7.3 Good Place to Stay

Raja Guest House is a nice, economic place to stay just at the base of Jalori Pass at Shoja. Rooms are decently comfortable and food quality is great. Overall I will stay there with family anytime I need to stay in Shoja

  • Value for Money Spent 8
  • Cleanliness / Hygiene 7.5
  • Comfort & Spacious 6.5
  • Service & Hospitality 8
  • Food Quality & Taste 8
  • Location 6
  • User Ratings (1 Votes) 9.9

Shoja is a small village near Jalori Pass (5 KM) having very less population. Basically, there is nothing much to do at Shoja but it is famous for its postcard style vistas covering thick forests of Oak trees everywhere. Main highlight of the place is its calmness and chill topped with snow in winters. People visit Jalori Pass (3125 Meters in altitude) to witness Snow and this small village acts as the base for the same. As I said the population is very less so are the options for accommodation. There aren’t many hotels or guest houses in this village, which serve as base camp of snow vistas and offer beautiful views to tourists. If I remember correctly there is ever famous and ever costly Banjara Retreat, a never reliable and disgusting PWD Guest House, few home stay options and Raja Guest House where we stayed on our trip to Tirthan Valley. If interested kindly check the trip log at this link  Delhi to Kinnaur & Tirthan Valley

Overall, Raja Guest house is economic considering the remote conditions and cost incurred to keep it running with man and material. The owner along with his family run the guest house and I feel they do a pretty good job.

Parking at Raja Guest House, Shoja
Parking at Raja Guest House, Shoja

Bookings:

You can book the rooms at Raja Guest House by calling at the below numbers of its owners.

Contact Person: Thakur Elu Ram

Contact Numbers: +919418550549, +919459017592

Overall there are only 5-6 rooms and sometimes they allow you to have two extra beds in a single big room as well, but consider it an off season discount only 🙂 I feel going to a place like Shoja, requires that you book the rooms in advance. At least I would suggest intimate the owner that you are coming, so that at the very least food products can well be prepared for you. Of course in peak season you will have to pre-book else due to tourist rush and less accommodation options you will find yourself in wanderer’s position.

Price:

The price is around Rs 600 – Rs 1000 per room depending on the size of the room and your bargaining power. The bigger room cost Rs 1000 and smaller Rs 800 to us but overall the three rooms (2 small and one big) costed Rs 2400 and we landed right at night (9.00 PM) with nowhere else to leave or explore.

Location:

The guest house is located right on the road connecting Banjar Town to Jalori pass at Shoja Village. It’s approximately 5 KMs before Jalori Pass, if you are coming from Aut/Banjar/Tirthan side.

Parking:

Parking is done at the terrace of rooms where the family running the guest house stays and there isn’t much space for too many vehicles. I believe 4 cars could only be parked. See the picture below to be a judge.

Parking at Raja Guest House, Shoja

ATM:

The nearest ATM is downhill drive to Banjar town, approximately 22 KMs from Shoja.

Petrol Pump:

The nearest Petrol Pump is at Larji, approximately 32 KMs from Shoja

Pictures:

Views from Raja Guest House, Shoja

Views from Raja Guest House, Shoja
Views from Raja Guest House, Shoja
Views from Raja Guest House, Shoja
Views from Raja Guest House, Shoja
Views from Raja Guest House, Shoja
Views from Raja Guest House, Shoja

Experience:

Our experience here was pretty average although we stayed for just a night. We reached at around 9.00 PM and luckily for us rooms were available. After 10-15 minutes of bargain we got the rooms which were pretty average types but with clean bathrooms. Bathrooms had geysers to get hot water but volume was pretty low. Only one bath can be served at a time. They also had running power supply with the help of generator, I believe, because power was getting cut frequently but they turned it on pretty quickly. The hospitality was nice and after long hours of travel that day we had a nice warm sleep at this place. Rooms were not quite big but I think sufficient for two.

