Dehradun's real luxury isn't in the city, it's that seven different worlds sit within a tank of petrol. Here's the honest ranking, with the numbers that matter: distance, time, what to ride, and what the petrol actually costs at ~45–50 km/l.
The table
| # | Ride | One way | Time | Best pick | Round-trip fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mussoorie | ~33 km | ~1.5 hr | Burgman / Bullet 350 | ~₹150 |
| 2 | Rishikesh | ~43 km | ~1.5 hr | Any 125cc | ~₹180 |
| 3 | Dhanaulti | ~60 km | ~2.5 hr | Bullet 350 | ~₹250 |
| 4 | Haridwar | ~55 km | ~2 hr | Gixxer / Bullet | ~₹230 |
| 5 | Chakrata | ~90 km | ~3.5 hr | Bullet 350 | ~₹380 |
| 6 | Sahastradhara | ~14 km | ~40 min | Any scooter | ~₹60 |
| 7 | Maldevta | ~15 km | ~45 min | Any scooter | ~₹65 |
1 · Mussoorie, the rite of passage
Thirty-three kilometres, half of them hairpins. Glorious, crowded, and deserving of respect, it gets its own full guide. Short version: leave early, engine-brake down, never overtake on a blind corner.
2 · Rishikesh, the confidence builder
Flat, fast and forgiving, with ghats and cafes at the end. The best first "real" ride, full route in Rishikesh on a scooter.
3 · Dhanaulti, Mussoorie's quiet sibling
Push past Mussoorie's crowds and the road empties into deodar forest at 2,200 m. Cold even in summer, carry a layer. Torque matters up here, which is why the Bullet 350 earns its ₹1,200 day.
4 · Haridwar, the evening spectacle
Time it for Ganga aarti at Har Ki Pauri around sunset. Highway riding both ways: mind the truck traffic near Doiwala, and lights-on for the return.
5 · Chakrata, the serious one
Ninety kilometres of progressively wilder road. Start at dawn, fuel up at Premnagar/Nanda Ki Chowki, and treat it as a full-day commitment. Geared bike territory, honestly.
6–7 · Sahastradhara & Maldevta, the warmups
Half-day rides that teach you the vehicle: springs and pools at one, riverside maggi at the other. Both feature in things to do around UPES.
Before any of them
Full-day rental (typically ₹700 to ₹1,200), both helmets, licence, the 60-second inspection, and a weather check. The safety page explains why monsoon corners and winter fog change the plan. One boundary to remember: rental vehicles must stay within Uttarakhand, which conveniently is where all seven of these rides live. Book the night before on live listings; weekend fleets empty by 9am.