Jibhi and Tirthan valley: how to reach and how many days

The easiest way to reach Jibhi from Delhi is the overnight Manali Volvo to Aut, at the tunnel, then an hour by road up the Banjar valley. Three nights is the right length: two in Jibhi for Jalori Pass, Serolsar lake and the old Chehni Kothi tower, and one by the Tirthan river near the Great Himalayan National Park.

Jibhi and Tirthan are in Kullu district but feel nothing like Manali: wooden village houses, streams, apple orchards and very little traffic. We send guests here from Delhi and as part of a circuit with Dharamshala and Bir.

Getting there

From	Route	Time
Delhi	Volvo to Aut, then cab	11–12 hrs + 1 hr
Chandigarh	Road via Bilaspur and Mandi	6–7 hrs
Manali	Down the Beas to Aut	2.5–3 hrs
Bir / Dharamshala	Via Mandi and Aut	5–6 hrs
Bhuntar airport	Via Aut	~1.5 hrs

The last stretch from Banjar to Jibhi is narrow; local cabs know it well.

What to do

Jalori Pass (about 3,120 m). A short drive above Jibhi, with tea stalls at the top and views across ranges of forest.

Serolsar lake. A 5 km walk from Jalori through oak forest to a small lake and temple. Mostly flat, 2–3 hours there and back; the easiest good walk in the valley.

Chehni Kothi. A tall tower temple built in the local stone-and-timber style, believed locally to be about 1,500 years old, reached by a steep 2–3 km walk from Bahu.

Jibhi waterfall. Ten minutes from the village.

Tirthan valley. Down the road at Gushaini and Nagini, the river is known for trout. Walk the riverside, or go into the buffer zone of the Great Himalayan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014.

A three-night plan

1. Day 1: Arrive at Aut by Volvo, drive up to Jibhi, waterfall walk
2. Day 2: Jalori Pass and Serolsar lake (packed lunch)
3. Day 3: Chehni Kothi in the morning, then down to Tirthan for the night by the river
4. Day 4: A slow riverside morning, then back to Aut for the Volvo

That’s our Jibhi and Tirthan trip from Delhi, from about ₹13,999 per person with homestays, breakfast and dinner, the Volvo both ways and a private cab.

When to go

• March–June: green forests, rhododendrons, pleasant days
• July–August: heavy rain and landslides; not ideal
• September–November: clear skies, the best views from Jalori
• December–February: snow in Jibhi; Jalori Pass often shut

Where to stay

Jibhi has wooden homestays and small cottages along the stream; the best book up early for weekends. In Tirthan, riverside cottages around Gushaini are the pick. Expect simple rooms, good home food and patchy mobile signal.

Combining it

Jibhi works well with Kasol and Manali (about 3 hours away) or with Bir and Dharamshala (5–6 hours). Our McLeod Ganj, Bir and Jibhi circuit does the second.