Quick question for anyone who's actually made this trip — how far is Dalai Hills really from central Dehradun, and is it realistic as a quick half-day add-on rather than a full separate excursion? I'm trying to build a short 2-day Dehradun itinerary and don't want to burn an entire day just getting to one temple, however nice the views apparently are.

From what I've read, it's only about 10-12 km out, tucked into the Shivalik foothills, and the drive itself is supposed to be under 40 minutes on decent roads — which sounds almost too easy compared to some of the other "nearby" spots around Dehradun that turn out to be an hour-plus each way. The main draw seems to be the Dalai Buddha Temple and the views over the Doon Valley, rather than a long list of things to do once you're up there, which honestly sounds like a nice change of pace. Found this guide breaking down the exact Dalai Hills, the fastest route, and a few nearby spots worth combining it with — but if anyone's driven there recently, would love to know if the road conditions hold up as well as described, especially post-monsoon.