8.0 Pioneer in Hospitality

Raju's Cottage in Gushaini is one of the most amazing places to stay in Tirthan Valley. He is a pioneer in hospitality and the homely service + care you get over at Raju Bharti Cottage is just too good to be real.

  • Value for Money Spent 8
  • Cleanliness / Hygiene 7
  • Comfort & Spacious 6.5
  • Service & Hospitality 9
  • Food Quality & Taste 8
  • Location 9.5
  • User Ratings (36 Votes) 6.6

If you are looking for peace, solitude, calmness, break from the hustle-bustle, chit-chats, bonfires, nature walks midst green cover, musical river flowing besides,  etc.. I can bet there is no better place than Tirthan Valley for you, situated just besides the ever serene Tirthan River A short visit to this tranquil place can do wonders to rejuvenate yourself and can help you refresh the magic present in you. I just returned back from my yet another family visit to Tirthan Valley and believe me it always feels better and better, feels like home there 🙂

Magical Views in Tirthan Valley
Magical Views in Tirthan Valley

Like I have said, there are not many options of stay / accommodation in this secluded part of Himachal Pradesh named Tirthan Valley. Hence, you need some planning before you hit the road especially if you are with family. One of those scarce stay options is the pioneer of all guest houses / home stays of Himachal Pradesh (in fact in entire India), quite famous by the name “Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini – Tirthan Valley“… And today I will share my super lovely experience of at this amazing places to stay in Himalayas

Despite being so popular among travelers & difficult to book, this fantastic home stay smoothly continuous to offer better and better quality topped with hospitality it is famous for in many parts of the world… Hats off to the dedication & efforts put in by Raju ji and his family to continue offering this enriching experience to the travelers in Himalayas. All this comes at a great VFM price range of Rs 2500-3000 per couple / per day (includes all meals + juices + fruits + snacks + tea/coffee) and with experience of staying at so many properties in Himalayas over last 5 years, I can easily say that it is quite a deal in return of the enriching experience you live at Raju’s Cottage The only concern I see is the limited bookings available especially in season time (May to July) and hence, to experience this lovely stay, you need to pre-plan in advance or leave a note for cancellation notifications by keeping your plan flexible…

Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley
Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley
Different Shades in Tirthan Valley
Different Shades in Tirthan Valley

I will start writing the detailed travel tale of my recent family trip to Tirthan Valley but before that let me share the detailed review of Raju’s Cottage. Those who are not aware of Tirthan Valley can of course check out My Travel Guide for Tirthan Valley

Complete review of Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini – Tirthan Valley
Pictures

First and foremost, as my trademark saying goes pictures are better than a thousand words…

Block 1 at Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley
Block 1 at Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley

Block 1 at Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley

Block 1 at Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley

Block 1 at Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley
Tirthan River flowing besides Raju’s Cottage
Tirthan River flowing besides Raju’s Cottage
Flora and Fauna at Raju’s Cottage
Flora and Fauna at Raju’s Cottage

Flora and Fauna at Raju’s Cottage

Flora and Fauna at Raju’s Cottage

Flora and Fauna at Raju’s Cottage

Flora and Fauna at Raju’s Cottage

Flora and Fauna at Raju’s Cottage
Price & Bookings

You can get in touch with Raju ji or Varun using the below contact details:

  • +91-9459833124 OR +91-9459227375 OR +91-9418149808 OR +91-9625211848 and +91-8894488122 (01903-225008 not sure of this one if it is working or not)
  • Here is the Facebook Profile where you can get connected with them: Raju’s Cottage – Goshaini | Tirthan Valley

The price ranges from Rs 1400-1700 per person per day depending upon the choice of meals you make, veg / non-veg. Please note that the price includes all meals + juices + fruits + snacks + tea/coffee The best part is that food is served in common dinning hall which is beautifully placed and done at a fixed schedule for all meals meals. For non-veggies, trout fish is served on alternative days 🙂 …

Location

If you are coming from the Mandi/Manali/Aut – Larji side, you need to take a U-turn towards Goshaini – Tirthan Valley or Great Himalayan National Park, instead of the straight road which leads to Banjar. Once you take that road you need to cover around 8-9 KMs passing Sai Ropa FRH, then pass by Nagini Village to reach at the end of the road… Then a bridge will come and you take left on that bridge and after crossing it you will see a sign board on right saying Goshaini – 1 KM. Just before that signboard, a path goes down hill where the parking is present for Raju’s Cottage…

Parking

As stated above, after crossing the bridge at the end of the road to Goshaini you will see a sign board on right saying Goshaini – 1 KM. Just before that, a path goes down hill where the parking is present for Raju’s Cottage. There is a decent space to park about 4 cars. Couple of cars can also be parked just aside the road where space is available.

Then you need to take the luggage and passengers so that they can cross the Tirthan River on a pulley trolley (which is completely safe) to reach the guest house on the other side of the river.

Personal Experience at Raju’s Cottage

There are couple of blocks in which the guest house is divided. One is sitting at the hill where you need to hike from the base block for about 5 minutes to reach up there. It has a very nice, open common place/sitting area with nice views. However, you need to comedown for food and river 🙂 … There is one block at the base near the river, where generally only families are allowed with kids. The dining is there in this block only.

