(Budget travelling) Tirthan Valley - Unexplored paradise in Himachal. #TripotoPrompts

So it all started just a week after trekking Kheerkanga with a travel company. But this time it was all of a sudden plan with an idea of exploring the least explored. After browsing for an hour, we ended up selecting the Tirthan valley. Reading almost every itinerary we planned to explore Jibhi and Jalori pass.

Booked the tickets to kasol from Delhi. We got down at Aut tunnel and hoarded some biscuits and took the bus towards Jibhi( we were lucky, since usually one has to take the bus to Banjar and from there to Jibhi). It costed us just Rs 56 per head to Jibhi from Aut tunnel. There weren’t any tourist other than us in the bus. The ride to Jibhi is surreal. It goes through many valleys villages with a river accompanying all through the way. The bus stopped at Banjar for some minutes. Banjar is a small town with almost everything a modern day city has. We spotted some net centres and boutiques from bus stand. We reached Jibhi and had booked a cottage for Rs 400( for 3 of us) in Booking.com.

We called the owner of the cottage( a yound guy named Sanju). He came all the way from the cottage( around 1.5) and picked us. He suggested a Cab to reach the cottage but we chose to walk with him. Tbh, it was so hard walking up to the cottage. The path was so steep and we even took 2 to 3 breaks before the cottage. The cottage was like the only building in the middle of the forest. It had just 2 rooms. We were awestruck when we saw the room. It was a single room but was so neat and bamboo themed. We ordered Maggi and rested for an hour. We had a word with him. He was just 26 years old. He had a younger brother. It was their own property. And during peak winter season, the cost will shoot up to about 4times. He got us some fresh apples from the tree near the cottage. We had the Maggi and started our trek towards the Jibhi waterfalls.

Jibhi water falls is about 500m from the road. Jibhi waterfall is a paradise for offbeat lovers. The path towards the falls has many small wooden bridges. We spent around 1.5 hrs there. It was only the three of us and the waterfall. The cold water and the ever ending sound of bird and water with no tourists is the gift Jibhi offered us.

There are only few shops, stays and some riverside camps in Jibhi. We walked down the riverside with some dogs accompanying us. We spent an hour speaking nothing and just watching the river flowing with greens all around. Such a peace it offers. Walking down the bus stop, we looked for some shop to eat something. Food was so costly there and so after looking for a cheaper shop, we had some chai and chowmein( it was terrible with a load of soya sauce). It already was 6:30 pm and we started walking back to our cottage. From the road, we have to walk through the mountain to reach our cottage. We were stuck and it’s totally dark. Fortunately, the guys in the other room of the cottage were also stuck there. We then called Sanju( our cottage owner). Had a hot water bath and went back to sleep.

We had enquired the locals about the bus towards Jalori pass. There were 2 buses towards Jalori pass. One was at 8:30 am and another at 11:30 am. We woke up at 6:30 am and reached the bus stop by 8 after having chai. We bought some biscuits. The locals there are so caring and loving. We were waiting for the bus and it reached Jibhi fully packed by 9 pm. This ride, more than an experience is a feeling. One can feel the altitude getting higher and higher every minute. The road is so narrow but the HRTC driver gets the job done smoothly.

We got down at Jalori pass. It had a temple and a few shops. We had rajma rice and Maggi from an old aged Man’s shop. He was so kind. One can trek to Raghupur fort or Serolsar lake from Jalori pass. Both are in different direction. We started trekking towards Serolsar lake. The forest looked so beautiful with mist and sunlight with birds and inserts chirping all around. There were nobody. It was again only three of us in the middle of a forest clicking photos, talking and relishing the moment. During our 5 km trek, we saw just 3 trekkers and 2 locals. The path is mostly easy with few steeper way. It took us 2.5 hrs since we clicked photos and took some breaks.

