Situated beside the Tirthan River in Himachal Pradesh at an altitude of 1600 meters, Tirthan Valley is a gateway to the Great Himalayan National Park. A place where you can easily forget the world to relax, rejuvenate and have loads of nature walks following one trail or the other, into the woods or beside the river.

A Perfect Travel Guide of Tirthan Valley
A Perfect Travel Guide of Tirthan Valley

In all, it’s an ideal place for connecting with nature, trying out family camping, enjoying with friends over bonfires, sitting beside the river and listening to music, getting together to know each other (helpful in team or relation-building ;)), eating out or just lazing around, etc.. The list of such things to do in Tirthan Valley goes on and easily makes it a complete offbeat holiday destination in Himachal.

Let’s look at this Tirthan Valley blog guide to help you plan a memorable trip to this quaint place in the Himalayas.

About Tirthan Valley, Banjar

Tirthan Valley or Banjar Valley are synonymously used for Banjar tehsil located in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Tirthan Valley lies in Banjar town, and because the valley has a Tirthan river flowing through it, the place is more popular by the name of Tirthan Valley.

Jibhi is another known or popular name from Banjar Valley and apart from the small village locations, there isn’t much difference between Banjar or Tirthan Valley, or Jibhi. Technically, all three are part of Banjar Valley, along with few other nearby villages where Gushaini and Jibhi are the two most popular tourist locations of Tirthan. Some people also refer to Tirthan Valley as Trout Fishing Valley.

When you travel to Tirthan Valley, you can right away feel the raw, pure bliss nature with fresh air surrounding you and a cool breeze kissing your face. If nature walks a thing you like or even trout fishing, then don’t think much about your upcoming vacation in Himachal Pradesh but head over from Delhi to Tirthan Valley.

Where is it located

Banjar or Tirthan falls on the alternate route from Kullu to Shimla over Jalori Pass. Hence, you get to enjoy the adventurous drive over Jalori Pass and do the complete circuit as in Manali to Tirthan Valley to Shimla or Mashobra easily in one trip.

Tirthan Valley Treks

Being gateway to Great Himalayan National Park, Tirthan Valley is a trekker’s paradise. The valley offers a lot of treks ranging from 2 days to 15 days and these treks range from beginner level to advanced ones. An avid trekker can explore and reach as high as 4000+ meters approximately. Apart from long treks, you can also do day hikes in the woods or nearby waterfall in Tirthan Valley.

So, if you plan to do some hiking or trekking with the family or friends and a quiet setting of nature, just drive on the road to Tirthan.

Aerial View of Tirthan Valley
Aerial View of Tirthan Valley

Tirthan Valley Weather

Weather in Tirthan remains nice and pleasant most of the year with temperature in summers being less than 24-degree Celsius. There is mostly a presence of cool breeze due to the flowing river. Due to the flowing Tirthan river adjacent to the valley, you will always feel the music in the air, and lots of greenery around you add to that nice feeling.

In winters, the minimum temperature may fall below the freezing point and hence, snowfall is expected during winter. The weather gets dry in peak winter months. Snowfall is expected in January – February months and you can always go for snow at Jalori Pass.

Best time to visit Tirthan Valley

Although Tirthan is a very nice, quiet, relaxed, and pleasant place almost throughout the year. However, during the spring season from March to May, it’s just amazingly refreshing and beautiful. Fully loaded with apple orchards, the beauty of Tirthan Valley gets ready to mesmerize any soul on earth. Hence, the best time to visit Tirthan Valley is spring season.

Please note that in winters, Tirthan gets quite cold and vulnerable towards wildlife interference, especially by the presence of Leopards and Bears in this area. The presence of snow at heights forces the wildlife to descend towards the valley. In snow, due to less amount of food in the mountains, these leopards and bears are bound to attack. So be careful while having a walk in the woods.

Hence, if you are traveling to Tirthan in winters, then it is better to avoid camping or else take wildlife precaution when camping in the wild.

What if I miss to visit Tirthan in March – April

As per the past experiences of many people including mine this valley will not disappoint you a bit from March to November months and is considered the good time to visit if somehow you don’t get a chance to visit Tirthan in the spring season.

Trout fishing season is from March to October but for that, you also need to take a daily license at Rs. 100 per person per fishing rod which is non-transferable.

The sparkling Tirthan River
The sparkling Tirthan River

How do I get to Tirthan Valley from Delhi?

As Tirthan Valley lies in the Kullu region of Himachal Pradesh, you need to take the Delhi to Manali Highway to reach a place called Aut after Mandi. You do not need to enter the Jawahar tunnel at Aut rather continue on the road on the right that takes you into Banjar Valley.

The distance from Delhi to Tirthan Valley is about 511 km via Mandi -Pandoh route. The complete route is as follows:

Delhi – Ambala (188 KM) – Chandigarh – Roopnagar (282 KM) – Kiratpur – Bilaspur (371 KM) – Mandi (440 KM) – Pandoh – Aut (481 KM) – Larji – Gushaini – Tirthan (511 KM)

Manali to Tirthan Valley

If you plan to visit Tirthan from Manali, then start back towards Delhi from Manali via Kullu. After reaching Aut, just after crossing the Jawahar Tunnel, take the left exit. (Caution::- Route is extremely scenic from here on ;)).

You will reach Larji T-Point from where you need to take a right to reach Sai Ropa. At Sai-Ropa, if you head straight, you will reach Banjar – Shoja – Jalori Pass, but for Tirthan, follow the U-Turn from there towards Gushaini-Nagni (Tirthan).

It will take about 1.25-1.5 hour drive to reach Tirthan villages from Aut junction.

Alternate Route: Delhi – Shimla – Jalori Pass – Tirthan

There is an alternate route that exists from Delhi to Shimla to Jalori Pass to Banjar – Tirthan. This alternate route is about 40 km long and is detailed as below

Delhi – Ambala (188 KM) – Kalka – Shimla (370 KM) – Narkanda (430 KM) – Ani – Khanag – Jalori Pass (520 KM) – Shoja (524 KM) – Banjar (538 KM) – Tirthan (544 KM)

Many people are also interested in traveling the full circuit from Delhi, including Delhi to Manali to Tirthan to Shoja to Jalori to Shimla and back home. This way you enjoy both routes and visit some beautiful places of Kullu and Shimla districts.

By Air

The nearest airport from Tirthan Valley is Bhuntar, approximately 50 km away. You will have to take a cab/bus to get to Tirthan from Bhuntar. The airport has limited connectivity and might face interruptions in operations, given weather fluctuations in the Kullu region.

By Train

Chandigarh is the closest major Railway Station. No direct trains run to Mandi from Delhi or Shimla. However, you can take Shatabdi till Chandigarh and hire a cab/ take a bus till Mandi.

You can also travel to Joginder Nagar train station as well which is about 120 km from Tirthan Valley.

Tirthan Valley Waterfall
Tirthan Valley Waterfall

Getting to Tirthan Valley by Bus

A lot of people ask me “How do I get to Tirthan Valley by bus?” and in this section, I will provide the details about traveling to Tirthan by public transport.

You can travel to Tirthan by bus or public transport easily. Regular HRTC buses, as well as overnight Volvo buses, run from Delhi to Manali every day. These buses reach Aut next morning around 6 AM. You can get down from the bus at Aut and cover the rest of the journey to Tirthan by taxi or wait for Kullu to Shimla bus to arrive.

Alternatively, if you are traveling on a budget, you can hitchhike from Aut to Tirthan Valley as well.

Taxis from Aut to Tirthan

After getting down, you have two choices from Aut, either prebook a taxi with the help of the hotel or guesthouse from Tirthan Valley or you can get down at Bhuntar to get a taxi yourself.

From Aut, you can get a taxi for around Rs 800 with a seating capacity of 5-6 people. If you take the taxi from Bhuntar, the taxi may charge about Rs 1500 as they might have to go back empty. The prearranged taxi from the hotel might be cheaper as the taxi they will send for pickup will be Banjar based taxi, not Kullu or Bhuntar based.

Tirthan is about 30 km from Aut. While going back you can catch the Manali to Delhi bus around 7 PM at Aut and reach Delhi next morning by 7 A.M. next morning. Do not forget to mention your pick up point at Aut or Bhuntar when doing the booking of the HPTDC Volvo bus.

Views on the way to Jalori Pass
Views on the way to Jalori Pass

Road Conditions

On the way from Delhi to Aut, the roads are pretty much in great shape being a national highway from Delhi to Manali. Then from Aut, the roads are a bit narrow in but mostly in good to average conditions without any difficulty. In the entire route, there are one or two rough patches so that you never lose your concentration 😉

However, when you travel over Jalori Pass from Tirthan to Shimla, the story of climbing and getting down from Jalori Pass is different. If there is rain, the road conditions will be a mess just around Shoja and up to Jalori Pass and further down towards Ani – Khanag villages. The mud will increase the challenge of climbing the steep gradient of Jalori Pass.

Even in the absence of rain, the drive from Banjar to Jalori Pass and then down towards Narkanda may give goosebumps at certain points.

Preferred Vehicles

The best way is to take your car or bike and hit the road from Delhi to Tirthan. There is no such specialty required in your vehicle to visit Tirthan Valley. The hatchbacks and sedans will do equally good and will the SUVs. There is no special need for an SUV car or a 4×4 vehicle to visit Tirthan. You can take any vehicle as long as its engine runs and it will not break down in the middle of a road 🙂

Make sure to check my must-have things to carry on a self-drive trip to Himachal.

Tirthan Valley Map

Here is a hand-sketched map of Tirthan Valley to give you an idea of places around it and where exactly it is located in the Kullu region of Himachal.

Delhi to Tirthan Valley Map
Delhi to Tirthan Valley Map (courtesy – http://tirthan.blogspot.com/)
Delhi to Manali to Tirthan to Shimla Circuit Map
Delhi to Manali to Tirthan to Shimla Circuit Map

Weekend Trip to Tirthan Valley

A trip to Tirthan Valley is very much possible as a 3-day long weekend trip. But, to get the feel of this relaxing place in entirety, you can always add one more day to make it 4-5 day trip from Delhi and relax in the lap of nature to refresh yourself inside out.

You can also plan to add a drive to Kasol – Manikaran as well or do the complete circuit at ease with a stopover at Narkanda on the other side of Jalori Pass.

Night – 1 / Day 0 | Delhi to Tirthan

Leave from Delhi in the evening and reach Gushaini or Banjar early morning on the next day. You can do the journey by overnight Volvos running between Delhi and Manali every day.

Day – 1 | Relax at Tirthan

Early morning arrival means sound sleep and rest for 5-6 Hours. Then rest around the serene and calm Tirthan river. Relax for the whole day. In the evening you may enjoy a bonfire.

Day – 2 | Tirthan Valley Trek or Tirthan Waterfall

Trek or hike into the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) or hike to see nearby waterfalls. There are two of them at little distance to each other. After coming back from the hiking day, enjoy the dinner alongside the river before having a sound sleep.

Day – 3 | Relax till noon and then start the journey back

On Day 3, Sunday, you can easily relax till afternoon and then leave for Delhi around noon to reach by 11 PM in the night. This plan will give you a night of sound sleep, and you can join the office easily the next day on Monday.

Or if you are traveling by bus, then you will reach the next morning and may have to join the office a bit tired or fatigued but shall be manageable with the comfort of the Volvo bus.

Hence, you can see that, yes you can travel to Tirthan Valley over a weekend trip itself. A bit hectic but doable.

The silky waters of Tirthan River
The silky waters of Tirthan River

Extending the trip by a couple of days

Well, if you have a few more days at hand then you can opt for below days based upon your taste, comfort and time on hands.

Optional Day 1: Jalori Pass – Serloskar Lake Trek

On this day, you can drive to Jalori Pass, and from there, you can trek to Serloskar Lake. On the way back, you can have a meal at Sringi Vatika, a nice homely guest house run by an old couple. The food preparations take some time there, but you can always walk down the riverside to have some fun. You can add this day to make it a 4-day trip to Tirthan Valley from Delhi.

Optional Day 2: Kasol – Manikaran

Alternatively, you can also drive from Tirthan to Kasol and Manikaran and either come back to Tirthan the same day for a night stay or stay at Kasol only. This way, you can leave to Delhi or home from Kasol only without the need to come back to Tirthan unless you plan to take the longer Jalori Pass route. It will also help you plan a 4-day trip to Tirthan.

You can, of course, opt for both days to make a 5 day trip from Delhi.

Another Trip Suggestion: You can also plan to include a visit to Prashar Lake as well with Tirthan Valley.

Adventure of Jalori Pass

Well, to be on the adventurous side on Day 3 of the weekend trip itinerary, you can leave early morning to follow this route and can cover the “Alternate Option Day” with Jalori Pass. However, Serloskar Lake will not be possible in that case. I will always prefer this route either while coming or while leaving from Tirthan.

Tirthan – Banjar (6 KM) – Shoja (20 KM) – Jalori Pass (24 KM) – Khanag – Ani –  Narkanda (114 KM) – Shimla (174 KM) – Kalka – Ambala (356 KM) – Delhi (544 KM)

The route to Jalori Pass from Shoja side is quite steep as compared to the other side i.e. Ani and Khanag which adds more pleasure to this adventure road trip to Tirthan 😉

Want some fresh berries from Tirthan Valley?
Want some fresh berries from Tirthan Valley?

