| About Dehradun Tourism | |
| Dehradun is the capital city of the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is also a district, which covers an area of 3088 sq km and lies at an altitude of 2100 ft above sea level. Also known as Doon Valley, it is located at the foothills of the Shivalik ranges in the Garhwal region. Two rivers, Ganga and Yamuna, flow to the east and west of Dehradun, respectively. The city is said to have derived its name from the two words ‘dehra’ and ‘dun’. Dehra is apparently derived from ‘dera’ meaning camp and ‘dun’ means the low lying lands at the foot of the mountain. According to history, Ram Rai, a Sikh Guru was banished by Aurangzeb to the forests of Dun who set up camp in the present day Khurbura and also built a temple near Dhanawala. Modern day Dehra started to develop around the time and since most of the district lies at the foothills of the mountain, it was named Dehradun. References of the city can be found in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Ram and Laxman are said to have visited the site after their battle with Ravana. Dronacharya, the royal guru in the Mahabharata, is also believed to have resided here. Ancient temples and ruins have been found in the nearby areas, which are almost 2000 years old. Dehradun attracts tourists for its pleasant weather and beautiful landscape. It is also the gateway to the surrounding Himalayan regions like Nainital, Mussoorie, Auli as well as Haridwar and Rishikesh. The city is also home to some renowned educational and research institutes like the Doon School, Indian Military Academy, Forest Research Institute and Wildlife Institute of India among other prestigious institutions. Some of the other attractions of the region are Tapkeshwar Temple, Santala Devi Temple, Tapovan, Rajaji National Park, Malsi Deer Park and several others. Apart from its natural beauty, monuments and institutions, the city is world famous for its Basmati rice. The best way to explore and get around Dehradun is either by car or on foot. While walking around the town, tourists can shop for local handicrafts, jewellery, woolens and books from three of major shopping hubs here – Paltan Bazaar, Rajpur Road and Ashley Hall. Travellers can also try tasting some Tibetan momos that are served in many restaurants on Rajpur Road. Besides shopping, Dehradun is also a haven for adventure junkies. Various activities like trekking, paragliding, skiing and water sports can be experienced in Dehradun. Tourists visiting the town can scale Jwala Devi, Shivalik ranges and Doon Valley among other sites. Dehradun is well connected by air, rail and roadways. The Jolly Grant Airport, situated at a distance of around 20 km from the city centre, connects the city to other parts of the country, with daily flights to Delhi. The nearest international airport is at Delhi. The city is also well connected by trains to major cities like Kolkata, Varanasi, Delhi and others. Dehradun can also be reached by State run buses that connect to nearby cities in the region as well as New Delhi. Dehradun has a temperate climate. The summers are generally hot while winters can be cold. Snowfall is not uncommon in the winter months. Depending on the altitude, the climate varies from place to place within the district. Dehradun can be visited throughout the year. However, in the month of January there are chances of heavy snowfall. | |
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