Dehradun to Sankri

Sankri is the base village for Kedarkantha, Har Ki Dun and several other treks in Uttarkashi district, and almost everyone reaches it from Dehradun. The Dehradun to Sankri distance is only about 190 km, but it's a full day on the road: the route climbs over Mussoorie, drops into the Yamuna valley and then follows the Tons valley up to Sankri, through Naugaon, Purola and Mori.

This guide covers everything about that drive: the exact distance and route, how long it takes, bus timings and where the buses leave from, shared jeeps, taxi fares by car type, road conditions in every season and where to stop on the way. If you're trekking with us, the Dehradun pickup for Kedarkantha takes care of this whole journey.

Developer: make each line a jump link to its H2.

Dehradun to Sankri Distance and Route

There are two road routes. Almost all buses and taxis take the first one, via Mussoorie.

Stretch distances from Sankri-based operators' published route guides; online cab sites list the total as about 187 km. Some travel guides quote up to 210 km, which matches the longer Vikasnagar route.

Route 2: Via Vikasnagar and Kalsi

The alternative road goes west from Dehradun through Vikasnagar and Kalsi on NH507 and joins the main route at Yamuna Bridge. It's about 20 to 25 km longer, but it avoids the Mussoorie climb and its weekend traffic jams. It can be the better choice on busy weekends. Ask your driver which way is quicker on the day.

How High Does the Road Go?

Dehradun sits at about 640 m (2,100 ft). The road climbs to around 2,000 m (6,500 ft) at Mussoorie, drops to the Yamuna valley, and then climbs again to Sankri at about 1,950 m (6,400 ft). So you'll go up, down and up again, which is why the drive is tiring and why motion sickness is common.

Dehradun to Sankri Time: How Long Does It Take?

Here's what a typical taxi day looks like if you leave early:

An indicative timeline. Traffic in Mussoorie, roadworks and snow can add one to two hours.

The golden rule: leave Dehradun between 5 and 8 AM. Start later, and you'll drive the last mountain stretch after dark, which we don't recommend.

Dehradun to Sankri Bus: Timings, Boarding Points and Fare

There's no bus from Dehradun ISBT to Sankri. The Sankri buses leave from the railway station area, early in the morning, and they don't take online bookings.

Timings change from season to season. Confirm the evening before at the bus stand or with your homestay. Fares were ₹400 (private) and ₹450 (state bus) in late 2019, the last published figures; expect a little more now.

•      Buy your ticket on board, and reach 30 minutes early to get a seat, especially in the Christmas to New Year week.

•      Sit near the front if you get motion sick.

•      Keep a warm layer and snacks with you, not on the roof.

•      Missed the morning buses? Take a later bus to Purola, or a Hanol-bound bus via Mussoorie and get off at Mori, then continue by shared jeep or taxi. Do this only if you'll reach Purola or Mori by early afternoon.

Shared Jeeps via Purola and Mori

If you miss the bus, shared jeeps are the backup. They run in stages: Dehradun to Purola (about 4 to 5 hours), then Purola to Mori, Mori to Naitwar and Naitwar to Sankri. The total fare is usually about ₹450 to ₹500, with roughly ₹300 for the first leg to Purola.

The catch is time. Each jeep leaves only when it's full, and that can take anything from a few minutes to a couple of hours. Shared jeeps from Dehradun to Purola run until about mid-afternoon, and onward jeeps from Purola get scarce after midday. If you reach Purola late, you may have to take a private taxi or stay the night.

Dehradun to Sankri Taxi Fare

A private taxi is the fastest and most comfortable way to reach Sankri, and for a group it costs only a little more than the bus. Fares vary a lot between app-based cab services and local taxi stands, so here are both ends of the range for a one-way trip.

Lower figures from online cab-booking listings (November 2026); higher figures are local taxi-stand rates published by travel guides. Confirm tolls and night charges before you book.

•      Book a day ahead, and agree the fare, tolls and pickup time in writing on WhatsApp.

•      A return taxi from Sankri usually costs about the same, but it's easier to arrange through your homestay or trek operator than to find one in the village on the day.

•      Solo? Ask at the railway station in the morning or in trekker groups online; many trekkers split a cab.

Bus, Shared Jeep or Taxi: Which Should You Choose?

The right choice depends on who you're travelling with and when you reach Dehradun. Here's a quick way to decide.

Road Conditions on the Way to Sankri, Season by Season

The road is fully paved but narrow and winding for most of its length, with long stretches cut into the hillside. Here's what to expect through the year.

In winter, the drive is usually fine, and buses run every day. The risk is a heavy snowfall day, when vehicles may wait until the road is cleared. Trek operators and local drivers know when a stretch is closed, so follow their advice and don't push on in fresh snow at night.

Stops on the Way: Food, Cash, Fuel and Network

•      Cash: withdraw everything you need for the trek in Purola or earlier. Mori, about 23 km before Sankri, has an ATM, but don't count on it. Sankri has no reliable ATM, and with weak network, UPI payments can fail there.

•      Network: mobile signal gets weak after Mori and is patchy in Sankri. Download offline maps and tell your family you may be out of reach.

