Jalori Pass: A Complete Guide To The Ultimate Himalayan Adventure

Have you ever dreamed of exploring the majestic Himalayas and witnessing their breathtaking beauty and diversity? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience the thrill and excitement of crossing a high mountain pass and discovering its hidden treasures? If yes, then you are in for a treat. Jalori Pass is one of the most scenic and adventurous passes in India, connecting the Kullu and Shimla districts of Himachal Pradesh.

It is a paradise for nature lovers, history buffs, and adrenaline junkies, offering stunning views of the snow-capped peaks, lush green valleys, and pristine lakes. Jalori Pass is also a gateway to some of the most amazing attractions and activities in the region, such as Sareolsar Lake, Raghupur Fort, Waterfall Point, Tirthan Valley, and Mahakali Temple.

In this article, we will give you a complete guide to Jalori Pass, including how to reach it, what to see and do there, and when to visit it. So, buckle up and get ready for the ultimate Himalayan adventure.

How to Reach Jalori Pass

Jalori Pass is located at an altitude of 10,800 feet above sea level and is accessible by road from various cities or towns in India. The nearest airport to Jalori Pass is Bhuntar Airport, which is about 90 km away. You can take a flight from Delhi, Chandigarh, or other major cities to Bhuntar and then hire a taxi or a bike to reach Jalori Pass.

The nearest railway station to Jalori Pass is Joginder Nagar Railway Station, which is about 120 km away. You can take a train from Delhi, Chandigarh, or other major cities to Joginder Nagar and then hire a taxi or a bike to reach Jalori Pass.

Alternatively, you can also take a bus from Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla, Manali, or other nearby places to Banjar or Jibhi, which are the nearest towns to Jalori Pass. From there, you can hire a taxi or a bike to reach Jalori Pass.

Some tips and precautions for traveling to Jalori Pass are:

1. Check the weather conditions before planning your trip as Jalori Pass remains closed during heavy snowfall in winter (December to March).

2. Check the road conditions before starting your journey as Jalori Pass has some steep and narrow curves that require careful driving.

3. Carry enough warm clothes, water, snacks, and medicines as there are no shops or facilities on the way to Jalori Pass.

4. Obtain the necessary permits from the forest department or the local authorities if you plan to camp or trek in the nearby areas.

Trekking to Sareolsar Lake

One of the most popular and scenic treks near Jalori Pass is the trek to Sareolsar Lake. Sareolsar Lake is a beautiful lake surrounded by pine forests and meadows. It is considered as one of the most sacred lakes in Himachal Pradesh and is believed to be the abode of Goddess Budhi Nagin.

The trek to Sareolsar Lake starts from Jalori Pass and takes about 2 hours (one way) to complete. The distance of the trek is about 5 km (one way) and the difficulty level is easy to moderate. The trek offers stunning views of the mountains, valleys, forests, streams, birds, and flowers along the way.

The camping options and facilities available at Sareolsar Lake are:

You can pitch your own tent near the lake or rent one from the local villagers or guides.

You can also stay in a guest house or a homestay in Jibhi or Banjar if you prefer more comfort and convenience.

You can cook your own food using firewood or gas stoves or buy food from the local vendors or dhabas near the lake.

You can use the toilets and washrooms provided by the forest department or the local villagers near the lake.

Exploring Raghupur Fort

Another amazing attraction near Jalori Pass is Raghupur Fort. Raghupur Fort is an ancient fort located on a hilltop at an altitude of 11, 500 feet above sea level. It was built by Mandi rulers in the 17th century as a strategic point to defend themselves from invaders. The fort has a circular shape with stone walls and bastions. It also has a water reservoir and a temple inside its premises. The hike to Raghupur Fort starts from Jalori Pass and takes about 1 hour (one way) to complete. The distance of the hike is about 3 km (one way) and the difficulty level is moderate. The hike offers spectacular views of the valleys, mountains, villages, and clouds along the way and from the fort premises.

The best time to visit Raghupur Fort is from April to November, when the weather is pleasant and clear.

Visiting Waterfall Point

If you are looking for a refreshing and relaxing sight near Jalori Pass, then Waterfall Point is the place for you. Waterfall Point is a hidden gem near Jalori Pass that offers a mesmerizing view of a cascading waterfall surrounded by greenery. The waterfall originates from Sareolsar Lake and falls from a height of about 100 feet.

