Dhosi Hill Guide: Offbeat Place near Delhi
In the winter of 2019, I had a realization. A realization of how little I knew about the surroundings of my own home in Delhi. Having spent 9 years in the city, I couldn’t name many spots despite the few generic places like Lodhi Garden, Qutub Minar, and Connaught Place. Though these are beautiful in their own right, I didn’t feel quite satisfied and the thirst to explore around the Delhi NCR region grew from thereon.
Also read: “26 Things to do for the Quintessential Dilliwala”
For a whole year, I would come back home to Delhi after each trip and swear off travelling for some time to explore around the city, only to book yet another trip off somewhere – with my promise to the city unfulfilled. It wasn’t until the coronavirus lockdown in India that I (unwillingly) put these itchy feet to rest. Then began my journey of researching more, exploring more, and writing more about Delhi and its surroundings. And it was exactly this that led me to Dhosi Hill in Haryana, some 150 kilometres from Delhi.
What's In Here
How to Reach Dhosi Hill from Delhi
Dhosi Hill or Dhosi ka Pahad is an extinct volcano standing alone amidst the Aravali Ranges on the border of Haryana and Rajasthan. Located at a height of 730 meters, this volcano dates back to 732 million years before present. The hill falls in the region of three villages today – Thana and Kultajpur in Haryana, and Dhosi in Rajasthan.
The first search result for “Dhosi ka Pahad” on Google Maps leads you to the entrance in Thana, Haryana and that is the route we took. We decided to check the “avoid highways” option on Maps and enjoyed a scenic ride through the forests and villages of the Aravalli Hills in Haryana.
The distance between Dhosi Hill and Delhi is about 150 kilometres. Because we were travelling during the coronavirus pandemic, we took our own car and turned it into a short road trip! Otherwise, one can catch a local Haryana Roadways State Transport bus from Delhi to Narnaul, and then change buses to reach Thana while visiting Dhosi Hill by public transport.
Also read: “Sambhar Lake: Weekend Getaway from Delhi“
Dhosi Hill Hike
The hike to the top of the Dhosi Hill is around 2 kilometres. It is a short, but very steep hike as the entire way uphill is a series of stairs. There are a few rest point with benches and shed at regular intervals throughout the hike.
Things to do at Dhosi Hill
There are several points of interest and things to do in Dhosi Hill, This offbeat place near Delhi is not only a geographical wonder, but also has important Vedic and historical stories attached to it:
Chyavan Rishi Temple
There is a Chyavan Rishi Temple at the summit of Dhosi Hill, where the crater of the volcano used to be. It is believed that the origin of the ayurvedic chyavanprash happened here when a mix of 43 herbs was made to heal the ailing Chyavan Rishi.
Dhosi Hill Sarovar
An ancient sarovar or reservoir also sits atop the crater which has been used to harvest rainwater since the olden days. This water inside the sarovar is said to have healing properties due to the large number of herbs growing around in abundance – and so, many pilgrims climb the Dhosi Hill for a dip in the ancient sarovar.
Dhosi Hill Fort Ruins
While climbing the hill from Thana side, just before the top, one can find some ruins of an ancient fort built by Hemu, some 500 years ago. The Hemu Fort was built to prevent the hill and its many Vedic ashrams from frequent attacks by the Mughal invaders.
Devi Shrine
Just a little upwards from the crater, is also a small shrine dedicated to a Hindu goddess. This shrine is the topmost part of the hill and serves as a great vantage point for the surrounding regions and also the crater and temple complex.
Dhosi Hill Frequently Asked Questions
Is water available at Dhosi Hill
The Haryana Government recently made provisions for fresh drinking water to be available at the summit of the Dhosi Hill, so one does not have to worry about the availability of drinking water at Dhosi Hill
Is there mobile network at Dhosi Hill?
Jio and Airtel both work well at the summit of Dhosi Hill. Jio also gives high-speed 4G data at some spots around the crater.
Are there any places to eat near Dhosi Hill?
