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Voykit pocket guide · India
Dehradun
देहरादून
Use Dehradun as a 1-night staging stop for Mussoorie, Rishikesh or trekking, not a sightseeing base: the town itself needs half a day.
Dehradun is the winter capital of Uttarakhand, sitting in the Doon Valley at about 670 m between the Shivaliks and the Himalayan foothills. It is a working Indian town with a compact centre, a railway terminus and an airport, and it works best as a transport hub: most travellers pass through on the way to Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Haridwar or a Garhwal trek. Give the town itself one night and half a day, then move on. Two nights if you want the Forest Research Institute and Robber's Cave without rushing.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- देहरादून
- Best months
- Feb–Apr, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (monsoon, heaviest rain of the year), late Jul–early Aug (Kanwar Yatra crowds on the Delhi road)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–3,000 excl. bed · Mid ₹3,000–6,000 excl. bed · High ₹6,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All services 112 · Ambulance 108 · Tourist helpline (24 h) 1363
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Chai at a roadside stall | ₹10–30 |
| Thali or a plate of momos | ₹80–250 |
| Auto ride across the centre | ₹80–200 |
| Forest Research Institute museum entry | ₹25 |
| Taxi to Sahastradhara or Robber's Cave, return | ₹800–1,500 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₹500–1,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DED · Jolly Grant Airport
- About 20 km (12 mi) from the centre; daily domestic flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Lucknow, Pune, Ahmedabad and Srinagar. Red Uttarakhand buses to Rishikesh pass the airport every 20–30 min in daylight; a private taxi is the usual choice with bags.About 12 mi (20 km) from the centre; daily domestic flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Lucknow, Pune, Ahmedabad and Srinagar. Red Uttarakhand buses to Rishikesh pass the airport every 20–30 min in daylight; a private taxi is the usual choice with bags.
Typical fares
- Jolly Grant Airport → city centre, taxi
- about ₹1,000–1,500, 40–50 min (check)
- Dehradun → Rishikesh, bus
- about ₹50–100, 1–1.5 h (check)
- Dehradun → Delhi, Vande Bharat or Shatabdi
- about ₹700–1,500, 5–6 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is compact: Rajpur Road and Chakrata Road cross at the Clock Tower, and walking across town takes about 30 minutes. Autos are plentiful but not metered — agree the fare before you get in. Blue shared Vikrams run fixed numbered routes and are the cheapest option. Uber and Ola work but cars are not always available; a hired car with driver is the practical way to reach Sahastradhara, Robber's Cave or the airport.
See and do
Known for
- Forest Research Institute
- Robber's Cave (Guchchu Pani)
- Mindrolling Monastery
- Gateway to Mussoorie and Rishikesh
- Basmati rice and lychee gardens
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mussoorie | Shared taxi or bus up the Mussoorie road, about 35 km (22 mi)Shared taxi or bus up the Mussoorie road, about 22 mi (35 km) | 1.5–2 h |
| Rishikesh | Bus or shared taxi on the Dehradun–Rishikesh road, about 45 km (28 mi)Bus or shared taxi on the Dehradun–Rishikesh road, about 28 mi (45 km) | 1–1.5 h |
| Haridwar | Train or bus, about 55 km (34 mi)Train or bus, about 34 mi (55 km) | 1.5–2 h |
| Sahastradhara | Auto or taxi, about 15 km (9.3 mi) east of the centreAuto or taxi, about 9.3 mi (15 km) east of the centre | 30–40 min |
| Robber's Cave (Guchchu Pani) | Auto or taxi, about 8 km (5 mi) from the centreAuto or taxi, about 5 mi (8 km) from the centre | 20–30 min |
| Lansdowne | Taxi or bus via Kotdwar, about 150 km (93 mi)Taxi or bus via Kotdwar, about 93 mi (150 km) | 4–5 h |
Sleep
- Rajpur Road / Clock Tower
- The main avenue and the most useful base: cafés, shops, hotels and the Clock Tower roundabout where Rajpur and Chakrata roads meet.
- Race Course and Haridwar Road
- Quieter, greener and slightly cheaper; 10–15 min by auto from the Clock Tower.
- Clement Town
- West of the centre, close to the Mindrolling Monastery; useful if the monastery is your main stop.
- Near Dehradun railway station
- Best for a late arrival or an early train out; the station is central but the immediate area is busy and plain.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Namaste | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
| How much is it? | कितना है?kitna hai |
| Please take me to this address | इस पते पर ले चलिएis pate par le chaliye |
| Where is the toilet? | शौचालय कहाँ है?shauchalay kahan hai |
| I don't want it, thank you | नहीं चाहिए, धन्यवादnahin chahiye, dhanyavaad |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- Autos have no meters and rates are often not displayed: agree the price first or you will be overcharged.
- July and August bring very heavy rain — landslides and blocked hill roads are common on the Mussoorie and Rishikesh routes.
- Late July to early August, Kanwar Yatra pilgrims walk the Delhi–Haridwar road: allow extra hours and expect diversions.
- Hill roads to Mussoorie, Sankri and the trek bases are slow and winding; a 90 km drive can take 3–4 hours.
- Trekking beyond the Doon Valley needs permits and, for some routes, a medical certificate and insurance: arrange them in Uttarkashi before you start.
Dehradun is generally safe for tourists, including solo women in the centre in daylight. The real risks are monsoon landslides on hill roads, unlit stretches after dark, and unmetered autos: agree the fare first and keep a taxi number for late nights.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Dehradun yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Forest Research Institute
- Robber's Cave (Guchchu Pani)
- Mindrolling Monastery
- Gateway to Mussoorie and Rishikesh
- Basmati rice and lychee gardens
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Uttarakhand Tourism: uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/
- Mindrolling Monastery: www.mindrolling.org/
- Wikivoyage: Dehradun, revision 5331542 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5331542
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Dehradunदेहरादून
इस पते पर ले चलिए
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Dehradun; most are in New Delhi. The US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand all have embassies or high commissions in Delhi (check current addresses).
Autos and Vikrams are cash-first: carry small notes.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/dehradun). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.