things to do · raghupur fort
raghupur fort
raghupur fort is less a fort and more a rambling ruin of stone walls spread across a high meadow above jalori pass, built long ago by the rulers of mandi as a lookout. the walls are mostly gone now, but the meadow and the wide view of the dhauladhar range are the real reward.
the trek starts from jalori pass and climbs west, the opposite direction to serolsar lake. it's about 3 km one way but steeper than the serolsar walk, so give it a couple of hours up. the last stretch opens onto a broad grassy ridge where the old walls sit.
on a clear day the views are the best in the area: snow peaks on one side, valley after valley on the other. some people camp up here in summer, though you'll want to be fully self-sufficient and check conditions before you do.
getting there
drive to jalori pass from jibhi (about 12 km), then trek roughly 3 km uphill. allow 3 to 4 hours round trip on foot.
difficulty
moderate. steeper and more exposed than serolsar, with some altitude to it. wear proper shoes and pace yourself on the climb.
best time
may to october, mornings clearest. the ridge gets windy and cold, so carry a layer even in summer. don't go up in bad weather, it's exposed.
a tip
there's no food or water up top. carry both. if you're camping, pack everything out, this is a meadow, not a campsite.
both leave from the pass
raghupur and serolsar both start at jalori pass, in opposite directions. fit walkers sometimes do raghupur in the morning and serolsar in the afternoon, but either one is a satisfying half-day.