treks around jibhi: nine walks, from an easy morning to five days in the park

what are the easy day treks from jalori pass?

the easy day treks from jalori pass are serolsar lake and raghupur fort, and they leave the pass in opposite directions. a taxi from jibhi to the top takes 30-40 minutes. the pass is usually open april to november and shut by snow the rest of the year.

serolsar lake

serolsar is a small sacred lake at about 3,100 m, a 5 km walk east from jalori pass through old oak and rhododendron forest. the trail is mostly level with a few short climbs, and there are a couple of seasonal tea stalls at the lake. the budhi nagin temple sits on the shore. allow 3-4 hours for the round trip, more if you stop for maggi. full details on our serolsar lake guide.

raghupur fort

raghupur fort is the ruin of an old hill fort on a high meadow, about 3 km west of jalori pass. it is shorter than serolsar but steeper, and the last stretch is open and exposed, so skip it in fog or wind. the reward is a wide view of the dhauladhar and the seraj ridges. allow 3-4 hours round trip. more on the raghupur fort page. fit walkers do raghupur in the morning and serolsar after lunch.

can you walk between jibhi, shoja and jalori pass?

you can walk between jibhi, shoja and jalori pass, and the downhill direction is the one worth doing. all three sit on one road, roughly 12 km end to end. jibhi is at about 1,600 m, shoja at about 2,700 m and jalori pass at 3,120 m.

jalori pass down to jibhi

the classic version: taxi up in the morning, walk to serolsar and back, then walk the 12 km down to jibhi through shoja. most of it follows the road, with old forest paths cutting the hairpins where villagers still use them. ask your homestay which shortcuts are open that season. it takes 4-5 hours down and your knees will notice. start back from the pass by 2 pm in october and november, when the light goes early.

jibhi to shoja

the uphill half on its own: about 7-8 km and 1,100 m of climbing from jibhi to shoja, 3-4 hours at an easy pace. it suits a transfer day if you are moving from a jibhi homestay to a shoja one and can send your bag ahead in a taxi. shoja has a couple of tea shops, and a taxi back down takes 20-30 minutes.

what are the short walks near jibhi for a lazy day?

the short walks near jibhi are chehni kothi, chhoie waterfall and the village falls, each under an hour on foot. they fit around a late breakfast and a long lunch.

chehni kothi is a tall kath-kuni tower in timber and stone, about 30 minutes by road from jibhi and then 20-25 minutes uphill through the village. it is the best short walk in the banjar valley for old himachali architecture. see the chehni kothi guide.

chhoie waterfall is in the tirthan valley: a 45-minute forest climb from the river road near nagini to a tall, thin fall. steep in places, no facilities, carry water.

the jibhi waterfall and mini thailand are short strolls from the village itself, more a place to sit than a trek.

which great himalayan national park treks can you do from jibhi?

the great himalayan national park treks you can do from jibhi start at gushaini, about 30-40 minutes away by taxi in the tirthan valley. the park is a unesco world heritage site, and every trek past the gate needs a permit from the ecodevelopment office at sai ropa or a registered guide. the ghnp guide covers permits in detail.

gushaini to rolla

rolla (2,100 m) is 9 km from gushaini (1,500 m) along the tirthan. the trail is gentle, through forest and small fields, according to the park's official trek notes. fit walkers do it as a long day there and back; it is nicer as an overnight with a guide, camping at rolla.

shilt hut and rakhundi top

past rolla the trail turns steep: 7 km up to shilt hut at 3,100 m through meadows, then 7 km more to rakhundi top at 3,622 m. the official route is gushaini, rolla, shilt, rakhundi and back, 56 km over 5 days, graded easy to moderate. you need a guide, a permit, and a porter or pony for the camping gear. may-june and september-october are the windows.

is the bashleo pass trek worth it?

the bashleo pass trek is worth it if you want two or three quiet days and a real pass without the crowds of hampta or sar pass. it starts at bathad, about 10 km beyond gushaini at the top of the tirthan valley. the trail climbs steeply through forest to the pass at around 3,250-3,300 m (sources differ), then drops to baga sarahan on the outer seraj side. go april to june or september to october, with a local guide from bathad or gushaini. it is moderate rather than hard, but long, and there is no shelter on the top.

what should you carry on a jibhi trek?

for the jalori day treks, carry a warm layer even in june: it is 8-10°c colder at 3,100 m than in jibhi. add a rain shell from july to september, 1.5 litres of water, and shoes with real grip. the serolsar and raghupur trails stay muddy under the oaks. carry cash for tea stalls, since there are no atms above banjar.

for the park and bashleo, your guide will list the rest. check the jibhi weather the evening before, and from december to march read jibhi snowfall first: jalori shuts, and the trails above shoja are snowbound.

how many days do you need to trek around jibhi?

to trek around jibhi properly, you need three nights. spend one day on serolsar and the walk down from jalori, one on rolla or chehni kothi, and one slow day by the river. add five days for the rakhundi circuit or two to three for bashleo. our jibhi itineraries lay out the 3 and 5 day versions, and things to do in jibhi covers everything that is not a walk.