“To walk in nature is to witness a thousand miracles” ~Mary Davis (author)
Introduction:
Dhanaulti is the perfect destination for those who are seeking solitude. It is located amidst mesmerizing landscapes surrounded by majestic mountains, lush valleys, tall deodar (pine) trees and salubrious climate. Endowed with abundance of natural beauty, it is indeed a paradise on earth for those ready to explore it on foot.
My trip to Dhanaulti
If you experience the charm of Dhanaulti once, I bet you would come again & again. I read somewhere that ‘to change the attitude, sometimes you have to change the altitude’. So when the call of the mountains came, I decided to go to Mussoorie & Dhanaulti in July 2019.
Human beings are not meant to stay in one place. If it was so then we would have roots instead of feet!! The desire to travel or wander is inbuilt though the degree varies. I think the urge to travel & wander hits me quite often. During the last one year, when I could not travel, I had to satisfy this urge by writing my travel blogs and relive the beautiful memories of those wonderful trips taken earlier. This travelogue on Dhanaulti, Kanatal, Chamba & Tehri tries to recreate the magic that I experienced during my trip during the monsoon season of 2019.
Bus journey
After spending 3 days and 3 nights at Mussoorie (covered in my previous blog), I was on my way to Dhanaulti to spend 2 nights there. I had early breakfast and checked out of the hotel at Mussoorie around 7.15 am and was at the Mussoorie bus stand after a 15 mins brisk walk. The State Roadways bus going to New Tehri from Mussoorie goes via Dhanaulti & Chamba. The bus was expected any moment and it arrived at 7.45 am and got almost empty at Mussoorie. About 10 people boarded the bus and it left exactly at 8 a.m. I occupied a window seat in the front row. While Mussoorie has an average altitude of 6580 feet, Dhanaulti has 7500 feet. The 25 kms journey from Mussoorie to Dhanaulti takes about 1.30 hours by bus.
Loneliness vs Solitude
There is lot of difference between loneliness & solitude. I never feel lonely but once in a while I definitely seek solitude in nature because it gives me a wonderful opportunity to be in communion with not only my inner self but also with the divine manifesting itself in the form of nature. My solo travels help me do that.
Buranskhanda
While searching online to book a hotel at Dhanaulti, I came across Hotel Mountview Dreamz at Buranskhanda located 6 kms before Dhanaulti. The pics showed that the small resort with 12 rooms overlooked a valley & offered excellent views of the Himalayan range. Monsoon being off-season, the tariff was very reasonable and I immediately booked it. The picturesque bus journey from Mussoorie was over in no time as I remained glued to the window watching the stunning & delightful mountain views.
A trek to the hotel
I got down at Buranshkhanda village when the conductor announced its name. There was hardly anyone in sight, a small shop was open. I inquired about my resort from the shopkeeper. He told me that it was 500 metres down the road and the bus could have dropped me right in front of the hotel. I decided to walk down to the resort though I was momentarily disappointed. The weather was perfect with bright sunshine and a slight cool breeze. As I walked, I took a deep breath and filled my lungs with the pure pristine mountain air. The traffic was thin and I soon started enjoying the mountain vistas. Groups of giggling school kids in their school uniform and maroon sweaters were hurrying to the school.
Hotel Mount View Dreamz
The resort was located at a curve of the road. The counter in the restaurant also served as the reception. There was a lone person at the counter who welcomed me warmly and took me to my room. The room was clean and looked comfortable but what was absolutely stunning was the view from the window. The wide Himalayan range stood tall before me in its full glory bathed in the bright sunlight. It was love at first sight with the place. I was told that only one more room was occupied in the hotel. After freshening up, I took a round of the small resort which was on two levels with a couple of private cottages too. There was no room service except for tea or coffee, so I walked up to the restaurant for tea & some cookies.
A beautiful poem romancing the mountains
After the refreshment, I stepped out of the restaurant. The sun was no longer visible and a light mist had descended. I decided to take a long walk. After reading my blog on Mussoorie my brother-in-law Ashok had penned me this beautiful poem. Each word of the poem resonated with the feelings that I was experiencing on that walk.
Passion for trekking,
hearing the whistling woods,
wild flowers and berries,
the smell of horses
besides the darting squirrels,
whiff of pristine air,
waiting for the clouds to clear or
waiting to catch them as they draw near
The dale and majestic snow capped sages
Ohh! The love of nature that urges one to sing
Romancing the queen of hills
Daffodils within mossy frills
The echoes that hollow through the wild
Children’s red cheeks with beaming smile
The Deodhar woody trails
Etching of lovers in woods
The stories of ghosts that wail
Each hill with its own fairy tale
Take a virtual tour of Buranskhanda
A beautiful trek to Dhanaulti
After an hour’s walk, I was back at the resort and decided to have an early lunch comprising of a curry, dal fry & hot chapatis. After resting for 30 mins, exactly at 1 pm, I left the resort to trek 6 kms to Dhanaulti. I trekked for an hour at a leisurely pace taking small halts. I was literally floating in the midst of clouds. What a beautiful hike in absolutely pleasing weather with varied terrain and excellent views. With no one in sight, it was an absolute peaceful & pristine atmosphere. With their graceful movements, the floating mist & clouds seemed to be giving a beautiful dance performance. The crowds were left behind in Mussoorie !!! I was loving my solo trek.