Where to stay in Tirthan

When I started visiting back in 2010, there were only a handful of places to stay in Tirthan Valley as people hardly knew about it. Over the last decade, there has been a massive increase in tourist footprints and hence, the demands for stay options too in Tirthan / Banjar region too.

There are budget options as well as luxury options available now in Tirthan Valley and Jibhi region. Many homestays in Tirthan have also mushroomed in recent years, and you can surely land up there to find few options for yourself.

Let’s look at some of them.

1. Sai Ropa FRH

This if govt. run forest guest house and probably one of the budget places to stay in Tirthan. It will be a good option to stay with moderate comfort, if possible to get its booking or availability.

2. Raju Bharti’s Guest House

If you really want peace, nature, romance, seclusion, and natural beauty then I will suggest you head for Tirthan Valley and perhaps even stay at Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini, Tirthan Valley – A Pioneer in Hospitality.

You can contact them on 09418149808 (01903-225008, not sure of this one if it is working or not). It is extremely famous with tempting food as per the majority of people who stay there. It is surely the best place to stay in Tirthan Valley.

It is right in the middle of the valley in Gushaini village, and there are tons of nature walks or hikes around it which you can go for when required to feel further close to nature.

3. Himalayan Trout House

It is expensive but a very nice place to stay in Tirthan. Check the complete review at DoW Himalayan Travel Community: Himalayan Trout House – Complete Review where Anshul writes:

The one word which in which I could describe experience and hospitality is “Awesome”. The Himalayan Trout house is located in the Nagani village just 2-3 km before Raju’s Guest House and 2-3 Kms after the Himalayan River Side Resort.

Check the link for a detailed review of it.

4. Riverside Resort

This one is right at the banks of the river has got a lot of attention in the last decade. The price range is pretty decent, and being adjacent to the riverside, it feels wonderful to stay at this place. My stay over here has been quite great when we could not get Raju’s Cottage booking.

5. Shringi Vatika Homestay at Ghiyagi

A little away from Tirthan at Ghiyagi village before Shoja. They have named it Shringipur now. It is a homestay kind of budget accommodation in Tirthan but with nice service and reputation. The river is a little hike down, and this guest house is a bit away from main Tirthan (about ten-odd KMs, if I am not wrong).

They have built their own little waterfall from the stream and have swings for the kids too in the garden.

Contact Person: Pammi 09318813178 / 09459106728 / 09218201598

The contrasting colors of nature in Tirthan
The contrasting colors of nature in Tirthan

Are you Planing a Honeymoon Trip to Himachal?

Well, if you are looking out to plan a honeymoon trip to Himachal, then maybe stay with Raju’s Cottage, Goshaini in Tirthan Valley.

Why am I recommending Tirthan Valley for your honeymoon in Himachal? I will try to share my thought as below pointers:

  • There is the least tourist rush in Tirthan Valley and ample peace and privacy which anyone wants on a honeymoon or any other rejuvenating vacation.
  • Raju Bharti Cottage is the pioneer in that region, and many times, Outlook Traveler has ranked his place among top places to stay in the world. Quality, service, hospitality, and the location are just superb right amidst the lap of mother nature.
  • The stay is moderately costly, and he charges about Rs 1750 (veg) / Rs 1900 (non-veg.) per person per day, which includes all meals, juices, fruits, etc. So, 3500 per couple is not bad at all for a day in return the value you get from the place…
  • You may ask him for offseason or honeymoon discounts too, if applicable. Advanced booking (in a month’s time) is must here.
  • The raw nature is so close to the place, in fact, all around it. Tirthan River, GHNP, Flora, Fauna, Waterfalls, etc.. It will match a forest resort stay any day.
  • There are other accommodation options too in Tirthan Valley viz. Riverside Resort, Sai Ropa forest rest house, Himalayan Trout House, Shringi Vatika at Ghiyagi a little away from Tirthan, etc. which you can choose for a stay apart from Raju’s Cottage.
  • Shoja and Jalori Pass are only 1.5-2 Hrs of a drive. A place where you can enjoy tons of snow in winters. I am not sure if the walk/hike to Seroloskar Lake will be possible in extreme winters or not from Jalori Pass due to snow. But, you can always check with Raju for the same before leaving.
  • Now, the best thing – Tirthan Valley is not that far from Manali – Kasol – Naggar – Solang Valley – Rohtang Pass, which means you will be able to –
    • spend 3-4 days in Tirthan Valley and then move to Manali circuit and enjoy stay + adventure activities around snow in Solang Valley including paragliding (of course if you are interested),
    • stay for a day or two at one of the most romantic places in Himachal that is Naggar Castle,
    • some great Israeli culture and cuisines at Kasol,
    • enjoy more snow at snow points of Marhi or Gulaba towards Rohtang Pass,
    • enjoy shopping at Manali mall road and even stay there for a day or two,

If you prefer peace and want to avoid mad tourist rush then it is better to avoid Manali during summer holidays, Durga Puja holidays and Christmas – New Year week when people from all over flock this valley. 

I hope the above reasons or pointers are enough to help you decide why to choose Tirthan Valley as your honeymoon destination in Himachal Pradesh.

Raju Bharti Guest House Gushaini
Raju Bharti Guest House Gushaini

Where to eat

There are eating options available as dhabhas in villages of Tirthan and the main market of Banjar town. Otherwise, you will mostly be eating with guest houses or hotels you will be stay. If you are on a day’s excursion to Jalori Pass, then you can stop at Shringi Vatika for a meal.

Nearby ATMs

There is an ATM at Banjar town. But, It’s better to carry enough cash. There are ATMs available in Mandi and Kullu which are nearby, where you can withdraw money as well.

Mobile network in Tirthan

Tirthan does have decent mobile phone network connections coverage. BSNL, Airtel, Vodafone and Jio networks are available, however, at times, they may have intermittent connectivity.

On the trails in GHNP, you’ll be hard-pressed to get a mobile phone connection. But, isn’t that the point of a trek or hike, anyway? Disconnect from the modern world, Y’all.

Things to Carry

Tirthan is all famous for Trout Fishing and is also called Trout Fishing Valley of Himachal. So, you can carry stuff for fishing.

If you are a reading freak you can carry books if you like to play then take a volleyball or if you play music then take the instruments with you or if you like to chat then go there and open your chatterbox around a bonfire with your mates if you like to fish take your fishing kit with you or you can get there as well etc..

The destination is ideal for anything that makes you feel relax from the day to day life, so go and enjoy to the fullest.

Among other things to carry on a trip to Tirthan Valley are:

  • Do not forget to refer my list of things to carry on a trekking trip.
  • Always carry a water bottle as you will need it on your day hikes or other Tirthan Valley treks.
  • Always carry a light woolen sweater/jacket for a winter trip. In winters, carry at least 2-3 layers of thermal clothing as temperature drops in negative in January.
As we trek to Tirthan Waterfall
As we trek to Tirthan Waterfall

5 Things to do in Tirthan Valley

So we have talked in length about the positives of visiting Tirthan from Manali or Delhi. But, once you reach what should you do at Tirthan? or what are the tourist attractions in Tirthan Valley?

Let’s look at some of the major attractions or things to do, one by one.

1. Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP)

As Tirthan is the portal to GHNP, you can go for treks or hikes or evening camping in the wild on your trip. You can get the feel of nature by walking or hiking in it till the inner entrance, and then permissions are required for the entrance daily if you wish to hike deeper into it. A fun place to hike with family or friends.

2. Tirthan Valley Waterfalls

There are two secluded waterfalls around an hour of hiking distance with a higher one being more than 50 feet high. Both of them are very close to each other. The aerial views of Tirthan from the trek to the waterfall are breathtaking.

3. The drive to Jalori Pass

Jalori Pass, at an altitude of 3120 meters, is one of the steepest passes to drive in Himachal and it separates Kullu valley and Shimla Valley. You need to cover almost 2500 meters in less than 25 KMs to reach the top. The gradient is very steep and caution is required to climb up and down. Make sure you use low gear braking else you may end up with brake failures.

You can have a meal at Shringi Vatika on the way back to Tirthan. Well, Jalori Pass remains covered with snow from December end till March-end. So, the road ahead of Shoja and sometimes to Shoja is also closed in winters.

4. Trek to Serloskar Lake or Jalori Pass Trek

Serloskar lake trek starts from Jalori Pass and the lake is about 5 km from Jalori pass. It will take about a couple of hrs to reach the lake and a couple of hrs to return back to Jalori.

Hence, plan the hike to the lake and your day accordingly else you might end up doing night driving. At times, the lake might be disappointing. Do not forget to carry a water bottle along with you.

This trek is also referred to as Jalori Pass trek at times.

5. Visit Bachelo Pass

About 15 km en route Bathaad village, you can also visit this single pass from Tirthan Valley. Bachelo Pass also remains well covered with snow from December to February. Hence, you will not be able to visit it in winter.

6. Visit Sainj Valley – Shangarh

Sainj Valley is a beautiful wonderland nestled 45 km from Kullu in Himachal Pradesh! If you’ve never heard of the place before, you’re not the only one. The valley starts fairly close to the river at around 1233 Mts height.

As you come towards the Larji Petrol pump when traveling to Tirthan Valley, you need to go left to travel to Sainj Valley which houses places like Shangarh, Pundrik Rishi lake, Dehuri, Manyashi, Shenshar, and Panihar. These are some of the villages with lovely homestays away from the crowd. Sainj Valley gained popularity as an offbeat place in Himachal once Tirthan Valley started becoming more and more crowded.

Tirthan River on a bright sunny day
Tirthan River on a bright sunny day
Does it snow in Tirthan Valley?

Yes, at times, it does snow in Tirthan Valley in winter months of January and February. Apart from that when you travel a little up towards Shoja and Jalori Pass, you will get plenty of snow as well as snowfall up there.

How far is Tirthan valley from Manali?

The distance from Manali to Tirthan Valley is 100 km and it will take about 3-3.5 hrs to reach Tirthan from Manali.

Conclusion

Tirthan Valley is an offbeat place in Himachal Pradesh, still. It offers everything to every age group and a trip at any time right in the lap of mother nature is always full of warmth.

Whenever I am unable to decide on a trip, I pack my bags with my family and head over for a trip to Tirthan Valley to enjoy peace and calmness nature has to offer.

PS: With this comprehensive guide, I am sure you do not need to buy any Tirthan Valley trek packages and the money you will save, you can spread some smiles in the Himalayas.

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I hope this blog article will help you plan your trip to Tirthan Valley. Do you have any other questions regarding this trip? Drop them in the comments below, and we’ll try to help you in every way possible.

If you like this article, then share it with your friends who you think might be interested in going to this offbeat place of Himachal!

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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.

399 Comments

  1. Pradeep Jain on

    Hai Dheeraj
    I ,my wife & 2 children are planning to see snow fall from 24 to 28 Dec.15 .Plz guide us about places.

  2. Ankur Gulati on

    Dear Dheeraj,

    Thanks for such an informative blog and the proposed itinerary.
    I (with my wife) planning a trip to Tirthan valley this september end. Taken a week off, so have 9 days at hand. We will be self driving to Tirthan and on the way back I am thinking of the route through Narkanda, as you suggested. But since we have more days at hand we are thinking of taking a stop in both journeys.

    Can you suggest an itinerary we should follow (from Delhi)? Basically which are the right places to stay on the way. And what all we can cover in that region.
    We are planning to take “Shilt Hut” trek (for 3 days) there.

    Thanks,
    -Ankur

    • Hi Ankur,

      I will suggest that you follow below plan in such a case:

      Day 1 | Reach Tirthan Valley
      Day 2 | Relax in tirthan Valley for the whole day besides tirthan river
      Day 3, 4, 5 | Do the trek
      Day 6 | Tirthan Valley – Shoja – Jalori Pass, spend a day there may be in camps at Jalori
      Day 7 | Jalori Pass – Narkanda. Do Hatu Peak for some good views
      Day 8 | Narkanda – Shimla/Chail
      Day 9 | back home

      • Ankur Gulati on

        Hi Dheeraj,

        Thanks a lot for the suggestion and the itinerary. Please let me know what you think about some variations below in the itinerary. The 2 main reasons for the change are:
        1. I am not sure it would be comfortable to drive straight to Tirthan, without stop.
        2. We have already visited Narkanda (Hatu peak) and Chail some time back, so not very much interested in repeating those places.

        What do you think if we make below changes.
        Day 1 | New Delhi to Mandi (or some place near)
        Day 2 | Mandi to Prashar Lake, post lunch drive to Tirthan Valley
        Day 3 | Relax in tirthan Valley for the whole day besides tirthan river
        Day 4, 5, 6 | Do the trek
        Day 7 | Tirthan Valley – Shoja – Jalori Pass, spend a day there may be in camps at Jalori
        Day 8 | Jalori Pass – Narkanda OR some other place on the way
        Day 9 | back home

        Thanks,
        -Ankur

        • Hi Ankur,

          Looks good to me. You can actually drive to Chail or Shimla from Jalori as Narkanda will be to close to Jalori without much to do as you have already visited the place before.

