Delhi people are always looking for a quick getaway from the city – especially nowadays when the heat (and the humidity) is at its peak. Short trips are always a great idea, and no one minds a weekend trip to a place where you can go, relax, and come back all in the span of a weekend. Many people think that Dehradun is a great place to head to for a quick ride through the mountains and the trees. But a little over two hours drive away from Dehradun lies Chakrata, a place that we don’t often hear of when talking about quick getaways.

Chakrata is a simple hill town that is far from all the commercialisation, crowd and noise. If your motive is to simply relax and unwind and not much over the weekend, Chakrata is your place. Chakrata is an access-restricted military cantonment, therefore you can’t take pictures at some places in the region and foreigners have an issue getting access to the town. But apart from that Chakrata offers a refreshing stay, especially during the monsoons when it becomes it rustic best. Here are some things you can do.

Trek to Tiger Falls

Roughly a 5 KMS trek will lead to the magnificent Tiger Falls where you can relax and chill out at the base. The trek itself is not hard and offers a beautiful view of the deodars and the mountain range.

Go see Budher Caves

After a trek of about 6-7 KMS from Chakrata, you will reach Budher Caves. Exploring the limestone caves is fun if you are up for it and have an experienced guide along. But if caving isn’t your thing, you can just relax in the meadow where the cav.es are. The locals believe that the cave was built by the Pandavas during their exile.

Explore the market

There isn’t much to explore really, in all honesty. But whatever there is, it is sweet and simple. Shops with local food, coffee shops with a view and locals bustling about. And the food is good the way food is only good in the mountains. If you fond of non-vegetarian, try mutton from Sher-e-Punjab. And if you want to enjoy a sunset after, head to Chilmiri.