Kinnaur Journey
You can take a circuit tour of Shimla - Kinnaur - Spiti - Lahaul - Manali which may require atleast 10-14 days and a per person cost starting Rs 30k to 40k , assuming government bus travel and booking cheap hostels or camps.
Personally i feel Kinnaur has a challening landscape and lot to offer and explore and it should not be clubbed with any other destination.
In this video , we take journey from Kalpa, Roghi towards Reckong Peo and then enter the Sangla Valley, before moving to our final destination , Chitkul, the last India village near India Tibet border. Chitkul in Kinnaur Valley of Himachal Pradesh is a dream destination of every nomad! A perfect spot for adventure enthusiasts, Chitkul is a picturesque village sitting at an elevation of about 11400 ft on the banks of the Baspa River. You’ll be stunned with its unparalleled beauty with Kinner Kailash and the mighty Himalayas in the background.
For those who don’t know, Chitkul is the last hamlet on the old Hindustan-Tibet trade route and the last point in the country people can travel to without a permit. Beyond Chitkul, all civilian movement is restricted.
Chitkul is some 585 km from Delhi and the nearest community in the Sangla Valley is 28 km away. The village of Rakcham is halfway between Chitkul and the Sangla valley and driving between these two destinations could be one of the best decisions you ever made. You can enjoy the impressive view that will leave you speechless. The village is all about apple orchards and snow-covered natural beauty. Another prominent place to visit here is the popular Hindustan Ka Akhri Dhaba where travellers can relish a hearty meal. This incredible eatery in Chitkul guarantees a wonderful dining experience by serving delicious food.
The lower part of Kinnaur Valley is also very much visited by many people during summertime due to ease of accessibility from Shimla/Delhi/Chandigarh and less crowded or offbeat location.
By lower Kinnaur, I mean that I will be covering Kalpa, Sangla Valley and Chitkul in this travel guide and maybe upper parts like Nako, Chango, Ropa, Hangrang can be covered in time to come, if required. innaur Valley is one of the 12 districts in Himachal Pradesh which is known for its apple orchards, beautiful small hamlets, beautiful meadows surrounded with thick dense woods and not to forget the ever-adventurous roads. One of the roads to Sangla Valley was also got popularly featured by the name Ledge in History Channel as Deadliest Roads in the World 🙂 This adds just the right charm of adventure on the trip. In winters, the presence of snow makes it just a jaw-dropping experience to be in Kinnaur Valley, where the major attraction is the breathtaking view of Kinner Kailash, a mountain sacred to Hindus, close to the Tibetan border.
The beautiful meadows in Sangla or Baspa Valley and Chitkul which is considered the last village in India where one can reach from Kinnaur side, are also covered commonly on a trip to this part of Himalayas.
Kinnaur Valley is located in the Northeast corner of Himachal Pradesh, about 235 KMs from the state capital, Shimla. The distance of Delhi to Kinnaur Valley is about 570 km considering Reckong Peo. It makes Kinnaur Valley not so far from civilization yet so raw and offbeat. elow is the most general route to Kinnaur Valley from Delhi that most people usually follow. You can reach Kinnaur on the second day with an overnight halt at Narkanda or anywhere away from Shimla or Chail.
However, if you are visiting Manali, then you can travel to Kinnaur Valley from Manali as well via Jalori Pass or the longer Spiti Valley route. Delhi – Shimla (360 KMs) – Narkanda (420 KMs) – Rampur (488 KMs) – Karcham (566 KMs) – Reckong Peo (587 KMs) – Kalpa (595 KMs) At Karcham, the road bifurcates towards Sangla Valley and Chitkul as per below distance between these places. Delhi – Shimla (360 KMs) – Narkanda (420 KMs) – Rampur (488 KMs) – Karcham (566 KMs) – Sangla (582 KMs) – Rakcham (596 KMs) – Chitkul (610 KMs) You will reach Kalpa or Sangla on this road trip to Kinnaur Valley in a minimum of 2 days from Delhi.
Mostly, Narkanda or somewhere near Shimla / Chail – Narkanda is an ideal overnight halt to distribute the journey evenly. If you are starting from Chandigarh, you can consider taking an overnight halt at Sarahan as well. The road to Sarahan bifurcates from Jeori which is 23 km from Rampur. The distance from Jeori to Sarahan is 12 km only.