  3. Dear Dheeraj,

    I am planning to visit Jibhi on 19th Sept from Shimla with my wife and 7 year old son. I will hire a car from Shimla and visit Jibhi (stay at Dev Conifer) and move to Naggar and Manali on 20th Sept. I hope the road at Jalori pass can be travelled in a small car. Please let me know your thoughts.

    Regards,

    Ajit

    • Yes Ajit, since you will be hiring a local taxi, it shall be fine to travel even in small car as these guys know how to drive over that terrain. Just confirm if the driver has done the Jalori Pass or not in past.

      • maverickmango on

        Dear Dheeraj,

        Thanks, drivers name is gopal singh Thakur from Shimla. Spoke to him and he confirmed he has driven the jibhi-jalori pass terrain before.

        Regards,

        • Good to know that Ajit, go ahead in that case 🙂 … You can update his number in the thread in community in case you like his services.

  4. hi dheeraj, my kids want to play in snow
    plz suggest some place anywhere in India
    my dates are 2 December to 9 December

  5. Hi Dheeraj,

    Do you traveling in July mid is appropriate to this location. We do not want to drive and would prefer taking a bus. Any other similar places apt to travel in July mid considering it would be the rainy season. Also could you suggest some hotels.

    • Aishwarya, it will be much better that you plan a trip to some high place, something like Shoja which is near to Tirthan Valley or may be Chindi near Karsog. Since it will be rainy, the rivers will be swollen so chances are you might not enjoy the serenity. So, better make a trip to Shoja or Chindi in monsoons. In case it is not raining during the days of your visit, you can easily go down to Tirthan Valley and stay for couple of days in such a case.

      • Hey Dheeraj

        What is the best place to visit in last week of October.Trithan vally or Munshyari
        We are planning for a road trip by car , we have 5 days.
        Please suggest. Where we can get snow caped peaks ?

        Thanks….

  6. Dear Dheeraj
    How is road condition from Shimla to Gurshaini
    Can I drive in I-20

    • YEs, Shimla – Jalori Pass – Gushaini will be fine to travel now though due to steep gradient at Jalori Pass, it will be a bit adventurous 🙂

  7. Dear Dheeraj,

    First of all thanks for the above information. It really helped us a lot in planning.

    Now we are thinking to take a bike trip from Shimla to jalori pass to tirthan valley. We are not experts with bikes. so , would u please tell me the road condition of this route and which bike should be preferred for this route. I just want to ensure that we must have a safe journey..

    Thank you in advance

    • Deepesh, the road conditions are fine to Jalori pass but it is steep, so drive carefully and also use gear braking by riding in low gears and never with ignition off bikes. If you use too much brakes there the chances of burning the brake pads are high.

      • dheeraj,
        thank you so much for your answer. would you please tell me the approximate distance of steep road and from where to where is the road steep..??..

        also inform me is there any convenience to go in that steep road or the bike will be fine……??

  8. Tarun Jain on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    We will be visiting Tirthan valley in June. Going by Tempo Travellers as we are a big group. Going from Jalandhar to Tirthan Valley what is the best route suggested by you and approximately how long will it take.

    I heard there is congestion at some stretches on the way which should be avoided. Please advise.

    • Tarun you can either take the route from Hoshiarpur – Amb – Nadaun – Hamirpur – Bhota – Mandi – Aut – Tirthan OR Hoshiarpur – Bangana – Barsar – Bhota – Mandi – Aut – Tirthan.

      • Thanks Dheeraj, Out of the two routes you have suggested which would be the better one. The better road conditions.

        What are the sectors to avoid. I heard Kiratpur – Bilaspur – Sundarnagar is bad. Heavily congested. Please advise.

  9. Alok Sharma on

    Hi Dhiraj,

    I have been visiting HP for a long time now, the condition of the mail road connection Mandi is horrendous, it is beyond words and it’s shameful that no one seems to be doing anything, I took the longer Una-Jahu route while going. but unfortunately tried the main route back. It is dis-heartening, shameful this is the road that is supposed to bring the tourists and the peak season is just round the corner, to a state which relies on the revenuers from tourism. and look what they have made it. can’t even maintain one road.

    I am personally going to boycott going to HP and would try to discourage as many as possible. I know would not make much of a dent, but this is my way of saying this is enough.

    • I fully agree with you Sharma ji and reciprocate your sentiments. I am a regular traveller to Himachal for business and vacations. It was shocking and painful to see the pathetic road condition from kiratpur to bilaspur during my recent visit to Barmana. It is bound to damage the vehicle as well as the traveller.

      It is fine that they are buuilding a four lane road but that does not been that they should not maintain the existing road till the new one is operational.

      Shame on the concerned authorities!

  10. Hello Mr. Dheeraj

    First of all thanks a lot for such a useful site. We are planning are honeymoon trip in month of May and want to visit unconventional places of Himachal. Is Tirthan valley good place for honeymoon? Will you suggest to go there? Please advise us any other off-beat romantic place of Himachal if this place is not good for this purpose.

    We will reach Delhi on 16th May at 12 Noon and have return flight on 23rd May in the Evening. so we have round 8 days. Kindly let us know what will be the best place for us.

    Thanks
    Anoop

    • Harsh, if you are looking for peace and nature around, nothing beats Tirthan Valley. However, you might not get too much luxury up there if you are looking for it. Also, 7 days might get too much for just Tirthan Valley. You may also look forward to visit Kinnaur Valley for 7 days and stay at Kalpa and Sangla which has hotels of decent luxury and would be apt for 7 day travel.

  11. Rajat Jain on

    Hello
    Some of really nice and helpful articles by you.
    If we go to Tirthan around 3rd of April will we be able to drivw to Jalori Pass? if not, then to Kasol?
    Please reply soon.
    Thanks:)

    • Rajat, there is 50:50 chance of driving to Jalori during that time of the year. I have a gut feeling that it will be closed because of such massive snow in March. Otherwise, Kasol will always be accessible 🙂

      • Thanks man:). We are also thinking of going to Kinnaur. I know wrong thread : D but will we be able to drive to Nako?

        • Rajat, last year I did trip to Spiti Valley in the last week of March and road conditions were horrible. It remains similar every year due to snow melting causing snow slides as well as landslides. This year too nothing much is changed, a friend of mine who went there posted his experience on the DoW FB Page how he remained stuck for first 7-8 days between Nako and Reckong Peo.

          So, higher risks are associated while driving ahead of Powari during that period of time since glaciers / snow melts and comes down in the form of snow slides in these months. If you love adventure and ready to take such risks, then you should be able to drive.

          This is not to scare you bro, rather just make you beaware of what can be expected.

      • Hi Dheeraj,

        Thanks so much for the useful write up. We’re planning a trip to Tirthan in May. We booked ourselves on the Delhi to Aut Volvo as you suggested above, but are having trouble finding a bus back from Aut to Delhi. RedBus doesn’t have any buses along that route. Is there a different station that runs buses back to Delhi? Any help would be appreciated. Many thanks!

        • Hello Preetika,

          There is no bus from Aut to Delhi or Delhi to Aut. You need to book the volvo coming from Manali and mention your pickup point as Aut tunnel exit or Bhuntar to be on safest side. You can hire a taxi from Tirthan which will drop you at Bhuntar and you can carry on further from there in that volvo 🙂

          Regards
          Dheeraj

  12. Hi Dheeraj,
    I have 3 questions.
    1. Is the bus service still active from Delhi to Aut ? We are planning to go to Tirthan in mid Jan by the bus service you mentioned.
    2. Considering that we don’t have our own car, how can we reach from the Aut bus drop off point to Raju Guest House ?
    3. Which of the accommodations from your list has the best location ? We are planning a trip purely for photography and more specifically night photography. So nice views are what we are looking for.

    As usual, great write up and thanks in advance 🙂
    Shrikant

    • Hi Shrikant,

      A happy new year to you and your family !!

      1. Yeah, the bus service runs from Delhi to Manali, you can drop out at Kullu or Banjar or Aut, the place of your choice.
      2. Book a taxi from Kullu or bhuntar taxi stand else ask at Raju’s Cottage to arrange a pickup for you from Aut.
      3. Raju Bharti is best located and is one of the best places to stay in entire Himalayas IMHO.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma
      PS: Sorry for the late reply, I was on a trip to Kumaon, Uttarakhand for the last 8-9 days.

  13. Hi….I have made booking with raju’s cottage.. For last week of January :- 24,25,26… But I am still wondering, like would that be too cold to go out and enjoy there or what .. ? Suggestions please ..

    • Jyotsna, of course it will be cold as it is January, so if you are fine with the cold and go prepared with heavy woolens, it shall be fine

  14. Thanks for your response Dheeraj.
    I have a total of 5 days including Sunday the day we leave from delhi. We will be in Rajus cottage for 3 days. bookings for further days are full. Had called a place in Shoja… but they were closing for winters. So am confused which place will be accessible and worth staying during that time after Rajus cottage
    I have booked a place in manali after tht for 2 days… but am not tht interested as its too commercial.
    Will Shoja be open then? if so where can i stay ?

    Thanks again!

    • Samir, did you check with Raja Guest House at Shoja if they are open or not? Otherwise, you can spend couple of days in Kasol or Naggar as well. Barot is 3-3.5 Hrs away from tirthan Valley too, so if you like then you can go and stay up there as well.

  15. Hi Dheeraj. Nice article & you have been realy helpful to all.
    I guess my turn now 🙂
    I will be driving to Tirthan on Jan 1st week. I just want to ask what could be the other good/beautiful, possible & approachable places for stay and visit both from tirthan especially in Jan. Am nt sure if Jalori will b open then.. ifit is then which places also if not which other places I culd go & enjoy a memorable stay.
    Not a commercial place but a nice quiet place with a view etc 🙂 say within 60 – 70 km

    Ur suggestions will b really helpful 🙂
    Thanks

    • Thanks a lot Samir 🙂

      You can club Shoja with your trip to Tirthan Valley. Jalori will not be open but up to Shoja I guess you may be able to reach due to heavy snow, if not you may need to park your vehicle on road and walk to Shoja. Ask for the road conditions at Tirthan or Banjar.

      How many days do you have? I guess if you have 3-5 days, best to is to sit and relax in Tirthan and enjoy some hikes in GHNP and make a visit to Shoja.

  16. Hi Dheeraj,

    A friend and I are travelling to Tirthan on 4th Jan. We are staying there for 2 days and then wanted to go to Shoja. Any place that you recommend where we can stay? And how do you think the weather will be?

  17. Hi Dheeraj,

    Is February a good month to travel to Tirthan Valley?

    Thanks,
    AJ

    • Hi Dheeraj,

      can we go to Tirhan vally in last week of december 2014. Will we get any snow over there,can we go jalori pass during that time.We ahve 2 year kid with us.What is the best place to get snow in month of December last week.

      • Kapil, there should be snow up there at Jalori pass by that time of the year. Just go prepared with heavy woolens and prior booking in one of the limited stay options available in that holiday week of the year.

  18. Hi dheeraj,

    we went to Tirthan valley and returned back yesterday . I cnt express in words how was the trip , it was totally amazing and memorized trip , totally safe valley , and Raju bharti guest house is the only resort who made our holidays wonderful , such a lovely family god bless them always , they r very very helpful and food omg food was out of the world so delicious and healthy , nd how can i forgot those loyal dogs , wherever we go they escorted us evry where. very smooth journey very secluded place so so good . we r going again in Apr .

    Thanks for information you r doing such a lovey job by well guiding people lyk this .

    • Ritu, glad to know that you had wonderful experience. Raju Bharti Guest House is a place where people forget about everything and gets addicted not only to the place but also the magical hospitality that family offers everyone 🙂

    • Ur comments have inspired me to visit this place this weekend. However no one seems to ans the phone. How much is the room tariff?

  19. Kul Bhushan Chauhan on

    very nice information dear. after seeing this, want to go there with friends. plz suggest if going in december is gud enough and if we go by volvo.
    thanks

  20. Hi Dheeraj, I am planning to visit himachal with my husband from Jaipur for 3-4 days. What are the best places to visit in himachal? And how should we plan our trip? TIA.

    • Monika, please check the Travel Guide of Tirthan Valley which you can visit for 3-4 days and it has a plan too which can be followed skipping a day from it.

  21. Dear Dheeraj,

    We are planning a trip in October from 2nd till 5th, but I am bit concerned about security looking at the condition of J&K and some instances of HP near Shimla. Can you please suggest will it be a good idea to move during this time, especially road condition and weather.

    Thanks in advance.

    Regards,
    Anuj Jain

    • Anuj, if you planning Tirthan Valley, in general October is a safe month to travel. But, every day travel as its own associated risks which no one can deny. So, I cannot ascertain but in general weather remains good in October.

      • I went in peak monsoons (last month) and the roads were perfect except Khanag where landslide happened. I went via Shimla and the roads were perfect. The road where landslide took place was fixed within 6-7 hours. So you can take that route.

        • Thanks Dheeraj and Tushar,
          I was bit concerned looking at the condition going in J&K.

          @Tushar: can you please update me on the route taken by you and any alternative if available in your know how, as I would be driving myself.

        • Anuj, there are only two routes to travel to Tirthan Valley and both have been detailed out in the above article. You can enter from one and exit from the other.

