If you’ve been following us, you would know that we are on a 7 day trip to Tirthan Valley. After spending 4 days in Gushiani and staring at the prettiest Tirthan river, we decided to proceed towards our next destination-Jalori Pass and Serolsar Lake.
Serosar Lake & Jalori Pass- The Hidden Gems of Himachal
If you are on a quest of unexplored places Jalori Pass & Serolsar Lake might just be those hidden gems you are looking for. While these destinations are awesome I would say- the road to these destinations is equally picturesque. But what won us about the site was the interesting folklore about the place. It is said that the lake is cleaned by the birds here. Read on to find more.
Jalori Pass is located at a distance of 78 km from Kullu, 84 km from Mandi, 25 km from Banjar and 10 km from Shoja. Since we were coming from Gushiani, we took a taxi till Jalori Jot and then hiked further up. The difficulty level of the hike is easy to moderate.
About Serolsar Lake
Serolsar lake is a pristine lake 5 km away from Jalori Pass. For the locals, it is a revered spot, also because of the temple adjacent to the lake. The pristine lake, surrounded by the mountains makes up for quite an instaworthy pic.
Additionally, the water of the Serolsar lake is believed to have medicinal properties. The lake is around a 2-hour hike from the spot- Jalori Jot. A motorable road connects this place and taxis and buses ply in the area.
Folklore About Serolsar Lake
On our hike to the place, we met a couple of locals who narrated interesting folklore about the place. It is said that the birds here clean up the lake and here’s why.
A long long time ago many birds inhabited this place and made their nests in the trees around the lake. But the twigs would fall in the lake making it dirty. The snakes who would come to worship Budhi Nagin temple disliked this and started gobbling down the eggs of the birds. As a result, the population of the birds started decreasing. The birds, in turn, pleaded to the goddess for help and she came to their rescue. An understanding was reached that the snakes won’t attack the birds or their babies and in return, the birds would clean up the lake. This agreement is to date respected.
The hike is relatively easy, but don’t forget to carry water bottles and wear comfortable shoes. Also, avoid that route in the dark as it might get risky. We started early morning and fortunately finished it in the daylight.
The Trek To Jalori Pass and Serolsar Lake
Surrounded by the dense forests, the hike takes you through the paths that are home to rich flora and fauna. As you walk through the narrow trails, the tiny flowers and chirping birds greet you and accompany you all the way long.
The Budhi Nagin Temple
Right next to the lake is the Budhi Nagin temple. Though we didn’t go inside, the temple is flocked by the locales. It is a red edifice amidst the hills and is a sight to behold. 
Camping at Serlosar Lake
While many choose to come back, you can also spend the night in a camp there. But be ready to embrace the chilly winds. The small eateries here offer cozy tents at reasonable rates. They also offer food which is simple but tasty.
How to reach Jalori Pass?
Jalori Pass is located at a distance of 78 km from Kullu, 84 km from Mandi, 25 km from Banjar and 10 km from Shoja. Buses to Jalori Pass commute from Banjar. So if you are coming from Delhi you must get down at Aut bus stop and take a taxi to Banjar.
Since we were already staying at Gushiani we chose to commute by taxi to Jalori Pass. The taxi charged us INR 2500, which was a square deal. But public transport is obviously much cheaper.
The cab driver whom we met was friendly and the conversations with him gave us a peek into the lives of the locals here. 
We had already planned our stay at Jibhi, much like most tourists here. The place was a typical mountain home of Himachal and you can read more about it in our next blog post.
What not to do at Serolsar lake?
There are few things that all visitors must keep in mind, especially because many sentiments of the locals are associated with this place.
- Serolsar lake is a holy lake. So kindly don’t litter that place.
2) It is advisable to respect the local traditions and enter the temple bare feet.
3) Consumption of liquor or any cigarettes should also be avoided.
The Awesome Experience
We spent approximately 20 minutes at the spot and then moved to the stalls where we had the most awesome Maggi ever. The piping hot Maggi with veggies and hot tea tasted divine.
The Journey Back
Post the sumptuous meal we descended downwards. We were carrying our water bottles thankfully. In my opinion, the hike back was more complex than the one that led to the place. But we anyhow loved it.
The chirping of birds tearing the silence of the jungles was indeed a magical experience. The rich flora and fauna that’s missing in the cities are abundant here. But it is advisable to cover the entire hike during the day time only.
Point to be noted- we had quite a few destinations in the itinerary and the next was Jibhi which we were looking forward to. So what happened in Jibhi – read up in our next post.