The only drawback I felt, restaurant was on outside block, just on the side of the road. In cold conditions with chilling winds at night, reaching there and getting back to room can get a toll of you in such cold.

Food:

When we reached, the milk as well as bread was not available so it’s very important that you intimate them in advance. Overall the food quality was average with mashed egg omelet being exceptionally tasty. So, if you are staying at Raja Guest  House, Shoja never miss the omelet or egg bhurji (or it was only our luck). I never had such an omelet and egg bhurji in my life. The tea/milk/coffee was below average mark but in that chill or cold conditions you will never say no to them. I can give 2.5 on the scale of 5 for all food items we had with exception being omelet and egg bhurji. The milk was mostly in powdered format.

Dining hall…

Dining hall at Raja Guest House, Shoja

Delicious Egg Bhurji…

Dining hall at Raja Guest House, Shoja

Conclusion:

Nice economic place to stay at Shoja for a day although nothing special in the hotel. All you will get is a place to stay if you are visitng Jalori Pass.

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I am Dheeraj Sharma - a traveler, techie, and Himalayan lover. Since 2009, I have been helping thousands of travelers every year plan memorable & budget-friendly trips to the Himalayas - Smartly, Safely, and responsibly.

30 Comments

  1. Hi, DoW! That’s a great review. I am traveling to Shoja on Mar 25. I am taking a bus and I’ll get down at Aut (As suggested by someone). Can you tell me how to commute from Aut till Shoja? If I ask the owner of Raja Guest House, can he arrange a pickup for me?

    • Well Prateek, you will get buses going to Banjar from Aut. You can get down at Banjar and from there shared taxis and state transport buses will be available too to go to Shoja. Private taxi for pickup will be costly in comparison.

  2. Hi,
    I am planning for a trip in Shoja and around in last week of this month.
    Can anyone suggest me road conditions and share experience

    • Vikas, the road conditions to Jalori Pass is fine and so as to Shoja but apart from last few KMs on either side of Jalori Pass.

  3. Joydip Mukhopadhyay on

    Actually Dheeraj ji I am coming from Kalka side by Howrah-Kalka mail…so how can i start from Manali??? Again during 1st week of April I have been informed by some visitors that drive through jalori pass will be little bit tricky…& as there is steep (slope) road between Shoja and Jalori…all are telling that descending will be a little bit risky than ascending…so I have planned to ascend to Jalori from Shoja coming from Manali side…Is it ok??/please suggest…thanks in advance.. Joydip Mukhopadhyay..Kolkata..

    • Hmmm… So, Joydip, in this case all you can do is:

      Day 1: Reach Shimla and rest for the day
      Day 2: Shimla to Chindi via Tattapni – Naldhera route after strolling in Shimla for the morning.
      Day 3: Chindi to Manali
      Day 4: Around Manali and snowpoint of Rohtang Pass / Marhi
      Day 5: Manali – Tirthan valley / Shoja
      Day 6: Shoja – Jalori Pass – Narkanda
      Day 7: Narkanda and around
      Day 8: Reach Shimla, stay or start back for home

  4. Joydip Mukhopadhyay on

    I have planned to visit & stay at Raja Guest House next April-2014 with my family…my plan is shimla(one day) to manali(three days) to sojha (one day) to narkanda(two days) & back to shimla…is it ok?? Is this place (sojha) safe for staying???

    • Joydip, it should be fine regarding stay. BUT, why are you coming back to Shimla? are you from Shimla? Because doing that you are wasting too much time in travel and missing out on many good places like Tirthan Valley too in the transit. It is better to start from Shimla and end at Manali. How many total days you have in hand?

      • Joydip Mukhopadhyay on

        Dheeraj ji actually i am from kolkata…i may spend 10 days in HP excluding train journey….I wish to visit manali, sojha & Narkanda in this tour…entry point Shimla….Do u have any better Idea? Please suggest me an itinerary for that tour…I will start journey on 3rd April from Kolkata….& I will have my wife & 2 little (8 & 6 years respectively)daughters with me…I dont want to descend down from Jalori pass to Sojha…for that will go to Sojha from Manali side….again as Narkanda will b visited…I have to return back to Shimla….your advice is solicited…

        • Joydip, I can very well suggest the itinerary but again I am not sure why are you reluctant on descending down from Jalori Pass? Also, if that is must then better start the tour from Manali.

