A Day Trip to Devalsari: Koneshwar Mahadev, Nag Devta & Mussoorie

Last Updated: November 29, 2025

Summer 2025 was quite busy for the whole team and me. Our founder was on Mount Satopanth Expedition, and the responsibility of handling HDT came to us. I was looking after operations, coordination, admin work, the website, and my writing team. Other team members were managing sales and ground operations.

By the end of the season, I was burnt out and needed a break.

On the 23rd June, I got a call from my friend Dheeraj. He told me that he and Bhavpreet would be coming to Dehradun for their summer break. That call felt like a blessing. Travelling with your childhood friend and college friend—what more could I ask for?

On 25th June 2025, they left Noida by NueGo and reached Rispana Bridge at around 5 AM. I got a call at 4:30 that they were about to reach. I got ready quickly and reached the spot. Within half an hour we reached Dheeraj’s house in Arcadia Grant near IMA, Dehradun.

We were starving, so we ordered a quick breakfast from Blinkit and caught up on everything—career, Noida, Dehradun, future plans, travel plans.

Planning the Day

I told them, “You guys are here only for 3–4 days. We can’t just sit inside four walls”. My initial plan was to visit Hanol and Mahasu Devta Temple. I tried to convince them but failed. They wanted a simple day trip around Dehradun.

I had been hearing about Devalsari for a while and wanted to visit it myself. So we settled on a Devalsari day trip. By 9:30, we were ready with gadgets, light jackets, and water bottles.

The Drive to Devalsari

Devalsari is around 85 km from Doon. We left at 9:30 and reached by 2:30. Four hours of driving with a few photography stops and a lunch break in between.

Near Suwakholi — *The whole route from Mussoorie to Suwakholi usually remains in mist and fog. We stopped before Suwakholi to take a few photo clicks.*

That's me and my friends — *That’s us taking a group click.*

Devalsari is located in the Aglar Valley of Tehri district. It is known for its dense oak and deodar forests, Koneshwar Mahadev Temple (Devalsari Shiv Temple), and the old Nag Devta Temple in Burkot village.

Our route was:
Dehradun → JP Bend → Suwakholi → Rautu Ki Beli → Thatyur → Devalsari

Road after Suwakholi — *The patch from after Suwkholi is a pleasure of its own. The whole route is filled with forest and you will find multiple spots that will take your breat away.*

Most roads are well-paved, but the stretch from Thatyur to Devalsari is not. Our i10 handled it fine, but a sedan with low ground clearance may face some issues.

Enroute Devalsari — *Zoomed in image that I took from moving car once we crossed Thatyur. This is Aglar Valley. Up in the Valley is Devalsari and Road from here is a bit rough.*

Parking is limited, so it’s better to park around the village.

Into the Forest

As soon as we crossed Thatyur and started gaining altitude, we understood why this place is loved. Dense deodar forests, fresh mountain air, people working in fields, and butterflies everywhere. It felt peaceful.

We gave a lift to an uncle who told us about the old Nag Devta Temple. He got off at a diversion where one road goes to Devalsari and the other to Burkot village. From there, we could see the temple in the middle of the village. We decided to visit it on our way back.

Short Hike to Devalsari Temple

We parked the car and started the small hike to Devalsari Temple. On the way, we saw a few chaanis, a small water stream, and pitcher plants. Since it was a weekday, the trail was empty.

*This is Devalsari Forest. From here, it’s around a 1 km hike towards the Temple. As soon as you enter the forest, the whole vibe and air change. It’s beautiful to witness this dense Deodar forest.*

Chaani at Devalsari — *A few Chaanis en route to the Temple. You will find these before the water stream.*

The hike was short and easy. As soon as we entered the forest, we could see the temple through tall trees—straight, tall, and looking almost perfectly aligned.

Koneshwar Mahadev Temple, — *This is Koneswar Temple or Devalsari Temple, as known by most people. Around August, Devi Doli is brought outside the Temple.*

We paid our respect, took a few photos, and walked back. On the way, we dipped our feet in the cool stream we had crossed earlier.

Taking a dip in water stream — *This is the water that is crossed en route temple. There’s a small bridge over this stream. It was kind of hot, and I wanted to cool down. Avoid going near water streams in Monsoons.*

Old Nag Devta Temple in Burkot

Next, we drove towards Burkot for the old Nag Devta Temple. From the village entrance, it’s just a 250-meter walk, and there’s plenty of parking.

The temple amazed us. A multi-storey structure made using traditional Garhwali techniques—mud, stones, and wooden blocks. It looked ancient and unique. The temple was closed, so we prayed from outside, took photos, and talked about how strong and smart old architecture was.

Nag Devta Temple, Devalsari — Nag Devta temple of Budkot Village. This is the front face of the temple. The base of the temple is made of huge stones and the village committee has made a sitting structure around the temple with marble and cement. Lower sanctum is the entrance and the window of the upper sanctum was open.

Side view of Nag Devta Temple, Devalsari — Side of the temple to give you a better idea. The walls are quite thick, and stones of different sizes have been used. I don’t know the exact age of the temple, but by the looks of it, it must be hundreds of years old. People have lost the skill to make these kinds of structures now. Till the last decade, most homes and temples in Garhwal used to be made with stone and wood. Now people use cement and bricks.

Returning to Dehradun

We covered both Devalsari and Nag Devta within two hours. I wanted to stay overnight in a homestay, but my friends insisted on going back. So we left around 4:30 PM.

By 7 PM, we reached JP Bend—perfect time to watch the sunset from the hills.
By 9 PM, we were back home. We picked up dinner on the way.

Sunset, Dehradun — *View from a cafe we stopped by to eat something and have a nice view of sunset and Dehradun.*

It was a tiring day—driving, hiking, and exploring. After a short terrace walk, I went to bed.

But the Day Wasn’t Over

My friends woke me up at midnight. They wanted to go for a night drive. Half asleep, I agreed. They pulled me into the car and drove toward Mussoorie.

I slept in the backseat until Kothal Gate. After that, the jerks on the road woke me up. But the view made everything worth it. As we climbed, the whole of Mussoorie glowed in the dark. And the view of Dehradun from Mall Road was something beyond words.

Mussoorie at Night — *The view that took my breath away. It was nothing less than a magical moment.*

Pahadi house Replica — *Replica of traditional Garhwali House in Mussoorie*

Even though it was a rushed day trip, it was completely worth it.
Sometimes all you need is a quiet place, good friends, and a long drive through the mountains.

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