikipedia:Dehradun