Places to visit nearby destination - Dehradoon
Chakrata
 Situated at the distance of 92 kilometres from Dehradun
is the 112-year-old town of Chakrata. Its altitude
of 7000 m adds to the charm of this haven for nature
buffs and trekkers. Covered with lush, dense forest,
the area has quaint little villages, inhabited by
the Jaunsari tribe. The tribe is said to have descended
from the Aryan hordes that had invaded the Indus Valley
Civilization. Around Chakrata are several other sites
like Mundali, Tiger falls and Lakhamandal that are
worth a visit. While Mundali at 9000 m provides excellent
opportunities for skiing, the Tiger Falls is the highest
fall in the state. Near the fall is the Mahusu Devta
temple, which has some beautiful sculptures of the
Gupta period. At Lakhamandal or the House of Lac,
there are several temples dedicated to Shiva, the
Pandavas and Parasuram. However, foreigners are not
allowed to enter into the Chakrata region.
Kalsi
Located on the outskirts of the city is Kalsi where
you can have a look at a third century rock inscription
discovered here in 1860. The rock inscription is the
earliest tangible evidence of the history of the city
of Dehradun. There are 14 edicts carved on a rock
and adjacent to these is the site where Raja Shilvarma
of the Vrisheri dynasty made three horse sacrifices
during his rule in the third century BC. At the site,
large inscribed bricks are arranged in the shape of
a bird with a fire altar in the middle.
Mussoorie
 The single major attraction for tourists visiting
Dehradun is a trip to Mussoorie, which is only 34
kilometres away. Situated at an altitude of 2000 m,
Mussoorie used to be a popular getaway during the
time of the British rule and till today it has retained
its attraction. Getting to Mussoorie from Dehradun
is quite convenient as there are buses, taxis and
other modes of transport available round the clock
that take a maximum of 90 minutes to reach there.
It has almost become a tradition for all those visiting
Dehradun to also make a trip to Mussoorie.
Rajaji National Park
 Rajaji National Park is situated at a distance of
23 kilometres from Dehradun. This densely forested
sanctuary is known for its elephants, barking deer,
leopards, sambar and peafowl and a variety of birds. The forest around this region contained 3 sanctuaries,
Rajaji, Motichur and Chilla. In 1983, these three
parks were merged into one and named Rajaji National
Park, after the great freedom fighter C. Rajagopalachari.
Spread over 830 kilometres on the foothills of the
Shivalik range, the park is known for its elephant
population. The park is also home to the forest tribe
of Gujjars who have lived in these forests for over
200 years. Rajaji is a magnificent ecosystem at the
beginning of the vast Indo–Gangetic plains and has
the vegetation of several zones and forest types.
It is home to as many as 23 species of mammals and
315 species of birds. |
