Continuing on towards laying the foundation of comprehensive Travel Guide for Spiti Valley and as discussed in the last article about Hindustan Tibet Highway, first let’s cover the lower Kinnaur Valley in depth before going further towards upper Kinnaur Valley and Spiti Valley.
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.
Let's quickly dive into the details:
Kinnaur Valley Travel Guide
Kinnaur 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.
Location
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.
Altitude
Kinnaur Valley has a mountainous area, ranging in altitude from 2,320 Mtrs to 6,816 Mtrs (7,610 ft to 22,362 ft) where Kalpa is located at an altitude of 2,960 Mtrs (9,710 ft) and Sangla Valley is located at an altitude of 2,696 Mtrs (8,900 ft). Chitkul is the highest in the lot at an altitude of about 3,450 Mtrs (11,320 ft).
In general, people face AMS issues if they spend the second night directly at Chitkul. Hence, it is always recommended to spend a night in Sangla or Kalpa before sleeping overnight at Chitkul.
Weather in Kinnaur Valley
The majority of the year Kinnaur weather is mostly cool to cold. Even in the summer months, you can feel the coolness in the breeze especially in the morning and evening. You will find snowfall in Kinnaur in winter months and a few feet of snow being a common phenomenon.
In summer months, the temperature in Kinnaur revolves around 15-25 degrees Celsius. Come July – August, the rain begins to play spoilsport with landslides and road closures getting common.
Kinnaur in December – January – February
When you visit Kinnaur in winter months, you must prepare very well with heavy woolen clothing. Many hotels remain closed in most parts of Kinnaur Valley. The road to Chitkul closes down in January and February. It can open anytime in December.
Roads to Kalpa and Sangla also closes in between intermittently but as soon as bad weather settles, authorities open up the road connectivity to these tourist destinations in Kinnaur Valley.
Kinnaur in March to July
The snow starts to melt in March and the closed roads within Kinnaur Valley, like the road to Chitkul, start to get open to welcome tourists. The heat starts to rise as we approach the summer months after spring in Kinnaur.
There is a heavy tourist rush from April end to June – July period. Once you get into the last week of July, monsoon lashes Northern parts of India. The road journey to Kinnaur becomes problematic.
Kinnaur in August
Monsoon is one of the worst times to visit lower hills in the Himalayas, including Himachal. And then, combining rains with fragile mountains of Kinnaur Valley, it becomes a deadly combination. Hence, I strongly feel that Kinnaur is not the place to be in monsoon. The entire Kinnaur region is very fragile, and road closures are pretty common.
Kinnaur in September to November
Once the rain goes away, the apple harvest season begins in Kinnaur Valley from late August to September. It runs up to the middle of October in the upper parts of Kinnaur Valley. I do feel that it becomes one of the best times to visit Kinnaur because even the roads are dried up and much better in road conditions, including stability. In November, the temperature starts to go toward sub-zero conditions, and water in pipes starts to freeze at night. The winter chill is there to welcome you.
What is the best time to visit Kinnaur Valley?
You can visit this beautiful valley throughout the major part of the year, but in winter things get very tough and heavy snowfall makes it inaccessible sometimes too. But, apart from peak winters in Kinnaur Valley, including Kalpa and Sangla Valley, Kinnaur can be visited throughout the rest of the year without much fuss.
It is important to note that monsoon is not the right time to be in Kinnaur Valley due to common landslides and worse roads, so in any case avoid monsoons My favorite time to visit Kinnaur Valley is Autumn or Fall, when monsoon just resides away and you might still see some apple orchards loaded with apples with clear skies in the background.
Also, please note that Chitkul becomes inaccessible at the time of peak winters, so please avoid going there in late winters without knowing the weather conditions. One snowfall can trap you for months in Chitkul :)…
In case you are going in Apple Season, that is around Late July or August in Kinnaur Valley then be ready for a massive mess of trucks traffic too along with rains and landslides.
Travel Tip: Read my detailed article on best time to travel to Kinnaur Valley.
How to Reach Kinnaur Valley
Below 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 to Kinnaur from Shimla side by Road
The route to Kinnaur Valley from Delhi via Shimla runs along the Hindustan Tibet Road or NH-05 (previously called NH-22). You will be traveling on one of the most treacherous roads as soon as you enter Kinnaur Valley. The sense of adventure is pure bliss, and in case you drive yourself, you will enjoy the offroading in some sections of Kinnaur.
The route from Delhi along with the distance between the subsequent places is as follows:
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.
Love food on the Kinnaur road trip?
