The universe we strive in is full of callings and what calling we choose to respond to determines our further living. You either struggle in the chaos of meeting everyday needs or you simply follow the calling of nature and lose yourself in its serene spread where the chaos around doesn’t feel chaotic. And let’s uncover Himachal’s beauty in Jibhi and Shoja! 

“Let’s live in the moment because the past will never let us do that.”

One such escape to backpack is what you’ll be discovering and exploring here. Ever wondered what might be the essentials of having a successful trip? Well, good company of friends, medium of transportation and a destination where everyone gets to live and be who they are. That’s all and you’re set to go. 

Our dear traveller very recently had an opportunity to take a well-planned trip to Jibhi & Shoja from Punjab with his dear friends. On the trip he had had several incidents that were full of thrill & excitement that’s sure to surprise the readers and even make them bite their fingers. So without delaying it any further, let’s just get started with it. Hold on tightly, here we come, Jibhi & Shojha. 

Jibhi & Shoja is a breathtaking spot in the heavenly spread beauty of Himachal Pradesh. It is well known for its settlements, spread of flora & fauna, Banjar Valley, apple orchids, and more. 

Utkarsh, a passionate traveller, decided to visit the magnificent spot with his adventurous friends. He is a developer by profession who holds an exciting interest in exploring unexplored spots. 

The trip was a 3 day planned event that began from Punjab around 9 pm with a total group of 6 friends on 3 rented motorbikes. Each motorbike cost around Rs. 900/- per day. 

The Journey Begins:- 

Utkarsh along with his adventurous companions set out from Punjab, Hoshiarpur to unleash the hidden magic of the road trips. The trip although started with a bang but had a lot of enthralling moments to add. Some scary, some funny but all worth it. 

They set out to reach Jibhi encountering numerous roads, hotels, laughter, food & carefree winds. While riding to reach the ultimate destination they halted at several spots like Una (half an hour break), Mandi, Banjar Valley and more. 

The journey to reach Mandi was one of the most crucial journeys ever taken by Utkarsh. He and his friends were all engrossed in driving and then suddenly were informed that one of their motorbikes had lost its brake and thus, control over it became difficult. They somehow stopped around and came up with some ideas and tackled the situation. 

No Lights – No Friends (Felt like the movie, Wrong Turn) 

Utkarsh along with his friend who accompanied him on the bike drove quite far from the other 4 companions. The distance between them grew really wide and now Utkarsh found himself in a deep spread of forests with no access to enough human movements. 

He called his other friends and decided to meet directly at the Mandi. While Utkarsh was busy driving his motorbike, the motorbike went under some faults and lost its front light. It was one unplanned moment that startled Utkarsh and her companion sitting behind. Waiting there didn’t seem right as the area quite often reported visits of wild animals. 

Utkarsh somehow using the flashlight managed to continue to drive. He was all sleepy as the drive continued throughout the night. So he asked her companion to keep talking so that he doesn’t fall asleep. 

It was finally 4 or 5 in the morning that they encountered a hospital that gave them a sigh of relief as they were a little closer to the city. The hospital seemed quite scary too. The doors were all open and calm which again added to the stress of Utkarsh. 

Finally, the morning brought new hopes and all the companions united. But the spot they halted was experiencing severe rainfall which made travelling even more complex. When they reached Mandi, the environment fumed with heavy rainfall and storms. It kind of left the planned activities for the trip with a question mark. They had some tea and snacks and headed straight to Shoja to explore its vivid spread. 

The surreal valleys and beyond

After enough struggles and poor roads, Utkarsh along with his dear friends somehow made it to Shoja. They booked a hosteller there which made them incur an overall cost of Rs. 450/- per bed. The place according to Utkarsh was absolutely fine and was highly recommended by him. They had their food and rested a while to beat the travelling stress they witnessed continuously. 

They had plans to trek Jalori Pass but due to continuous rain and poor weather conditions, it was delayed and then cancelled. To make it up for the cancelled spot, they decided to visit another exciting spot called Mini Thailand in Banjar Valley. It spreads around a vast area with surreal and picturesque scenery. 

Utkarsh along with his friends seemed to quite enjoy the surreal spread. But while doing so he along with the other people there heard an abnormal blast. Due to which they had to empty the spot and return to their original settlement. They first thought it was a dynamite blast but it was later known that the sound was of cloud burst due to which the water level of the river rose to greater heights. 

They had other plans to visit new spots around too. But due to poor and unpredictable weather, they had to bind up the trip with a promise to return again. 

The day when they were returning to Punjab, it was brought to their notice that due to the cloud bursting there was a landslide due to which they had to face a 5 km long traffic. However, they covered the necessary distance and finally made it back to their home spot. 

Lastly, they incurred a cost of about Rs. 5300/- for the entire trip including all their major spends. Utkarsh advises travellers following roadways by bike to opt for a Royal Enfield motorbike to have a smooth ride. The adventurous ride to Jibhi & Shoja with Utkarsh came to an end with the hope to begin a new one soon. 

Overview of the Journey:- 

Trip:- Punjab – Jibhi & Shoja 

Mode of Transportation:- Roadways (Bike) 

Stay:- Hosteller

Major spots visited:- Mandi, Mini Thailand

Estimated Budget:- Rs. 5300/- (per person) 

For more photos and videos, check out his Instagram page @thetraveldocumentary.

And for more such unique and authentic stories stay tuned and follow us on our Instagram handle: @indiachalk.

Let us know in the comment section below, your exciting travel experiences.

Keep Travelling! Keep Exploring!