Exterior view of block 2 at Raju’s Cottage
Exterior view of block 2 at Raju’s Cottage

Rooms in the guest house are basic YET quite comfortable, nice, cosy and of course, very clean. The best thing was at such a remote location you are getting such kind of homely experience, which is a kind of luxury in itself for a person like me. Rooms were spacious enough with attached bathroom having hot water supply but no room heater, though couple of rooms had fire place in it. There is one single room on first floor of base block which actually caught the attention. Highly recommended for someone going to stay there alone… a perfect room to stay in solitude. Our rooms had two single beds and one double bed good enough to accommodate a family of 4 adults too.

Rooms at Raju’s Cottage
Rooms at Raju’s Cottage

Rooms at Raju’s Cottage

Rooms at Raju’s Cottage

Rooms at Raju’s Cottage

Rooms at Raju’s Cottage
Washroom at Raju’s Cottage
Washroom at Raju's Cottage

Quality of food/juices was extremely good and everything was cooked to our familiar taste buds. Breakfast was quite good with variety of options… The food is served in fixed time slots for breakfast, lunch and dinner along with Tea/Coffees which also have fixed timings in general but you can always ask for personal preference on tea/coffee…

You can catch your own fish but they have catch and release policy 😀 … Don’t worry they serve Trout Fish every alternate day in dinner ;)…  The dining hall was very nicely done and kept. Plus you need to arrange or keep your finished food / utensils properly in organized manner yourself as per the marked labels. The leftover food is properly taken care or disposed in the end, which is kind of an X-Factor of this place and good to know that they are conscious about their surrounding nature and disposal system…

Dining Room at Raju’s Cottage
Dining Room at Raju’s Cottage

Dining Room at Raju’s Cottage

Dining Room at Raju’s Cottage
Many Pickles and Jams to choose…
Dining Room at Raju’s Cottage
Picture says it all…
Dining Room at Raju’s Cottage
Cherries on the house at Raju’s Cottage
Cherries on the house at Raju's Cottage

Cherries on the house at Raju's Cottage
Delicious food at Raju’s Cottage
Delicious food at Raju's Cottage

An ample garden space was there just in front of the first block at the base along with a lot of greenery which is quite refreshing… They have the cherry trees in the garden and those cherries were sweet to taste too. My son thoroughly loved them 😉 … There are few games which are kept and you can try your hands at Badminton too. Numerous nature trails can be explored around the guest house as well or besides the river which is just few steps down from the base block or a walk to the small market of Goshaini Village to mingle with locals… Apart from that you can always enjoy the bonfire in the evening as well. There are couple of places where bonfire can be made available, one in front open and one is under a covered shed. The Popcorns served with bonfire just proved icing on the cake for Vodka lovers like us, Thank you Varun for it !! 🙂

Outside sitting area at Raju’s Cottage
Outside sitting area at Raju’s Cottage

Outside sitting area at Raju’s Cottage
Bonfire Place 1
Bonfire Place at Raju’s Cottage
Bonfire Place 2 under that shed
Bonfire Place at Raju’s Cottage
Bonfire, finally for us
Bonfire, finally for us at Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley
Neeraj and me, enjoying Vodka on the fire 😉
Neeraj and me, enjoying Vodka on the fire ;)
A Star Studded night at Raju’s Cottage
A Star Studded night at Raju’s Cottage

Well for booze lovers, Liquor shop is just at the start of one hanging bridge near a village named Deori as you take a U-Turn towards Tirthan Valley while coming from Mandi side. You may get some decent brands on that shop but beer is Palone 8 which is served there… Just few 200 odd Meters ahead at another shop, you can get the cigarettes for yourself as well.

Hospitality we received from Varun was super good and he took care of most of our on the fly requests too… Vishal was too soft spoken and they served whatever we requested… Thanks to them and I am sure I will find a bigger time window next summers to enjoy a wonderful holiday again with my family. Varun also guided us by pointing the primary school at the Gahidhar village for executing the DoW Causes, a step towards Responsible Travel by DoW…

DoW Causes | Spreading Smiles in Tirthan Valley
DoW Causes | Spreading Smiles in Tirthan Valley

Being besides the river, this place remains very cool most part of the day and even in the months of May – June, since there is so much greenery around, the heat does not show its toll at noon too while basking under the tree shades there or relaxing in the hammocks hanging in the gardens. 

Greenery around Raju’s Cottage
Greenery around Raju’s Cottage
Medical Help

For any medical assistance you will have to approach the Banjar town approximately 12-13 KMs from the guest house. Next major medical assistance can be sought at Kullu or Mandi about 2-2.5 Hrs away from Goshaini.

ATM

Nearest ATM is at Gushaini, about 500-600 Mtrs from Raju Bharti but remains open only up to 5 PM till bank is open. Next is Banjar, approximately 12-13 KMs from the Raju Bharti guest house.

Petrol Pump

Nearest Petrol Pump is at Larji, approximately 25-30 KMs from the guest house.