Nature is amazing
During the trek, I was thrilled to come across so many flowers,
colourful leaves & moss growing in the wild. Many of the flowers
very tiny in size but large in their beauty !! I was seeing some of them
for the first time !!
Hitchhiking
I must have covered a distance of about 3 kms when I saw a car coming from behind. On an impulse, I signalled for a lift and to my surprise the car stopped just a little ahead of me. I requested them to drop me at the Eco Park at Dhanaulti. I was pleasantly surprised and a bit shocked also as I had even become a hitch hiker and here I was taking lift from a stranger for the first time in my life. The car had two men in their late forties. They asked me to hop in. They were two banker friends from Dehradun who had come on a two days short holiday. After dropping me at the Park they drove ahead.
Pictorial trip to Dhanaulti
Loved the walk under the majestic Deodars
They are two beautiful eco parks at Dhanaulti developed by the Divisional Forest Office. There is an entry fee. There were hardly any visitors. As I entered the park, the mist had turned thick. The tall majestic deodhar (pine) & oak trees seemed to be welcoming me with outstretched arms.
Ruskin Bond in his book ‘Roads to Mussoorie’ writes “A walk in a deodar forest is awe-inspiring – surrounded on all sides by these great sentinels of the mountains, you feel as though the trees themselves are on the march”
It was an out of world experience. I seemed to have fallen in love with those tall deodar trees and walking under them in solitude with fog engulfing me was giving me a mystic mysterious feel !! They reminded me of the B&W mystery movie ‘Kohra’. It seemed that any moment a beautiful damsel would appear in a white saree from behind those trees!!
I didn’t realize that I had spent almost two hours in the parks and I was feeling a bit hungry also. I stepped out of the park and fortunately found a forest department jeep going towards Mussoorie. The driver readily agreed to drop me at my resort in Buranshkhanda for a tip of Rs 50/-.
Pictorial trip of Eco Park at Dhanaulti
On reaching my resort, I asked the restaurant guy to prepare tea, maggie & a plate of french fries. I came to know that the couple had also checked out and I was going to be the sole occupant of the entire resort for the night. All the staff would also leave after dinner around 9 p.m. and only a caretaker would be sleeping in the restaurant during night.
Master of all that I surveyed:
I occupied a vantage point on the terrace and looked in absolute amazement at the vast expanse of the mountains stretching for miles in front of me. During monsoon, the view becomes a bit hazy due to the fog. During summer, the snow-capped mountains are clearly visible. I was enjoying my tea & snacks. The sound of music coming from one of the distant quarters of the staff was only breaking the stillness of the atmosphere. After 15 mins even that stopped. As I sat there in absolute silence, I could slowly see the mountains merge with the azure sky at the horizon and the birds on their flight back to their nests. The sky was turning grey as the darkness descended and the night was arriving slowly but surely. I could see the light of few bulbs in a distant.
Suddenly I started feeling cold and decided to move to the cozy comfort of my room. By 7, I placed my order for soup & light dinner and requested him to serve it in the room. By 8 pm my dinner was over and the bearer cleared my plates and bid me good night. There was a sudden power cut and it was pitch dark outside. It was then a sudden feeling of apprehension engulfed me as the thought of staying alone in the resort during the night in darkness hit me like a bolt. Fortunately the power was restored after 30 mins and I covered myself with two thick blankets and slowly descended into a deep slumber.
Scenes to die for:
I had slept around 9 p.m. and must have slept like a log probably tired with all the walking on the previous day because I woke up at 5.15 a.m. I pulled the curtains and looked out of the window. The beautiful sky view left me speechless. I hastily put on my jacket and stepped out on to the balcony and sat there watching the ever changing sky. It looked like that the painter was active with his brush – hastily painting the sky with strokes of various hues. Nature’s spectacular & stunning show lasted for about 45 mins
I had booked a cab for the day to take me to the nearby places and it was expected at 8 a.m. So I freshened up and had breakfast comprising of one aloo paratha, toast with jam & butter and a glass of fresh apple juice. The cab came at 8 a.m. and I was on another day of exciting exploration in the mountains of Uttarakhand.
Kanatal in sylvan surroundings
Kanatal, is another beautiful hill resort at an altitude of 8500 feet. Surrounded by mountains and rivers, it has breathtaking views of the Himalayan peaks. Kaudia Eco trek is long trek amidst dense forests and takes you to several streams and may give an opportunity to observe some wild life too. Club Mahindra has a small but charming property at Kanatal. I took a round of the resort and also took a short 2 kms trek in Kaudia Eco Park.
