Most travellers barrel straight through Aut on their way to somewhere else — Jibhi, Banjar, the Jalori Pass, the trout streams of the Tirthan valley. But the little town of Aut, and the river gorge just beyond it at Larji, are worth slowing down for. This is where the wide, familiar Beas suddenly tightens into a green canyon, and where the road you take decides which valley you disappear into next.
The town at the fork in the river
Aut is a busy roadside town on the banks of the Beas in Mandi district, a little south of Bhuntar. It is best known for two things: its long road tunnel, and its trout. The Aut tunnel carries the main highway on towards Mandi; but if you take the road that peels off to the left just before the tunnel and crosses the Beas, you enter the quieter world of the Banjar and Tirthan valleys. That junction makes Aut a natural pit stop — fill up, grab a meal, and choose your direction.
Larji: where three rivers meet
A few kilometres on, at Larji, the Tirthan and Sainj rivers pour into the Beas inside a steep, shadowed gorge. It is a genuinely dramatic bit of geography — sheer rock walls, churning confluence water, and a hydroelectric project tucked into the canyon. The light down here is cool and dim even at midday, and the roar of the water is constant. It is the sort of place you stop simply to stare.
Trout country
The clear, cold rivers around Aut, Larji and the Tirthan are famous trout waters, first stocked by the British and now managed by the state fisheries department. If you fancy trying your hand:
- Angling permits are issued by the fisheries department and are inexpensive — typically around ₹200 per day. Ask locally at Aut or in the Tirthan valley about designated fishing stretches.
- Even if you do not fish, roadside eateries around Aut are known for serving fresh, simply pan-fried trout — one of the great cheap pleasures of this stretch of road.
How to reach Aut and Larji from Naggar
Aut lies roughly 55–60 km south of Naggar, about a two-hour drive down the highway through Kullu and Bhuntar. Frequent Mandi- and Banjar-bound buses run this route, so it is easy to reach without your own vehicle; ask for a bus towards Aut or Banjar. Many travellers use Aut as the launch point for an overnight into Tirthan or Jibhi, but the gorge itself makes a fine half-day outing.
Best time to go
April to June and September to November are ideal, with clear water and comfortable temperatures. The gorge can be dangerous during heavy monsoon rains (July–August), when the rivers run high and fierce — keep well back from the water then.
Aut and Larji are a reminder that in these hills the journey really is the destination. If you would like a warm, homely base to set out from and return to, Ghar in the Hills in Naggar is a cozy village homestay — book a stay and wake up to valley views before your day on the river.