The sound of the water and the cool breeze create a soothing and serene atmosphere. The hike to Waterfall Point starts from Jalori Pass and takes about 30 minutes (one way) to complete. The distance of the hike is about 1.5 km (one way) and the difficulty level is easy. The hike offers scenic views of the forests, meadows, and streams along the way.

The main attractions and activities near Waterfall Point are:

Picnic spots: You can enjoy a picnic with your family or friends near the waterfall or in the nearby meadows. You can carry your own food or buy some from the local vendors or dhabas near Jalori Pass.

Swimming pools: You can take a dip in the natural pools formed by the waterfall or the stream. The water is cold and refreshing, but be careful of the slippery rocks and strong currents.

Rock climbing: You can try some rock climbing on the cliffs near the waterfall or on the way to Jalori Pass. The rocks are rough and challenging, but offer a thrilling experience. You can hire some equipment or guides from Jibhi or Banjar if you need.

The best time to visit Waterfall Point is from April to November, when the waterfall is in full flow and the weather is pleasant and clear.

Discovering Tirthan Valley

If you want to experience the best of nature, adventure, and culture near Jalori Pass, then Tirthan Valley is the destination for you. Tirthan Valley is a pristine valley that derives its name from the Tirthan River that flows through it. It is famous for its trout fishing, river rafting, and wildlife sanctuary.

It is also home to some of the most charming villages, such as Jibhi, Shoja, Gushaini, etc. Tirthan Valley is located at a distance of about 25 km from Jalori Pass and can be reached by road in about an hour. The mode of transportation available from Jalori Pass to Tirthan Valley is taxi or bike.

The main attractions and activities in Tirthan Valley are:

Great Himalayan National Park: This is one of the most biodiverse national parks in India, covering an area of about 750 sq km. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that hosts a variety of flora and fauna, such as Himalayan brown bear, snow leopard, blue sheep, musk deer, monal, etc. You can enjoy trekking, camping, birdwatching, wildlife photography, etc. in this park. You need to obtain a permit from the forest department or the local authorities before entering this park.

Jibhi: This is one of the most picturesque villages in Tirthan Valley, situated on the banks of Jibhi River. It is known for its wooden houses, waterfalls, ponds, and temples. You can enjoy fishing, hiking, cycling, or just relaxing in this village. You can also stay in a guest house or a homestay in Jibhi if you want to experience the local hospitality and culture.

Shoja: This is another beautiful village in Tirthan Valley, located at an altitude of 8, 500 feet above sea level. It is known for its panoramic views of the mountains, valleys, and forests. You can enjoy trekking, camping, or just admiring the scenery in this village. You can also visit some nearby attractions, such as Serolsar Lake, Raghupur Fort, and Jalori Pass from this village.

Also check out: Jalori Pass – Unparalleled Beauty & Most Spectacular Roads

Praying at Mahakali Temple

If you are looking for a spiritual and cultural experience near Jalori Pass, then Mahakali Temple is the place for you. Mahakali Temple is a sacred temple dedicated to Goddess Kali located near Jalori Pass. It is one of the oldest and most revered temples in Himachal Pradesh and attracts thousands of devotees every year. The temple has a black stone idol of Goddess Kali adorned with silver ornaments and flowers.

The temple also has a water tank and a fire pit where rituals and offerings are performed. The hike to Mahakali Temple starts from Jalori Pass and takes about 15 minutes (one way) to complete. The distance of the hike is about 1 km (one way) and the difficulty level is easy. The hike offers scenic views of the forests and meadows along the way.

You may also like to check out: Shoja-Jalori pass - A hidden gem of Himachal Pradesh

So, what are you waiting for? Book your trip to Jalori Pass today and enjoy the ultimate Himalayan adventure. If you need any help or information, feel free to contact us at Tripoto. We are here to make your travel dreams come true.