Activities and Attraction In-Around Raju’s Cottage

There is a lovely waterfall nearby the guest house. You need to drive back towards Banjar about 2-3 KMs from the guest house, you will reach a village by the name Gahidhar village after crossing 2 up-hills from the guest house. The hiking trail to waterfall starts from that village and can be covered in about 35-40 minutes. You need to be careful at some stretches on the hiking trail though, especially if it rains. The water was damn cold when we reached there but we braved to get right into the middle of waterfall and get our feet all numb 😉 …

The Hike to Waterfall in Tirthan Valley
The Hike to Waterfall in Tirthan Valley
The Waterfall in Tirthan Valley
The Waterfall in Tirthan Valley

Then you can try Hikes in Great Himalayan National Park, a waterfall near Bathad, Raghupur Fort near Shoja, Serloskar Lake, Jalori Pass from Tirthan Valley. To get more details of the places to visit in-around Tirthan Valley, you can check Travel Guide | Delhi to Tirthan Valley, Himachal Pradesh

You can also try Mountain Biking, Camping, Angling / Fishing in Tirthan River and gears/equipment for such activities are available for rent too at Raju’s Cottage. They can arrange for all the permits too which are required for hikes in GHNP or Angling / Fishing in Tirthan River.

Some Information about Renting Equipment
Information about Tirthan Valley
Conclusion

In the end, personally our stay at Raju’s Cottage felt more of a home to us rather than any hotel or guest house, so kudos to Raju ji and his family for maintaining such an environment around which is really hard to beat… Like I say for Tirthan Valley that its very near to civilization yet very secluded and midst pure mother nature. The place is truly magical and has got all that one can ask for a perfect offbeat holiday destination in Himchal or Himalayas to be very frank… Offering such an enriching experience at such reasonable rates is commendable in itself

I just hope that as more and more people flood in to Tirthan Valley, Raju’s Cottage continues to provide this excellence in hospitality and amazing services to the people traveling to this part of Himalayas.

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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.

132 Comments

  1. Anand Kumar on

    Hi dheeraj, really liked your article. Would suggest if third week of September would be a good time to visit? Any specific thing we should carry? Warm clothes , rain jackets?
    What would be the price of stay around September 3rd week?
    Should I book before or on the spot?
    Could you let me know how to contact Raju Bhai? Email or phone number?
    Any cab or bus service available from aut to reach thirthan valley? Cost?
    I am so sorry . I have asked so many questions 😛

    • Anand, third week of September will be good time to visit Tirthan Valley. No need of too many warm clothes or rain gear. Better take couple of light warm clothes or light jacket.

      PRices at Raju Bharti are around 1800 per person including meals. Try your luck with phone number else I have provided the link to Varun’s FB profile, try messaging him there. Cab will be available at Bhuntar or Kullu, you can ask Varun/Raju bhai to send the taxi for you if required.

  2. Mukesh Kumar on

    Wonderful post Dheeraj ji.. Is first week of September a good time to visit Tirthan as you mentioned somewhere that it is not that safe in monsoon season??

  3. Sahil Bhatia on

    Hi Dheeraj,
    Please let me know how to reach Raju’s cottage by bus or local transport. I am travelling from Delhi.

  4. Ayush Maan on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    I will be travelling from Delhi to Tirthan in June. I want to make a budget trip. Can you help me out in advising some stays? I’ll be accompanied by a female, so looking for a reasonable decent stay. I heard the Forest Rest House are very cheap, do not know about their quality there. Forest guest house in Kareri was very comforting.

    Regards

    • Ayush, FRH is cheap and if you get them they are in general good. I doubt you will get the availability though. The only drawback is food is not that good and experience wise it is just a stay with beds. You can try to either hunt on the spot or if Raju Bharti is available, nothing like it else check with River Side resort or Trishala Homestay

  5. santosh subudhi on

    HI Dheeraj,
    I am planning for a honeymoon trip on March 17 (arrival 13:30 at Kangra airport) to March 24 (departure at 11:00 am from kangra airport) Can you please suggest an itenary. As of now, I am planning to stay two nights in Mcleodganj, two nights in barot. Tirthan valley looks like a great 3rd destination. If yes, what is the duration of the drive from Goshaini to Kangra airport. Can we start on March 24 morning and still reach airport by 8:00-9 am?

    • santosh subudhi on

      a small correction – Departure from dharmashala airport is at 13:20

    • Hey Santosh,

      You have around 6-7 days in hand and it is your honeymoon trip. I will recommend that you choose Dharamshala/Mcleod Ganj and Tirthan Valley, skipping Barot. This way it will be easy on you and you can relax few days in Tirthan and few in Dharamashala.

  6. Nikhil Prashar on

    Want to visit from 29th Sep’2017 to 2nd Oct’2017. Can you please send me the information of the price for 2 persons. Also let me know, what total price includes.

  7. Great write up. Would be staying at Raju Bharti’s hom-stay. Lucky to get a booking for mid May.

    Was in Tirthan Valley a couple of years ago and had to stay in a nearby place… Quite decent however there were restrictions on booze, smoking and non-veg food. I didn’t mind it but it could be an issue with others.

