Tirthan valley – Things to do

A Guide to Tirthan Valley

Places to Visit in Tirthan Valley

The Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) can be accessed from Tirthan Valley or Sainj Valley. The Park is famous for its pristine forests and endemic birds and animals.

We organise treks in GHNP, ranging from two to ten days, as trekking is the best and only way to discover GHNP.

Read more about trekking in GHNP and our treks.

Located near Jibhi, Himachal, Chehni Kothi is a fascinating masterpiece of kath-kuni architecture and is known to have withstood a major earthquake in the region with minimal damage.

It is believed to be a watchtower, though its purpose is not fully clear.

The kath-kuni architecture employs the use of local wood and stones and is one of the traditional architectural styles that the villages still use.

There are many natural waterfalls in the Himalayan region.
Chhoie Waterfall in Sairopa and Jibhi Waterfall are two of the beautiful waterfalls in Tirthan Valley. Chhoie Waterfall is a 45-minute hike from Gushaini and follows the trail between Sai Ropa and Nagini. The hike goes through a village and a forest. Chhoie Mata is worshipped by the locals here.

Jibhi waterfall is close to the main town and accessible via a well-maintained path.

Located at a higher altitude, the Jalori Pass can be reached by road through a Himalayan cedar and golden oak forest. From here, you can embark on a few hikes.

One of the hiking trails going east gives you vistas of the lower Himalayas. This trail takes you to Serolsar Lake. It is a 4-hour hike through a pine and deodar forest. The Serolsar Lake is considered sacred and a pilgrimage spot as locals come here to make offerings at the Budhi Nagin temple.

Another hiking trail heads west from Jalori Pass. This trail includes a few steep climbs. This will take you to Raghupur Fort ruins in a meadow. From here, you can take in a view of the Dauladhar range.

Tirthan Valley is dotted with many hamlets and villages, each with its own charming character. You can explore these villages at a leisurely pace. Gushaini is found on the banks of the Tirthan river. It is close to the entrance of the Great Himalayan National Park. It is also known for its trout fishing and river-based adventure activities.

A short drive from Gushaini is another quaint village called Bathad, which is by the Palachan river. It is the starting point for many treks, including the Bashleo Pass Trek. At around 10km from Gushaini is Pekhri, located at 2150m, which can now be accessed via a motorable road.

Sarchi is another beautiful village known for its nearby meadows and serene environment. Jamala village is a short hike from Sarchi and is known for its old kath-kuni-style houses. Other villages close by are Shoja in Seraj Valley and Jibhi, which is popular among backpackers

You can go on two- to ten-day treks while you are in Tirthan Valley. There are plenty of reasons why you should go on Tirthan Valley treks: beautiful forests and mountains and birds and animals such as the flying squirrel.

As it is close to GHNP, there are many treks that we organise within the Park. You can contact us to know more about Tirthan Valley trek packages and Tirthan Valley trek costs.

We recommend day hikes in Tirthan Valley for many reasons. This is an eco-friendly way to explore the place. As a social enterprise that advocates for sustainable tourism, we support hiking whenever possible.

Tirthan Valley day hikes present the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Here, it means forested mountainscapes, birdsong, and scenic views. As many of the hiking trails go through villages and hamlets, you will also experience the local way of living, which includes orchards, traditional architecture, and sacred places of worship.

Day hikes don’t require the same amount of physical effort as treks and you can pack in a lot of experiences in a few hours.

We don’t recommend vehicles if it can be avoided. This is to minimise traffic and pollution in the valley. Navigating on the mountain roads also requires patience and precautions.

Some of the best roads and drives in the valley are:

• Banjar and Gushaini: You’ll find many tourism-oriented establishments along this stretch.
• Gushaini to Pekhri: There are many loops here and it is a beautiful drive.
• Gushaini to Bathad: You can go as far as Tila Pul.
• Jibhi to Bahu: The drive offers splendid views of GHNP.
• Banjar to Jalori Pass: It’s a scenic drive through a forest of towering trees.

