Best Day Trips & Short Getaways Near Dehradun

Part of what makes Dehradun such a good base is everything that's an easy drive away. Point the car in any direction and within a few hours you hit a hill station, a holy river, a Himalayan lake or an alpine ridge. Here are the best day trips and short getaways from the Doon valley, with honest drive times, so you know what's a lazy morning out and what deserves an overnight.

Mussoorie: the classic (35 km · ~1-1.5 hrs)

The obvious one, and still worth it. The Queen of the Hills is barely an hour up the road: Mall Road, Gun Hill, Kempty Falls, Landour's quiet cafés and Camel's Back Road. Go early to beat the crowds. Full plan in our Mussoorie & Landour day-trip guide.

Rishikesh: yoga, rafting & the Ganga (45 km · ~1.5 hrs)

The yoga capital of the world and India's rafting hub, all beside a startlingly green Ganga. Cross the Ram Jhula and Lakshman Jhula bridges, sit for the evening Ganga aarti, or run the rapids in season. See the full Rishikesh day-trip guide.

Haridwar: the Ganga aarti (55 km · ~1.5-2 hrs)

One of Hinduism's holiest cities, and a short hop beyond Rishikesh. The reason to go is Har Ki Pauri at dusk, when the Ganga aarti sets the ghats aglow with floating lamps and chanting, one of the most moving sights in North India. Time your visit for late afternoon and stay for the ceremony.

Tehri Lake: a Himalayan reservoir (~105 km · ~3.5-4 hrs)

A vast emerald reservoir cradled by brown-green hills, Tehri Lake is Uttarakhand's watersports playground: jet-skiing, boating, kayaking and lakeside camping. It's a long-ish day out, so many travellers make it an overnight and stay by the water. The drive itself, via Chamba, is gorgeous. Our Tehri Lake day trip guide has both routes, rough costs and a timed plan if you want to do it in one long day.

Chakrata & Tiger Falls: offbeat and green (90 km · ~3 hrs)

For somewhere quieter and wilder, Chakrata is a low-key cantonment town ringed by deodar forest, with Tiger Falls, one of Uttarakhand's tallest, a scenic hike away. Deoban's cedar forests and birdlife make this a favourite for travellers who want hills without the hill-station crowds. Best as a full day or an overnight; our Chakrata and Tiger Falls guide has the Kalsi route, the ID rules and a timed plan.

Chopta & Tungnath: the mini Switzerland (overnight)

Further out but unforgettable: Chopta is a rolling alpine meadow that's the trailhead for Tungnath, the world's highest Shiva temple, and the Chandrashila summit with its 360° Himalayan panorama. It's too far for a day trip (6-7 hrs each way), so plan two or three days, but it's the finest mountain escape within reach of Dehradun.

Closer to home: Dhanaulti & Kanatal (60 km · ~2 hrs)

If you want hills without the drive, Dhanaulti and Kanatal, beyond Mussoorie, are cool, pine-scented and refreshingly uncommercial: eco-parks, apple orchards and quiet viewpoints. An easy half-day-plus out, and lovely in summer when the plains are baking.

Plan the trip

Mix a couple of these with time in the city itself: the 12 best places to visit in Dehradun, a weekend itinerary and the treks & nature walks right on the doorstep. Sort your base first with where to stay in Dehradun, then browse all our homestays and check live availability.