Are you looking for a place that offers waterfalls, meadows, mountains, cheap homestays, and is less crowded? Well, I have found you the exact one you are searching for this month, Sainj Valley. You may have heard this name before, but never added it to your travel bucket list. Let me tell you how beautiful this place is and how you can spend your weekend here without cutting your pocket.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that Sainj Valley is situated in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh. This place is near Shangarh, and I will tell you about reaching Shangarh at the cheapest price without getting scammed. HRTC buses are available everywhere to drop you off at this destination. But you are wondering what you’d explore here, right? Give me a chance to describe all the places that you will explore one by one.
Places to explore in Sainj Valley
Rupi Raila waterfall
Have you ever seen a waterfall in your life in the mountains? I bet you have seen it. I know how much you have struggled by trekking to see a waterfall, but Rupi Raila waterfall is just a 10-minute walk distance. I have been to this place, and during this season, it will blow your mind.
As you can see in the picture, the Rupi Raila waterfall looks stunning and huge. Here you can find a cafe that serves noodles, siddu, and momo—exactly what Himachal is known for. Spend some time, click pictures, and enjoy this view in the monsoon. Here’s a tip for you: you can swim at the riverside. The flow of water is not high enough. Enjoy your day by spending some time here.
Raila waterfall
Now let’s talk about the huge waterfall near Sainj Valley, situated in Raila village. This waterfall has greenery everywhere around the surface. You need to walk or book a cab from Sainj to Raila to visit this waterfall, and you can also explore Raila village; a quiet and untouched place.
I must recommend this beautiful waterfall to explore. If you want to stay here for a night, you can get homestays at the cheapest price.
Laxmi Narayan temple
Now move forward to the most beautiful and sacred temple — the newly constructed Laxmi Narayan temple in Sainj Valley. Yes, you heard right. This temple is new, and you can go to explore and worship. Look at the picture of how stunning the Laxmi Narayan statue is. At the stairs of this temple, you will see Nandi Ji sitting down in front of the gate. The first floor of this temple with four rooms glorifies its beauty.
How to reach here and where is it? Well, it’s not far from the Sainj Valley bus stop. Just enter the market and walk for 5 minutes. And tada! You can see the temple even from the road. It’s that huge. Go and pray here for a while, and then spend some time sitting behind the banyan tree.
Shangarh meadows
The Shangarh village — you have heard this many times but never imagined. Let’s go and explore here. You can visit here by booking a cab, or renting a scooter or a bike. The Great Himalayan National Park welcomes you with huge deodar trees and meadows in the middle of the jungle. You can also go for small treks to see waterfalls.
The Shangchul Mahadev temple in Shangarh brings happiness to your face when you visit here. It’s so beautiful that I can’t even describe it, but I have to. The temple has a story related to Mahabharata. When the Pandavas were in their Agyat Vaas, they built this temple to spend some more time here. Shangchul Mahadev had also protected them from being found by the Kauravas.
Locals come here to dance, play music, and pray to God every day. They also plan picnics to celebrate weekends. Shangarh is not far from the Sainj Valley. It takes 10-12 km.
How you can go to Sainj
Reaching Shangarh is challenging, and a bunch of people plan their stays in Shangarh. However, I suggest planning your stay near Sainj Valley, which is cheaper and more convenient to reach.
Book a bus from Delhi to Aut. In Aut, you can find multiple local buses that run for the Sainj Valley. Ask locals about the stays, or you can give a round here to find your cheaper option. I have booked a homestay near the bus stop, and it was good. The owner was humble and polite, greeting you with the best food.
Here’s a tip: do not book a cab from Aut to Sainj that can cost you 2000₹, and you will regret it. With only 50₹, you can reach Sainj by bus. Choose wisely.
Let’s sum it up
Sainj Valley is the cheapest option to stay and spend your vacation without getting exhausted in traffic, like in Jibhi. Shangarh is expensive and hard to reach. It should be Sainj to find your peace and comfort in the mountains. So hurry up and book a bus from Delhi to Aut before it’s too late. As you know, this is a season of monsoon, and it will make it worse if you delay.