        • Hi Tushar/Dheeraj
          I am planning to visit Tirthan Valley on 29 Nov2014.We follow Shimla-Narkanda-Jalori Pass route. I have a Ford figo and we are 4 adults and 2 kids.
          Let me know the road condition whether it is advisable to follow this route. (I am more interested in this route because of more sceneric view)

          Many Thanks in Advance
          Manish

        • Manish, you must check the road conditions or road closure at Jalori Pass before you take that route. Snow has started falling on high altitude places and it may be possible that Jalori Pass also gets snow though the road in general up there closes post mid of December but still before venturing do recheck the latest road update.

      • Hey Dheeraj, Will we get some snow at Jalori pass or will be able to to see peaks covered with snow,Also will it possible to visit sarahan from Trihan vally and how long will it take,raod conditions etc , also will we be able to see snow there near sarahan at first week of oct

        • Hi Kapil,

          Sorry for the late revert. No you will not see any snow at Jalori pass. However, now the monsoons are almost over so you will not face any problem at Khanag. Please be sure that you have expert driving skills because it is not easy to drive at Jalori pass. The road is muddy and the car skids a lot. Make sure to drive in first gear 🙂

        • Yup, very importantly to drive in first gear, both ascending where choice for you will be limited but need to take more care while descending so that braking is controlled by first gear itself and you put less pressure on brakes.

        • Thanks Tushar/Dheeraj for the reply, In last holiday on 2-5th oct I went to Chakrata, palce was nice but did not see any snow caped peaks due to foggy weather.I am planning to go somewhere in last week of december.Pleaes suggest a good place where I can play in snow, I ahve a 2 years daughter with me also,
          Please suggest should I prefer to Narkanda/Dagu/Cahil and sarahan or I should go to Ranikhet/Mukteshwer/Kausani/Mynushari

          I have been to narkanda/fagu/Ranikhet/Kauani in month of june and october.

          or any other place you may want to suggest.

  22. Hi Dheeraj,

    I am leaving for Tirthan on 14th Aug night from Delhi. 2 months back I went to Kasol via Mandi and the road was really really bad. I am thinking of going to Tirthan via Shimla. Till Narkanda the roads are pretty fine (I have gone there several times). Overall I guess roads via Shimla will be better. Can you help me to decide which route to take? Mandi one or Shimla one?

    Regards,
    Tushar

    • Tushar, you can take Shimla route but again Jalori will not be that easy though less hectic as compared to pot holes of Mandi – Swarghat stretch. There is another longer route too that goes from Kiratpur – Nangal – Una – Bhota – Rewalsar – Mandi or Bota – Jahu – Ner Chowk. These are longer routes but fabulous roads mostly.

      • Thanks Dheeraj. I have driven to Sangla and Chitkul, so I am pretty confident of driving via Jalori pass. The potholes of Mandi road drive me insane 😛

        Highly appreciated your quick revert 🙂

        • O yes, those Potholes plus truck traffic is surely insane. Do give a try to Mandi – Bhota – Una road too while coming back, no traffic, butter smooth roads.

  23. Debojyoti Dey on

    One more Question how much time required to reach Chandigarh/Kalka from Gushaini by a suv ??

  24. Debojyoti Dey on

    We are 8 people planning for a family tour. Our itanery is Chindi (2N), Shoja (1N), Tirthan Valley (2N). We shall visit Raghupur Garh on the way to Shoja, Next day first visit Sarolsar Lake the to Tirthan Valley. Is it good ? if not please suggest a better plan

  25. Hi there. Ammazing article and seriously a bliss for people on a look out for an off beat destination.
    I was planning to visit Manali (3 nights, 4 days) on 15th August with my family (parents in the age group of 50-60). But, after going through your article, I have fallen in love with this place. Would it be a good idea visiting this place during August (considering the rains). Also, if the worst happens (rains continuously), would we be totally confined to our rooms? If so, would it still be worth it ?

    Thanks in advance ! 🙂

    • Yes Mrigank, in case of rains you will be confined to rooms only. I am not really in love to suggest hills in monsoons unless you are one of those travelers who understand the risks and are OK with situations of being confined to the rooms, some monsoon hassles like road/traffic movement disruptions due to landslides or increase in water level in rivers. Rains do enhance the beauty of greenery and clouds of course hover as if it is another heaven but there are risks and one must understand, be ready to take them if they plan travel in hills during monsoons.

      • Hi Dheeraj Sir..firstly let me thank you for such a wonderful and meaningul service that u r offering..ur insights r really to the point n have resemblance with reality..
        Ok now first suggest me..Kasol or Tirthan valley?
        2N/3d trip…15th August – 17th August..if kasol, then I would stay at thr Himalayan Village…heard a lot about it..bt no idea abt tirthan…let me Jus give u a hint which wud be pivotal in ur recommendation to me…I am going with my fiance, we both love nature, and we would love to do a trek for about 2-3 hrs with a guide..And yes there should also b some cafes, restaurants n small market place ..now I guess it wud help!!!

        • Sumit, I think this is already discussed in DwD Community and answer is Kasol since you want cafes, restaurants. Else Tirthan is also fine but food will only be at hotels or guest houses.

  26. Hi, me and my friends are planning to visit Trithan Valley on 25th July (4 days ahead). Let me know, if it is a good time to visit. Thanks!!

    • Bharati, though the rains have started hitting the region. Please check the weather forecast and then head out as you will not like yourself to be confined to the rooms only.

  27. Hii…me and my frnd decide to visit trithan balley culd u pls tell me the rajus cottage expensive fr 4 days

  28. Tirthan valley in mid July

    Hi Dheeraj, we are looking at 3-4 days in Tirthan valley around the second week July.
    Do you think it is a good time to go there or are we likely to be confined to our rooms in the heavy rains ?

    Thanks…

    • Sid, it will surely be rains during this period as Monsoon can arrive any day now. So, consider forecasts before planning the trip to hills now 🙂

  29. Nupoor Desai on

    Dear Dheeraj

    We are going to dharamshala for 2 nights before heading to Tirthan-Raju’s guest house. Any recco’s for homestay options in or around dharamshala? Or near McLeod ganj if needed?
    How is the route from dharamshala to Tirthan?

    Regards
    Nupoor

    • Dharamshala to Tirthan route is fine. Not much issues there. Regarding economic stay at Mcleod Ganj check: Pink House | McLeod Ganj (Dharamsala)

  30. Hello Dheeraj,
    Very impressive post 🙂 . I want to know if a visit to Tirthan valley and a stay at the riverside resort will be safe for women travellers? And how would one travel to nearby places if we don’t have a car? Do the hotels provide taxis?
    I would really appreaciate your help.
    Reema.

    • Reema, yeah it is completely safe in general. I will suggest that you first check with Raju’s Cottage and if it is available then close your eyes and go with it. Amazing place to spend time. He is a pioneer in hospitality. For traveling to near by places, you can get taxi from Banjar, hotel guys should be able to arrange one for you.

  31. Vishal Sharma on

    Dear Dheeraj, Thanks for all valuable information. Apart from all these i would like to ask about medical facilities around as i have a small daughter 3 months old shall i carry her along is it safe?

    • Oops, 3 months old daughter and you are traveling 🙁 🙁 … Well, in general I do not recommend people to travel with such small babies. Well, babies as 3 months old does not develop all organs fully and it is not a good option to travel with small babies of such age group, IMHO. Regarding medical facilities, there is a hospital at Banjar Village about 25-30 minutes drive from Gushaini/Nagini. Then Kullu and Mandi both are about 2-2.5 Hrs of drive from Tirthan Valley where much bigger hospitals are available.

  32. Hi,

    I am planning to drive with my family from Delhi during the last week of this month to tirthan valley. I have booked with ‘Tirthview’ for stay during my time here.
    However, could anyone suggest a place for pit-stop while we are driving from delhi, except the obvious ones like shimla, chandigarh. We don’t plan to drive till there the whole way(non-stop), so wanted to know of places where we can stop and rest for the day and leave for tirthan the next day. Is Mandi a good option and would it be too much of a diversion if we go there on our route to tirthan??

  33. could you suggest about how much time it takes from Tirthan valley to chandigarh by car!!!

  34. Naturebuff on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Could you give any reviews on the Camp Himalyan in Tirthan Valley? How good are they? I have managed my bookings with Khem Bharti but wanted to see if I could spend a couple of days here at this camp too…??

    • I am just back from Tirthan last late and again MUST say that nothing beats Raju Bharti Guest House if one can find the booking 🙂 … We enjoyed to a great extent and hospitality was awesome too. No idea about these camps, never stayed at them.

      • Naturebuff on

        Not early enough for a booking availability at Raju Bharti…. hopeully Khem bhai will be good too:-)

        • Naturebuff on

          Also, what would the temperatures be like in the end of this month?? Comfortable? Cool? Or a light jacket would be required?

        • We took light woolens and needed it for sure as it rained there. Hence, light woolens should be carried for night or early morning walks or in case it gets overcast.

  35. @dheeraj I have visit tirttha n lasat year n enjd a lot .n seeking ur advice forbnew place. Not crody pls advice

  36. hi, i am planning a trip to himachal with college friends, odd counting 12. We want to hire a 12 seat traveler. We recently went to kasauli and corbett, now we want to do some camping on our own. we have double occupancy tents and all. We do want to see Trithan Valley and places around. I want it to be 6-7 day trip from delhi. Please tell as some good campsites over there and what all places should we visit where we can camp. its like we want to travel in day time and camp by evening. Drive and camp kind of thing. Please suggest a timeline and things to be kept in mind as it would be our first camping trip.

    • Vinayak, I do not have much idea about how you will be able to setup camps up there. You will need assistance from local operators or hotels which can allow you to pitch camps in their area or if you planning to trek short in Great Himalayan national Park then as well you need professional assistance. Since, this is your first camping trip, so you will need assistance and for trekking in GHNP, as I have not done it so will not be able to make any comment.

  37. Hey Dheeraj,

    I read your article and it helped a lot but I’m still very much confused about how to get to Tirthan Valley from Delhi by Bus. Also how does one get to Kasol from Tirthan Valley? Do buses run from Kasol to Delhi? Do you recommend Kasol for a day or 2?

    • Shreya, had the same questions..Dheeraj has answered the query about the bus..you can get a bus from Delhi to Aut..from Aut, you can take a taxi – it’s an hour and a half to Tirthan river…..I spoke with Christopher at the Himalyan Trout house and he said Kasol is about 3 hours from Tirthan…..I’ll wait for Dheeraj’s recommendations on the Kasol idea

    • Shreya, you can take the bus from Delhi to Manali, get down at Aut or Bhunter and get a taxi back to Tirthan Valley. If you are going from Kasol, you need to come to Bhunter first from where you will be able to find taxis for yourself or buses to Banjar town. From Banjar town, get a shared taxi or private taxi to Gushaini. Yes, there must be buses that running between if not Kasol, then Manikaran, else like I said, get down at Bhunter and get a shared taxi or bus to Kasol – Manaikaran from there.

  38. Hi Dheeraj,

    Thanks for the wonderful write up.

    I am doing a 7D/6N trip to Himachal in early June. Itinerary is 2N around Shimla/Chail. Then reach Tirthan via Jalori pass and stay 2N at Gushaini. Later proceed to Manali and stay 2N there. Will Jalori be open at this time given the rains? Is it advisable to book a taxi for the entire trip? If so, can you suggest some reliable operators?

    Thanks.

    • Sampat, Jalori Pass is already open. Hence, no worries at all. Yes, it is better to book the taxi for entire trip. I will suggest to take the taxi after landing there in Shimla. Your hotel guy will be able to help you with it. Plus you will have the advantage of seeing the taxi first before booking it.

      • This is very helpful Dheeraj..you’re doing a great service to humanity 🙂 had a couple of questions please – my wife and I are travelling from Delhi..we plan to take a bus to Aut and then taxi it to Tirthan..how long will our entire journey be? Also if we want to visit Kasol, what’s the best way to do that and how far is it? We intend to get to Tirthan on May 1st and head back to Delhi on May 3rd

  39. Dr. Khurana on

    hey bro I have planned 4 nights in manali and 2 nights are in spare . suggest me some place except shimla. honeymoon destination it should b bit cooler than shimla. and should b preferable for honeymoon couple

  40. Hey Dheeraj,
    It seems very useful site.

    I want spend around 10 days in an isolated, less crowded Himalaya. I want to do a lone trip. I have no experience of such trips. Also I don’t have any experience of bike trip. Want your guidance.
    I will be grateful for your help.

    Regards,
    Avnish

    • Avnish, you are inexperienced in bike rides to Himalayas and then also you plan to travel less crowded places in Himalayas. I will suggest first try and visit some tourist places on your bike in lower hills of Himachal and Uttarakhand. Then make some big plan like this for rest of the Himalayas.

  41. plz help me..
    we are newly married couple from karnataka(bangalore).we planning to visit shimla,kufri,kullu,himalayan national park,manali,rohtang pass,lahul and siti,tirthan river,sangla,bhakradam,suraj tal,uhl river, kangra, dharmshala,dalhousie khajjiar etc
    my doubts are
    1)we are only two it is safe or not visit to these places.
    2)15-20 days trip plan in march
    3)which is best-hire a taxi or through buss.
    4)if taxi is better to bus how much money need to taxy.
    5)suggest me other good place to visit

    • Pradeep, you cannot do all these places in the month of March and taxi for 20 days of trip would be very very costly. I will suggest it is Honeymoon for you so better travel less and spend quality time more rather traveling between so many distant places. You can opt for one of the circuit, may be Shimla – Kinnaur one OR Manali and around OR Dharamshala – Mcleod Ganj – Chamba – Khajjiar – Dalhousie one.