    Had to return to this beautiful place… It’s too good to be true. If I am not mistaken, there is no TV and most mobile networks don’t work.

    Would be driving from Delhi -slow and easy.

  8. sunil ravan khairnar on

    Dear Dheeraj,

    The information provided by you is great help for travelers like us, Thanks to you because of you because based on your information I have successfully completed my Ladakh trip twice.
    Now I am planning to visit Manali for my honeymoon, we are 3 couples and we are planning to visit solang valley, tirthan valley (Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley) and naggar village. Our planned dates are from 17th of May to 24th of May 2017, can you please suggest the detail plan, route to rajus’s cottage from manali and budget (but nice) hotels in solang valley.

    Thank you

    • You can follow the below plan:

      Day 1 – Leave from Delhi by overnight Volvo for Manali. Get down at Aut/Bhunter near Kullu next morning (Day 2) where you can get to reach Tirthan Valley (about 40-45 KMs from there)
      Day 2 – Tirthan Valley – Relaxing day besides Tirthan River
      — Stay at Raju Bharti Guest House (you will need booking well in advance, so finalize it ASAP) other you need to stay at some other property. Raju is a pioneer in that region, so will say do not miss the stay there as it is quite an experience in itself.
      Day 3 – Tirthan Valley
      — Enjoy the walks in the GHNP. There are two Waterfalls nearby Raju GH in the woods.
      Day 4 – Tirthan Valley – Naggar Castle (about 50 KMs)
      — Stay at Naggar Castle and enjoy the place. Very romantic with great views and food. Visit Roerich Musueum, Art Gallery and do not miss the hike to ancient Krishna Temple at the top
      — It is one of the most romantic places in Himachal
      Day 5 – Naggar Castle – Manali (about 30 KMs)
      — Manali Local sightseeing including Manu Temple, Hadimba Temple, Local Monastery, Shopping at Mall road etc etc
      Day 6 – Manali – Marhi/Gulaba Snow Points towards Rohtang Pass – Solang Valley – Manali
      – You can enjoy the first half of the day at snow point MArhi/Gulaba (whichever is accessible) and if interested may also visit Solang Valley snow point for other adventure activities
      Day 7 | Manali – Delhi by overnight Volvo
      — Relax in Manali by evening and leave from Manali by overnight Volvo.

      Hotel Iceland is good hotel in Solang Valley

      • sunil ravan khairnar on

        Thank you so much Dheeraj ji,

        I think this is the best plan I got.

        I did inquiry to Raju’s cottage and it is full for a season, I hope we will find something similar nearby.

        Please suggest if you know any other option in tirthan valley.

        Thank you,
        Sunil

  9. Is it accessible in February ? I am going on bike with my sister & wants to know if snow wouldn’t affect the journey & also would like to about the fuel stations accessibility too in this region.

  10. Great Write up. I am planning to go to Raju’s cottage soon. Can you guide if I have to go to Kasol from there, what can be a suitable mode of transportation, besides cabs? I want to keep it local and cheap. Are there any buses or sharing taxis available?

    • You will get a HRTC bus to Kullu from Banjar, main town in Tirthan Valley, where you can get down at Kullu and then get onto any bus running to Manikaran. There are local private buses / tempos that also run between Kullu / Bhuntar to Manikaran. You can get down at Kasol from those buses.

  11. Rashad Guetierrez on

    I got this site from my pal who told me concerning this web site and at the moment this timeI am visiting this web site and reading very informative content atthis time.

  12. Hi Dheeraj. Nice and detailed review. Will be visiting this place in Dec. Now i have some doubts.
    1.Is it possible to visit this place in Dec? 4th-5th Dec to be exact.
    2.If yes ,best route to visit? And best convenience ?We will be travelling from Shimla.
    3.And if Saryolsar Lake ,Jalori pass can be accessed in that time?

    • Hi Saptarshi,

      1. Yes, you can visit this place anytime of the year. Tirthan Valley does not get snow to close the roads.
      2. You can go from Mandi – Aut – Gushaini road and come back from Shoja – Jalori Pass – Narkanda – Shimla route. If you are traveling from Shimla then better take the Narkanda – Jalori Pass on one side and on the other side take Mandi – Rohanda – Chindi – Naldhera
      3. They should be accessible as snow has not fallen much yet.

      • Saptarshi Chaudhuri on

        Thank you so much. Please also help me to decide the places to visit there. If accessible we will visit the Saryolsar Lake while enroute to Tirthan via Jalori Pass. Other than that ,the waterfalls is an option. What can be the other best options? We will stay there for 1 day.
        And one more thing – I tried to book Raju’s. But they didn’t accept as it is for a single day. So went for Prabhat’s . Any idea about it ?//
        And we will travel to Manali from here and then to Dalhousie/Khajjiar. I hope all the roads will be accessible in the next 2 weeks. Please comment. Thanks .

