Travelogue - In the lap of Surkunda Hill via Dhanaulti-Dehradun

A blessed trip for the seekers of Himalayan touch

Surkunda is the highest peak in Garwal Himalayan region near Mussoorie Hills with Shaktipeeth at the top. It is easily accessible by motorable route from Dehradun as well Rishikesh side. The trip to Surkunda from Haridwar advances from Rishikesh with Chamba town on the way. It is a wonderful tour with breathtaking views on the route.

From DSVV Haridwar, it takes just half an hour to reach Rishikesh. There from Mahakali temple, the road ascends towards Narendernagar, a small hill town situated at the foothills of Kunja Devi.

The route crosses through dense jungle and dripping water sources on the roadside. The panoramic view of Rishikesh from the ascending heights looks spectacular. Within half an hour one crosses through Narendernagar, the small town established by King of Garhwal, whose palace still bears a majestic look on the top of small hill as Ananda Resort; occasionally graced by celebrities, sports and film stars.

After Narendernagar the route crosses under the foothills of Kunja Devi situated at the top of the hill. Within next half an hour passengers reach Agarakhal, where pahadi Dhaba are ready with morning breakfast and local meals. Afterward journey descends till Jajal, where river Hamwle crosses the bridge. On the way one can have beautiful views of distant Himalayan villages, green terrace fields and dense jungles.

Route from Jajal onwards crosses through a narrow valley with Hamwle river at left-side flowing southwards. One can see crash crops and vegetables growing on the banks of the river. Jarhdhari village on the route gives a wonderful view spread over length and width of the valley.

Next comes Chamba town on the top of the hills, which is gateway to New Tehri as well as Mussoorie Hills.

Dhanaulti is about 100 KM from Chamba on Mussoorie route.

The major station on the way are Kanataal, Kaddukhal etc. The road is well above 7-8000 feet height. Cool breeze on the way gives the distinct feel of Himalayan touch all the way. Half of the route passes over the ridge, giving panoramic view of both sides. On the left side are the deep valleys of Dehradun side and on the right side stands snow covered Mighty Himalayan range with peaks like Trishul, Nanda Devi, Panchachuli etc.

Near Kanataal one can have group photo at the view point. Tea lovers can enjoy hot-drink on the adjacent Dhaba and gain some warmth in this cold region. In the terrace fields one can view apricot, pears, plum and apple trees, which are the gifted fruits for this height. Also cabbage, broccoli, salads, iceberg, peas etc. are abundantly grown over the sloppy fields. Their taste and organic nature make these vegetables and fruits special ones. One can purchase from roadside shops as family gift.

In the next one hour one reaches Kaddukhal after crossing dense Deodar jungle at the feet of Surkunda Hills. 

It is one of the most beautiful routes of the way. Also Buransh trees (Rhododendron arboreum) with red flowers grow here abundantly in April month. It is the special attraction of the season and indeed treat to the eyes.

Surkunda temple is 3 km trek from Kaddukhal station situated at 8000 ft.

It take about one hour to trek the route. Buransh (Rhododendron) jungles, thick wild bushes welcome the trekkers on the way. As one ascends the route one can get panoramic view of the valley down which spreads many km far down South.

Surkunda top is at 10,000 feet with a beautifully carved temple of Divine Mother. Distant view of snow covered Himalayas from the temple is simply heavenly. One can have look of Mountain peaks of Ganagotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath region from here. Also Chanderbadni Shaktipeeth on the top of distant hill is visible from here.

Even in the months of March one get snow at this height.  Lost in the heavenly beauty of this height, dwelling in the spiritual vibes of the place is a meditative experience. Presence of Lord Siva-Parvati, Hanuman and Shiva family in the premises enhances the sacredness of the Shaktipeeth. 

During Navratra and Dussera there are special celebrations here. After spending some quality moments of devotion and deep self-reflection, one can descend down to main road at Kaddukhal that takes just half an hour. Beautiful view of valley down on the way are simply captivating, which hardly any person can forget to capture in camera and mobile.

At Kaddukhal one can have pahari lunch at local Dhabas and restaurants at reasonable price. Fresh and hot food refreshes and recharge the trekkers.

After half an hours come Dhanaulti hill station engulfed with sky high Deodar trees. One can expect snow on the sloppy side with little exposure to sun light. It is a cold place. One can have some memorable pics here in the lap of nature. There is one Bio diversity park and some view points on the route for group photos.

After about one hour drive from here comes Mussoorie hill bypass, with Dehradun at foothill visible from the top. City lake on the way is an attraction. One can enjoy boating in its cool waters and enjoy shopping and adventure activities.

With Sunset panoramic view of Dehradun from top is worth watching. Curvy road with steep U-turns popularly known as Jalebi road is in itself a new experience to the fresh visitors. If one gets time, one can stop by and visit places like, Shakya College, Prakasheswar temple, Ramakrishna Mission etc. on the way. Generally it gets dark when one enters Dehradun. Road by Dehradun leads to Haridwar in the dark night amid the sparkling lights of the capital city and one enters Haridwar by 8:00/9:00 pm. There are good Dhabas for dinner on the way near Bhaniawala and fun valley.

Journey completes in 12-14 hours with remarkable experiences and sweet memories of the way. 

If traveler has one more day, night halt in the camping sites near Dhanaulti and Kanataal region can be arranged with so many service providers. A combo of adventure activities, hill trekking, village safari, birds watching, camp fire etc. can be enjoyed in the lap of mountains.

In fact this route is a blessing to those living in Dehradun or Haridwar region, especially to the nature lovers and seekers of peace with Himalayan touch. This route is the perfect one capable of giving the seeker one of the most fulfilling and memorable experience.