      • Dheeraj Thanx for the reply.but i confused about which one circuit is BEST for us-Shimla – Kinnaur OR Manali and around OR Dharamshala – Mcleod Ganj – Chamba – Khajjiar – Dalhousie.plz suggest me

  42. Hi Dheeraj!
    Read your amazing article last year about Tirthan and have been trying to make plans to go there since then…Finally going there this April 13 to 16th.
    Just wanted to know how the weather will be, and if I need to take any prior permits for walking into the GHNP? I’m planning to do just light hiking and maybe camp one night in the GHNP. Also I’m a bit confused on how to make bus bookings from Delhi to Aut and back…Are buses a reliable option for this route as self driving may become expensive for us.
    Have already booked the accommodation at Raju’s Guest House. Your inputs would be much appreciated!
    Thanks 🙂

    • Aanchal, weather should be pleasant but cannot be predicted by we mortal souls, but in general it should be fine in April. I think you will need permits for GHNP but for light hiking, it can be avoided. Raju should be able to help you out on it. Well, better book the HPTDC or HRTC Volvo between Manali – Delhi and get down at Aut or Bhunter and then arrange a taxi from there. Raju can also send the taxi for you.

      Also, can you please validate the Raju Bharti’s number as mentioned in this article? Is it same you used or different?

      • Hi, thanks a ton for your help.
        I have been in touch with Varun from Raju Guest House on Facebook, and the no. he has given me is 9459833124.

      • Hi Dheeraj,
        Hows the road for driving the car to thirthan valley from delhi… I have been a couple of time to hills like nainital and shimla… do you advice me to drive or a taxi…??

        • Well, the road from Bilaspur – Kiratpur is like full of potholes and bad with mess traffic of trucks. After and before that it is fine to travel but those 3 odd hours will test your patience to limits 😀 … Better take the taxi or if you want drive from Bilaspur route one way and come back from Jalori Pass route if you are into adventure drives. Else hire a taxi and take any of the route.

  43. Puneet Asthana on

    Hello Dheeraj, I am planning to go to Tirthan on March 15-17 via Jalori Pass. Wanted your help if Jalori will be open at this time and will it be a feasible and saft option to take that route.

    • I do not think Jalori Pass will be open by that time of the year. So, you can plan trip to Tirthan Valley only from Aut – Pandoh side.

  44. arpit sharma on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    It was a pleasure reading your review. I could actually feel like I was there only.

    I need your suggestion. I and my friends ( total 7 : 3 females 4 males ) are planning to go to Himachal pradesh on the 27th Dec night and return on 30th Dec evening. We will be driving an Innova and I am experienced in Hill driving, so driving will not be a problem.

    We need to go to a place which is not crowded like other hill stations, it should be very quiet and scenic at the same time.

    Your advise will be highly appreciated.

    • Hello Arpit,

      Thanks a lot. I see you have 4 days in hand. I will suggest following places for you and seeing the pictures around, you can take a call.

      1. Tirthan Valley (you already know from above article): Here the accommodation is less in number, check with River View immediately to get going if you are planning here. Jalori Pass will have loads of snow too which you can enjoy as a day trip from here.

      2. Barot + Bir/Billing. Enjoy the quiteness around this lovely remote village of Himachal
      3. Chindi + Karsog + Chail as a trip. Again lovely quite place up there ahead of Shimla, plus you can enjoy a bit of crowded culture while return via Shimla.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know in case you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • arpit sharma on

        Hi Dheeraj,

        We have finalised Tirthan for the trip and talked to River side resort. I need your help in fixing the tariff. we are booking three rooms, what are your views on the tariff. How much should we ideally pay for a room. As in what is the best deal including breakfast and all?

        Thank you for all your support.

        Arpit

        • Arpit, talk to Anirudh and refer my name or DoW. I am sure he will offer the best he can for you. A lot of people visit there through DoW and I am sure he will not disappoint the loyalty of DoW Readers 🙂

  45. Dear Dheeraj. I have visted teerthen already wid ur advice…n i enjoyed alot dere over dere…n i m alsa wnn be dere again in winter also…pls suggest. Me be dere when da snofall begun dere..i am. Carzy to be dere n to live in River side resort…….waiting in ur adviceee..

    • Hello Gurinder,

      Well, you can visit the place again but the beauty will not be same as that of summers or spring because the greenery will be gone by that time of the year. But, still good to visit 🙂 … It does not snow in Tirthan and for that you will need to visit Jalori Pass or Shoja to experience snow.

      Regards
      Dheeraj

  46. Hi Dheeraj!

    I am planning a 4 day trip to Himachal in Nov with my friend..I would start out from Delhi on 22nd Night for Gushaini (heading to Raju’s).. would like to spend a day there and move to Kasol..is it worth doing both places? Where could I stay in Kasol..any safe/budget option by the river? Also, what is the Gushaini landscape beautiful..are places like Bathad/Sairopa/Larji worth seeing? Because,if that were the case,then I may as well stick around in Tirthan valley..please help!

    • Akanksha, since you have 4 days in hand it is better to relax in Tirthan Valley only. Bathad/Sairopa/Larji are all just villages nothing special in them, they are there to indicate the directions of the route. It is actually Tirthan Valley, walks in the GHNP, may be day visit to Jalori Pass, Serloskar Lake is what be sufficient for 4 days in Tirthan.

      Also, by November, tirthan will be brown landscape not much greenery but a peaceful place to spend time.

      PS: Sorry for delayed reply as I was traveling Ladakh for last couple of weeks.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  47. Ankur Mittal on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    I am planning to go to Tirthan Vally at the end of Dec, Somewhere around New Year… Is it good to go, How will be the weather during the time.

    • Weather will be cold at that time of the year and beauty will be brown and rough around too. If you want to enjoy at a peaceful location, then it shall be fine.

      PS: Sorry for delayed reply as I was traveling Ladakh for last couple of weeks.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  48. Alok Sharma on

    I am planning to go to the Tirthan valley In couple of weeks time. This would be my first trip to the place so looking forward to your suggestions and advice.

    I would be going with my Family, Wife and kid, 2 years old. What is the best place to stay in and around GHNP ? from what i have gathered Tirthan valley is the last motor able place and has some good options, really looking for advice in this regard.

    What all places can be visited ( cannot be too adventurous with a small kid ). My plan is to visit some nearby places in and around GHNP and possibility a small trek into the national Park and Looking forward to fishing in the Tirthan river sand catching some trout

    From what i understand, We need to get permit to enter the national park and for Fishing as well . what is the cost for that and Where can we get that from. how far inside the park can we go along with the family and what are the accommodations inside the park.

    I am really looking forward to visiting the place. and enjoy the serenity.

    Thanks in advance

    Peace

    • Alok, kindly refer the above article and it has all the required details regarding sightseeing + accommodations. It has links to reviews of accommodation places.

      • Alok Sharma on

        Hi Dheeraj,

        Thanx for the reply, I have booked River Side Resort after reading your detailed review ( pfft Himalayan Trot House was a bit expensive as well).

        I have made a tentative itenary based on your suggestions

        Night – 1: Leave from Delhi in the evening and reach Tirthan early morning

        Day – 1: Early morning arrival rest for 5-6 Hours. Some fishing in the River and In the evening, may be enjoy a bonfire/BBQ.

        Day – 2: Walk in to the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) to see nearby waterfalls.

        Day – 3: Drive to Jalori Pass from where you can trek to Serloskar Lake. On the way back have a meal at Sringi Vatika

        Day – 4: Relax till noon and leave for Delhi around 12 PM to reach around 11 PM.

        How does it sound? Any suggestions

  49. Puneet Asthana on

    Hi, I am planing to go to Tirthan valley next week for a 4 day trip on my bullet. Could you please update me on the Road conditions and the most scenic route. Please suggest any precautions I might need to take. Could you also advise me on the accommodation . Thanks in advance.

    • Road conditions are just OK, bad roads between Sundernagar and Swarghat especially around Bilaspur. But manageable roads. Drive with cautions and safety. Avoid overtaking trucks unless you have clear visibility on the right. For accommodation you can get in touch with Raju Bharti Guest House OR River Side Resorts.

  50. Mohit Bansal on

    Dear Dheeraj

    Well I read about narkanda in a magazine and simply while exploring the same on google I came across jalori pass and then trithan valley..
    I saw the pics and was thrilled. I have now planned to visit trithan and jalori pass. Could you please guide me if my plan is ok. Because I think its a bit stretched and I have tried to cover a lot many places.

    DATE – AUGUST 14, 2013 @ 2300 HRS TILL AUGUST 18, 2013 @ 2100 HRS
     DAY 1 : ASSEMBLY POINT  (AUGUSTT 14, 2013)ASSEMBLE AT YADAV’S FLAT BY 2230 HRS START THE JOURNEY AT 2300 AND CROSS THE BARRIERS OF DELHI BY 0000 HRS.
    DAY 2 : TRITHAN RIVER VALLEY  (AUGUST 15, 2013)REACH TRITHAN RIVER VALLEY BY 1130 HRS. EXPLORE THE VALLEY AND THE SCENIEC BEAUTY.BY 1600 HRS LEAVE FOR JALORI PASSAT JALORI PASS WE WILL START OUR TREK TO RAGHPUR FORT AND WE WILL HALT THERE AT THE NIGHT. BON FIRESNACKS AND DINNER WILL BE SERVED.
    DAY 3 : RAGHUPUR FORT AND SEROLSAR LAKE (AUGUST 16, 2013)FRESEN UP AND EXPLORE RAGHUPUR FORTAFTER LUNCH TREK TO SEROLSAR LAKEIN THE EVENING WE LEAVE FOR NARKANDA
    DAY 4 : NARKANDA (AUGUST 17, 2013)TREK TO HATU PEAK AND THANEDAR APPLE ORCHARDCLUB HOUSE, ETC ETCALL THE ACTIVITES AS PER OUR EASEEVENING WE LEAVE FOR SHIMLA (THE MAAL ROAD)
    DAY 5 : KASAULI (AUGUST 18, 2013)LEAVE SHIMLA EARLY IN THE MORNING AND REACH KASAULILEAVE KASAULI BY 1600 HRS AND REACH DELHI BY 2100HRS.

    We are 10 people and we can drop shimla and kasauli if we get some other places as well to move around at jalori or trithan. Also please guide me with some one who can provide me with camping and tenting facilities.

    Regards
    Mohit Bansal

    • Mohit, After complete night drive on Day and then your will explore the place as well and then you will go to Jalori and also trek to Raghpur Fort?? This sounds too crazy to me. Can you throw some light on it?

      • Mohit Bansal on

        Dear Dheeraj

        This is wat is going bad for me. I think I should drop shimla night stay and instead halt at trithan but I really dont know much about trithan. Kindly guide me with the plan and the tenting and camping facilities.

        Regards
        Mohit Bansal

        • Hi Mohit,

          You have 5 days in hand, do it like:
          Day 1 – Reach 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 2 – Tirthan Valley
          — Enjoy the walks in the GHNP. There are two Waterfalls nearby Raju GH in the woods.
          Day 3 – Tirthan Valley – Shoja – Serloskar Lake – Jalori Pass – Shoja
          Day 4 – Shoja – Jalori Pass – Kingal – Narkanda/Shimla/Kasauli
          Day 5 – Narkanda/Shimla/Kasauli – Dlehi

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

        • Mohit Bansal on

          Dear Dheeraj

          Thanks for the information.
          Please guide me with the tenting and camping facilities there.

          Regards
          Mohit

  51. Hi Dheeraj,
    We are planning to do a family trip to Rajus cottage for 3 days around mid december. Is it a good time to visit Gushaini. I know it will be freezing, but does the temperature goes in negative? Is it recommended to visit this place during mid december. Hows the road from Aut to Gushaini during those days, any snow or lippery patches.

    • Gaurav, I do not think that temperature will go in negative (not 100% sure) but I feel it shall be manageable if you are OK with cold. Go with heavy woolens and I am sure Raju Guest House will be enough equipped to handle severe cold. He is a pioneer 🙂 … Road should be OK. Leave on easy times like 9 AM – 10 AM types when the sun comes out.

  52. Hi.
    Yor post is amazing…m bit cnfuse abt the total cost of travling delhi to tirthan vlly nd acomdation cost and other activity cost. M planing to go in end of the September or strating of August…..for 4days…! If yu could hlp me with this it would be grt…thankyu.

    • Suraj, take it as 800-1200 per person as average on Food and accommodation per day if you stay with standard hotels. Else it can go to 1500-2000 per day. I am not sure about your mode of travel but cost of Manali – Delhi volvo will be about 1200 per person, so that makes it 2400 and you will get a taxi for about 1000-1200 from Bhunter to Tirthan Valley which will be divided among people traveling with you. So, you are looking at a figure of 6-8K if two of you are traveling.

  53. Hi im planing to visit this vally in month of july.with my wife and my 1.30 yrs baby. Is it is reasonable time to visit the vally. And pls suggest me the route from ludhiana .and how many days requier.pls suggest…..

