Dehradun, the provisional capital of the newly formed state Uttaranchal, is located en-route to Mussoorie. Being a popular hill destination, it is a most sought after place by tourists. It is nestled in a wide and thickly forested valley of the Shivalik ranges, and is famous for its fruit orchards.What attracts tourists most is the temperate climate of the citythe city derives its name from two different terms; Dehra is better judged as 'dera', which means a temporary abode or camp. While, the term Dun is stated to be the term 'dun' or 'doon', which means the low lands at the foot of a mountain range, where the town is actually located.

Area: 300 sq km

Population: 5,20,000 (approx) (1991 census)

Places to see:

There are many places of tourist attraction. Gurudwara built by Guru Ram Raj Robber's cave, Tapkeshwar Temple, Sahastradhara, Chandrabani, Santala Devi Temple, Rajaji National Park are few to mention. For many years, the city has been one of the best-known educational centers in northern India. The world famous Forest Research Institute, the headquarters of the important establishment like the Oil and Natural Commission; Survey of India and the Military Academy are also located here. The city has many beautiful rest houses and good hotels to provide accommodation to the tourist.

How to reach:

• By Air: The nearest airport from Dehradun is the Jolly Grant around 25 km away, on the outskirts of the town. There are regular flights to Dehradun from New Delhi scheduled domestic airlines for easy connection.
• By Rail: Dehradun is a major railhead on the Northern Railway and is connected with direct trains to almost all the big cities of India and important tourist destinations in Uttar Pradesh.
• By Road: There are good road connections from Dehradun to other cities of India. Distances of some major cities from Dehradun are; Agra 381 km, Calcutta 1562 km, Chennai 2365 km, Jaipur 493 km, Lucknow 582 km, Mumbai 1578 km, and Delhi 255 km.