Offbeat places around Banjar, Jibhi and Tirthan — 9 beyond the usual stops
How this list is built
"Offbeat" here means off the first-timer line of Jibhi, Gushaini and Jalori Pass. Every place below has its own page on this site and a public road or path to it. The minutes are our own road routing from Banjar, sorted nearest first, and walks are given separately from the page of each place.
Photos: SaurabhSetia (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Close to Banjar
1. Shringa Rishi Temple
A pagoda-roofed shrine in a courtyard above Bagi, 13 minutes from Banjar by a side road, and the start of the walk to Chehni. Shringa Rishi Temple.
2. Chehni Kothi
A tower of stone and deodar above the hamlet of Chehni, up a steep half-kilometre from the road. It is the valley's old watchtower and a shrine as well as a home. Chehni Kothi.
3. Chhoie Waterfall
A fall on a side stream above Nagini, 14 minutes from Banjar and then a forest path, with a pool under the deodars. Chhoie Waterfall.
On the Jalori road
4. Mini Thailand
A narrow gorge on the stream below Jibhi where the water runs between rock walls under a footbridge, 17 minutes from Banjar. Mini Thailand.
5. Bahu Lake
A small temple pond in the fields above Bahu village, 32 minutes from Banjar, with the old ridge forts on the skyline. Bahu Lake.
On the Tirthan side
6. Pekhri
A village on a shelf above the north bank of the Tirthan at Gushaini, 18 minutes from Banjar by road and then a steep walk up from the bridge. Pekhri.
7. Sharchi
A village on the slope across the river from Gushaini, up a side road from the bridge, 46 minutes from Banjar, with homestays and terraces. Sharchi.
On foot from Jalori
8. Raghupur Fort
A grass-topped ruin on the ridge west of Jalori Pass, 47 minutes up from the road. Raghupur Fort.
9. Serolsar Lake
A small round lake at about 3,100 m on the ridge east of the pass, 103 minutes on foot from the road, with a temple on its bank. Serolsar Lake.
Putting it together
The Chehni Kothi day out takes stops 1 and 2. The Jibhi and Jalori plan adds the pass and the walks. See the Banjar guide for the rest, and how to reach Banjar for arrival.
Questions people ask
What are the offbeat places near Banjar and Jibhi?
Nine that we have written up: Shringa Rishi Temple, Chehni Kothi, Chhoie Waterfall, Mini Thailand, Bahu Lake, Raghupur Fort, Serolsar Lake, Pekhri and Sharchi. Each has its own page with the measured drive from Banjar and, where there is one, the walk from the road.
Which of these are easy for a first visit?
Shringa Rishi Temple, Mini Thailand and Bahu Lake are short drives with little or no walking. Chehni Kothi and Chhoie Waterfall each add a short climb. Raghupur Fort, Serolsar Lake and Pekhri are real walks, so keep them for a morning with nothing else planned.
Do you need a car?
Mostly yes. Buses run along the valley roads, but these places sit on side roads and footpaths off them. A local taxi from Banjar or Jibhi to a road-head, with a wait or a pick-up time agreed, is the usual way to do them.