Route and stay info for Shoja

[tsk1979]

One more query, I heard there are places called Khanag, Ghiyagi, Ghusaini near shoja.
could somebody post the order in which they appear.
Right know all I know is
Aut-Banjar-Shoja-Jalori Pass.
Don't know where exactly the Ghiyagi and Ghusaini are.

[BunnyPunia]

WHile coming from Manali highway side, u turn right at aut.
After 6km comes Larji
Another 21 km is Banjar.
If u leave this road and take a left, it goes to Gushani and then to Great himalayan national park
If u stay on this road, after 14km is Shoja
after 5km is Jalori pass
After 7 km is Khanag and then u carry on towards the Shimla-Narkanda highway

[tsk1979]

So there is a a fork on the road after Banjar. I guess it means 1 hour drive from Shoja to Great Himalayan national park.
Anyways, where is Ghiyagi?

[simply_sunny001]

Any updates Tanveer,

As next weekend is a long weekend(holi),so i'm also contemplating some place to go.

[tsk1979]

Gone and came back, will post a travelogue soon

[sonaljain71]

Guys I'm planning to do Jalori Pass and stay at Shojha this month end, before it snows. i've 4 days at hand and would drive in my qualis there.
Any inputs I can get on the proposed trip of mine??
Thanks in anticipation.

[tsk1979]

Stay at Sai Ropa, or at PWD rest house at Shoja or Jibhi.
another option is Shringi Vatika

[Suneet]

Originally Posted by sonaljain71

Guys I'm planning to do Jalori Pass and stay at Shojha this month end, before it snows. i've 4 days at hand and would drive in my qualis there.
Any inputs I can get on the proposed trip of mine??
Thanks in anticipation.

Dear Sonal we did the Eastern Himachal trip [ Chail, Sangla, Kaza Tabo and Shoja] in may2008. We stayed at Banjara camps in Shoja . It's a mind blowing place . visit their website Adventurous camping holidays with Banjara Camps and retreats . www.banjaracmps.com Stay in the cottages they are the best wooden cottages I have stayed in so far. You have to see it to believe the beauty of this place. Cost for a couple with a 9 yr old kid was Rs 6500/- incl of food per day. but that was season time. The food too was good.
I wish I could send you photos of the place. hey also organise walks to the nearby raghuveera fort and a small waterfall. The early morning walk to the fort was amazing. The people are very helpful and caring.
RGDS Suneet

[sonaljain71]

Thanks a ton suneet

[sonaljain71]

hi all!

did the jalori pass section on 29 Nov-2 Dec period. what an extra ordinary trip man. we started on 29th morning at 3 am in morning from Noida. This is our staple trick to beat the traffic till chandigarh.. We did fairly till simla and reached fagu at about 1200 hrs. It had snowed in kufri and around on 21st November and the remains of scattered snow were visible in sun shadow areas. Chilly winds and cold water greeted us at our first stop at fagu but we thought of streatching ourselves a bit more and hit narkanda which we did at 4:30 in the evening.
On 30th we left at 12 noon to our 4 hr triade to Jalori pass which is factually a steep climb and more deviously steep if you were doing fom aut side. Fortunately we were on the less of troublesome side of climb but we had to bravely face many of Maurti 800 flyers with PB number plates. I and my wife saluted these road warriors who inspite of being in their 800 were beating schumachers and company hands sown while coming down fom Jalori pass .

Jalori Pass was a pleaseant sight on climb, serene, chilly gales trying to take you with them and dirty remains of snow. The bonus was the two tea stalls functioning there and a Goddess temple at top to thanks for you safe ride. We were otherwise also very fortunate to do teh pass in its last days of season.

Every thing was picture perfect till now. The trip down the jalori begin with a bang. To begin with it was 15 times more difficult to drvie it down than it was to climb it up.

[sonaljain71]

We bypassed the banjara at Shoja for the sheer fright of lugging our stuff down and up the climb in such cold as narrated by our fellow travellers in their experiences there. We stopped for the night at Shringi. Happened to meet the famous and most humble couple whoextend hospitality as if they are doing it for their own family! Uncommon experience these days!!! Awsome place, 3 wooden rooms underneath the restaurant, next to a standing mountain and just above a noisy manmade water fall and stream. No parking , had to do on the narrow road outside the shop only.

