how to reach · from shimla
shimla to jibhi
shimla to jibhi is around 150 to 165 km, but how long it takes depends entirely on which of the two routes you take: the short, scenic one over jalori pass, or the longer, all-weather one via mandi.
- distance
- ~150 to 165 km (route dependent)
- drive time
- 6 to 8 hours
- two routes
- via jalori pass (scenic, seasonal) or via mandi (longer, all-weather)
- best for
- travellers already in the shimla or narkanda area
the scenic route, via jalori pass
shimla → narkanda → luhri → ani → jalori pass → jibhi. this is the prettier, shorter drive, and it drops you in over the pass itself. the catch: jalori pass closes with snow in winter (roughly december to march), so it's a fair-weather route only. confirm the pass is open before you commit to it.
the all-weather route, via mandi
shimla → bilaspur → sundernagar → mandi → aut → banjar → jibhi. longer and less dramatic, but open year-round and the safer bet in winter or after heavy rain.
by bus
buses run shimla → mandi → aut, then a local taxi covers the last stretch to jibhi. there's no quick direct bus, so most people break the journey at mandi or aut.
one tip
in winter or after heavy rain, take the mandi route and don't gamble on jalori. in summer, the jalori road is one of the nicest drives in himachal, take that one.