Viraatkhai - Explore this hidden gem on your next trip to Uttarakhand

Tripoto
25th Feb 2017
Photo of Viraatkhai - Explore this hidden gem on your next trip to Uttarakhand by Akul Bajaj

At a distance of about 70 km from Dehradun, Viraatkhai was part of an unplanned visit as we first decided to go to Chakrata but after finding that place crowded we headed to Viraatkhai. Viraatkhai was named after King Viraat who ruled this place.

The mighty mountains of the area make for one hell of an artist's figment of imagination. There are no words to express the beauty of this area. As we were riding along the narrow roads, we were amazed by a series of beautiful landscapes which came in our way and we were stopping every now and then to take some snaps. While we were enjoying the beauty of nature, it surprised us with yet another event which increased our excitement many fold. The snow fall!

The views

Photo of Chakrata, Uttarakhand, India by Akul Bajaj

The snow fall was so severe that it actually blocked the roads ahead and we had a really hard time getting to the destination. However when we were going there, we realized this trip was hardly about the destination and more about the drive till there.

Mountain covered in a fresh blanket of snow

Photo of Viraatkhai - Explore this hidden gem on your next trip to Uttarakhand by Akul Bajaj

Best time to visit:

This place is a masterpiece of nature and getting here anytime of the year is a trip worth taking.

However if you are a keen traveler, the best time to be here is winters when the early snow shimmers all over this place and enhances its beauty multi fold.

How to reach:

Viraatkhai is approximately 70 km from your Dehradun and the whole journey can be divided into 3 parts. First, you need to navigate to Vikasnagar which is roughly 40km from Dehradun.

After you reach Vikasnagar your next stop will be a place called Khalsi. The temple of Khalsi is quite popular and you can definitely take some time to visit the temple.

Now comes the final part of journey. As you move ahead of Khalsi you will see the road dividing into 2 parts. One will lead you to Chakrata and the other to Viraatkhai. Both the places are equally good but Chakrata is more popular among the tourists and is a much busier place hence it's preferable to go to Viraatkhai instead because it is relatively unexplored and secluded.

The road

Photo of Viraatkhai - Explore this hidden gem on your next trip to Uttarakhand by Akul Bajaj

Although the beauty of this place knows no limits but extreme caution should be exercised in going to Viraatkhai as the roads are pretty narrow plus the snow makes the course even more difficult. To add to the troubles there are hairpin bends and steep inclines which can be a concern for novice riders. Another thing to keep in mind is going there with a full tank of gas. There are hardly any petrol bunks in the vicinity and getting gas could be a real issue around that place.