Let's explore the less explored

Tripoto
10th Nov 2022
Day 1

If you want Peace & seclusion then Shoja, Himachal Pradesh is a very good option.
The village is 2,692 meters above sea level, ensuring pleasant yearly weather.
It has many things to offer. Shoja is on a higher altitude compared to Jibji. It's right in the midway of Jalori pass & Jibji.

An important thing is you can visit it almost 8 months of the year except Rainy season. 

Shoja is a beautiful little village situated in Seraj valley. It's a less explored village which lies only 7 km from Jibhi, which is known to many people, from there they go to either Shimla or Manali but you can decide to spend 2-3 days in a hamlet called Shoja. Or one can stay for a longer period as well. If you’re working remotely or looking for a remote working location then you should think about this place.
There's only one General Store in this village & there's No ATM so you can imagine how little village is this! Local cafes, hostels & homestay accepts Gpay & Paytm. However I like the village very much & I'm sure you'll like it tooooo. 
Well what I liked about the village!!? Then the answer lies in its simplicity... simple people & laid-back lifestyle. Environment here is peaceful no honking of vehicles, no pollution, & less population. There are few homestays & hostels at Shoja. I'll recommend J J. homestay. There you’ll get home cooked all 3 meals. Don’t forget to try an authentic Siddu dish but you’ve to give an advance order for that.

How to Reach --

If you're on budget trip or a backpacker then you can take bus from Delhi till Aut tunnel then get down at Aut tunnel, here you'll get bus till Shoja but be prepared to wait for approx. 30 - 40 minutes or if you're lucky you might get bus in few minutes!! You can visit from Dharamshala as well exciting isn't it!! From Dharamshala take the bus till Mandi, get down there, from Mandi you'll get bus till Aut tunnel & for the rest of the journey kindly follow the above mentioned direction again. If money 💰 is not a question then hire a private cab for around 2-2.5 K.

Best Season - 
April to June & October to November is a good season to visit. 
Avoid monsoon because hilly areas are prone to landslides though it never happened in Jibhi & Shoja.

After reaching the Shoja, check in to the hotel / hostel & immerse yourself in mountains, enjoy local food. Make sure to Switch off mobile Data yess ... just enjoy peace & surroundings.
Explore the village in the early morning, chat with local people, ask them about the village, culture, their lifestyle, how they spend months in harsh winters ... Just be a local, guys. 
In the night sit under a Clear, pollution free Sky, enjoy starry night with your partner, family or friends. Carry telescope, (if you've) to scan the sky. 
I can recommend you to stay in homestay's rather than hostels, locals are humble, helpful, sit with them, ask them about surroundings eat with them.
If you love wildlife then visit great Himalayan national park which is a major attraction & a must do. Make sure to do your bookings in advance to avoid inconvenience.

Winter months are extremely chilly. You'll see snow everywhere. If you love snow & want to avoid too much crowd then this is a perfect option. Be cautious snow is knee deep at jalori pass & vehicles don’t take you till jalori pass due to heavy snow on the road, they’ll drop you till 4 km before the pass & then you’ve to walk. Jalori pass which is famous for the Kali Mata Mandir is also the starting point for a few treks.
There are two popular treks which most of the travellers visit, the 360 degree view point and the Serlosar Lake. These two treks are in different directions.
In winters, Only 4 wheel drive cars can reach till Shoja due to Snow on roads. So if you're using a public Jeep then be prepared to wait for the cab / if you're comfortable you can travel in small open truck as well normally you’ll find 10-12 people in it, if there’s no place you’ve to stand as well in the back of the truck.

Things to do –

On your 2nd day you can visit jalori pass for Skiing & a trek to Raghupur fort, Raghupur fort is usually opted by few trekkers as it is a steep climb and you would take a good 60-70 minutes to reach the top. A local guide is recommended. The fort is approx. 3 hrs drive from the Jalori pass.

Then on the 3rd day visit 360° Point & Sarlosar picturesque lake, & if you’re an intermediate level trekker then you can further go up to 5km for Lambri top trek. Don’t forget to carry drysnacks and, dry fruits with you.

Ask anyone for a satyam home stay, from there one road goes in the dense forest. It's a beautiful, scenic walk through the forests, you'll be surrounded by greenery throughout the walk, you can stroll on this road early morning, you may see birds or hear them singing. You’ll see flowers also en route. This road goes till the village which is far away.

Famous cafes are Odin & Firgun.

A road in the village

Photo of Shoja by Suhas Paranjpe

Snow at Jalori pass

Photo of Shoja by Suhas Paranjpe

At Jalori pass

Photo of Shoja by Suhas Paranjpe