    • Gurinder, please check the “How To Reach -> By Road” section and Itinerary Section of the article above to get an idea on the route and a rough plan. We can discuss based on the number of days you have in hand. Secondly, do check weather updates before venturing into the Tirthan Valley in the month of July. In case it says, heavy rains then probably avoid.

      • Dear Dheeraj…Thanks for ur reply .i have six to sevan days to spend. And i have already visted places like ladkah and nubra vally.but this time i want to visit with my faimly.so pls suggest any off beat himalyan destination about 300 to 400 kmss from ludhiana..i have planed from 4th of july.pls advise i want to this tour memorable…in waiting ur reply…..

        • Gurinder, you can go over to Tirthan and follow the below plan for 6 days:

          Day 1 – Leave from Ludhiana and reach Tirthan Valley by evening
          Day 2 – Tirthan Valley – Relaxing day besides Tirthan River
          Day 3 – Tirthan Valley
          — Enjoy the walks in the GHNP. There are two Waterfalls nin the woods.
          Day 4 – Tirthan Valley – Shoja – Jalori Pass – Serloskar Lake – Shoja – Tirthan Valley
          Day 5 – Tirthan Valley – Naggar Castle (about 55-60 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 6 – Naggar Castle – Manali (about 30 KMs)
          — Manali Local sightseeing including Manu Temple, Hadimba Temple, Local Monastery, Shopping at Mall road etc etc
          Day 7 – Manali – Ludhiana

          If not interested in Manali then you can come from Naggar itself back home.

          Regards
          Dheeraj

        • Dear Dheeraj Thanks for ur quick reply…pls suggest me the accommmodationin vally…

    • Hi i have visted this place on 7th of july.and it was amazing place to visit.we stayed in river side resort and i think it was a best place to stay in vally.jalori pass is a main attraction.love to go again trithan vally..thanks dhiraj for ur valueable advice……

        • Dear Dheeraj,
          Planning to drive to tirthan 5th June morning from Noida and driving back on 8th morning. Getting a place is turning out to be an uphill task, raju, and most outfits are sold out, do you have a suggestion for a decent and reasonably well located place to stay??

  54. Sabyasachi Chatterjee on

    dheeraj bhai,
    next month Feb (1st wk) me n my wife planning to visit this place !! depending upon pros & cons kindly suggest me an itinerary which also includes some adventurous but short trek..

    🙂

    • Sabyasachi brother, you can follow the same itinerary given in the article in itinerary section above if there is no issue with number of days. Utilize both Optional days if you have. Trek in GHNP can be done for half a day or so and even to Serloskar Lake too from Jalori Pass.

      • Sabyasachi Chatterjee on

        Thanks dheeraj bhai 🙂

        how about will be the snow deposition that time ?
        will Tha Jalori Pass be accessible that time via motor ??
        Should I consider Feb 1st wk as OFF SEASON ??

  55. bhavneesh sohal on

    helo brother , i am from jalandhar punjab.. i am planing 2 nights 3 day trip to tirthan valley.. actually i read ur blog 5 Must Visit Off-beat Places in Himachal Pradesh… itz osm man… after reading this i m mch crazy to visit that place… so can u plz guide me how to reach there by bus or train and what places i can explore in these 3 dayz.. i will be leaving on 27 june of evening or 28 early in d mornin… and can u plz also tell some guest houses at reasonable price to stay as i remember u had mentioned raju guest house in ur blog bt dont kno abt itz current rates….. will b thankful 🙂

    • Bhavneesh, you can check at article above how to reach the pace. May be go to Chandigarh and take an overnight volvo to Manali and get dropped at Bhunter. From there take a taxi to Tirthan Valley. If you need little reasonable priced accommodation then talk with the guys at River Side Resorts, very nice place to stay.

      • bhavneesh sohal on

        thnx 4 d reply brother… can u jst tell me wat palces r there in tirthan valley or GHNP to see or some adventurous things to do there so that we wont miss anything there…

        • bhavneesh, the places and a common itinerary is document in the Itinerary section of the article. You will get the idea on how to go about them including the Optional Days to Jalori and Kasol

  56. Priya Meghwal on

    Hi Dheeeraj…
    Saw ur blog and articles…and i shud say it is mind blowing with all the details one must be looking for.
    I need some help from you am planning for a three day trip to some place in Himachal which is known to very less….do you have anything in mind like that or I shud say any hidden place explored by u recently….my plan will be like that…14th June nite leaving from delhi..15,16, will be roaming and 17 half day will be back….in order to join the office on 18th. I was searching for ur contact no. but didn’t find.
    Please contact me thru my mail id mentioned. Wanna have an unforgettable trip.
    Regards,
    Priya Meghwal.

      • Amrita Agarwal on

        Will check that Dheeraj. However one major concern.. Just checked Riverside resort,Raju’s cottage and Himalayan Trout.. All are occupied on 17th & 18th.. No idea where to stay now.. Can u suggest some more good accommodation with their contact details.

    • Hey Dheeraj,
      Gr8 blog..I’m planning for a 6 day Himachal trip from Delhi starting on 16th June. Want to be back in Delhi on Saturday 22nd Jun.
      Following is what I’m planning:
      Day 1(16th) Delhi-Shimla
      Day 2 (17) – Stay in Shimla
      Day 3(18) – Go to Tirthan Valley
      Day 4 (19th) – Stay there. In the evening reach Manali.
      Day 5 ( 20th ) : Visit Manali,Rohtang Pass,Kullu.
      Day 6th(21st) : Retun back and hault in between.
      Day 7th (22nd) : Retun to Delhi.

      I’ve amily with me.. parents, kids and everone..
      Would like to cover Shimla, Tirthan valley (Along with Jalori Pass) and Manali and in return if possible Chandigarh.

      Please help me to plan the trip so that it is not very hectic..(All the time in travel) and can visit maximum possible places.

      • Amrita, plan is very hectic, better keep it simple. Cut off either Manali or Shimla out of it, I will suggest better cut off Shimla and enjoy those days in Manali and Tirthan one day each.

        • Amrita Agarwal on

          Thanks Dheeraj for the suggestion. However, can you please tell me is Tirthan valley worth visiting with parents(50+) and kids (7 yrs and 3 yrs).
          Normally whatever I’ve read till now it is good for trecking.

        • Amrita Agarwal on

          Thanks Dheeraj..Just one last ques:
          1.What is its distance from
          a)Delhi b)Chandigarh c)Shimla..

          Whatever itenary we make we’ll surely visit the place..

          Thanks for all ur advice.

        • Amrita, you want distance of Tirthan Valley from these places? If yes, please check “How to reach” -> “By Road” section in the article for distances.

        • Amrita Agarwal on

          Hi Dheeraj,
          Bigger problem is that Rajus’s cottage,riverside resort and himalayan trout all are occupied. Can u plz suggest some other accommodation with their contact details. Read abt few more on internet but nothing was appealing.

        • If you want basic stay, you can check with Shringi Vatika too. Otherwise, it is difficult to get something out there. You can try to go over Shoja and stay with Raja Guest House too.

  57. shweta Mishra on

    hi Dheeraj….what a great pathway you provides…hats off…i am living in Agra…i am planning a trip in the first week of June. What would be the nearest most beautiful..least crowded economic hill station for us??waiting for your reply..
    regards,
    shweta

    • Shweta, how many days you actually have with you? You can giv a shot to Chaukori or Munsiyari in Uttarakhand if you have that many days.

  58. Bipin Puri on

    Hi Dheeraj,
    I have been following this thread for past week and thanks to your feedbacks I have planned a trip to Tirthan Valley. I have also got in touch with Anirudh from Riverside resort for booking which is from 9 June to 12 June. I will be starting from Gurgaon with wife and daughter. I need to add a couple of days more, could be a stopover on route or something else. We would be driving Baleno and prefer daytime driving.a Please advise.
    Thnaks Bipin

    • Bipin, stay at Swarghat/Bilaspur to break the journey evenly if you want. Otherwise, if you want to add on to the trip, then go over to Kasol/Manikaran for a day or two or may be Naggar Castle to spend these two days.

  59. hardik mehta on

    what will be rates of Raju Bharti Guest house, or other hotels or gest house.

  60. Hi,

    Thank you so much for the detailed blog. Your blog has inspired me to go to Tirthan Valley. Now I am planning a trip between 2 to 5 June in Tirthan Valley. I called up Raju but he doesn’t have place to accommodate us 🙁 Hence I was wondering what will be the next decent place to stay and is economical too?
    Also for travelling I was looking at HRTC website and could find a bus from Delhi ISBT to Aut at 9:03 PM on 1st June. But I am not sure how to travel back as buses are either from Kullu or Manali and I am not sure if all of them stop at Aut. I would appreaciate if you could help us with my queries…

    Thanks a ton!
    Shruti

    • Hi Shruti,

      If you are OK with the budget the go ahead with Himalayan Trout House or a bit moderate, go with river side resort. If you looking for a closer to home stay option, go with Shringi Vatika.

      Better go with HPTDC as the staff will be able to adjust and pick you up either from Kullu or near Aut. Just ask the HPTDC guys that your pickup point will be somewhere near Aut, they will guide you where the bus will stop and pick you up.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  61. mr. dheeraj,
    many regards
    I forgot to mention the month in which we would be undertaking the trip. it would be most probably in the second half of october.
    thanks.

  62. mr. dheeraj,
    many regards
    need your help in planning a 7-8 days trip to gushaini, jalori pass, shoja. the main intent of this trip is to trek into the great himalayan national park (not the extensive ones as done by seasoned trekkers but one that can be done from sun-rise to sun-set for a day, can’t camp inside the park. we are a family of four (myself, wife and daughters) and i will be driving an SX4. please suggest a route ( I reckon there are more than one) that would be more scenic and wooded and an itinerary which will allow us to enjoy more places on the way. if needed, a couple of days can also be added in the trip.
    thanks a lot

    • Hello Parag,

      You can try to opt the following plan:

      Day 1 | Delhi – Narkanda
      Day 2 | Narkanda – Shoja via Jalori Pass
      Day 3 | Rest at Shoja, visit Jaloir Pass or Seroloskar Lake and drive down back to Tirthan Valley evening
      Day 4 | Rest Day at Tirthan Valley
      Day 5 | Tirthan Valley – GHNP Walks
      Day 6 | Tirthan Valley – GHNP Walks
      Day 7 | Tirthan Valley – GHNP Walks, do some angling if interested
      Day 8 | Tirthan Valley – Delhi

      SX4 shall be a fine drive.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  63. Hi

    I’m planning a 2N 3D trip to Solang valley/ Tirthan Valley. Could you suggest which out of these is better & how to reach these places?

    Thanks

    • hey..I’ll be travelling ex Delhi..Also let me knw good places to stay at these places. i want a relaxing short holiday!

    • Hansie, it will be better to go with Tirthan Valley which will have less tourists as compared to Solang Valley. At Tirthan, if you get Raju bharti’s booking then nothing better than anything, otherwise a good economic option will be to go with River Side Resorts.

      • hi,info on your site helped us decide to go to tirthan valley. have booked rajus guest house. how do we get there from delhiby hptdc volvo bus.no bus to aut shown on site.

        • Take the volvo to Manali and then get down at Bhunter. Get a shared taxi from there or else talk to Raju and ask him to send a taxi for a pickup from Aut.

        • thanks a lot. we found hrtc bus from delhi to aut. will request mr.raju to send taxi as suggested by you. thanks again

        • dear mr rv singh
          mr raju charged us rs1500 per person for nonveg and rs850 for our child.for veg it is rs1200 pp

  64. Hi Dheeraj,

    Thx for all the guidance on various trips.
    I am frm Kolkata and I am planning a trip to HP with my wife and nearly 3 yr old daughter as follows:
    19th june (dep from hwh by duranto exp)
    20 – arv in delhi
    20th night – delhi to kalka by trn
    21st – kalka to simla by toy train
    Its from here on that i need your help in planning my trip. My return tkt from delhi is on 29th eve by rajdhani.
    I will want to go to Tirthan (pref Raju cottage), Naggar (pref Naggar castle), Solang Valley (pref iceland hotel) primarily. Is this choice fine as i want to avoid crowded places and looking for scenic and peaceful places to relax and do nature photography.
    your guidance will be valuable. Thx.

    • Hi Sriram,

      You have about 7 days to make your trip and be back to Delhi on 8th day to catch the train. In that case, you can follow the below itinerary:

      Day 1 | Around Shimla, a relaxing day. Jakhoo Temple, State Museum, Mall Road, Ridge etc. as you like or may be you can do Shimla – Kufri – Chail – Shimla (Kufri will not be much worth a visit in May) and on return visit Jakhoo temple.

      Day 2 | Shimla – Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Shoja
      – I will suggest that you take Jalori Pass route to Shimla and halt night at Shoja. The drive is extremely adventurous and beautiful + too scenic as compared to other routes to Manali from Shimla.

      Day 3 – Shoja – Tirthan Valley

      Day 4 – Tirthan Valley

      Day 5 – Tirthan Valley – Naggar Castle – Solang Valley
      – Reach Solang Valley + Relax + Visit Naggar Castle, Naggar and spend some time at Naggar enjoying the vistas. Do not miss a meal on the balcony of the restaurant.

