The snow has all melted and tourists all gone, except for the odd weekend visitor, for Spring has taken over this little hill resort and is painting it pink with Rhododendrons and white with apple blossoms.
Just a two-and-a-half hour drive from the Doon valley, Dhanaulti is known for its beautiful “Bugyals” as the high altitude meadows are called in Uttarakhand. The air still has a sharp nip to it and welcomes visitors as they move in from Buranskhanda to Dhanaulti. lingering ambrosial scents and the cool, caressing breeze make this season more beautiful here.
The sun-dappled spring days are a welcome relief for the local hill folk as the days of biting cold are over and they can go about their work more comfortably after spending most of their time indoors during the severe winter months.
The Rhododendron (Burans) trees are in full bloom, their pink-red flowers lending a lot of colour to the landscape of Dhanaulti. It is not the fierce, flaming touch of the Gulmohar but a warmer, welcoming hue. The white blossoms on the apple trees are equally beautiful. Dhanaulti is all about Deodars, Rhododendrons and green emerald grassy meadows which soothe not just the eyes but the spirit.
Though barely an hour’s drive from Mussoorie, this is a different world altogether and often, its tranquility and pristine beauty take the new visitor by surprise. If one wants to spend long quiet hours with oneself or with one’s favourite books and music, Dhanaulti is just the place.
Walking leisurely amid the trees, around the hills and dales of this exquisite destination, people get a feeling of being rejuvenated by the clean and crisp mountain air ,laden with the scent of rhododendrons, sweet chestnut and oak trees.
The Eco Parks set up by the Uttarakhand’s forest department have given a new look to the hamlet. They are called “Ambar” (sky) and “Dhara” (earth) and give excellent opportunities for bird watching and botanical explorations. They have an aesthetic wooden fencing and several picnic spots and view points. “Jungle trails” and treks are organised for the adventure-loving visitors.
Dhanaulti is the base point for numerous treks into the snow-capped Himalayas, especially to the Tehri region. The most popular treks are through the dense alpine forests that take you to Surkanda Devi, Chandrabadni and Kunjapuri, the sacred three Shakti peeths of the holy Devi Darshan triangle.
The Apple Orchard Resort in Dhanaulti is another attraction. A Kutcha road lined with Rhododendron trees down the hills and then upwards takes one to the resort located amid an apple orchard. While some tourists drive up from Mussoorie and return there at night, others choose to stay on and soak in the natural splendour at leisure.
The magic of this picturesque destination never fails to work on the first-time visitor and bring him back to Dhanaulti. People from the Doon valley have, over the past few years, found it convenient to visit Dhanaulti over the weekends.
located at a height of 2,250 metres, Dhanaulti gets a lot of snow in the winter months and those disappointed with the delay in snowfall in Mussoorie often drive up to Dhanaulti to have fun in the snow.