Jalori Pass Reviews

2 Solo Souls

37 Followers

View Trip

It is in all of us to defy expectations, to go into the world and to be brave, and to want, to need, to hunger for adventures. To embrace the chance and risk so that we may breathe and know what it is to be free. Jalori Pass Trek is one of that experience that I had from my soul not only due to its stunning 360 Panaromic views but also due to my health. It was a trek day and I was not feeling well but still I decided to go and to it's worst I didn't even carry any gloves or cap to cover me properly at the chilling weather with atleast 2 degree celsius temperature. As I decided to go on a trek even when I wasn't feeling well at all, Nature made sure to make me realise that it's not a good idea to not take your body seriously but still always as an adamant person I chose to walk. I took this picture at the Maggie Point and started moving forward while thinking that if I could come so far, then I can also complete it till the last (unaware of the challenges I will face after that- decreasing temperature, feeling low, shivering due to cold weather and low BP and lastly, the uneven way after that mid point. At last I told my friends to go ahead and I'll see if I could make it to the last and if not (because of health), then I'll meet them at the same Maggie point when they return. Aage start hogi 1 mazedaar kahani 🤗🎉😂 Ab start ho rahi meri or nature ki romanchak kahani 😂🤣😅 I decided to keep moving forward. Why? Well, because I decided to challenge myself saying, "If I can't do this now, then I'll not be able to do what I love the most in this life." Ahmm, well, sorry but can't tell you what that is. I repeatedly started saying this to myself, "If you can't do this trek, then how will you ever achieve your dream that you're having since long. As it's way harder than this and if you'll give up on this now and return to the Maggie point, then you will never be able to make your WILL strong to achieve that dream because that's something close to impossible." So, I gained some courage and made up my mind to keep moving forward while talking to myself and looking at the strange trees which were surrounding me. Strange, right? They have holes in their trunks which is weird but at the same time, fascinating too. Do you think that I made it to the last, to the Serolsar Lake, when I was all alone and even told my friends to move ahead? Let's wait for another post because ABHI TO MAINE SHURU KIA HAI. 😅 content-img While keep moving ahead and blabbering things to myself, I asked every passerby who was returning, "kitna door reh gya abhi aur"(how far is it?) 😅. Finally, I reached my destination..... Yes, I reached to the Serolsar Lake. The frozen Serolsar Lake is another beauty of nature, which I am glad I was able to witness by my own eyes. Trust me, I don't think that moat of us have even completely watched even the 1% of this world's beauty. The lake is mesmerizing, my friends were happy that I finally reached to the Lake. Although, I didn't have enough strength to take some candid pictures of myself there but I surely captured the beauty of this Lake. You can go to my Insta account to see the video and if you think that my account is worth following for you, please do the needful and inspire 1 more storyteller or nature freak person(me obviously) to do more for you people. As of now in this story, I've just reached at my destination and what I was afraid of then was the thought that it's gonna be tougher to return. I was low on energy and didn't want to eat anything as well because I was feeling nauseous. The adventure is not just about the destination, it also includes a safe return to home(ghar vapisi). We will complete this story in our next post. So, stay tuned fellas. 😉 Chalo Ji final Part aa hi gya story ka 😅 Finally, it was time for me to gather my bachi khuchi(rest of my) energy so to return to my homestay but it's a long way to go and the time is limited too(because the evening/dark was approaching). I had to reach to the starting point before sunset or about the same time. So, I told my friends that I'll go first and as I knew I was going to take longer and they will definitely catch up with me even if they left a bit later because I was not well and couldn't trek on with the normal speed. My friends caught up with me midway and saw that I was barely making any progress due to the lowwwwww energy. Just like me they also knew that we won't be able to reach our destination on time if we didn't speed up. So, they starting motivating/boosting me to move forward. Due to the evening and trees the temperature was also dropping and it was cold I was walking like zombie LOL. After so many hurdles, I finally reached the mid point of the Trek, yes the Maggie point, where we got to know by the boy (shop owner) that we were the last ones and he was waiting for us only as he finds it his responsibility to come with the last group, making sure that that everyone has reached down safely. At one point, I thought it's becuase of a good deed that I've done sometime becuase one of my friends found an energy drink at the shop. But then came another challenge, we're late and even though the shop owner waited for us, the sun didn't. It had already been set and then, there was a grave silence. It was only torn by the wind and the chatter of us friends. We turned the flashlights of our mobiles on so that we'd not trip while walking and could see the path. If anyone of you've ever been to a trek and moved around in dark, then you would now how creepy it turns out when you start to hear the jungle sounds. Where my friends were afraid that we might get lost, I was afraid of encountering a wild animal, as the shopkeeper told me that "there is nothing to worry about in this trek except the wild animals who come in dark for their feast".😅😅 SCARY MUCH? But well, we kept moving and finally reached at the end, of course because of the help of that boy. At the end, I learnt the lesson that no matter how strong you are but never play with nature. We could've easily lost our way that day, maybe would've become a treat for the wild animals too, I could've fainted while coming back and so on. Therefore, whenever you wanna go on a trek or something that depends on time so much, please don't ignore your physical strength. Listen what your body is telling you and don't leave it on "DEKHA JAYEGA" (WE'LL SEE). Although, I believe that travelling means exploring or experiencing something new but definitely, not like this.... Because JAAN HAI TO???? Right... JAHAAN HAI.... Stay safe and stay healthy...