        • No idea about Prabhat’s. Well, It is enough places to relax around and may be walks in GHNP will be better utilization of the time. Mostly all roads are accessible on this route

  13. Ananya Gopalan on

    Hello Dheeraj:

    Thank you for the very well worded review – I’ve booked Raju’s cottage in the last week of Nov [2016] and I am so looking forward to it. I had a few misgivings because of the simplicity of my conversation with Vicky, who I spoke with for the booking. He didn’t want any advance, no mail confirmation, no cancellation charges. Only ‘aap aa jaaiye madam, dekh lenge’. I found that very endearing thou my cynical brain doesn’t recognize such simplicity since we are used to ‘terms and conditions’ mostly.
    I wanted to go thru a few more reviews before booking my flight from Chennai and found your review very informative, elaborate and descriptive. Thank you!!

    • Ananya, you will be amazed by the hospitality you will get from this family !! Simply awesome. Glad to know that the review helped you alot.

  14. Hey,

    Thanks for the beautiful blog! Its Amazing:)
    I am planning to go GHNP during last week of October, is it the right time to visit.
    Please Let me know.

    Regards,
    Swapna

  15. Hi Dhiraj
    Fantastic write up !!
    I will be visiting greater parts of HP from mid October onward, I wanted to know if winter (Say November end) is a good time to visit tirthan valley or not. If I am coming from Kalpa side ( I will be isiting Spiti valley from north and come to down south) what all places I can touch upon before moving towards Tirthan ? Any help will be helpful in my itinerary.
    Thanks in advance!
    Debjani

    • Well, it will surely be calm and cold but not what you expect from a Tirthan Valley which is more about sitting besides the river and enjoying nature. But, in case you are visiting it will offer nothing more than places you have already visited by then

  16. Tanvi Viras on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    First of all wants to appreciate about the effort you are taking in giving information about Himachal Pradesh tour. We heard about tirthan valley from our friend and got to know information from this site. You have uploaded beautiful pics of tirthan valley. We are very much keen on visiting valley in august month and planning to stay at Raju’s place. We have total 9 days and want to cover other places along with tirthan valley. We are from Mumbai. In one of the article of yours I read to stay away from Kullu Manali and Shimla. Which I totally agree. Please advice us places to visit like dharamshala, chmba, delhousie and khajjiar …how to plan the trip

    Will be greatful if you help us

    • Tanvi, August is not the right time to be in Himachal and especially near the river when all rivers are swollen. I will not recommend going in August. If you still want to go, it might be your call but being stuck in flash floods I do suggest and personally avoid going to hills in peak monsoon season.

      • Tanvi Viras on

        Thanx for reverting….then my question is which is the best season to visit

  17. Hi

    Can you please provide some contact details for this homestay.

    I need to book it for an upcoming trip.

    rg

  18. Hi,

    Could anyone please suggest some budget homestay in gushaini / banjar / tirthan valley.

    I had called up- Raju’s cottage, but their rate is bit high than my budget.

    Regards,

    Santosh

  19. Gurvinder singh on

    Hi
    Could you or other fellow travelers & experts please share Info about other Good hotels in tirthan valley as Raju’s, riverside resort & Himalian trout house is already booked for 5-6-7 March,2026 for our Group of 10 bikers ( need 5 rooms with a budget of around 1100-1400 with all meals per night budget ).
    Also suggest route to take ( via Mandi or via sHiMla, May be while returning ) & places to see & explore ( Jalori pass/ sHoGi , lake, etc.) in 3 or Max. 4 days itinary.
    Thanks in advance.
    G.Singh.
    #9212592135
    Mickywest@yahoo.com

  20. Anushamehtaa on

    Awesome photography and great description. I am planning my trip in the month of July. I think this is very useful for my trip plan.

  21. Dear Dheeraj,

    Very informative post. thnks. Planning a trip to Tirthan, can you help please:
    (1) Want to start on December 20th by road self drive from delhi. Will end December be too bad?
    (2) We have six days, can you please help us on how should we go about it.
    (3) Which route we should take? Will prefer driving out early morning from delhi. Have small car i10.

    look forward for your advice.

    rajlika

    • Hello Rajlika,

      1. Hmm, still OK I will say considering if you looking out for peace.
      2. Spend 3-4 days in Tirthan Valley with a trip to Jalori Pass where you might get tons of snow. Then spend couple of days in around Kasol or Naggar Castle.
      3. Since Jalori Pass will be closed due to snow, you will have to take the route from Mandi only.

  22. Rahul Gupta on

    Hell Dheeraj

    Thanks for suggeting such a beautiful place. I stayed at Raju’s cottage with my frieends last week and it was really very amazing and memorable stay.
    I would like to share one information here. The nearest ATM is in Goshaini only which is about 200 meters away from Raju’s cottage. But it remains open till bank timings only and closes at 5 PM.

  23. Lee Ignatius on

    I visited Raju’s place in November (end) of 2008, I must say it absolutely stunning. We were staying at the Himalayan Trout House which was also very comfortable.