  5. Arvind Goyal on

    I have visited Sohja place on Aug 15, 2014 and stayed in Raja Guest House from Aug 15 to Aug 17. It was a nice place to stay. It is almost on top of the rocks. Views are quite awesome from their garden. Rooms are simple but very cleaned and maintained. I love the foods over there. It was above the expectations. Hospitality is really good. You can ask anything you want for food and they will prepare. They helped us in all the matters. Arranged wine at the time of Bonfire and snacks. There are many places to visit nearby the guest house. There was a lake at the top (10 Km from the guest house), which is very beautiful. It was wonderful experience.
    One suggestion is, dont travel in the night because the last streach of 7 km towards the guest house in very painful. Roads are wet and in bad conditions. Our car was skitting. Better to travel in the light in mountains. Thanks.

    • So good to know that Arvind and it feel so good to even know that raja guest guest house is maintaining the good work and quality with each passing year.

  6. Debojyoti Dey on

    Have any idea about the following home stay, got from HP tourism web site
    Achharu Valley Home Stay, Sadhogli (Shoja).
    Address: Prop. Sh. Harnam Singh, Village Sadhogli, P.O Shoja AND
    Green Valley Home Stay, Shoja.
    Address: Prop. Sh. Tek Singh, Village and P.O Shoja,

  7. Debojyoti Dey on

    I want to visit Karsog & Tirthan Valley, as my plan Chindi (2 Nights) then to Sojha, visiting Raghupur Garh on the way, Next day Sarolsar lake visit and Gushaini (2 Nights), Then to kalka on 6th day Night. Is it good, if not suggest me a good itenary for 6 D/5 N.

  8. tajender joshi on

    we stayed for two nights in RAJA GUEST HOUSE in june 2012. owner is very nice. Hospitality is good .veg pakore were very tasty

    • Wow, that’s really nice to know. Thanks for sharing it here too. It will help other decide well too. How much were you charged?

      • I’m going to tosh and i want to visit jalori pass can you please tell me how to go ?
        (Without personal vehicle)

        • Dr. Mukul, you can travel from Tosh to Banjar. As you come from Tosh to Kasol toward Mandi, after crossing the Aut tunnel, take left which will take you to Banjar and that road will go straight up to Shoja and Jalori Pass.

          The buses from Kullu to Rampur will be taking that route as well. Else you can get down after crossing Aut Tunnel from the bus running between Manikaran and Mandi. Then take the bus going to Jalori or Rampur

  9. i am planning a short trip shojha on 18th -20th april weekend, need to know the road conditions as i would be driving…

    • Abhishek, except Jalori Pass the road conditions will be fine. Not much fuss. If you planning to take the Bilaspur road, it is horrible in condition from Kiratpur Sahib to almost Bilaspur and then improves abit.

  10. We also had to stay in the guest house as we had trouble with our car in April 2013. The owner is very nice man and they ensured that we stayed comfortably. The rooms and bathroom was very clean (except that they have vitrified tiles, which can be very chilly during winter). Though April is not winter month, the temperature drops down to around 1 degree Celsius in the night. As mentioned in this review, it is better to book in advance else, you will have to wait till the owner gets the bread or other stuff from nearby village.

  11. Madhu Nair on

    Nice detailed review. We had stayed at Raja GH during our visit last year. Had a great time in Jalori.

    Cheers!

    • Thanks alot Madhu. Yes, indeed Jalori Pass and Shoja along with Tirthan Valley are indeed a very nice trio places to relax and feel the nature at its best 🙂 …

    • Mandhu,
      we’ll be visiting shoja-jalori for 3 days,can u suggest as per ur exprience