The Serolsar lake is scenic and calm. We wandered around the lake and stopped at a shop to have chai. There were some shops and camps near the Serolsar lake. We planned to camp there and explore the shoja village the next day. The camps there weren’t so impressive. We spoke with the shop owner about reaching Narkanda and we were told that the last bus to Ani was at 2pm. It was 12 50 pm. We rushed and started our trek back to Jalori pass. We took no break and we reached the Jalori pass by sharp 2 pm. We were so happy and ordered chai from the Uncle’s shop. Uncle told us that the bus to Ani had left and also the last bus to shoja had left. We had our lunch and decided to reach Narkanda by Hitchhiking.

Most of the vehicles stopped at Jalori pass to catch the temple. We asked every single of them and requested. We were slightly hesitant at first. All of a sudden the winds fastened at the entire place is covered by mist. The temperatures dropped and we all started shivering. The uncle was so kind to give some place for us to rest. It was 4 pm and one had accepted to give us a ride till Anni.

On talking, he told that he’s the panjayat Head of Jibhi and spoke a lot about Himachal. He was being greeted by many all through the route, We had a great conversation and reached Anni after 1.5 hrs. But the last bus to Narkanda had already left by that time. He was so kind to arrange us a taxi to Sainj paranu. That really was the best part of the trip. We had to cancel our tickets to Delhi from Aut and had to book it from Shimla.

We reached Sainj paranu and had a Chai. We were told that we may get buses to Narkanda every 10 mins from Sainj paranu. We waited for the bus stop( which is typically a Junction of roads. We waited for about 2 hrs in the middle of the road. None of us had complained about the situation and totally enjoyed the moment hearing songs.

Then came the bus, fully packed at around 8:15 pm. We could barely stand. We were so tired and that was a tedious journey. We had a thali at a dhaba where the bus stopped. The thali was just Rs 60 and was yummy. We reached Narkanda by 10 pm. It was dark. We walked to a hotel but it was so costly. We then approached a parantha shop and he gave a contact for that night stay. It costed Rs 500 for 3 of us. That uncle was so kind and helped us about the Hatu peak trek which we had planned for the next day.

We woke up at 6 am and started our trek towards Hatu peak. It was an 7 km trek. There was no special trek route. One has to walk on the road used by bikes and cars. But we took the steep forest route as and when possible. Hatu peak( 12000 ft) is the highest peak in Shimla District. The view from the hatu peak was mind boggling. Had some the trekking saviour Parle G. Visited the temple there and started trekking down.

We had Thali from the shop that helped us last night in finding a room. We need to reach Shimla to catch the bus at the night. We thought of taking bus and to spend some time in Shimla we took a cab. The driver dropped us near the Mall Road. Wandered around the Ridge and sat there and took a break. We were exhausted at that point. But we thought of not missing Jaku temple and started walking uphill. It was just 1.2 km but was so steep and tiring for our exhausted body. We reached Jaku temple and trekked down to ridge. We then started walking towards Victory tunnel which was the pickup point for our bus.

We waited for the bus. We already had walked more than 50 km during the last 3 days. After some time we were told that the bus went through another route . They also answered us irresponsibly. Another agency guy helped us by arranging a car which took all of us to a place from where we could board the bus. That’s it.

We were from south India and so we speak and understand basic Hindi. Yet we had as much as conversation we could with the locals. Locals of Himachal are so so kind.

* A guy handed over my friend’s Wallet which he had left in the Jibhi bus.

* The kind local shops of Jibhi.

* The uncle who gave us place inside his shop in Jalori pass. He actually had slept and that was the belief he had on us.

* The Panchayat head who gave us lift and arranged us cab.

* The parantha shop guy who helped us find room.

* The random guy who helped us by arranging a car to catch our bus.

This trip holds a number of memories which are so close to our heart.

It costed us just Rs 3500( Includes 15 chai per head 😂) plus 500(cancellation of bus from Aut to Delhi).

Feel free to contact me :)