Also, a pit-stop-must is a makeshift dhabha of sorts right after Jeori – Sarahan diversion where an old lady serves lip-smacking Rajma Chawal. Yes, the hygiene is slightly questionable, but it is a dhabha after-all! The taste is unbeatable. Rs 50 for an unlimited plate of Rajma Chawal – sign me up! Apart from that Annapurna dhabha nearby it also is pretty famous for Rajma Chawal too.
Delhi to Kinnaur from Manali side by Road
You can travel to Kinnaur Valley from Manali well. There are two routes that exist. The shorter route that goes from Jalori Pass – Rampur and the longer route in which you travel from Rohtang Pass – Kunzum Pass route while making a Spiti Valley trip from Manali side.
The distance from Manali to Kinnaur via Jalori Pass route is 310 km and will take 12-15 hrs. This route will merge at Rampur on Hindustan – Tibet Highway and then follows the route via Shimla to Kinnaur. I recommend staying overnight at Jalori to break the journey evenly. If you travel from the Spiti side, then it is better to explore Spiti Valley and then travel down to Kinnaur.
By Air
The nearest airport to Kinnaur Valley is at Shimla, about 220 km away. If you are traveling from the Manali side, then you can get down at the Bhuntar Airport which is near Manali. Bhuntar is approximately 245 KMS from Reckong Peo, the center of Kinnaur. However, due to their small size, these airports have limited capacity and connectivity.
Chandigarh Airport lies approximately 340 km. Hence, Chandigarh is the best place to start the journey to Kinnaur Valley if you are flying from any other part of India than Delhi or other Northern states.
By Railways
Shimla is the nearest railway station. However, this would also have limited connectivity. My suggestion would be to have your endpoint of the railway journey as Chandigarh, which is well connected throughout.
By Bus or Public Transport
Reckong Peo is well connected with Chandigarh and Shimla by direct buses run by HRTC, the state bus department of Himachal Pradesh. There is an overnight bus from Chandigarh to Reckong Peo, and one bus leaves Shimla around 11 AM. Once you reach Reckong Peo, you can travel to Kalpa, Sangla, and Chitkul by connecting buses within Kinnaur Valley.
Reckong Peo is also connected by a daily morning bus from Kaza in Spiti Valley as well. So, you can travel from Spiti to Kinnaur as well by public transport.
You should look more details in the article on how to visit Kinnaur by public transport.
Taxis for Kalpa
You can get private taxis for trips to Kinnaur Valley from Shimla taxi stand. These taxis can also come to Chandigarh or New Delhi for a pickup. I always recommend traveling with local drivers or taxis in remote regions of the Himalayas like Kinnaur and Spiti.
You can always get connected with local taxi drivers in this list of taxi drivers in Kinnaur and Spiti Valley. Hiring a private taxi for a Kinnaur road trip may cost you about Rs 25000 for 7-8 days. In general, these local drivers charge from Rs 3200-3500 per day for taxi charges which includes everything including their own stays and food.
The prices will come down if you’re traveling in a group. You can also book self-drive cars from Delhi or Chandigarh to plan a road trip to Kinnaur as well.
Preferred Vehicles
The higher ground clearance vehicles are preferable and 4×4 ones not required. However, quite a few people make a trip to Kinnaur Valley in hatchbacks and sedan cars as well. So, it all depends upon your skills to drive and the road conditions at the time of travel.
You can always refer my list of top 40 things to carry on a self drive trip to Kinnaur.
Suggested Itinerary for Kinnaur Valley
I mostly recommend people to spare at least 7-8 days to plan a relaxing trip to Kinnaur Valley. This much days will help you explore the beautiful places on Hindustan Tibet Road as well as relax in the enchanting and peaceful villages like Kalpa, Sangla, Chitkul, and Sarahan.
If you are not one of those who visit places to tick them off from bucket lists, then you can refer my article on Kinnaur Valley – Most Common Itinerary for a detailed plan. I have highlighted the high-level day by day trip plan from Kinnaur below as well.
- Day 1 | Delhi – Shimla / Narkanda
- Day 2 | Shimla / Narkanda – Sarahan
- Day 3 | Sarahan – Tapri – Reckong Peo – Kalpa
- Day 4 | Rest day at Kalpa
- Day 5 | Kalpa – Karcham – Sangla / Rakcham (Baspa Valley)
- Day 6 | Sangla / Rakcham – Chitkul / Sangla / Rakcham
- Day 7 | Chitkul / Sangla / Rakcham – Rampur – Daranghati / Narkanda / Chail
- Day 8 | Daranghati / Narkanda / Chail – Delhi
Accommodation Options at Kinnaur Valley
There are many accommodation options available at Reckong Peo, Kalpa, as well as Sangla Valley and Chitkul. Many of them are good enough to cater to the varied needs of budgets among people. There are economic guest houses or homestays, which are cheap enough to keep your money saved. But, there are other luxury properties as well which provide the comfort and facilities if you are looking forward to them.