There are no dhabas or shacks for food at Dhosi Hill. One can buy packaged snacks and fruits from the nearby villages of Thana and Kultajpur before starting the climb to the top.
What is the best time to visit Dhosi Hill?
Dhosi Hill has a certain charm in each season but summer in Dhosi Hill is quite extreme and can be unbearable. Monsoons and winters (July to February) make for the best time to visit Dhosi Hill, each with certain perks.
Are there any places to stay near Dhosi Hill?
The nearest town to Dhosi Hill is Narnaul – some 12 kilometres from Thana. Here, you will find plenty of options for places to stay near Dhosi Hill.
Have you ever been to Dhosi Hill – or any other offbeat place near Delhi? I’d love to know about your experiences in the comments below!
Follow me on Instagram for more stories and photos from Dhosi Hill and elsewhere!
Avantika
A twenty-something solo adventurer, Avantika finds comfort in learning about various cultures, its people and listening to age-old folk tales. When not on the road, she can be found cuddled up with her dog in her room, with a book in her hand.
15 Comments
Rajat Kumar
I am happy that you visited there and loved the experience. There is more to explore near my hometown which holds great historic significance. Search Madhogarh (Mahendergarh) not the one in Rajasthan. Let me know when you are ready for the next such experience.
Nitin Mehta
Hey thanks that you visited here this is my hometown
A lot of other things to explore near by like
Jal Mahal
Shah kuli Khan ka maqbara
Ibrahim Suri(grand father of Sher shah Suri) ka maqbara
Chor Gumbad
Birbal(one among the navratan’s of king Akber) ka chatta
Khalda wale Hanuman ji
And Dhosi Hills itself HV a great historical value at this very place maharsi chavan introduce chavanprash to the world the greatest invention of ayurveda and kaya-kalp
Divyakshi Gupta
I loved your IG stories and I loved the blog too Hadn’t ever heard of this place before and it’s a delight to explore your own backyard and places near home that are ignored in the mad rush of travelling to far away places!
mahekg
Hills is where I enjoy. I would so love to visit Dhosi hills and see these places you shared in person. Luckily its my hometown so I can plan to visit with cousins easily.
Michelle Tirkey
This phase has made all of us explore own places like never before. I had never heard of Dhosi Hills ever before. Thanks for writing such great details, might want to give a peek when I’m in Delhi next.
DiaryOfAnInsaneWriter
I love reading all your blog posts. You write about places that one doesn’t hear about regularly. I will surely explore Dhosi Hills and yes, I will remember to take my Jio sim along! Thanks for covering such minute details in your review.
Afreen Ansari
Never knew about the place. Loved reading the detailing of the place. Can’t wait to be there. Loved all the description
Ramya
I have heard about Doshi hill and wanted to visit it due to Chavan rishi but never got a chance. Your article made me realize, it can be an easy option for a day out. Lovely piece of writing.
pamela
I loved this place and the out of the box location. I stay in Gurgaon but never heard about this amazing place and kinda feel bad that why yet not explored such places. Thanks for the article, will take a stroll soon.
Lancelot Quadras
Hey Avantika, thanks for sharing an offbeat place. Also for the information related to food. That’s lifesaving!
Sandy N Vyjay
Dhosi Hill seems a wonderful place and really offbeat.It is fascinating to note that Dhosi Hill is actually a millions of years old extinct volcano. The trek sounds really thrilling, and so too the sights. The Chyavan Rishi temple is another fascinating place we would love to visit someday.
Sindhu Vinod Narayan
This looks like a great option for a vacation. Thank you for the suggestion.
Nidhi Gupta
Reading the blog has made e too realise that I need to explore around Delhi first before exploring the world again. Dhosi Hiils and dhauj are on my list now.
Vidur
So many interesting places to explore and this also gets added to the list..havent been around Delhi much but will try to cover this next time am there
Raksha Nagaraj
I absolutely love places that have ruins. And some of my favourite places happen to be the ones with the ruins actually :D. I had never heard of Dhosi Hill before and this does seem like a nice getaway from Delhi. I will add this to my list.