      Day 6 – Solang Valley – Marhi Snow Points towards Rohtang Pass – Solang Valley – Manali

      Day 7 – Manali Local sightseeing and catch evening bus to Delhi

      I hope this helps. Please let me know in case you have some queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • Hi Dheraj,

        Thx for your prompt response. I have the foll queries:

        # can i book an indica for the entire trip as i want a comfortable journey throughout without having to bother about bus timings etc.? Will give flexibility also to my trip. Also whom to contact for booking the car and how much will it cost per day incl driver?

        # Is Banjara Cottage the best option at Shoja or is there a cheaper alternative?

        # How long will it take from Shimla to Shoja? Better if can give travel time between each of the places.

        # Should i stay in solang valley and make day trip to naggar?

        # so i basically spend 2 nights at simla, 1 night at sojha, 2 nights at tirthan and 2 nights at solang. Cant i make it 1 night in simla and instead extend 1 night in sojha?

        # should i also do day trips to manali
        by staying in solang valley?

        • Sriram, please see my replies below:

          1. Yes, you can book an Indica for the same. You need an Indica from Shimla or perhaps Kalka, right? Well, if required, get in touch with Gaurav at info@offbeatescapes.com and see if he can be of some help regarding arranging this tour for you.

          2. Banjara is costly, yes. There is Raja Guest House as well, decent place. Check review section to read its review. If you really want to cut short on Shimla, then better stay near Narkanda/Matiana one day and skip Shoja to directly go down to stay at Tirthan Valley. This will reduce the drive time from NArkanda to Tirthan as well and will also help you save money by avoiding costly stay at Banjara camps.

          3. Anywhere ahead of Manali will do, be it Solang or any other village. Better do Naggar Castle on the way to Solang from Tirthan.

          Regards
          Dheeraj

  65. What A blog? I am planning a peaceful weekend with my wife and 8 mnths old kid to tirthan valley in march end.What will be the weather?Or will it be safe with small child.I will leave from ludhiana in my own Wagon R…

    • Aman, when are you planning the trip? Well, Tirthan is well connected to roads and all, hence should not be any kind of safety concerns. Currently weather is pleasant and in recent days due to snowfall in upper reaches of Himalayas there might be some cold conditions as well. So, carry woolens for sure. The only issue which I face with my little kiddo is milk when out in Himalayas. If he/she is still on Nan milk, then I guess you would be able to manage. Otherwise, do talk to hotels (River side resort is my best bet and they offer good rates too for all readers of DoW blog too) for the milk thing before hand.

  66. Hi Dheeraj,

    After reading to ur great blog, I am planning vacation with my husband and 2 yr old kid to tirthan valley in march end.
    Pls tell me how much would we have to walk there as it would be difficult to walk much with 2 yr old toddler.
    Also, if you see any other challenges in tirthan valley keeping in view of my small kid.

    • I forgot to mention that we are planning to take delhi-manali volvo bus to Aut and then cab to tirthan.
      Would we easily get cab there for local visit to near-by places during our 2-3 days stay.

    • Richa, there should not be any problem with that. You need not walk if not required. All the hotels are accessible from the road easily with least walk. Also, regarding the cab thing in the morning, I will say either tie up with the hotel you are staying so that they arrange a pickup for you OR get down at Bhunter/Kullu to get the taxi at much ease.

      • Thanks Dheeraj for the update. Now we are planning to go by car as 1-2 families may join with us. Just confused on whether to self drive or hire a rental with driver due to hill area. We had been to Massoorie by car earlier so had some experience of driving in hill area.
        How much distance is hilly upto tirthan?

        • Richa, I do not think there shall be any issue with self drive as well. Just drive with caution and care and try not to overtake trucks on turns especially from Swarghat to Bilaspur road. Apart from few manageable bad patches, the road conditions are OK all the way.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  67. Hi! Thanks for the informative blog entry about Tirthan. Can you please provide an estimate of the costs for a trip to Tirthan Valley for 4 days (Day 1,2, and 3 in the proposed itinerary + extra day for Serloskar lake? I will be coming from Delhi. I’m planning a trip there but as I’m not from India, I’m quite clueless as to how things would cost. Thanks a lot. 🙂

    • Hello Kay,

      Taking into consideration you will be taking HPTDC/HRTC volvo to Manali for your travel from Delhi and to Delhi which is the most comfortable and Value for Money option to travel to Tirthan. You can get down at Bhunter and get some taxi to drop you to Tirthan Valley. I guess you will have following expenses approximately:

      1. 1200 * 2 for Vovlo tickets for a single person
      2. 700/800 * 2 for taxi to and fro from Tirthan to Volvo pickup/drop point at Bhunter
      3. 500 – 800 for taxi to Jalori Pass – Seroloskar lake hike
      4. 1200/1800 * 4 on average for four days of accommodation and food but more or less depends upon where you stay and what you eat.

      I hope this gives you some idea about the approximate expenses.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • Hi, Dheeraj. Thanks for giving me a detailed breakdown of expenses. Once I am able to make this trip, I will share with you my expenses and other developments in the place. Thanks a lot. Keep it up. 🙂

  68. pramit chanda on

    hi
    off to shimla area in search of snow. Looking for an off the beaten track places to stay. The more remote the better. Will be driving so am mobile and ok with a homestay…Any suggestions

    • Go towards Rohru – Pabbar Valley. You can enjoy good amount of snow there ahead of Rohru towards Chansal and it is nice not so off beat but less touristy type of place so far.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  69. Tarun Goel on

    Dheeraj Bhai, GHNP ka bhala ho sakta hai is saal. Mera plan hai Pin-Parbati jaane ka, chalna ho to bolna.

    Btw, Aut-Banjar is a National Highway now 🙂

    • Thanks for the update bhai. Pin Parbati, wow. How much time required and difficulty level? Depends all upon if I lay down any plans for Leh – Ladakh this year. Wanted to cover the Highways this time with too ease and collect some valuable info. with it, mainly any developments since my last article on Manali – Leh Highway. Also, a new route from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri (Chusul to Mahe) via Yaye Tso

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  70. Hi Dheeraj, just came across your blog. I’m travelling to HP on vacation for 10_14 days and am an amateur photographer. For the first time, I want to do an unplanned trip to offbeat places, without too much prior bookings etc. I’m coming to Delhi by train from bangalore on 24th morning. After that I would like to visit 2-3 offbeat places for 4 days each. What do you suggest? my holiday will be based on your inputs:-) Cheers and thanks in advance ! Vasudha

    • Hello Vasudha,

      Well, I will suggest you to start with Kinnaur Valley via Shimla – Narkanda and then exit towards Tirthan Valley is possible via Jalori Pass – Shoja. The whole route ahead of Narkanda is type of off beat though not in real sense but to great extent. For the first timers, these places are just amazing.

      So, you can plan it like:

      Delhi – Shimla
      Shimla – Narkanda – Sarahan
      Sarahan – Sangla
      Sangla – Chitkul – Sangla (if Chitkul is open)
      Sangla – Kalpa
      Kalpa
      Kalpa – Narkanda
      Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Shoja
      Shoja – Tirthan Valley
      Tirthan Valley (enjoy there till the time you plan to go back to Delhi)

      I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you need any further details or have any queries.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  71. Dr Devender Sangwan on

    Dear Dheeraj Ji,
    We are planning to visit to Tirthan velley in first wk of Nov( Me, my wife & grownup daughter) for one week. My plan is to go by driving my own I-10 car via Rohtak-Zirakpur-Kalka – Chail – Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Shoja – Banjar – Tirthan Valley route and while comming back from Tirthan Valley – Larji – Aut – Mandi – Chandigarh….I want to know will this is good to visit, what are the important % worth seeing site & places on this route? Which pplaces we should stay at?
    With regards

    • Dr Devender Sangwan on

      Sorry for typing mistakes… Will be right time & right car to go via this route???

    • Hello Dr Sangwan,

      Firstly, I will suggest that you go via Mandi and return via Shoja/Chail route because once you reach Tirthan Valley, you will get the updated status on Jalori Pass. If it has snowed out (unlikley but still nothing is guaranteed for weather :)) at least in that case you will visit Tirthan Valley else it will be a long detour back to Mandi. If the route is open then go via Shoja – Jalori pass and reach back home. Just be careful while driving up and down from Jalori Pass and use ONLY first gear over there due to steep ascent/descent as first gear will help in braking as well. Point is to make use of brakes as less as possible. All, these places are good for sightseeing. Let me know incase you need specific details.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know in case you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  72. DAY1: reach early morning tirthan valley and stay there for a nite
    DAY2:leave for shoja,jalori pass to see saryoskar lake and spend a nite there.
    DAY3:leave for kasol…now wat i want to ask is how much time would it take to reach kasol from shoja and wats there in kasol we can do,where to stay in kasol or can we head somewhere else nearby kasol from shoja….any suggestion for my trip..we 4guys to just chill out for 3nites 4 days…

    • Hello Dr Saras,

      I feel you should skip Tirthan Valley because I see you are going there just for overnight stay. Better go via Chail/Shimla side and stay at Shoja, then do Day 2 as planned and finally leave Shoja early morning for Kasol – Manaikaran trip. It will take about 3.5 Hrs to reach Kasol from Shoja.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know in case you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  73. hi, i just want to know that can i go for leh tour in month of september.

    • Hi Amit,

      Yes, it is nice time to to infact very nice as you gotta see the best colors of Ladakh in September!!

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  74. dr. saurabh gupta on

    hi dheeraj

    thanx 4 such an in4mativ note.

    i'm planning to visit tirthan valley & prashar lake in late july.

    1- is it d right time?

    2- does it rain very heavily in this season?

    3- how many days do u think shd b enough, if i start frm ambala?

    4- most imp. of all; v have 3 young kids in age grp. of 1-2yrs. is it a good idea to visit such a place with small kids?

    5- is milk'n'all available there?

    hope 4 early reply,

    regards

    dr. saurabh gupta

    • Hello Saurabh,

      1. Hmm… if monsoon hits the region, then it might not be the right time.
      2. It depends when does the monsoon actually start pouring heavily, it is hard to predict.
      3. You will need about 6-7 days to really enjoy the trip.
      4. Again, it would be difficult to trek with kids to Parashar lake if it rains. But, Tirthan would be fine.
      5. 🙂 … I am also looking for this answer as I want to travel with my kiddo too (11 Months old), never though in this direction before but now parents are wifey are scolding me for not knowing such a basic thing 😉 …

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  75. Hi, had a lovely stay at tirthan valley. Very beautiful and peaceful. Manali has really been spoilt by tourists.Really sad.Hope locals wake up before its too late.

    • Hi Neisha,

      Thanks alot for updating here, glad to know that you had a nice trip. Yes, Manali is getting uglier with every season, I wish the locals wake up else they might up end up loosing ends 🙁 … also, greed has set its roots over there among locals and they want to extract maximum from the tourists who do not have any option rather end up giving unfair prices to the services 🙁 … Anyways, Himachal is full of beautiful places…

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • Hi!! Went to Manali last week. Enjoyed 4 day trip with my wife. At this time of the year Manali was totally free from tourists. Just Ideal for us.

        We hired Bullet locally for 2 days to visit Naggar, Solang, Marhi. Amazing!!

        Gr8, except we missed snowfall at Rohtang by 2 days.

        • Great to know that Varun!! I am sure missing snowfall at Rohtang Pass means another trip call somewhere in future 🙂

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  76. vijendra rawat on

    Dear Dhiraj,

    You and your blog has motivated me to visit this place and most of our doubts has been cleared while going through the blog and the question and answers. I was planning to go with volvo but now going by car. I believe you can enjoy the scenic view and the beauty of the hilly driving by your own car only. I would request you to give me the best route from delhi to trithan and trithan to manali and from manali back to delhi.

    keep blogging and take care.

    Vijendra

    • Hello Vijendra,

      You follow this route to Tirthan Valley from Delhi: Delhi – Ambala (188 KM) – Chandigarh – Roopnagar (282 KM) – Kiratpur – Bilaspur (371 KM) – Mandi (440 KM) – Pandoh – Aut (481 KM) – Larji – Gushaini – Tirthan Valley (511 KM)

      From Tirthan Valley to Manali, you can follow: Tirthan Valley – Larji – Aut – Kullu – Raison – Manali.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know in case you have any doubts or queries.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • vijendra rawat on

        Thnx for quick reply,Just for my knowledge, how much time it will take to reach from chandigarh to reach trithan valley if I start at 7.30 am and with one or two stop in between for lunch and tea.This is important for me as I do not want to reach after dark….

        • Hello Vijendra,

          It should not take more than 9 Hrs because from Delhi itself it takes about 12-13 Hrs or so. So, guess you will be able to cover it in daylight.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  77. we want to make a trip from jalandhar to Kullu, Tirthan valley, jalori pass, naldhera, shimla and back to jalandhar in 4-5 days. please help us in the tour planning

    • Hello,

      For 5 days, you can do something like below:

      Day 1 | Jalandhar – Tirthan Valley
      Day 2 | Tirthan Valley
      Day 3 | Tirthan Valley – Jalori Pass – Narkanda
      Day 4 | Narkanda – Naldhera – Tattapani – Shimla Local – Shimla
      Day 5 | Shimla – Jalandhar

      I hope this helps. Let me know incase you need more info. or have any queries or doubts.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

  78. hi,

    Any good clean and economical hotels in manali and kasol that u can suugest?How far in manali from tirthan in hours approx.

