Dehradun, despite being the bustling capital of Uttarakhand, provides numerous trekking opportunities that are just a couple of hours away. Be it trekking in the pristine forest trails of Chakrata, trekking to the oldest trails and hills in Mussoorie or trekking in the trail that connects Dehradun to Mussoorie with spectacular views of the Doon valley. You have a vast variety of trails to choose from.

Here, I’ve listed 8 such trails that you can do on your own the next time you are in Dehradun and have one or two days to spare. Not just that, if you are from nearby cities like Delhi, the weekend treks in this list could be a great option to escape from the scorching summer heat.

Some of these treks are famous and some are offbeat. But all of these are suitable for beginners. Let’s dive into the details of these treks.

Infographic shows the treks around Dehradun. Designed by Shivani Kulkarni

Trek Starting Point: Library Bus Stand/Hathipaon Chowk, Mussoorie
Distance from Dehradun: 34 km
Best time to do the trek: Spring, Autumn

Stunning views from the George Everest Peak trail. Picture by Loges R

George Everest Peak takes you to the house of Sir George Everest. It’s in his honor that Mt Everest is named. An easy trek which can be done by both fit beginners and experienced trekkers, George Everest Peak Trek is just 4 km away from Mussoorie. 

The House of Sir George Everest, perched on a peaceful hilltop in Mussoorie, is a legacy in ruins. The iconic house offers a mesmerizing view of the Doon valley on one side and the Aglar river and majestic Himalayan peaks on the other. The trek takes you through the forest sections filled with Deodar, Fir and Rhododendron trees. It’s also a paradise for birders. 

Trek Starting Point: Landour Clock Tower
Distance from Dehradun: 34 km
Best time to do the trek: All seasons

Views of the snow - clad mountains from Lal Tibba summit. Picture by Deepali Bansal

The highest peak of Mussoorie, Lal Tibba is one of the most popular places in the region. Located at Depot Hill in Landour, Lal Tibba is well known among travelers and trekkers alike. Be it the sight of mesmerizing mountain peaks or the splendid sunrise and sunset views, Lal Tibba doesn’t fail to amaze you.

Lal Tibba is also one of the oldest places in Mussoorie. A testament to it is the structures from the pre-independence era that you see on the trail. Lal Tibba is a steep trail and is nestled in the dense canopy of Deodar trees. At the top, there is a government-approved mounted telescope at a cafe named Lal Tibba Binocular Cafe. On a clear day, from the telescope, you get an excellent view of the Himalayas, including Badrinath and Kedarnath!

The Landour -  Lal Tibba trek is suitable for both fit beginners and experienced trekkers.

Trek Starting Point: Shahanshahi Ashram, Kairwaan Gaon
Distance from Dehradun: 14 km
Best time to do the trek: All seasons except monsoon

Spectacular views of the Doon valley from Kipling Trail. Picture by Abhishek Pant.

Once the main route from Dehradun to Mussoorie, the Kipling trail is now an exciting trek far removed from the traffic and overcrowding that marks the new Mussoorie road. This is a 9 km trail starting from the Shahanshahi Ashram and going all the way to Mussoorie through Jharipani and Barlowganj villages.

The Kipling Trail Trek follows a winding serpentine path with the Himalayan foothills on one side and spectacular views of the Dehradun valley on the other side. The trail first takes one through a steep jungle trail followed by small villages exhibiting remnants of the colonial era. Kipling Trail thus appeals to nature-lovers as well as those interested in history and heritage.

The trek is suitable for fit beginners and the steep incline would challenge experienced trekkers as well!

Trek Starting Point: Pantwari Village
Distance from Dehradun: 100 km
Best time to do the trek: All seasons except monsoon

Golden Sunset on Nag Tibba Trek. Picture by Kumar Amrit.

Resting at 9806 ft, the summit of this trek is the highest in the Nag Tibba range of the Garhwal Himalayas. From here, you see a 100-degree view of snow-capped Himalayan ranges such as Swargrohini, Bandarpoonch, Kala Nag, Srikantha, and Gangotri. You also see Kedarnath peak in the north, Doon valley, and the snow peaks of Changabang. With views like this and a climb to make you earn them, this weekend trek may be one of the best. 

As you go up one side of the mountain and come down from another side, you also experience a variety of landscapes. This trek takes you through dense forests, clearings, and ridge walk. All within two days!

For beginners, Nag Tibba is a great introductory trek. That being said, even for the experienced trekkers, it offers the thrill of a summit climb in just two days.

Trek Starting Point: Saindul Village
Distance from Dehradun: 100 km
Best time to do the trek: All seasons except monsoon

Garhwal Himalayan Range as seen from the Nag Thatch Trail. Picture by Mahipal Bisht

A quaint village west of Pantwari called Saindul is the base of this short little day hike called Nag Thatch. Nag Thatch trek overlooks the famed Nag Tibba trek, but it takes half the effort to get the views which you would otherwise get from the top of Nag Tibba. 

From Nag Thatch, one can see almost all the mountain peaks of Garhwal Himalaya such as Swargarohini, Bandarpoonch, Kalanag, Shrikanth, Gangotri 1, Jaonli, Thalaysagar, Kedarnath Main, Kedarnath Dome, Chaukhamba and many others. For an easy and short trek of 2.5 kilometres, this is a dream come true! Apart from the big mountain views, the trek also has pretty meadows that are lush green in summer and golden brown in autumn. You’ll also find snow here in winter.