    I must say that it gets really nippy at the end of November. We reached Christopher’s place at 7.45 pm and it was dark (given the high peaks on either side of the valley, it gets darker fast), getting terribly cold. Being Bombaywala’s and thinking we’d brave the cold, Christopher cooly told us the unwritten rules of staying warm..dorn yourself with layers of winterwear..keep your extremities (nose, ears, fingers and toes) warm, and keep changing your socks if you’ve had a strenuous walk..all this helped. He’s a fantastic story teller and in a bewitching beautiful place like the valley his night time stories can either send a shiver up your spine or leave you nostalgic.

    On the next day we visited Raju’s place, stunning to say the least, only accessible via the pulley bridge then. We sipped Apple Cider whilst he hosted us on the balcony portion which overlooks the river..you can either read yourself to kingdom come here or stare the mountains on either side of you for eternity. We settled with bird watching from that fantastic vantage point. Next was the simple, honest and mouth watering taste of the dishes his wife served us – I vividly remember the fried trout fish and pigging myself out like I was building stores of blubber for winter. Again an after noon idyllic time outside his balcony with his domestic pets – cats, dogs..and we headed back to Christopher’s.

    Would love to visit this place again with family. It’s offbeat, down to earth, filled with folk lore, natural beauty and hauntingly quiet. The wooden panneled house, so alien for us on the west coast, is like staying in a fair tale house! A must visit! 🙂

    • Lee Ignatius on

      Yes, they do shut down at the end of November, atleast from what I could remember then.

  24. Rahul Mehra on

    Hi Dheeraj,
    Plz guide me a untouched/rare location surrounding Palampur

  25. Hi Dheeraj Ji,

    I have been reading these posts for a long time now and i am in love with this place. One of my friend suggested this place to me and since then i am going mad !! Me and my fiancé are planning a trip to Tirthan in November .. we really want to explore this place as we are both love adventure and places like this.Hope November is a good time ?

    • Sanjana, November is OK time though wont say good time as it is a bit cold and sitting down in water of the river is a bit out of question due to chillness. Just call up Raju and ask if they are operational or not as they do close sometimes in winters.

  26. Hi,
    I am planning to travel to raju cottage in the first week of July with two of my frnds. We r planning to use public transport for travel from Delhi to raju cottage.. Plz suggest.

    • Khushboo, you can take a bus going to Kullu or Manali and get down at bhunter. From bhunter you can either get a bus to banjar or you can hire a taxi for a drop to Raju Bharti place.

  27. We are planning a travel to tirthan valley between 19th june to 24 th /25th june could you suggest how to go about it
    we are 7 adults and would be driving from Delhi .

  28. Hi dheeraj…very helpful information..I visited teerthan valley in June 2011 and stayed at Himalayan trout house run by Christopher. The stay was very exciting with trek to the waterfall and lots of fishing…there is lot of trout in the river. I would certainly like to go back again …do let me know if you are planning to go again..I would certainly like to join in…

  29. A very good write up.. so detailed! Very informative and helpful. I love travelling too and keep going back to himachal every now and then. Love to see you are like that too. I would love to get in touch and see if in future we can do a trip together.

    • Sure Ramneek, feel free to join the community and keep sharing the info. If you are aligned with DoW Vision and DoW Causes and of course you like the spirit of Adventure plus love Himalayas and travel up there, you can be an active member of the DoW community and participate at the link https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/ … It can be accessed over mobile app of all platforms too, on the move or while traveling, details of which you can see in the announcement section of the community in above link.

      We share all the information about Himalayan Travel, share each other experiences, help each other build travel plans for Himalayas up there only. We publish all meets including Delhi Meets for Travel Chats on Himalayas as well as Himalayan Mega Meet for DoW Causes that happens once a year, in the community only. All active members are present in community, share experiences, guide others and reviews hotels/eating joints of Himalayas so that we can build up more knowledge together by sharing with each other and helping each other out for travel to Himalayas.

      Please register there and start participating. Join us over Delhi Mini Meets if you around here, next is going to happen in 5th April, check events section. Once a year we call a mega meet where we all travel to Himalayas together in a large group and execute various DoW Causes to spread smiles up there in Himalayas.

      More closely & actively you participate in the DwD Community, more it will make you feel to be part of DwD Community 🙂

      Regards
      Dheeraj

  30. Hi Dheeraj
    Very articulate description
    thanks for information and lovely pics

    We (me, hubby n my daughter) wish to plan a trip on my daughter’s first birthday in june from delhi

    I have a few concerns

    I have a serious back problem. I cant trek, climb stairs or travel by car for a long duration and bad roads. for me delhi jaipur highway is also not a gud road

    so would u recommend this trip by road
    also, if we want to break our journey, how do u suggest the same. where shud i take a night break

    our agenda for this trip is to relax and spend quality time together
    you can also suggest anyother place

    thank u so much

    • Hi Mahima,

      Thanks a lot. In such a case I will not suggest this trip to take because at places the road is bad. How much time do you plan to cover/travel in one day? It will take at least 12-13 Hrs to reach Tirthan from Delhi.

      Regards
      Dheeraj

  31. Dear Dheeraj,

    An excellent write up. Thank you for sharing so many important information with us. We have booked ourselves in Raju’s guest house in June, after a couple of friends recommended it and are looking forward to the trip. Your blog certainly helps to understand whats in store and I am even more excited now !!