•      Motion sickness: eat a light breakfast, sit at the front and look out at the road. Take medicine before the drive if you usually get sick.

What You'll See on the Way to Sankri

The drive is long, but it's one of the most scenic roads in Garhwal. Here's what you pass through, in order.

•      Mussoorie (about 2,000 m): the hill station above Dehradun, and the highest point of the drive. On clear winter mornings you get your first view of the snow peaks from here.

•      Kempty Falls and Nainbagh: the road drops past Kempty Falls and down through Nainbagh towards the Yamuna.

•      Yamuna Bridge: the road crosses the Yamuna here, and the Vikasnagar route joins from the west. From here you head north through Damta to Naugaon.

•      Purola: a busy market town in a wide, farmed valley, and the last proper town on the route.

•      Mori and the Tons river: from Mori the road follows the Tons, the largest tributary of the Yamuna. The Tons is formed near Naitwar, where the Supin and Rupin rivers meet.

•      Naitwar to Sankri: the final climb follows the Supin river up its valley to Sankri, which sits at about 1,950 m.

You're Driving Into a National Park

The last part of the drive enters Govind Pashu Vihar, a protected area that dates back to the 1950s. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary on 1 March 1955, and part of it was later notified as Govind National Park. The protected area covers about 958 sq km and ranges from about 1,200 m to over 3,500 m. The motor road was extended about 20 km inside the park to Sankri by 1988, which is why Sankri, deep inside the protected area, is reachable by car today.

The park is known for snow leopard conservation, and its wildlife includes the Himalayan black bear, musk deer, bharal and the Himalayan monal, Uttarakhand's state bird. You're unlikely to see the rarer animals from the road, but keep an eye out for birds on the trek.

Common Mistakes to Avoid on the Way to Sankri

Most problems on this road come from a handful of avoidable mistakes.

•      Going to Dehradun ISBT for the Sankri bus. The Sankri buses leave from the railway station area, about 6 km away. Overnight buses from Delhi arrive at ISBT, so allow 20 to 30 minutes to get across town.

•      Leaving Dehradun too late. Start after about 8 AM and you'll drive the last mountain stretch in the dark. Leave between 5 and 8 AM.

•      Arriving without enough cash. Withdraw in Purola. With weak network in Sankri, UPI payments can fail too.

•      Packing your warm layer on the roof. The vehicle gets cold as you climb. Keep a jacket, cap and snacks with you.

•      Eating a heavy breakfast before the drive. The road has hundreds of bends. Eat light and sit near the front if you get motion sick.

•      Not fixing the taxi fare in advance. Agree the fare, tolls and pickup time on WhatsApp the day before; app rates and local stand rates can differ by ₹2,000 or more.

•      Booking the return train too close. Buses leave Sankri early, and snow or roadworks can cause delays. In winter, leave a buffer of half a day before any train or flight.

Sankri to Dehradun: The Return Journey

The return is the same road in reverse, but the timing is trickier because the buses leave Sankri early, usually between about 5:30 or 6 AM and 8 AM.

•      If you finish the trek in the morning, take a shared or private taxi the same day and reach Dehradun by evening.

•      If you finish after the buses have gone, either book a taxi in advance or stay one more night in Sankri and take the morning bus.

•      From Dehradun, overnight trains and buses run back to Delhi. For every option and timing, see how to reach Kedarkantha from Delhi.

Sankri: How to Reach It From Other Places

Dehradun is the gateway to Sankri for almost everyone. If you're coming from Delhi, take the overnight Nanda Devi AC Express to Dehradun, which arrives at about 5:50 AM, right by the Sankri buses. If you're flying, Jolly Grant Airport is about 25 km from the city; the first flights land around 10 AM, too late for the buses, so book a taxi straight from the airport.

Once you're there, Sankri is a quiet village on the edge of Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, with homestays, a few shops and rental stores. Read what to expect in Sankri village before you arrive. Kedarkantha is the best-known trek from here, but it isn't the only one; see our list of other treks from Sankri, including Har Ki Dun.

The Easy Way: Travel With Your Trek Group

TrekYaari runs Kedarkantha trek with a Dehradun to Dehradun option. Your group is picked up in Dehradun in the morning, drives to Sankri together, and is dropped back in Dehradun after the trek. No bus timings, no jeep changes, no searching for a taxi in Sankri on the last day. It's the simplest way to handle this road, especially in winter.

Conclusion

The Dehradun to Sankri distance is only about 190 km, but the mountain road makes it a 7 to 12 hour journey. Plan around one fact: everything to Sankri leaves Dehradun early, from the railway station area. Catch the 5:30 to 8 AM bus, share a taxi with your group, or let your trek operator handle the drive. Withdraw cash in Purola, keep a warm layer and snacks close, and avoid the last stretch after dark.

Do that, and the long road becomes a beautiful part of the trip: the Mussoorie hills, the Yamuna and Tons rivers and the first view of the Supin valley as you climb into Sankri. To skip the planning altogether, choose the Dehradun pickup for Kedarkantha.