Shoja village, Himachal: altitude, weather and places to visit

Looking up Shoja village in Himachal? We host guests in Chhet, a few minutes past Jibhi, and Shoja is the hamlet you pass on the climb from Jibhi to Jalori Pass. Here is where it is, its altitude and PIN code, the distances, what there is to do and see, and the weather by month, so you can plan a Shoja stop properly.

Shoja is a hamlet in the Banjar area of Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh (OpenStreetMap). It sits on NH-305, the road that climbs from Banjar through Jibhi to Jalori Pass, about 7 km above Jibhi and about 5–6 km below the pass. You will also see it written Sojha, which is how the post office spells it. If you are trying to decide whether to base yourself in Jibhi or Shoja, read Jibhi or Shoja; this page is about the place itself.

There is no official height figure we could find. Elevation models put Shoja at about 2,520–2,535 m (Copernicus GLO-90 gives 2,522 m and SRTM 2,534 m at the mapped village point), roughly 8,300 ft. Some travel guides quote higher figures, often for buildings further up the slope, so treat any single number loosely. Either way, Shoja is about 700 m higher than Jibhi (about 1,800 m) and about 600 m below Jalori Pass (about 3,120 m), which is why it is noticeably colder.

Shoja's PIN code is 175123. India Post lists a Sojha branch post office under that PIN in Kullu district (India Post pincode directory (data.gov.in)), the same PIN as Jibhi, Chhet, Bahu and Banjar, so always add the village name to an address.

• From Jibhi or Chhet: drive up NH-305 towards Jalori Pass. It is about 7 km, but the road is narrow, steep and full of hairpins, so take it slowly and drive in daylight.
• From Delhi or Chandigarh: the usual way is up past Aut and Larji to Banjar, then up through Jibhi. See how to reach Jibhi for the main routes.
• From Shimla: Shoja is on the other side of Jalori Pass from Shimla, so the pass road brings you down through Shoja to Jibhi in the open season. See Shimla to Jibhi via Jalori Pass.
• In winter: the road up to Shoja can be icy after snow and may need chains or a 4x4, and the road over Jalori Pass shuts after heavy snow. Local taxi drivers know which stretches are passable on the day. See Jibhi snowfall.
• Buses and shared taxis do run on this road, but we do not list timings because they change. Ask at Banjar or Jibhi on the day.

Road distances from Shoja, worked out on OpenStreetMap and rounded (the same figures we use across this site):

Shoja itself is small: a handful of houses, guesthouses and cafés along the road. People come for the height, the views and the walks a short drive away.

• The views: because Shoja is so much higher than Jibhi, the valley opens up and on clear days you look across ridges of forest towards higher peaks. There is no official "view point" that we know of; the road and the slopes around the village give the views, and October and November are usually the clearest months.
• Jalori Pass: about 5–6 km up the road, at about 3,120 m, with a small temple and a view of the high Himalayan range on a clear day. Our Jalori Pass and Serolsar Lake guide covers the season and the road.
• Serolsar Lake: a forest walk from Jalori Pass to a small lake. See the Serolsar Lake trek guide.
• Raghupur Fort: the other walk from Jalori Pass, up to open meadows and old fort ruins. See the Raghupur Fort trek guide.
• The waterfall near Shoja: travel guides mention a waterfall a short walk from the village. We have not walked to it ourselves, so ask locally for the path and how much water there is on the day. For a waterfall walk we know well, see the Jibhi waterfall.
• Snow in winter: Shoja sees and keeps snow more often than Jibhi village, so it is a good place to look for snow from a base lower down, when the road allows. Snow is never guaranteed.

We do not name hotels, cafés or homestays in Shoja, because we have not checked them and they change.

Approximate averages for Shoja, worked out from 2016–2025 reanalysis data at the village's height and rounded:

How we worked these out: daily ERA5 reanalysis data from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5) for 2016–2025, adjusted to about 2,520 m. These are models of a wide area, not a weather station, and snowfall varies a lot from year to year. For today's weather, check a live forecast.

• October and November are the driest months in the data: clear skies, cold mornings and evenings, and the first snow is possible late in November.
• December to February are properly cold, with nights below freezing on most nights in January and February. This is when snow is most likely.
• March and April still bring cold nights, and late snow is possible in March.
• May and June are mild and pleasant, a good escape from the plains. July and August bring heavy monsoon rain (Jibhi in monsoon).
• Shoja is several degrees colder than Jibhi all year. For month-by-month planning, see the best time to visit Jibhi and what to pack.

• Morning: breakfast, then drive up through Shoja to Jalori Pass while the light is good on the hairpins.
• Late morning: walk to Serolsar Lake or Raghupur Fort from the pass, when the pass is open.
• Afternoon: stop at Shoja on the way down for the views and a hot drink.
• Evening: back down before dark; from November to January the light goes early (sunrise and sunset times by month).
• For more ideas by distance, see places near Jibhi within 50 km.

For a couple, the glass house in Jibhi is for up to 2 guests: the bed sits right beside the glass and the cottage has a glass roof, and it has its own private hot tub facing the mountains, which is a good way to warm up after a cold day at the top. Room decoration, a cake and a candlelight dinner are available on request with 1 day's advance notice.

For a family, the mud house cottages in Chhet take up to 3 guests each or 6 with both, side by side with a shared patio and garden, a fire pit and a loft in each. You can drive right up to the door, which helps with parents and small children, and our local chefs cook home-style meals from a menu. For a bigger group, the whole property sleeps 10 comfortably, and when you book all three cottages there are no other guests on site.

Staying lower down in Chhet keeps you closer to Jibhi and Banjar, with Shoja and Jalori an easy day trip up the road. All three cottages have a room heater, hot water runs 24x7 and there is power backup. Pets are welcome. Send your dates on WhatsApp and we will tell you what is free.

Sources: India Post pincode directory (data.gov.in); village point from OpenStreetMap (OSRM routing, rounded); heights from Copernicus GLO-90 and SRTM elevation data; weather from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5). The waterfall line is based on travel guides, not our own visit. Roads and conditions change, so check locally on the day.

Driving up to Shoja and Jalori? Peaks N Valley Stays is in Chhet (PIN 175123), a few minutes past Jibhi. Every cottage has a room heater, hot water runs 24x7 and there is power backup if the valley supply drops. You can drive right up to the door and park free, our local chefs cook home-style meals, and pets are welcome.

Couples usually pick the glass house in Jibhi: the bed sits right beside the glass and the cottage has a glass roof, with a private hot tub and the valley beside you, for up to 2 guests. Families and friends take the mud house cottages in Chhet, up to 3 guests each or 6 with both, side by side with a shared patio. Room decoration, a cake and a candlelight dinner are available on request with 1 day's advance notice. A bonfire can be arranged on request at an extra charge.

Check dates on WhatsApp