    Most of my questions have also been answered in your responses to others. Only apprehension was that we have 3 kids below 5 years with us. Can that be a cause of concern, since this is a bit remote place. Also we would be reaching there from Manali, and are planning to return to Delhi from Aut directly, Would it make any sense to retain the vehicle? Are there any places which can be covered through car from Tirtha?

    Arjun

    • Arjun, not a concern at all as I also travelled with couple of kids in the group below 3 years. You can let go vehicle as Raju can get it arranged on demand basis from Banjar. There is Jalori Pass that can be covered through car if you interested to make a visit there then it make sense to retain the car.

  32. Hi Dheeraj,

    Really appreciate the above informative article.
    I am planning to visit Tirthan Valley with my 3 other friends from Delhi in Mid April and I have some very generic questions about this tour. Will appreciate if you can suggest on them :
    1. What would be the per head cost of taxi from Kullu to Tirthan and return.
    2. what should be the perfect itinerary for Dehi-Tirthan if we have 3/4 days. (how many day/night shall we stay at resort).
    3. other nearby places to visit easy to reach.

    will wait for your response.
    Thanks in advance.

    • Hi Puneet,

      Please find my replies below:

      1. Taxi shall cost you around 1200-1500 for entire taxi
      2. Plan can be:

      Day 1 | Reach Tirthan in morning and relax
      Day 2 | Tirthan Valley local, visit waterfall or make a trek in GHNP
      Day 3 | Day trip to Jalori Pass, Serloskar Lake/Pond hike
      Day 4 | Start the return back

  33. i am planning to go from triton valley to kangra. please guide if there are some best out of usual stopovers in the route.

    • Prashant, though you can make it in single day but to make it relaxed I will suggest that you break your journey to either Barot Or Bir Billing. Both are quite nice places and little off the route only.

  34. Hi Dheeraj,

    Great description and awesome pictures. Your write-up helped me decide the place of staying in Tirthan Valley..:). We are planning to visit Tirthan Valley in June. I had called Raju’s Cottage and they have confirmed my booking.
    Just one question do they send any confirmation mail or anything to confirm the booking?

    Thanks.

  35. Hello Dheeraj, I am planning to go for a weekend trip to Tirthan Valley from 2nd April to 04 April 2015. I want to book the Raju Cottage for the same, however the number is not working. Could you please guide me, since I am travelling with my wife and kids I want to book it in advance. Really appreciate for all your help and such a nice platform to plan the himalaya journey.

    • Rakesh, if both the numbers are not working try to get in touch with them on the Facebook Page mentioned in the Contact head. Varun is the guy, he shall be able to help you. Meanwhile I have also messaged them to get the updated number.

      • Thanks Dheeraj for your prompt response and suggestion. It really works.

        I tried to book through …and Raju’s cottage is full in April first week. Please advise if you know any other good place to stay in Tirthan valley OR if you have any other good place in mind. Is it worth staying at some other hotel/cottage nearby or should I postpone my plan to get Raju’s cottage? I was planning for a good family vacation with good veg food and lot of good time at some off beat place and considering all of that and your site help I finalized the Tirthan valley for its beauty. I am planning to start the journey from Delhi in evening, so that the time when my kids were awake they are in different world and also I am trying to avoid any motion sickness for the little ones. I am open with any place which is under 500 kms and easily reachable at this time. Thank you very much for all your help and support. Your site and idea is really worth for.

        • Rakesh, you can check with River View Resort too. That is also a nice place. Nothing beats Raju Bharati experience though 🙂 … River View Resort will also not disappoint you at all 🙂

  36. Arun Verma on

    Dheeraj ji, I was first introduced to Tirthan by a family friend of ours. The information was not detailed enough to serve my purpose as such this communication.

    Read your introduction carefully. Very enlightening and informative indeed!

    Need to know certain things.
    ONE, Me (70 yrs) and my wife (65 yrs), reasonably good health, wish to go without our own car but wish to make the best of our visit there. Do you think it would be worth the while to have a vehicle at our disposal there, to visit places nearby? If yes, where do we get one?
    TWO, can we hire a cab from Kullu for Thirthan, one way? And will we be able to have a cab on call for the return journey? Or we should retain the cab with us there for local movements and finally for our return journey?
    And, lastly–we have to start our journey from Delhi. We would like to travel to Chandigarh by train, and from there take a cab for Tirthan. Is that OK or you advise that we go to Kullu by one cab and hire another one from there to Tirthan? In any case From Chandigarh (if that is the rail head) our entire journey has to be by road (using a private cab, not a bus or a shared taxi). How many hours’ drive is it from Chandigarh to Tirthan?

    Kindly advise. Also pl let me know if two days stay at Tirthan will be enough.

    Planning to make our next short trip in April-June, may be to Tirthan if we feel that will be fine.

    Thanks.

