need help for a trip to chakrata, mussourie, dhanaulti

mantru

so do we go to DD or vis Mussoorie.....which one is preferable.

capt_mahajan

I would by pass Dehradun unless I had to go there.

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mantru

Hi All,

I guess we'll have to skip DD as we'll be travelling by night...we'll start from delhi around 11 pm..we would like to reach chakrata in the morning latest by nine...during the day we have go for a walk to tiger falls....how long will that take...are food stalls avail on the way...is the scenery good around the place...
on sunday morning how early do we start at 4 am towards Deovaan...we'll be hiring an innova...after deovaan..do we start for lakhmandal and after that will we still have time to spend in mussorie...can you give me the route we should take for the same....from mussorie we can start at 8 to 9 pm towards Delhi...

Dilliwala

There is a one-way system between Kalsi and Chakrata. You need to ensure that you are definitely at Kalsi by 7 a.m. to catch the first gate. Shud be ok if you leave at 11 pm. There will be a forced halt half-way at Sahiya for around 30 mins, good time to get breakfast. Departure 8.05 a.m., you'll be in Chakrata by 8.35 a.m. I'm told there's ID checking by the army at Chakrata nowadays, so better to carry some.

For Tiger Falls see here.

Chakrata to Devban is 17 km including a 12 km forest road. I wud prefer a jeep, but discuss it with your driver. No real issues unless it's muddy. Leave at 5 a.m., that's early enough.

Devban to Mussoorie direct is 92 km and will take 3.5 hours. If you want to go via Lakhamandal it will be 151 km. Devban-Chakrata-Lakhamandal is 75 km and will take almost 3 hours. Lakhamandal-Aglar/Yamuna Pul-Mussoorie (76 km) will take 2.5 hours.
Personally I think this is too much driving and just marking attendance in Muss. Not to mention it'll be horrible on a Sunday afternoon/eve in peak season. Skip it and go from Yamuna Pul to Kalsi and back to Delhi. Use the extra time around Chakrata and Lakhamandal. And/or stop in Kalsi briefly and take a look at the Ashokan rock edict.

mantru

thanks to all for the reply........

Roan

Hi guys, planning to drive down to Dehradun on 15 night. Is it safe and how is the Saharanpur option instead of Roorkee. Delhiwalla in an earlier posting said the road was good. In anyone's experience, which is the ideal place to stay over if one wants to break journey around Chitral.

Dilliwala

Chitral is in Pakistan! Do you mean Cheetal at Khatauli perhaps?
If you're only going to Dehradun, then your Q is better off in this thread:
Delhi-Dehradun-By Car

Roan

Thanks, checked out the alternate thread and found your recent posting, will check it out over the weekend.

LittleSparrow

hi

We are planning to go on a bike trip to Chakrata this June and the booking for Forest Guest House is done.
But on a second thought I was wondering if we can camp anywhere in or around chakrata...do we need any sort of permission to do that?
Is it possible at all?

Dilliwala

I take it you're Indian citizens?
It's best to check with the Forest Dept staff in Kalsi or Chakrata about camping permissions. Chakrata is kind of a restricted area and better to find out before-hand rather than later that you're camping somewhere you weren't supposed to.

KOUSIK MUKHERJEE

Dear Dillawala ji,
I am planning to go to G'wal end of June- Ist week of july. From Badrinath my plan is to end up from Dehradun visiting Mussuorie. we will leave Badrinath on 03/07/08 morning & visit Auli. we have not fixed next part of our prog. our train is from Dehradun on 07/07/08 evening. Can you please suggest us a plan covering Pouri,Chakrata ( it is a must, as I feel reading your writting), Dhonoulti , & Mussuori.We would like to stay in calm & quiet places.
we will have our hired car.

Dilliwala

Ok, nice challenge, this one.

Let me outline the route first from Auli -
a) Joshimath-Shrinagar (side-track to Pauri 29 km, and back for onward)-Maletha-Tehri Dam-Chamba-Dhanolti-Mussoorie-Kempty Falls-Yamuna Pul-Chakrata.
b) Or from Yamuna Pul: Kuwa-Lakhamandal-Chakrata (longer route).

Leaving Chakrata, relatively straightforward -
Kalsi-Ambadi-Dehradun.
(One-way system between Chakrata and Kalsi, opens every 2.5 hours, starting at 7 am. Forced stop half-way approx 30 mins. Total time to Dehradun - 2.5 hours. In other words, you have to make the 5 pm gate).

As you can see, I have put the tourist places in bold. It will be difficult to fit in all the places you mentioned for a night-halt, so at least one will have to be dropped. I'll list a few options:
(Please note, driving times do not include stopping on the way for meals, chai, photography, etc. They also do NOT take into account possible road-closures due to construction-work, land-slides, etc.)

