Most people know Dehradun for being the educational hub of the country home to colleges in abundance but Dehradun has a lot to offer apart from education. The objective of this blogpost is to recommend some places that are a must visit if you are planning a trip or stay in Dehradun with your family and loved ones.
FRI (Forest Research Institute)
If anyone from Dehradun is reading this article I know It will look like another one of those generic lists with FRI at the top but objectively speaking if you are planning a trip with your family and looking for a place to chill back and relax and enjoy some amazing pictures along with an educational trip to a museum FRI is just the place for you. The FRI museum is home to many stunning pieces of archeology as well as history and biodiversity but since the pandemic time the entry has been restricted to a certain extent.
Fun Facts
FRI has been the birthplace of all the aspiring photographers and has been known by many as the best spot to click pictures. The Bollywood movie student of the year also had the major portions of the movie shot over here.
Location: Chakarata Rd, New Forest, P.O, Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248006
Distance from the main city: FRI is at a distance of 5.9 kms from the main city
Robbers cave (Gucchu pani)
The perfect combination of a family tour place along with the essence of mother nature, Robbers cave is one of the oldest tourist spots of Dehradun. No top 5 list of places to visit would ever be complete without Robbers cave in it. The inside of the cave gives cinematic thriller vibes but caution for the people with claustrophobia as the cave goes a little deep. The myth behind the cave is that in the olden days the bandits used to rob and keep their goods and belongings in the cave, the story behind the cave gives it more character and serves as a psychological factor in making it even more fascinating to explore.
The cave experiences thousands of tourists every year and is generally crowded during the weekends so if you are planning a visit do it during the weekdays if you are not a big fan of huge crowds.
Location: Gucchupani, Malsi, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248003
Distance from the main city: Robbers cave is at a distance of 9 kms from the main city
Buddha Temple
Another must visit place without which the experience of Dehradun is incomplete. Located in the Tibetian colony in clement town the famous Buddha temple is home to many buddhist monks and lamas. The Buddhist shrine has beautiful asthetics and a solemn sense of peace if you see it from the inside Disclaimer: the shrine is only open to visitors on certain weekdays as other days it is occupied for meditation and the daily prayers of the monks.
The temple has a huge Gautam buddha statue nearby that can be visited to click amazing pictures also there are cylindrical drums with bells on it that are meant to be rotated all along the site of the temple, Overall it is a fun and spiritual experience to have with your family and is a must visit.
Location: New Basti, Clement Town, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248002
Distance from the main city: Buddha temple is at a distance of 2.7 kms from the main city
Tapkeshwar Temple
If you are a fan of fascinating mythology and into religious places Tapkeshwar temple is the place for you. Tapkeshwar is situated on the riverside and is one of the most famous religious sites. During the times of shivratri and naag panchmi the crowd of pilgrims is almost unbelievable. Every year during shivratri an annual fair is hosted near the temple and it is a spectacle.
The temple has the Drona cave where the shiv lingam is naturally watered by the stalactite in the cave.
Keen insight: The favourable time to visit is during shivratri or during summers because during monsoon the water rises and some parts of the temple become inaccessible.
Location: 9248+WM3, Tapkeshwar Colony, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248001
Distance from the main city: Tapkeshwar lies at a distance of 7.1 km from Dehradun
Bijapur Canal
Located near Robbers cave another site worth watching is the Bijapur canal. Bijapur canal is one of the major sources of irrigation water in the region. A magnificent specimen of architecture this canal was constructed under the British rule and is still in a functioning state even after all these years. As fascinating as the origin story is the canal has beautiful sidewalks built for tourists to explore the place. Locals use this place as an escape from the day to day city lives and use the river for swimming during hot summer days. So if you’re looking for a place with history and architecture Bijapur canal is your place.
Disclaimer: Not a safe place to visit during the monsoon season as the river flows at an extreme pace and the water during this season is largely contaminated.
Location: Bijapur canal is a located in the cantt region malsi and on the path to old musoorie road (KIMADI)
Distance from the main city: The Bijapur canal is at a distance of 5 kms from the main city.
