Discovering the elusive Chakrata

Tripoto
29th Apr 2017

The clouds playing over the trees

Photo of Discovering the elusive Chakrata by Aparajita

Hidden in plain sight is this gem of a place, high up in the hills which can serve as an amazing weekend getaway from Delhi. I traveled to Chakrata in April 2017 with my parents, and it was a memorable trip.

We took the morning Dehradun Shatabdi, which unfortunately terminated at Haridwar due to some ongoing work on the railway tracks. From there, we booked a taxi for the next 3 days, and via Dehradun Chakrata road, we reached our hotel. We had booked our stay at Hotel Burans, which cost us Rs. 6000 including stay for 3 people for 2 nights, breakfast and dinner. It was about 10 km before Chakrata. That was a blessing, since it started raining heavily as soon as we reached there.

Day 1
Photo of Chakrata, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita

Hotel Burans

Photo of Hotel Burans, Koruwa, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita

View from the room

Photo of Hotel Burans, Koruwa, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita
Day 2

After a trek which lasted about half an hour, we reached level ground...and the falls were no where in sight!

Then we asked around, and to one side we saw some signs. And suddenly....we came face-to-face with the magnificent falls cascading down the rocks.

The name is derived from the sound the of water falling down...it is said that it resembles the roar of a tiger.

Tiger Falls

Photo of Tiger Fall -Chakrata, Kanaser Range, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita
Day 3

Ashokan Rock Edict at Kalsi

Photo of Kalsi, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita

Ashokan Rock Edict at Kalsi

Photo of Kalsi, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita
Day 2
Photo of Chirmiri Peak/Top, Thana, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita
Photo of Chirmiri Peak/Top, Thana, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita
Day 3
Photo of Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, India by Aparajita
Photo of Paonta Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, India by Aparajita
Photo of Asan Barrage, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita
Photo of Kalesar National Park, Yamuna Nagar, Haryana, India by Aparajita
Day 2

View from viewpoint of Tiger Falls

Photo of Tiger Falls parking, Kanaser Range, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita

The end of the path to Tiger Falls

Photo of Tiger Fall -Chakrata, Kanaser Range, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita
Photo of Tiger Fall -Chakrata, Kanaser Range, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita
Photo of Tiger Fall -Chakrata, Kanaser Range, Uttarakhand, India by Aparajita

It rained throughout the night, with the wind howling through the windows. We thought we may not be able to go anywhere the next day. But luckily, the sky cleared and the next day dawned bright and cheerful.

After breakfast, we left for Tiger Falls which is about 40 km from the hotel. From the parking, one can either take the car down a narrow mud road, and hike the final 15 mins, or opt for a 1 km(according to the sign) trek along a clearly marked path with stone steps carved out of the rocks.

There are facilities for bathing so it is advisable carry a change of clothes. There is also a canteen which serves food and drinks.

Finally, we tore ourselves from the beautiful view and went back up the path, admiring the spectacular views we had failed to appreciate in our excitement to see the falls.

The next stop was Chakrata market, where we went into a small joint to have momos and chowmein. It was a very small place, and that seemed the only thing available.

Then we left for Chirmiri Peak, a beautiful view point up in the mountains.

We missed out the highly recommended Deoban, due to lack of time and a proper vehicle. The roads are not good so a 4X4 is required for the terrain. We also left out other places like Kanasar, Lakhamandal temples, and Budher Gufa. These will be on my list for my next visit.

That evening, my health took turn for worse, and we cancelled our plans for boarding the overnight train from Dehradun the next day. Instead, we convinced the driver to drop us directly to Delhi, and thus began a memorable road trip.

While going back, we halted at Kalsi to visit Ashoka's only rock edict in northern India. It is just 5 mins off the road and worth a visit.

The next stop was at Paonta Sahib Gurudwara.

On the way, we passed through Asan barrage, and those so inclined can go for boating in the lake.

The road took us through the wooded paths of the Kalesar National Park in Haryana. Of course, we didn't have the time to go for a safari.

The last pit stop was a visit to Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba in Murthal, and after that, we headed home to reach by around 6.30. Thus, the trip came to a spectacular end!