Option 1
3/7: Auli-Pauri (stay). Distance 190 km, 5.5 to 6 hours driving.

4/7: Pauri-Mussoorie (stay), with a few hours in Dhanolti including lunch. Distance 170 km, 5.5 hours driving (Muss-Dhanolti 1 hour).

5/7: Mussoorie-Kempty-Chakrata (stay). Stop at Kempty for 30 mins if desired (more than enough ). Continue either via Lakhamandal, or direct. Distance 75 km, 2.5 hours. 4 hours via Lakhamandal.

6/7: Chakrata and around (stay)

7/7: Chakrata-Kalsi-Dehradun (train).

This option doesn't give much time in Pauri - you'll arrive in the evening and have to leave next morning. Again arrive Muss in the evening, leave latest by lunch next day. Mind you, 2 of the "official tourist traps" for Muss, Dhanolti and Kempty, will have been covered on the way (and the third is the Mall Road ).
I don't like this option much, but the alternative wud be to go from Auli to New Tehri or Chamba - around 250 km and way too long a drive, after already having started from Badrinath in the morning.

Option 2
3/7: As above

4/7: Pauri-Dhanolti (stay). Distance 145 km, 4.5 hours driving.
If desired, stop at Kaddukhal (6 km before) to visit Surkanda Devi temple (2740 m, 360 degree view - if it's clear) - 1.3 km uphill, walk or use pony.

5/7: Dhanolti-Mussoorie-Chakrata. Leave early, spend day in Mussoorie, reach Chakrata direct by evening. Distance 102 km, 3.5 hours driving.

6/7: As above

7/7: As above

Notes
1. Sorry, this is the best I can do with the time available, anything else is too hectic and becomes just a driving exercise. Frankly, for me even the above is a bit hectic, considering these are 'destinations' and not 'transit points' - 3 hotels in 4 nights is not really my cup of tea.
2. One of your options for the full day in Chakrata is a side-trip to Lakhamandal, if you don't do it on the way there. The other places nearby - Devban, Tiger Falls, Kanasar - you may spread out over the 2 days as suitable. You can decide that after reaching Chakrata.
I do not recommend seeing Lakhamandal on the last day en-route to Dehradun - wrong route, unless you go back via Muss again.
3. At Kalsi you may like to see the rock-edict of Emperor Ashok. A 15-min stop is more than sufficient.

I hope the above is sufficient to outline a basic plan for yourself, i.e. what time to start, how much time to spend where, what time to end the day (try to avoid driving after 7 pm), etc. etc. If you want to change anything and need more info, feel free to ask.

For accom I suggest GMVN wherever there is one (except Chakrata). Please check the tariffs on www.gmvnl.com , whether they are suitable (please note July is cheaper than May-June). In Muss it's not really in a quiet location (right on Mall Road), but the tourist traffic will be down by then. If not desired, I can think of other options - most are close to the bazar though, and similar price range.
For Chakrata you must have read the hotel names/contacts, or just search for "Chakrata". You can call and check the rates, though I suggest not to book now, as you will get better rates later. There is also a PWD RH - I'm not sure where it's booked from, Dehradun or Mussoorie, and a Forest RH, bookable from Kalsi.

LittleSparrow

Well thanks.
Yes I am an Indian...this query came forward because the guard at forest guest house informed us that our booking may get cancelled if they get higher officials booking on the priority basis.
So this camping idea was an alternative plan to the last minute cancellation.
Can we stay in tents then?
Who exactly we should ask for the permission...the official at the naka or the guard at forest guest house?
Am not sure if everybody going for this ride is open for such adventure...but it surely sounds like fun!

KOUSIK MUKHERJEE

dear Dilliwalaji,

thanks a lot for your valuable & informative suggestions.
I am giving you detal of our prog. which is as given below :-

27/6-- Reaching Haridwar in the morning, visit to Hrishikesh & back to Haridwar.

28/6-- HRDW TO Gourikund
29/6 --- GK TO Kedarnath stay at Kedarnath ( 14 km walk)
30/6-- Kedarnath to GK & then to Chopta or Ukhimoth
1/7 --- Chopta or Ukhimath to Badrinath ( please suggest whether we can make a trip to AULI this day to make our 3/7 prog comfortable)
2/7--- Badrinath ( visit MANAgram, Basudhara falls , if possible)

3/7-- BDNATH TO Pouri ( if Auli not on 1/7 thn via Auli)

Rest as per your plan,
For Chakrata we will follow Jamuna bridge route.
We would prefer staying at Dhonoulti rahter than Mussuorie.

Please suggest is the plan proper , or will we make Chakrata, Dhonoulti first & then step into Keadr route.

Dilliwala

Just ask the staff at the Forest office in Chakrata. Or if you have time in Kalsi, then stop there briefly, the office there is right on the road.
Other than that, the tel no. for DFO, Chakrata Division, is here.