Tirthan Valley is perfect for outdoors, nature, and adventure activities.

Adventure activities in Tirthan Valley include river crossing, rappelling, and rock climbing.

These are among some of the exciting things to do in Tirthan Valley. You can also enjoy trout fishing in Tirthan Valley.

Other fun things to do in Tirthan Valley are camping in the wild. We can take you camping by the riverside or atop mountains with scenic views.

We provide the staff and high-quality camping equipment to ensure a safe and fun experience.

If you love nature and are a birder, you can enjoy birdwatching in Tirthan Valley, which is home to many species of birds.

Being adjacent to a protected area (GHNP), the Tirthan valley is known for the 200+ species of birds that it shelters. The endangered Western Tragopan is the flagship of the birdlife in the area.

Our naturalist guides will take you through the trails and to the habitats of birds such as pheasants, vultures, eagles, and much more.

The Himalayas are also one of the best places to stargaze. You need to be over 2000m to get the best of the open sky.

We have a telescope at the Tirthan Eagle Nest homestay or you can bring your own. But the clear sky is visible with or without a telescope.

If you’d like to enjoy stargazing in Tirthan Valley, reach out to us and we will help you set camp at a high-altitude site.

The Tirthan river is well known for its delicious small trout fish.

First-timers or experienced anglers simply love fishing in the mountainous environment of the Tirthan valley.

We can provide the fishing rods and an instructor to help you learning the best technique. A fishing permit valid for one day has to be obtained form the local administration. We will do that for you, don’t worry.
Please contact us for any further information about angling in the Tirthan valley.

Tirthan Valley Culture and Heritage

The festivals in Tirthan Valley are many.

The people here worship festivals such as Holi (festival of colours) and Diwali (festival of lights). Dusshera too is celebrated here but celebrations are unique to the region with processions for local deities of which there are many.

Among the unique festivals in Tirthan Valley is Fagli or Faguli, a festival of masks and dance, which is celebrated for the upcoming harvest and around Maha Shivratri.

There are numerous temples in Tirthan Valley that honour local deities.

Some of the deities are believed to be rishis who passed away and are now regarded as divine. Each temple has its own story related to the deity and miracles associated with the deity.

Besides the folklore and mythology, the architecture of the temples too is interesting. A few temples are the Shringa Rishi Temple in Banjar, Balo Nag Temple in Bahu, and Buddhi Nagin Temple at Serolsar Lake.

We can recommend the best temples in Tirthan Valley to visit based on your plans.

Another way to experience local culture is through local cuisine.

The local food in Tirthan Valley is generally what you will find in north India along with a few unique dishes. While in Tirthan Valley, you have to try out Siddu (a giant momo), Trout fish, Mutton in soup, Rajma with desi ghee, and Dham.

Kullu is famous for Apple orchards and Apricot orchards. During fruiting season, you can eat fruits straight off the trees in the orchards. Rhododendron juice or tea is also a refreshing treat.

We can suggest where you can find the best local food. We can also arrange for you to have a meal at a local home with food prepared by the local people.

You can expect snowfall in Tirthan Valley in winter from late December to February. There are many things to do in Tirthan Valley in December and the winter months despite the snowfall. Tirthan Valley in December, January, and February is covered in snow and looks like it is straight out of a picture storybook. It is the perfect place to spend Christmas holidays.

Experiencing snowfall is fabulous, especially in India where the plains never see snowfall. You can also experience snow in other seasons but you’ll have to trek to the higher altitudes for it. But during winter, all of Tirthan Valley is draped in snow.

Some of the activities are not possible in winter such as river-based activities and treks. Places in higher altitudes like Jalori Pass are inaccessible when it is snowing, except if you don’t mind snow hiking.

We can suggest the best activities in winter in Tirthan Valley.