The entire village is scenic hamlet!! Not seen a more artistically developed village in entire himalyas in India. Was sub zero in the night and cud'nt take the cold and therefore ditched my wife's plans of staying there for 3 days and ran for life next morning. Went down to Gushyani hunting for Himalyan Trout Camps which were under renovation and the Gentleman there told us that he is packed up and leaving in a day or two. Went further and tried to call up Raju's from across the stream but there was no way to contact his place. Did'nt knew how to cross over with the help of hangin stell bucket on the wires and therefore decided to go back after half an hour of shouting and attention taking excercises.

Went upto Jibhi where there is an awsome PWD guesthouse at the confluence of tow beautiful rivers, but the caretaker wud'nt budge unless you have a permit to stay issued fom Kulu PWD office after making an applicaion in writing. So that was it in the cold!!!
Went to deserted and under repairs manali, stayed in HPTDC loghut- a super duper place for manali visit. Came back to delhi after a day of staying in warmer parts of Himachal.

I have pledged to my wife that we will again go check out Jalori Pass this Summer and would approach it form Aut side to see the real challenge, we missed!!

[deky]

Most probably my wife will get a weeks off from work sometime soon, so we hoping to go to the hills and relax for a bit. Wanted to go to Tirthan and enjoy the natures beauty. The route from Delhi to Tirthan is pretty clear thanks to TSK's travelogue and HVK Sirs description.

But A few questions.

1. Is Aug end or Sept first week a good time to visit?

2. How will the weather be? Hope it wont be humid or else walking/trekking in the hills will get difficult

3. What height is it at? Coz we plan to take our 18 month old daughter with us and I dont want to subject her to AMS when she cant express her self properly.

4. Since its a 14 hrs drive from Delhi we would like to do it in 2 days, whats the ideal place to stop for the night in between? Somewhere which is not very crowded but still decent.

5. Any idea on the road conditions?

6. Will I be able to see snow on the surrounding hills? Not important actually but just being greedy!!

Thanks

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by deky

Most probably my wife will get a weeks off from work sometime soon, so we hoping to go to the hills and relax for a bit. Wanted to go to Tirthan and enjoy the natures beauty. The route from Delhi to Tirthan is pretty clear thanks to TSK's travelogue and HVK Sirs description.

Good decision

But A few questions.

1. Is Aug end or Sept first week a good time to visit?

2. How will the weather be? Hope it wont be humid or else walking/trekking in the hills will get difficult

3. What height is it at? Coz we plan to take our 18 month old daughter with us and I dont want to subject her to AMS when she cant express her self properly.

4. Since its a 14 hrs drive from Delhi we would like to do it in 2 days, whats the ideal place to stop for the night in between? Somewhere which is not very crowded but still decent.

5. Any idea on the road conditions?

6. Will I be able to see snow on the surrounding hills? Not important actually but just being greedy!!

Thanks

1. Good time, apples will be fresh and ready and you can enjoy your own garden of eden
2. The tirthan valley itself may be a little warm during daytime, but the moment you ascend it will be cool
3. The highest point there, the Jalori pass is only 3000mts above sea level, so no AMS issues
4. If you start early, its actually only 10 hours drive
Follow this route
1. Delhi - Panipat - Ambala - Proceed towards Punjab(Ludhiana) on NH1
2. 12kms after ambala comes punjab border toll gate, 100 meters before that is right turn to Banur. Take that route and at Banur go straight, do not turn left or right, and you will end up at Kharar, bypassing chd. After that head to Ropar, then turn towards manali, and at Aut tunnel take right towards Larji. This is last fuel station, tank up there
5. Till Aut it will be good, the remaining 30-40kms are bad patches however nothing very bad
6. No change. Jalori pass sees snow pretty late. If you want snow in Sept the only place is Rohtang, and thats also not guaranteed.

[phamilyman]

The road surely wasn't bad in Jan all the way till 5km before Jalori!

And just make sure your clutch is fine - this is first degree country!

[greenh0rn]

Thanks Tsk, Sonal and others... Man I am tempted with descriptions of Shoja, Banjar and Jalori pass... Will Jalori be open by Sep 28? This sounds like the ideal vacation to me!