Dhanaulti is a village and tehsil in Tehri Garhwal district, on the Mussoorie to Chamba road at about 2,286 metres. It is small: a short bazaar, a scatter of stays and a forest department park, set among deodar, oak and rhododendron on a ridge that looks north to the snow peaks on a clear morning. Most visitors reach it from Mussoorie, roughly an hour away by road, or drive up from Dehradun.
The pleasures are modest and genuine. The Eco Park, run by the Uttarakhand Forest Department in two sections called Amber and Dhara, gives you an hour or two under tall trees. The Surkanda Devi temple, a Shakti Peeth reached by a short climb from Kaddukhal village, adds a pilgrimage and the best view in the area. Beyond that, the draw is simply the air, the quiet and the long walks along the ridge road.
Dhanaulti suits slower trips. It has few restaurants and a limited choice of hotels, so book ahead and expect simple food. Roads are narrow and winding, and the monsoon months of July and August bring cloud, rain and landslide delays. For older travellers it works best as one or two unhurried nights, with a car and driver, a warm layer even in summer and a short list of sights rather than a long one.
Before you plan
Dhanaulti at a glance
- Best months
- March to June and September to…March to June and September to November for clear walks; December to February for cold, quiet days and a chance of snow. Avoid July and August.
- Ideal trip length
- 1 night is enough for the Eco Park…1 night is enough for the Eco Park and Surkanda Devi; 2 nights allows a slower pace or a side trip towards Chamba and Tehri.
- Airport
- Jolly Grant Airport near DehradunJolly Grant Airport near Dehradun (DED); about 75 to 85 km by road, roughly 2 to 3 hours depending on traffic and the mountain road
- Railway station
- DehradunDehradun (DDN) is the usual railhead, about 60 to 75 km away; Rishikesh (RKSH) is another option from the south
- Getting around
- A hired taxi or your own car is the…A hired taxi or your own car is the practical choice. Local buses and shared vehicles run on the Mussoorie to Chamba road but are infrequent; most sights are short drives apart.
- Daily budget
- Food and entry fees are modestFood and entry fees are modest; the main cost is a car from Dehradun or Mussoorie and the hotel. Choice of places to eat is limited, so budget for hotel meals.
- Senior comfort
- Moderate: the Eco Park is a gentle…Moderate: the Eco Park is a gentle forest walk, but the Surkanda Devi climb is steep and the air at this altitude is cold even in summer.
- Language
- Hindi and Garhwali locallyHindi and Garhwali locally; English is understood at hotels and by drivers
Prices, opening hours and weather change. Recheck live details before booking.
Best time to visit Dhanaulti: March, April, May, October, November. Month-by-month weather →
How many days do you have?
Dhanaulti itinerary
One good day
1 day in Dhanaulti
Start at the Eco Park soon after it opens, when the deodar glades are quiet, and allow an hour or two for the Amber and Dhara sections. Drive on to Kaddukhal for the climb to Surkanda Devi temple, allowing a slow pace and rest stops, and eat a simple lunch at a dhaba or your hotel afterwards. If time and energy remain, stop at the Aaloo Khet viewpoint on the ridge in the late afternoon. Leave in daylight, since the mountain road back to Mussoorie or Dehradun is easier in good light.
Day-by-day plan →Two days
2 days in Dhanaulti
Arrive by late morning and check in. In the afternoon, walk the Eco Park trails, then drive to the Aaloo Khet area for a sunset view over the ridges. Dinner is most likely at your hotel.
Day-by-day plan →Three unhurried days
3 days in Dhanaulti
Drive up from Dehradun or Mussoorie in daylight and check in. Take a short forest walk before dusk and have an early dinner.
Day-by-day plan →