The Wolf Girl

56 Followers

View Trip

I woke up at 7:30am finding my friends snoozing. I walked out of my room into the portico and found my furry friend anxiously waiting for me. I grabbed a chair and sat with my feet up on the railing. I kept listening to the sound of the water while I slightly patted Jumpy (the dog who accompanies you on treks). I was so lost in nature. No memories from the city life. My soul was finding its oxygen in the nature. My soul felt like there are places where it can breathe, places like Tirthan! We had a long trek aligned for today. Jalori Pass - a 10km trek that had great adventures and experiences waiting for us. Gaurav (our coordinator) asked us to get ready by 9:30am, and we ate breakfast and left at around 10am. It was an 1.5hr long drive to Maa Kaali Mandir, which was our starting point of the trek. Do grab a few bottles of water as you won't find any halts/stalls until you reach the top. Trekking is all about the journey. The destination is only a bonus. Usually I am high on photography while travelling, and am constantly clicking pictures. Today, I didn't care about frames and shadows, lightings or poses. All I cared was how amazing this place is. How amazing everything around me is actually happening in the very moment. Diabolical creatures have not been able to destroy this one little heaven and for that I am truly thankful to God. We didn't care about the rain or the weather, the muddly path or the crooked path. We were high on life today, and we had decided to stay blazed. The trek was long. We started at around 12noon. Dead leaves made it a little easier at some places by increasing the friction. Although at some points we were experiencing some difficulties especially when one had to cross some mini waterfalls. Halfway through our trek, Aman bhayyia made us climb a small hill present alongside our trek path (you would always have a lucrative experience with Aman bhayyia). This hill had the most amazing view. Dense clouds surrounded us. Tiny wild flowers covered the entire hill and the grass was greener that any filter present on any social app! After a few clicks later, Aman bhayyia suggested that we must meditate here. I took off my shoes. My friend fired up her portable speakers. Aman bhayyia played a spiritual track. We all sat on the moist grass, crossed legs and closed our eyes in the hope to connect our soul with nature. We meditated while the track was playing in the background. Trust me when I say this. I felt surreal. I felt liberated. I really don't know about others, but I was in my spiritual/divine place. Before I started this trip, I was in a mess. To the extent that only my best friend knew every hardship I was going through at that moment. When I met her at the bus-stand I hugged her tight and thanked her for being there for me. Couldn't include family for the very obvious reasons - did not want to be a disappointment. I am writing this very personal piece of my life here in this social blog because I want to convey this to the world that when Kate Douglas Wiggin said - 'There is some kind of magic about going far away and then coming back all changed' she was hell right. That session of meditation and divine connection with nature changed me a little. I got down that hill and strolled further leaving my crew behind. Found a rock to sit on, and stared into the sky through the tall pine trees. I felt peace. I realised what peace was. It was an emotional moment for me. All those bad/weird thoughts I had before I was here felt like a big mistake. I was glad I did not go through it. My karma and destiny were giving me hope and I was ready to be hopeful. I felt powerful and positive. Something I haven't felt together for quite some time. My friends joined me after a while. We played some new songs on our portable and continued out trek. On our way to Serolsar Lake, Aman bhayyia narrated some interesting ancient stories - more like what locals have been saying over the years. The lake is a place of worship. Many years ago, a 'tantrik' came here to dry up the lake (Initially it was so massive that no one had access to it). The lake got its holy aura when Lord Shiva visited Serolsar. It is said that there are two birds who are always looking after the lake and do not let even a single leaf fall over it. While we were engrossed in these stories, we realised that it had started to rain. Carrying umbrellas or raincoats was a very wise decision. We had almost reached our destination. Everyone stopped at the tea/maggie stall and decided to rest (bad idea, always rest once you have reached the final point). Loads of hot tea, chocolates and maggie was consumed.

