We apply the inverse geometric optimization technique to generate an optimal and robust stimulated Raman exact passage (STIREP) considering the loss of the upper state as a characterization parameter. Control fields temporal shapes that are optimal with respect to pulse area, energy, and duration, are found to form a simple sequence with a combination of intuitively (near the beginning and the end) and counter-intuitively ordered pulse pairs. The resulting dynamics produces a loss which is about a third of that of the non-robust optimal STIREP. Alternative optimal solutions featuring lower losses, larger pulse areas, and fully counter-intuitive pulse sequences are derived.