    • Hi Neisha,

      You can try to contact Alpine Guest House (01902273710,09418400328,09816271067) or Hotel Sandhya Kasol (1902-265662,265762,09218525595, 09218525695) or Sun and Wind (1902265651,09816499561) at Kasol. Evergreen restaurant, Moon dance cafe,The German bakery adjoining the Moon dance cafe, Little Italy restaurant, lucky dhabha etc are some good food joints. At Manikaran you can also check Sharma Guest Houses (01902273742, 09816973742, 09418422343) in case you do not find bookings at Kasol.

      At Manali, try Johnson’s Hotel, Jimmy Johnson’s Hotel in Manali or Manali Heights, if that suits your budget. If you want to stay away from the hustle-bustle then stay at Hotel Iceland at Solang Valley, about 16 KMs from Manali.

      Tirthan – Manali is about 3 Hrs I guess and further to Rohtang Pass/Marhi will take another 2.5-4/5 Hrs depending upon the traffic jam you might get.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  79. HI,

    what places can be visited near and around tirthan?? Our base is riverside resort and we will be there for a week.can places like marhi, rani nala (want to catch some snow),GHNP, rohtang pass be covered in a day journey.Leavin in the morning and returning back to hotel in evening.

    • Hi Neisha,

      You can keep about 2 days for the nature walks in Tirthan Valley and then go over to Shoja and Jalori Pass. You can also make a day trip towards Rohtang Pass but better leave early if you want to come back or stay in Manali for a day or two in the last leg of your trip.

      You have Naggar – Kasol and Manikaran as well which can be covered as one day or two days trip. Better stay at Tirthan for about 4 days and spend other three in Manali (2) and Naggar/Kasol (1). All this can be done from Tirthan as well but will increase the drive time for sure.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  80. HI,Planned a trip from 12-18th june to river side resort tirthan. .Hope the weather is good. Any chance or seeing apple orchards?.How is the night bus journey from Delhi to Aut? Do they have decent stopovers for meals?? also Are taxis easily available at Aut or we need to get one from the hotel? Loved the website !!.very useful

    Thanks, Neisha

    • Hi Neisha,

      Weather shall be fine at that time. Bus journey is OK but largely depends upon the driver driving the Volvo. There will be just one stop for dinner and then one or two on demand basis. Better get down at Kullu, nothing much of a difference or else ask River Side Resort guys to send the taxi to pick you guys.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  81. Hi Dheeraj,

    Thank you for informative blog and planning my third trip 😀

    I am planning for to trip to trithan valley, do you have any idea about rent of the hotel?

    which hotel is best and have nest view?

    Is there any facility of river side camps and is it safe to stay at night on river side?

    Regards,

    Jaideep

    • Hi Jaideep,

      That seems great. Check the Accommodation section in the article above. Mine favorite is Raju Bharti but it remains mmostly booked for the season. River Side Resort is also a good option, check its review on my blog and it is just on river side. So, totally safe too 🙂

      I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

      • HI Dheeraj,

        Thank you for your reply.

        We have changed our plan 🙁 as my friends wanna go to MCLEODGANJ. So we are planning in 2nd or 4th week of June, is it advisable to go at this time. Can monsoon play spoil sport? does it ran very heavily because we were planning to go to triund valley for trekking..

        • Hey Dheeraj,

          Thank a lot.

          Do you have any idea about good hotel in Mcloedganj??

          If given a choice which would be best place to stay Bhagsu,Naddi or Mcloedganj!!

          I dont prefer staying near city!! so which would be best area to stay among these 3??

          Well I just now finished reading about your Kinnaur and Trithan valley Trip.. Its really Awesome.. Keep Writing 🙂

          Thanks again for your help 😀

    • Hi Neisha,

      You can check the link here to book the HPTDC bus services to Manali and get down at Aut.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  82. Thanks for some great info, Dheeraj. You mention the Spring Season as the best time for visiting Tirthan. Can you clarify what period would that be? Asking, since Spring varies across the country. Apart from apples, would cherries be available in that season? Thanks!

    • Hi Samir,

      By Spring I refer to April-May season as by this time lots of flowers are blowing over the valley. Also, there will be no apples rather flowers of them 🙂 ..If you wanna see apples then head to Kinnaur in month of September 🙂

      I hope this helps. Please let me know incase you have any queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj Sharma

  83. pritish Agarwal on

    Hi,i am planning for the adventure camp by Youreka to Tirthan or to Sitlakhet, but some of my friends told me about some peculiar mosquitoes in Tirthan.So can u tell me exactly how problematic it is. Thankyou,

    • Hi Pritish,

      Sorry, I am unaware of this mosquito problem, so may not be able to provide you any valuable suggestion on this behalf 🙁

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

      PS -> Sorry for the delayed reply. I was traveling Ladakh for past two weeks 🙂 …

  84. Hey Dheeraj!

    We've been planning to visit the Tirthan Valley since last year and finally we may do it in May first week. I had a couple of questions for you because you seem to know lots 🙂

    1. Is this a good time to go? We are thinking May 2-6.

    2. We are going to be travelling from Mumbai. Don't want to fly in to Kullu because the fares are too much. We'll mostly hire a taxi from Chandigarh. Do you have any idea of how much it might cost? And how long it'd take?

    3. After a 3-4 day halt in Tirthan, where can we proceed? Is Manali a good option? How far is it? And what would be the best way to travel?

    Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks!

    • hi Priyanka,

      Great, Tirthan Valley is an extremely nice place to spend a relaxing vacation. I will try to answer you queries in the respective order below:

      1. Yes, it is good time to go and you will surely enjoy playing the river sides.
      2. Well, I will suggest better take overnight Volvo going to Manali from Delhi or Chandigarh whatever suits you and then get down near Kullu or Bhunter. From there you will get a taxi to Tirthan Valley for around Rs 500-600 only. It will be economic as well as more relaxing than traveling by car all the way.
      3. Yes, head to Manali and go over and check Snow point near Rohtang Pass to have fun with snow. Manali is not that far and will take only about 3 Hrs to reach. Spend couple of days there and return back. You can again arrange a taxi from the hotel/guest house you are staying at Tirthan Valley. It may cost about Rs 1200 – 1500 types and will be with you for whole day I believe.

      I hope this helps. Please let me know for any further queries or doubts.

      Regards
      Dheeraj sharma

      • Thank you for the quick response! Very helpful 🙂

        Well, we are thinking of hiring a taxi because we will be travelling with a baby. Are the buses good? And usually, how many halts do they make?

        Thanks again for the help!

        • Hi Priyanka,

          These Volvo buses are comfortable but they run AC all the time and sometimes it gets nippier and frustrating. Plus since there is no option to turn them off and you are at some wrong seat, it call really make you feel odd. I guess being adults or decent age kids, it is OK to travel but not sure about baby. With a baby you might have to halt many a times while bus will have a single halt and at times if required by any passenger, so I will suggest if budget is not that constraint than you can go with taxi as it provides more flexibility all the time since you are carrying a baby.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

        • Thanks Dheeraj!

          Do you by any chance know a good and reliable taxi operator around the area?

          Thanks!

        • Hi Priyanka,

          Sorry, but do not know any cab or taxi guys there since I self drive mostly. But, the hotel you are staying in at Tirthan Valley will surely arrange the taxi for your pickup from Kullu.

          Regards
          Dheeraj Sharma

  85. Hey guys, I am planning to go to Riverside on this weekend(13th Aug'11). I heard that there were major clogged on the road(CHG to Mandi) last weekend (6th Aug'11) due to cloud burst. I was planning to follow Delhi->CHG->Mandi->Aut->Larji-Tirthan.

    Can anyone suggest mee alternate route to avoid massive congestion?

    • Hello Himadri,

      As its mentioned above in the article, you have the option of following the Delhi – Zirakpur – Kalka – Shimla – Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Shoja – Banjar – Tirthan Valley route while going to Tirthan Valley and while coming back you can confirm the road conditions and traverse the Tirthan Valley – Larji – Aut – Mandi – Chandigarh – Delhi route. The Jalori Pass route is much more scenic and adventurous than Mandi – Aut route but you need to drive in first gear at both ascend and descend from Jalori Pass due to steep climb on both sides. DO take care of that part else you may end up with BRAKE FAILURE and drive with caution.

      Also, the flash flood and landslides were cleared from the Chandigarh – Manali highway on Saturday itself and now the road is operational. Secondly, you stiill have good 4-5 days to go and I guess by that time the Manali – Mandi – Delhi route will be in more much more better shape.

      I hope this helps. Let me know incase you have more queries.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

  86. Prashant Bansal on

    1 more thing Dheeraj…

    After reaching tirthan valley, do we need to get some passes for the GHNP trekking?? because I have heard about trekking packages for the park and some sort of permit is required for the same.

    Also, any known accomodation in Narkanda?

    Thanks

    Prashant

    • Hey Prashant,

      I guess for walking to the interiors on GHNP you need the permits. Secondly, for Angling / Fishing in Tirthan Valley the permits are also issued. For Great Himalayan National Park you need to pay about Rs 10 per day. Best bet for you will be to stay at Sai Ropa FRH and from there I guess even these permits/permissions can be arranged as well. There is a fee of about Rs 50 fro still camera as well. But, this may be needed only when you plan to utilize one buffer day in Tirthan Valley else it is all about enjoying the ride.

      I hope this helps. Let me know incase you have any doubts or queries.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

  87. Prashant Bansal on

    Thanks for the prompt reply Dheeraj.

    I do not have much touring experience. I have craze bout biking but got my bike recently so want to live up those and dreams and just selected this destination randomly because of adventure and scenic locations.

    If you have any other suggestions regarding destination then please tell me.

    Also, if this tour is possible with some take care pointers.. that would be great since we have made up our mind for it.

    P.S. we have 3 days & nights and can add 1 more night at max, if required.

    Thanks

    • Hello Prashant,

      Well that is perfectly OK buddy its just the passion that counts and great to know people with alike passion although I don't ride but I love to drive and Travel 🙂 … Tirthan Valley is one of the favorite destinations of mine and really a great fun to ride up there. I will advise that you take Shimla route to Tirthan Valley so as to enjoy the ride and come back via Pandoh – Mandi side as you might have read in the travel guide. This will give you a great adventure ride via Jalori Pass. The descend as well as ascend is very steep on Jalori Pass so do not use more than first gear at least when you descend else you might fail your brakes. I will suggest something below –

      Day 1 | Delhi – Shimla – Narkanda or Delhi – Chail – Narkanda (more scenic)
      Day 2 | Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Shoja or Narkanda – Jalori Pass – Shoja – Banjar – Tirthan Valley (Do not stay river side in Tirthan Valley)
      Day 3 | Shoja – Banjar – Pandoh – Mandi – Delhi or Tirthan Valley – Pandoh – Mandi – Delhi
      Day 4 | Buffer Day

      This will be great monsoon ride for you and you will enjoy it to the core I am sure. You can use Buffer Day as per your comfort with riding time on a particular day. You will be OK with just the ride but DO carry the rain gear with you like rain coat and waterproof lower etc. Please let me know incase you have more queries or doubts.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

  88. Prashant Bansal on

    Hi Dheeraj,

    Any suggestion for us as we are planning a bike trip to Tirthan valley in Mid-august?

    Also, how will be the weather there then? Do we need to carry heavy woolens with us or are they available on rent there, as we want to minimize the luggage.

    Thanks

    • Hello Prashant,

      Well the roads are nice upto Tirthan Valley so nothing much in terms of bike trip or ride apart from driving carefully since its rainy season. If I were you I won;t go to Tirthan Valley in mid-August because its rainy season and you while in Tirthan you may live very near to the river which is NOT at all recommended in rainy season as you may end up in the hotel room only. It may be flowing hefty by now so going near to river will also be not recommended and even the guy at River Side Resorts told us not to come at the time of rains. Having said that some people do it but I will say plan it wisely buddy. So, if you are going for it then plan to stay away from river at least in some hotel which is away or up from Tirthan River not aside it.

      I guess heavy woolens will not be required though you will need light woolens (at least one light jacket) as nights can go cooler and with change in weather as well you may need those light woolens.

      I hope this helps. Let me know incase you have more queries.

      Regards,
      Dheeraj Sharma

  89. Hello Sachin,
    Well, I have the following Raju's Bharti Homestay Phone Number: 09418149808 (01903-225008 not sure of this one if it is working or not). The charges were 1250 (veg.) / 1500 (non veg.) which includes all meals and stay but that was season time. Hence, you may get some discount.
    Let me know if you need more details.
    Regards,
    Dheeraj Sharma
     

    • Anil Sharma on

      Hi Dheeraj,
      If i go to tirthan in last week of sept. may i get the flowers in the valley? How will the climate be there? River side will be ok at that time ?
      ,

      • Hi Anil,

        September end will surely be greener in Tirthan Valley and would be nice time to go. River side shall be fine as rains would have resided the region. It is time for Fall/Autummn there but I am not sure if that many flowers you will see there as apparent in Spring.

        Regards
        Dheeraj Sharma