Chamba, a quaint little town
Located at an altitude of 5200 feet and at a distance of 50 kms from Mussoorie is the town of Chamba in Tehri Garhwal district. It has a population of around 10000. It is at a junction of roads that connect Rishikesh with Tehri dam and Mussoorie with Tehri dam. Chamba has a deep connection with World War I as this small town gave nearly 500 soldiers for the Military. Gabbar Singh Negi a rifleman who was conferred the prestigious Victorian Cross for exemplary bravery is a hero in this town. There are several hotels and resorts in this town and it is a gateway to several treks. There is another Chamba in Himachal Pradesh which is more popular among the tourists.
I had lunch at one of the roadside restaurant and enjoyed the pahadi curry & dal with chapatis.
Tehri Dam & Lake
Tehri Dam & lake near the town of New Tehri is a scenic spot. The Tehri Dam is the tallest dam in India. It is a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi River. Perched at an elevation of 5540 feet, Tehri Lake is an artificial dam reservoir that came into existence during the construction of Tehri Dam when the water from the Bhagirathi River was diverted to fill the dam reservoir. The lake has a beautiful park and it has been developed as a destination for boating and water sports. I spent nearly an hour at the lake.
Surkanda Devi Temple – an interesting climb
While returning from Tehri Dam, we stopped at a small village called Kaddukha, after Kanatal and 14 kms before Buranskhanda. From here there is a 2 km climb /trek that takes you to the top of a mountain on which is located the famous shrine of Surkanda devi. It is located at an altitude of 9040 feet.
Significance of the temple
Surkanda Devi is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. As per mythological belief, it is that holy place where the head of Sati had fallen. The original name was Sirkanda which over a period became Surkanda. The original ancient idol is swayambhu. Though, the beautiful new temple was built a couple of decades ago at the site of an old temple. There are idols of Kal Bhairava, Shiva-Parvati & Hanuman too.
I had tea at a stall below and then began the steep climb. After a trek of 300 metres, one can hire a pony to take one to the top and return. The horseman entreated me to take his pony as he didn’t get a single client since morning. I agreed. The charges are Rs 500/-. He agreed for Rs 350/- since I took him only for the upward journey. After riding for about 500 metres, I felt pity on the poor pony and decided to walk up rest of the distance. I gave the horseman the pre-decided 350 rupees.
I had darshan at all the shrines. Then, I spent 30 mins enjoying the
panoramic view of the mountains. The location is amazing – it is said
that on a clear day the Himalayan peaks and towns of Dehradun &
Rishikesh are visible from the top. Since the view was hazy, I couldn’t
see. The descent was relatively easy. I enjoyed the view of the forests
on one side and came across some interesting flowers and insects.
In conclusion:
I returned to the resort around 6 pm. Three couples had checked in so there was some activity in the resort. The cab driver informed me that a shared taxi would go to Dehradun the next day. He agreed to arrange for picking me up at 9 am. the next morning and keep the front seat reserved for me. I had early dinner and slept by 9.30 pm after making some notes about the visit in my diary. Next day morning, I went for my walk and also climbed a small hill to a small temple on the top. After my breakfast, I was ready by 9 am. The cab came at 9.15 am. It dropped me at Dehradun around 11.45 am. From there I took a bus to Rishikesh.
I conclude by quoting from John Muir: “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity”. I recently read an article in the Wall Street Journal. It says ” There is strong evidence that spending time in the woods leads to lower blood pressure and decreased anxiety, depression and fatigue”. I am sure a holiday in the privacy & solitude of Dhanaulti can do wonders for your physical & mental well being.
The places that I visited in the Garhwal Himalayan range fascinated me. This ‘sher’ that I read somewhere comes to my mind:
“रूह छोड़ आया हूँ अपनी मैं वहां
जल्द लौटूंगा उसे तलाशने को “
Hotels, best season, how to travel, other activities
There are no luxury hotels in Dhanaulti or Kanatal but there are definitely several beautiful resorts & hotels to suit every budget. Camping facility is also available for the adventurous.
The best time to visit Dhanaulti is during summer when you want to escape from the heat of the plains and you can enjoy the best mountain views. But that is also the time when the resorts are full and the tariff is the highest. During winter one can enjoy snowfall. Sometimes the roads get closed due to heavy snowfall. During Monsoon the visitor gets absolute solitude and off season rates. Sometimes there is road closures in the event of landslides due to excess rains.
A number of adventure sports are available at Buranskhanda & Dhanaulti. They are also the base for treks to several Himalayan ranges.
The best way to travel to these places is to come to Dehradun by train or flight and take a cab from there. If you want to avoid the crowds of Mussoorie then Instead of staying in Mussoorie, you can opt to stay in Dhanaulti and make a day trip to Mussoorie.
Regular details
I have clicked all the pics (except my own pics).
In case you have enjoyed going through this travelogue then please comment below and share the link with your friends. If you have missed reading my earlier blogs then you can go to the site www.travelindiathroughmyeyes.com and click on the heading of the respective blogs.
You can reach me at rameshkabra1956@gmail.com for any feedback or queries related to this post.
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Disclaimer: I have made sincere efforts to provide you the correct information about all the places that have been culled out from various sources. I do not take any responsibility for any errors that might have crept in the narration. There is no intention to hurt the faith or religious sentiments of any person or community.
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