Aparupa Datta

73 Followers

View Trip

Woke up early morning, had the perfect English breakfast, guided by the humm of the running stream beside our hostel and birds chirping. We were heading for Jalori Pass, via Sojha, to experience the beauty after the first snowfall of the season. We booked a cab for Rs. 400 for 4 people and reached Jalori. The roads leading to Jalori are steep and narrow, on it, they were snow covered. Can't describe in words the beauty of the color white! On reaching Jalori, we first saw the temple of Jalori Mata and a few tea shops. Not wanting to waste any more time, we headed towards our trek, Serolsar Lake, situated at a distance of 5 km from the starting point at Jalori Pass. We were wearing normal city boots and sports shoes and that made our walk difficult, initially. After walking for a few meters, we got the hang of it and were absolutely comfortable (so, don't worry about carrying/renting snow boots; any shoes with a good grip would work). We walked past narrow and rocky, snow covered paths with the most beautiful view of the majestic Pir Panjal range standing tall with pride. Sunlight-kissed snow-heaped pine trees, vegetation hidden under snow, water dripping icicles, we experienced all, on our way up. We took on the trek without a guide, trusting our instincts about the route up, since there are no sign boards pointing towards the lake. We followed the foot imprints on the snow and general geographic sense when the GPS stopped working. Astonishingly, we were getting network up there! We covered the up hill trek in some 4 hrs, walking through the picturesque landscape on our right and the white heights on our left. By the time we reached Buddha cafe we were hungry out of our wits. We ordered some pahadwali maggie there and rested for half an hour before finally covering the remaining distance of 270 meters. We were told that Serolsar lake would be frozen, but on catching the first glimpse of the lake, we saw that it wasn't frozen. That broke our hearts, but we went on tho finish the trek, and I thank my stars for finishing it. The lake was indeed frozen, the water of only one-third of the lake was in liquid state. We went close to the lake, trust me if I say this, surreal would be an understatement for the beauty. We spent half an hour admiring the satin sheet of white snow and the lake before starting to head back, as it would be dark soon. While relishing some mountain tea and biscuits we realized there's another frozen lake just behind us but a smaller one. We were stunned at the nature's play. Downhill, we experienced the most beautiful of the pink mountain sunsets I have ever seen. I have throughout been a sunset person, and mountain sunsets are my favorite-most. As we descended further, we saw the ever-so-beautiful moon shine up above the world so high, guiding us through the snow to reach the end point of the trek. We sipped on some tea and booked a cab towards our hostel for Rs. 800. A quick piece of local belief; on the way, lies this little temple, where drivers stop playing music because it is believed that the 5 km radius of the temple is very dangerous and has been a hub of several deadly accidents. Once back, we were welcomed by a galaxy of stars and a warm bonfire. But, we were maniacally tired, so we rested for a while. After a light dinner, I, along with a friend of mine, while the others slept, stepped outside of the dorm. The temperature dropped to sub-zero but that didn't deter us from gazing at the star-studded night sky; we laid our heads on the ice-covered bonnet of our car and saw all the constellations we knew of, believed to have figured out Mars and a satellite as well; satisfied of our trip and memories made we rested for the night.

