The best time to visit the Tirthan valley and Jibhi — month by month, with the IMD numbers
When to go to the Tirthan valley and Jibhi: October for the pass and the clear river, April to June for green and rhododendron, monsoon closures, winter snow.
ArticleVerified 2026-10-23
Things to do in Tirthan valley and Jibhi — 10, by distance from Banjar
Ten things to do in Tirthan valley and Jibhi by measured drive time: the park centre, Chehni Kothi, Gushaini, Jibhi's waterfall, Shoja, Jalori and Serolsar.
How this list is built
The Tirthan valley and Jibhi sit in the Banjar valley, south of the Kullu highway, and the things worth doing here are rivers, old villages, forest walks and one high pass. This list is in order of our measured road time from Banjar, the market town between them.
Photos: Vishrutpanday (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Rohan Pinto (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Manish57335 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Sukhjiwan Singh (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
Near Banjar
1. The park centre at Sai Ropa
Sai Ropa, about 10 min from Banjar, is the Tirthan-side centre of the Great Himalayan National Park, with its small museum and the ecozone paths. Walking into the park itself needs a permit; ask here. The full detail is in the park visitor guide.
2. Chehni Kothi
The tower temple of Chehni Kothi rises above its village on the slope above Jibhi. Drive about 13 min to the Shringa Rishi Temple, then walk: walkers report three quarters of an hour to an hour up.
3. Jibhi
Jibhi, about 14 min from Banjar, is the village of old timber-and-stone houses on a stream, with homestays and cafés along the water. Sit by the stream; that is most of the point.
4. Gushaini and the Tirthan
Gushaini, about 18 min up the Tirthan, is where the homestays sit on the river. Walk the bank and stay a night by the water.
5. The waterfall above Jibhi
The Jibhi waterfall, about 21 min from Banjar, is a short walk into the forest from the road.
Up the pass road
6. Shoja
Shoja, about 28 min from Banjar, is the village below the pass, with long views over the valley and quieter nights than Jibhi.
7. Jalori Pass
Jalori Pass, about 40 min by road, is the meadow at the top of the road with a temple and the dhabas. Both ridge walks start here. After heavy snow in winter the road can close until it is cleared.
8. Serolsar Lake
Serolsar Lake lies along the ridge from the pass: on our measured path, 123 min out and 89 back, easy and mostly level through forest, to a small lake with the Budhi Nagin temple on its bank.
9. Raghupur Fort
The ruin of Raghupur Fort sits on the open ridge west of the pass. Walkers report an hour and a half to two hours up from Jalori, with wide views from the top.
10. The Great Himalayan National Park, beyond
For a trek into the park itself, with a permit and a guide, start from Sai Ropa or Gushaini and plan several days. Our park visitor guide explains how entry works.
Plan it
The classic three days in Tirthan and Jibhi and Jalori in two days string these together. For the quieter places, see offbeat places in Banjar and Tirthan; for the seasons, the best time to visit.
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Questions people ask
What are the best things to do in Jibhi and Tirthan valley?
Walk up to the tower of Chehni Kothi, sit by the river at Gushaini, see the waterfall above Jibhi, and drive to Jalori Pass for the ridge walk to Serolsar Lake. The national park's centre at Sai Ropa explains the forests, and Shoja is the quiet village below the pass.
How long is the walk from Jalori Pass to Serolsar Lake?
About 123 min out and 89 back on our measured path along the ridge from the pass, which is about 40 min by road from Banjar. The path is easy and mostly level through forest, with a temple on the lake's bank. Raghupur Fort, the other walk from the pass, takes longer.
Do you need a permit for the Great Himalayan National Park?
Only to walk into the park itself. The villages, the river and the ecozone around them need no permit. Ask at the park's centre at Sai Ropa, about 10 min from Banjar, which handles entry and can tell you the routes open that season. We publish no fee.