Raghupur Garh

The fort is in ruins but its hilltop location makes for an interesting trek. In the periphery of what used to be the fort, there now stands a temple. The starting point for this trek is in the opposite direction of the Serolsar Lake. Put another way, if you stand on the road facing the Kali temple in Jalori Jot, the trail will be behind you. Basically, you’ll walk past the dhabhas and go down the Jalori-Ani road for less than 150 metres till the first sharp bend. There are no signs but the Raghupur Fort trail starts right at the bend. It is not as well-marked as the Serolsar Lake trek so you may want to consider a local guide if you don’t trust your navigational instincts. Remember that this trek involves a steep ascent so don’t fall for the well-used trail that is going down the hill; it’ll take you to a village, not the fort. When in doubt, pick the trail going up. After 1.5 hours of walking, you’ll come to a sprawling meadow dotted with a couple of unfinished concrete structures. From here, keep climbing for another 30 minutes till you reach the fort and the temple. On a clear day you can see Shimla from this hill. It is easily a 1000 ft higher than Jalori Pass. The stunning views and the grassy meadows make it a real visual treat. Your return walk will take a lot less time because you’ll be descending. Camping possibilities exist but there are no other options for night stay. If all you need is a roof over your head, you could crash for the night at the temple, though. There were no dhabhas in operation when we went there so carry food and water.