HimLocal
Sign in
HimLocal
The still Tehri lake reflecting cloudy hills, framed by flowers and green slopes
1 / 3
Photo: Goldi.negi · CC BY-SA 3.0
1 night · 2 daysCouplesnaturebalanced

Tehri in two days — the lake, then the high road through Chamba and Kanatal to Dhanaulti

A two-day plan from Tehri: the dam and water sports on the lake, then the high road through Chamba and Kanatal to the Surkanda Devi path and Dhanaulti.
Planning to go?Add your dates — we’ll count down, and tell you when stays or batches open for them.

Two days that join the water and the high hills. The first is at the Tehri Dam and on the Tehri Lake; the second climbs west from Tehri through Chamba and Kanatal, past the path to the Surkanda Devi temple, to the forests of Dhanaulti, from where Mussoorie is close. For a shorter visit, see the one-day plan.

Photos: Goldi.negi (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Wander-earth (CC BY-SA 4.0) · SHUVADIP (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

Who this is for

Couples and families who want the lake and the cool hills in one trip, and anyone driving between Rishikesh and Mussoorie the long way round.

Day by day

Day 1

The dam and the lake

2 stops · 8 min on the road

A day by the water below New Tehri.

  1. 10:00
    Tehri Dam
    dam · 37 min from Tehri · about 45 min there
    The tallest dam in India, 260.5 m, built between 1978 and 2006 over the old town of Tehri.
  2. ↓ 8 min by road · 5 km
    11:30
    Tehri Lake boating point
    viewpoint · 39 min from Tehri · about 2 h there
    Boating, jet boats, water skiing and more, as the district administration lists them. Ask at the shore; we have no verified operators or prices.
Day 2

The high road west

4 stops · 54 min on the road

Up through Chamba and Kanatal to the Surkanda Devi path at Kaddukhal, and on to Dhanaulti's forest.

  1. 08:30
    Chamba
    town · 24 min from Tehri · about 45 min there
    The junction town at about 1,600 m, where the roads from Mussoorie and Rishikesh meet the road to Tehri.
  2. ↓ 30 min by road · 16 km
    09:45
    Kanatal
    town · 54 min from Tehri · about 1 h there
    A hill village at about 2,600 m on the road to Mussoorie, with views over the ridges; in winter, snow can block the road here.
  3. ↓ 10 min by road · 5 km
    11:00
    Kaddukhal
    village · 1 h 3 min from Tehri · about 15 min there
    The path up to the Surkanda Devi temple, at about 2,756 m, starts here. It is a Shakta pitha, where the head of Sati fell. We have no verified walking time, so allow the morning.
  4. ↓ 14 min by road · 7 km
    14:00
    Dhanaulti
    town · 1 h 17 min from Tehri · about 1 h 30 min there
    Lunch, then the Amber and Dhara eco-parks in the pine forest, within 200 m of each other. Mussoorie is about 30 km on if you are going on.

Getting there

Start from New Tehri, about 68 km from Rishikesh station; end at Dhanaulti, about 30 km from Mussoorie by Wikipedia. See how to reach Tehri.

Where to stay

New Tehri on the first night and Dhanaulti on the second. We have no verified lodging or prices.

Know before you go

  • Kanatal and Dhanaulti are much higher than the lake; carry warm clothes in any season.
  • Wikipedia says heavy snow can block the roads around Kanatal in winter.
  • We have no verified walking time to Surkanda Devi; ask at Kaddukhal and start early.

Places on this route

Tehri Dam — India's tallest dam, the lake behind it and the town beneath
Tehri Dam — India's tallest dam, the lake behind it and the town beneath
dam · 37 min from Tehri
Tehri Lake — boating and water sports on the reservoir of the Tehri Dam
Tehri Lake — boating and water sports on the reservoir of the Tehri Dam
viewpoint · 39 min from Tehri
Dhanaulti — the pine-forest hill station between Mussoorie and Tehri
Dhanaulti — the pine-forest hill station between Mussoorie and Tehri
town · 1 h 17 min from Tehri

Going together

No one has started a group going on this plan yet. Start one and other travellers can ask to come along.

Start a groupHow groups work

Other ways to do it

All Tehri itineraries →
One day at Tehri — the tallest dam in India and an afternoon on the lake
One day at Tehri — the tallest dam in India and an afternoon on the lake
Day plan · First visit · Classic
A one-day Tehri plan: India's tallest dam in the morning and boating or water sports on Tehri Lake after lunch, both under 40 minutes from New Tehri. Copy it.
Best Apr–Jun · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
The green Ganges flowing between forested hills at Rishikesh, with buildings on the left bank
Rishikesh
33 km away · 2 itineraries · 4 places
Mussoorie's houses and hotels stacked along a green ridge, with hazy hills behind
Mussoorie
35 km away · 3 itineraries · 5 places
The long red-brick Forest Research Institute with white columns and two domed towers across a wide lawn
Dehradun
38 km away · 2 itineraries · 5 places
The ghats of Har Ki Pauri on the Ganga, with the clock tower, small red-roofed shrines and bathers on the steps
Haridwar
53 km away · 2 itineraries · 5 places
Been here?Help the next traveller — our team checks every contribution.

Questions people ask

How far is Kanatal from Tehri?

About 27 km and 54 minutes from New Tehri on our routing, by way of Chamba; Wikipedia puts Kanatal 18 km from Chamba and 38 km from Mussoorie. It sits at about 2,600 m, much higher than the lake, and Wikipedia says heavy snow can block the roads there in winter.

Can I combine Tehri Lake and Dhanaulti in one trip?

Yes. Dhanaulti is about 39 km and 77 minutes from New Tehri on our routing, on the high road to Mussoorie through Chamba and Kanatal. This plan spends a day on the lake and the next on that road, ending in the pine forest at Dhanaulti, about 30 km from Mussoorie.

Where does the walk to Surkanda Devi start?

At Kaddukhal on the Chamba–Mussoorie road, about 63 minutes from New Tehri on our routing. The temple stands at about 2,756 m. Wikivoyage puts it about 3 km from Dhanaulti. We have no verified walking time for the path, so ask at Kaddukhal and give it the morning.