    • Arun ji, thank you, glad the info about Tirthan Valley is helpful to you. Best will be that you take a overnight volvo to Manali and get down at Bhuntar or Kullu. From there get a taxi from taxi stand that will drop you at Gushaini – Tirthan Valley. Then based on the needs you can ask at Raju Bharati Guest House above to provide you the vehicle. They can arrange the taxi for you back to Bhuntar and you can board the Volvo there back to Delhi. There is no need to retain the cab.

      • Arun Verma on

        Thanks a lot for your prompt advice. I am sure this will be very helpful.

        • Arun Verma on

          In fact, I would prefer to travel a shorter distance by bus–meaning that I would like to go up to Kalka by train and THEN take a taxi to Bhuntar or straight to Tirthan.

          Any comments?

        • Arun ji, I am not sure how convenient that will be because Kalka does not fall on the route to Mandi – Tirthan over normal route. It will fall on the route from Jalori Pass. So, in case you want to take this route, then from Kalka you need to travel over Shimla – Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Shoja – Banjar – Tirthan route.

  37. Hi Dheeraj,

    I got to know about this amazing place through your article. Thanks for that! And it is just at the right time that I’m planning a trip to Amritsar with my family in early March. But we have a total of 5-6 days in hand. Is it possible to cover Amritsar, Tirthan valley and Dharamshala in these days (without it being too much hectic). We’re based out of Mumbai. Any suggestion on the itinerary will be very helpful. Also, we will not be travelling in our own vehicle. What is the mode of transportation we can use?

    • Dimple, you need to drop at least one of it in 5-6 days to not make it hectic else there is no point just being on the road and hopping from one place to another. Tell me your choices and we can discuss the itinerary accordingly 🙂

      • Ok I thought as much 🙂 let’s say i drop off dharamshala and consider the other 2 places? I hope it won’t be too cold during first week of march!

        • Cool, in that case, first 2 days spend in Amritsar and then start the journey from Amritsar to Tirthan Valley. Spend next two days in Tirthan Valley at Raju Bharti Guest House and on Day 6, leave back towards Chandigarh from Tirthan Valley.

  38. Excellent Article. We four adults & a child are planning to stay at Rajus Cottage in May. My wife has undergone knee replacement surgery. She can walk comfortably, but cannot sit on the floor. Can she reach the Cottage in a trolley sitting like in a chair.

  39. Mahendra Singh Yadav on

    Very informative blog Dheeraj. Thanks for sharing your experience for making our steps comfertable. Keep it up.

  40. Nihal K Tambe on

    Sharmaji.. Thank you for introducing Tirthan and Rajuji s cottage.. it’s wow.. Will visit for sure .. Hope I get my call through. And hope it’s enroute Manali

  41. Hey Dheeraj,
    The beautiful pics and the description about the place has really encouraged me to plan a trip to Tirthan and stay at Raju’s. I was planning to take my parents along with me who could enjoy the stay at the guesthouse. However my concern is will it be very difficult for them to reach the guesthouse, as I understand that they have to cross the river in a metal box.And will they have to climb too many stairs/walk uphill to reach the gueshouse/room? Too much walking uphill or climbing stairs would be difficult for them.

    • Sanchita, no, the base building is just few steps, hardly 6-7 steps from the place where you get off the metal box after crossing the river. So, that should not be any concern. Don’t take the room in upper block where you will have to walk a bit rather just get a room in lower block.

      • Richa Gupta on

        Hello mr. Dheeraj.
        i need a help which i want to know this raju’s cottage is safe for a alone girl traveller.? As m travelling alone to just refresh myself.
        i have booked a room in advance in raju’s cottage on the number u have provided here.
        please help for the same.

  42. Hey… the place sounds exquisite… I just want to know whether I can take my 1 yr old daughter to this place

    • Deepali, yes, indeed Raju Bharti at Tirthan Valley is one just amazing places to stay. Yes, you can travel with your 1 yr daughter too. Just protect her from direct sun and other regular precautions you take with child.

  43. Aman Bandvi on

    A very nice description, one that influenced my decision to visit Tirthan this summers. I have booked Raju’s facility based on your article for the 12th and 13th this June. And will pretty much take ideas from your insights on how to make the trip a pleasurable one. We are two couples with two toddlers….:-) stay tuned. Best, Aman

    • Best wishes Aman, do check if you can execute DoW Causes at primary school of the Village from where hike to Waterfall starts. Varun will be able to guide you for it. Check the thread: DoW Cause | GYAAN 500 in action at Tirthan Valley, Himachal

  44. rajan arora on

    hey..! i am planning to visit tirthan valley . so, can you please send me your contact no. as i want to ask something about the trip.

  45. I am planning to go solo to Tirthan valley in the month of June. I would like to use only public transport to reach there if possible as I have limited budget. Would that be possible?

    • Yes, that is pretty much possible. You should be able to get any bus to Kullu / Bhunter. from there you can take any bus to Banjar and get down there at the U-turn to Goshaini. Ask locals around when you get shared taxi to Goshaini or even small bus else hitch hike over there to Goshaini from that U-turn point.

  46. A very good and detailed description. Information on such off-beat places are hard to find.

    • Thank you Vaidehi !! Yes, this one is one of the most amazing places to stay in Himalayas. Glad you loved the information present for Tirthan valley here.