Unspoilt Cantonment Escape: Chakrata

Chakrata — a military cantonment at 2118 m in Dehradun district — is Uttarakhand's most underrated hill station. Surrounded by dense forests of deodar, oak, and rhododendron, and lying on a narrow ridge above the Tons River valley, Chakrata offers the kind of pristine, crowd-free mountain experience that mainstream hill stations lost decades ago. The 312 ft (95 m) Tiger Falls — one of India's highest cascading waterfalls — lies in a completely undisturbed forest just 20 km from town, accessible by a short forest hike. Deoban (2800 m) — a high-altitude deodar plateau — offers panoramic sunrise views of Bandarpoonch and Swargarohini peaks. The Jaunsar-Bawar region surrounding Chakrata is home to the ancient Jaunsari tribe, believed to be descendants of the Pandavas, with a living polyandrous culture and striking traditional architecture. Permit required (Indian nationals only).