The Nag Thatch trek can be done by both fit beginners and experienced trekkers. It is an ideal trek for families with children and elders who find it difficult to do longer Himalayan treks.

Trek Starting Point: Lokhandi
Distance from Dehradun: 108 km
Best time to do the trek: All seasons

Pristine Forest Trail on the Deoban Trek. Picture by Afreen Jaffar

Only on a few treks, you get to see great summit views and savour long forest walks. Deoban is one of those treks and the best thing is you get this rich experience in just a weekend! At Deoban’s summit, you see 55 high mountain peaks including Mt Nanda Devi, India’s highest mountain!

Deoban is also one of the few Uttarakhand trails dominated by Deodar trees. It is aptly named Deoban as Deo refers to “Deodar” trees and ban means “forests”. Usually, in Uttarakhand trails, you find clumps of these trees growing together in a mixed forest, but not an entire trail filled with them. An entire trail of Deodar trees is something that is mostly found in Kashmir or Himachal. The speciality of this forest trail is that the trees are incredibly tall and are over 600 years old. 

Deoban Trek also can be done by both fit beginners and experienced trekkers.

Trek Starting Point: Dhanaulti
Distance from Dehradun: 65 km
Best time to do the trek: All seasons

Views of the surround valley you get on the way to Sukanda Devi Temple. Picture by Deepali Bansal 

Surkanda Devi Temple is located near Dhanaulti in the Unniyal Village of Tehri district of Uttarakhand. It is one of India's 51 Shaktipeeth temples and is of great religious importance. Situated at an altitude of about 9,041 feet above sea level, Surkanda Devi Temple is encompassed by dense and thick backwoods.

Sukanda Devi trek trail is well laid throughout. The entire trek route is very scenic and offers beautiful views of the surroundings. From the top, you can enjoy stunning views of the dense forests and panoramic views of the Himalayan peaks.

Surkanda Devi Trek is an easy trek and can be done by both beginners and experienced trekkers.

Trek Starting Point: Library end, Mussoorie
Distance from Dehradun: 34 km
Best time to do the trek: All seasons except monsoon

A view of the Bhadraj Hill trail. Picture from Indiahikes Archives

Bhadraj Hill Trek is a modest and well-balanced trek. One of the best weekend treks in Mussoorie, the total 13 km trek can be completed in one or two days. If you want to do this trek in one day, then you’ll have to start early in the morning. But the trek is better experienced over two days with overnight camping.

The trail to Dudhli Village is called Milkman’s Trail, as it helps supply milk to Mussoorie town every day. It’s a lovely trail that takes you all along the ridge with Gangetic plains sloping down on either side, while Himalayan ranges sit snug in the distance.

Bhadraj Hill trek is an ideal trek for beginners. That said, it offers a beautiful experience for any trekker who would like to explore and is looking for a short escape from the hustle of a citylife.

This brings us to the end of this list of 8 treks around Dehradun that you can do on your own.

From Dehradun, there are mighty himalayan treks such as Har ki Dun, Kedarkantha, Rupin Pass and many more that you can do. But they are quite far and take your entire week. If you are looking for a trek that is just a couple of hours away and suited for the weekend, you can choose treks such as Nag Tibba, Deoban or any other treks mentioned in this article.

Mussoorie, aptly called “Queen of Hills” has many trekking places to offer. George Everest Peak trek, Landour-Lal Tibba and Bhadraj Hill trek are some of the best treks based out of Mussoorie.

Yes. Nag Tibba takes you to an altitude of 9,806 ft and the summit of this trek is the highest in the Nag Tibba range of the Garhwal Himalayas. From here, you see a 100-degree view of snow-capped Himalayan ranges such as Swargrohini, Bandarpoonch, Kala Nag, Srikantha, and Gangotri. You also see Kedarnath peak in the north, Doon valley, and the snow peaks of Changabang. With views like this, it’s the best introductory trek to introduce the world of trekking.

The distance from Dehradun to Mussoorie is 34 km. It takes about 1 and a half hours by road. There are also frequent buses that run from Dehradun to Mussoorie.

Lal Tibba is the highest point in Mussoorie and has a telescope mounted at the top which offers panoramic views of the snow capped mountains. To know more about the place and how to do this trek on your own, refer our documentation - https://indiahikes.com/landour--lal-tibba-trek

If you are looking for more treks to do in Uttarakhand, check out this link. If you are looking for treks to do near your city, check out our Trek Library. 

If you want to trek with Indiahikes in the Himalayas, check out our upcoming treks section.

In order to help you do these treks on your own, we include gpx files in the documentation. Use this link to know more about how to use gpx files.

Finally, if you can help us document these treks further, or new treks that trekkers can do on their own, do apply to be a Remote Trek Documenter. It will greatly help us take DIY trekking forward in our country!

The ultimate guide to treks that you can do on your own around Dehradun. Find out all the details that you need to know about these treks including gpx files, how to reach the base, difficult sections, best time to do the trek, how far from Dehradun and FAQs

8 Treks Around Dehradun That You Can Do On Your Own

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8 Weekend Treks Around Dehradun That You Can Do On Your Own

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