Nature at it’s best

Travellers who love to go on adventure trips have a special affinity towards hills. The terrain and varied climatic conditions, most of the time, make trips to the hills a difficult yet adventurous one. One of the unique features of travelling to places at higher altitude is that one gets to see nature at its best, unpolluted and with least human intervention.

Dehradun is one among those places, which even though is frequented by tourists, has not lost its natural sheen. The places to visit in the capital city of Uttarakhand are also unique. Indu Krishna, an ardent traveller and founder of a travel company, makes it a point to see the natural attractions of the places she visits. Her trip to Dehradun, therefore, would be incomplete without a visit to Robber’s Cave and a trek through it.

Indu Krishna(second from right) with her friends at Robber’s Cave.

“After visiting almost every prominent tourist attractions in Dehradun, my friends and I were a bit disappointed as the man-made lake and other places that we visited were all not up to the mark and had nothing unique that could excite us. Robber’s Cave was our last destination. But it amazed us. We were surprised to know that such a place existed at a distance of mere eight km from the main city. Locally known as Gucchu Pani, the cave was named Robber’s Cave by the British. It is believed that robbers used to find shelter in the cave to escape from the British police officers. One would actually be astonished to know that the cave is actually a gorge created between two giant conglomerate-limestone structures by flowing water and therefore it is not in the shape of a tunnel. Ample sunlight reaches inside the cave, which makes it easy for people to trek through the cave,” says Indu.

When the group visited the cave, water was up to their hip level. However, according to Indu, it was not difficult to walk as the water level only rises till hip level in the seasons when the trek through the cave is permitted , except that one needs to be extra careful about crossing the narrow areas of the cave and at places where there are small waterfalls. Wearing slippers while walking through the cave is advisable and for those who are in shoes can rent slippers for just Rs 10 before starting the trek. When asked about the trekking experience, Indu says, “I would say it is one of the easiest options for those who would like to go trekking. It’s a flat terrain for almost the entire length of the cave and one can take a relaxed walk through the cave with crystal clear water, feeling the beautiful round stones in different colours and shapes underneath your feet. On enquiring further about the place we got to know that the water in the cave is believed to be rich in sulphur and therefore is an effective medicine for skin—related ailments.”

According to Indu, Gucchu Pani is an apt place for picnics if one needs to spend some quality time with near and dear ones in the close proximity of nature.