Anandita Pattnaik

172 Followers

View Trip

It's owned by a guy called Ved. He and his family are simply amazing! Fresh orange juices and trout fishes straight from the river. Infinite bliss! So you know whenever you travel somewhere you have this wishlist of the things you want to see/do. We wanted to witness a snowfall. And we did on our trek to Serolsar lake from Jalori pass. It was one one of those phenomenal moment that you could hold onto forever. Those little, squishy, vanilla white balls of ice on my jacket. It was my first time and I was ecstatic. We all lost our snowfall-virginity. :D Jalori pass is an hour drive from Wayward Inn. And it's a 2 hrs trek from there to Serolsar lake. The trek is again splendid! With lush green trees, mind-blowing meadows, tricky trails and in the end the half frozen lake. Superb! The break-bone trek and the half-frozen lake Looking back now, I'm glad we chose to go to the finger-numbing, bone-freezing north in the winter. Cause like they say there is something special about having ice-creams in winter. Those who've had it would know what I mean. And those who've been up north in the winter would feel what I felt. Lessons Learnt/ Tips for future trips: Long distance travel is way more comfortable via plane/train/Volvo buses wherever possible. If you have to book cabs, do it via a reputed and reliable agency. Do NOT contact the driver directly. It's a rip-off and they're answerable to no one. You might be left in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night (actually way past mid) and you can do nothing about it. Airbnb rocks! Trout fishes are a delight. You definitely need good shoes if you are going trekking cause you never know when the sole might come off. You should have a packet of Parle-G with you always (for yourselves, dogs or to show the police) There is always someone who wants to poop! Even when you're climbing downhill, in the middle of nowhere. You don't necessarily want to know where the water in your bottle came from. You should never leave your ultra-fluffy, fleece footwear right outside the bathroom. Someone might just use it, after asking you of course. Check for your valuables (like things of utmost importance - read cellphone) before leaving the room. Boys find extremely absurd things funny. Like someone saying 'hain' in a video. Word games can give you sleepless nights. Avoid playing them for your own sanity. Scissors are handy. There are sadistic people everywhere. Some people are perfectly capable of proving their idiocy by forgetting the pass code of their goddamn phone at vital moments. Like when you need to enter the movie hall and the tickets are in your phone! Or how you can travel in the complete opposite direction of your destination and somehow you're aware that you're doing so, cause everything looks so different, yet you do it. Leaving things to destiny is a good or a bad idea is something only time can tell. Until next time. Au revoir! To follow me on my epic journeys around the world, click here.Frequent Searches Leading To This Page:- manali food restaurants, places to eat in manali, activities to do in manali, manali itinerary for 3 days, manali trip from delhi, where to stay in old manali, top manali tour packages with prices from delhi

Sekhar Borah

76 Followers

View Trip

Next day we woke up early. Breakfast was ready by 8 am. We had aloo paratha, cornflakes, boiled egg and tea. After the pet puja, we headed towards jalori pass by my car. Prakash told us that Jalori pass is 7 km from jibhi but did not informed us about the road condition. First 2 kms was ok. Then came the toughest part of the entire journey. I have never seen a road in such a horrible condition. I was so terrified as the road was filled with small boulders and was very steep (may be 40-50 degree inclined).I was driving a maruti astar with 64 BHP power and 170mm ground clearance. At some point I found it impossible to drive as the tyres were slipping over the pebbles and the boulders. Somehow I managed to cover that portion of road and reached jalori pass. Later when I heard that that road is a state highway I was shocked. This road connects Shimla with mandi. Anyhow elevation of Jalori pass is around 10800 feet. I parked my car near a tea stall. Prakash showed us the trail that leads to the lake. One can see the pir pranjal range from there. The trails goes through a dense wood. Prakash started to tell us his experiences on trekking. He had done a mountaineering course and he frequently goes on trekking. The trail is pretty straight. We met few people coming from Chandigarh and Delhi on the way. After 1 hour trekking through jungle and frequent photo breaks, we saw some man made caves. Prakash told us that those were very old. My wife and her cousin climbed up to the caves and clicked some pictures. We were amazed by the architecture. After spending some time there we moved on. Soon we reached a flat land and saw a tea stall and some foreigner sitting there having tea and maggi. We walked for another 20 m and saw a beautiful lake. The lake is nestled on a small valley surrounded by mountains. The water was greenish. We walked by the side of the lake and climbed up to a small cliff above the lake. The scenery from the top was stunning I have no words to express the beauty of that place. We sat there for an hour enjoying the captivating landscapes. There were very few people in that place and we were surrounded by tranquillity of nature. There is a Mandir near the lake. There were still snow patches on some places.