Having a kulfi outside my office on a hot summer day refreshed my mind with memories from the past. The wave of nostalgia took me back to the days when I used to visit my grandparents living in Chandigarh during the summer break. Returning home that day I looked at my old pictures and realised it was long since I last took a holiday.
Another highlight of the summers of my childhood was books. Amongst all, Ruskin Bond was my all time favourite. So to relive those days, I packed my bags to the home of his stories, Dehradun. The next two days were filled with awe, discovering the hidden gems of this place!
To make the most out of my journey, I looked up online to book an affordable Delhi to Dehradun cab with an expert driver. This ensured a laid back journey and left room for some amazing sightseeing enroute! Wanting to explore the true culture of the place, I looked for homestays and found ‘Horizon homestay’ to be an ideal match.
Here are some of the places I visited during my stay and would recommend travellers to include in their list, the next time they are here.
Robber’s Cave
Also known as Gucchipani, this spot is ideal for the adventure seekers. You would need to trek for about a kilometer before reaching the caves. The place looks surreal with the stream of water flowing through the rocks of the caves. Enjoy a hot plate of Maggi when you are here. Robber’s Cave is near Sahastradhara which means “thousand fold spring”. Visit Sahastradhara to dip your feet into the cool, soothing waters.
Tiger Falls
The breathtaking view of this majestic waterfall is found in the terrains of Chakrata. Trek your way up to the hill and marvel at the beauty of this place. While returning from Tiger Falls, I stopped by at Paltan Bazaar to take home souvenirs for friends and family. There are also many local cafes around this area. Don’t forget to miss out on the bakery goods from Ellora’s Melting Moments.
Rajaji National Park
Dehradun is home to a diverse species of flora and fauna. You can find a reflection of it in Rajaji National Park. In between the valleys of the Shivalik range, this National Park will give you the beautiful glimpse of nature. Away from the bustling city of Dehradun, a trip to this place is like a breath of fresh air. You can also visit the Malsi deer park to spot the rare deers in the dense forests.
George Everest Park
If you are the person that dreams of sleeping under the stars, then don’t miss out on camping at George Everest Park. Just 35 km from the city centre, this is the most popular camping site of Dehradun. Meet fellow campers and enjoy your night singing around the campfires. Carry your best camera lens to capture the beautiful starry night sight!
On exploring Dehradun, I realised that there were many untouched places hidden in plain sight of tourists. This reminded me of my childhood days spent in Chandigarh where we would set out to explore the untravelled roads. You can also do that by visiting this beautiful city sometime. All you need to do is to book a reliable Delhi to Chandigarh cab and enjoy the exploration!