Apart from private accommodation options, you can go ahead and vouch for many PWD Rest Houses in Kinnaur Valley, which are though comfortable and economical but may not suit the needs of every family may be. Also, you require bookings for them, and sometimes, in case of some VIP visit, they may try to push you though not in rights. So, in general, and in case you are OK with average comfort conditions, Quite Recommended!! You can refer: How to Book HP PWD Rest Houses or FRHs
For more details on good hotels to stay in Kinnaur Valley OR good accommodation options to stay in Kinnaur Valley, you can refer the article: Good Hotels or Accommodation options in Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley
Where to eat in Kinnaur
Most of the time you will be eating out in Hotels or Camps or Guest Houses or Homestays you will be staying in Kinnaur. However, there are dhabhas or eating joints on the way to Kalpa or Sangla from Shimla, which you can use for in-between meals. Do not forget that famous “Last Indian Dhabha” in Chitkul.
You should always carry your water bottle and refill it as many times as you need water. It will not only keep you hydrated always, but you will also help in saving the Himalayas from plastic garbage. Remember, every tiny step counts, and your step in this direction can help save the Himalayas too !! 🙂 🙂
Places to visit in Kinnaur Valley
Once you enter the gate of Kinnaur Valley, the daunting mountains welcome you, and a kind of adventure begins. The drop around the roads gets higher and higher. The roads start to deteriorate and soon becomes a dirt track. Every tourist attraction places in Kinnaur is much closer to nature than being commercialized towns of lower Himachal.
You can plan a trip to Kinnaur Valley where you can try and explore the following places in or around Reckong Peo.
Sangla Valley
About 120 odd KMs before the Indo-Tibet border, lies one of the most beautiful and romantic valleys in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, Sangla Valley or otherwise also known as Baspa Valley which houses a major village by the name Sangla.
Sangla is about 16 km diversion towards right from Karcham, which is at Hindustan Tibet Highway going towards Kaza from Shimla Sangla Valley is surrounded by thick forest slopes and offers lovely views of the high mountains surrounding it. Recently, various beautiful meadows in this valley (such as Rakcham meadow) have become very popular among shooting various film scenes and advertisements too.
You can read our detailed travel guide of Sangla Valley.
Chitkul Village
About 28 km away from Sangla Valley at an altitude of 3450 Mtrs and on the banks of Baspa river there lies the last inhabited place in India before the Indo-Tibet border named Chitkul. The magical beauty which this village offers is unmatched and incomparable. Chitkul remains closed in winters and is extremely famous for its potatoes in the whole world which are extremely costly as well.
You can read our detailed travel guide of Chitkul Village.
Kamru Fort
About 2-3 km away from Sangla Valley, there is a famous 1000-year-old Kamru Fort considered to be one of the oldest forts in Himachal Pradesh. Do check out when you are in Sangla Valley.
Misc. Trails & Meadows around Sangla
There are loads of trails in these apple orchards that can be hiked around while you stay in Sangla Valley. There are some lovely meadows too (one near Rakcham village as I remember) as well which can be visited or spent the time to bask in the lap of pristine mother nature.
You can also for an easy 3-4 Hrs hike to the Glacier point if you are interested in some snow play. Batseri village to Sangla Village walk of about 12 km through dense Cedar forests is also quite famous among people who love being midst nature and actually feel it.
There is a Trout Fishery Farm on the other side of Baspa River near Sangla Village too which is nice to visit and can be covered in this walk itself. What better having a trout for yourself and later barbecue it over a campfire in the evening 🙂 !!
Kalpa
Kalpa is one of the best places to see sunset and sunrise in the Himalayas over the Kinner Kailash range. Kalpa is about 8 KMs from Reckong Peo, district headquarters of Kinnaur Valley, which in turn is about 7 KMs diversion from a place called Powari on Hindustan Tibet Highway.
The place is just majestic and the views of Kinner Kailash range from almost any of the hotel at Kalpa would make your jaws drop at any day. I never thought that it would be that beautiful what I witnessed after reaching this lovely place. We were fortunate to witness such fantastic weather at such an awesomely beautiful location in Kinnaur Valley.
You can read our detailed travel guide of Kalpa Village.
Roghi Village
It is about 6-7 KMs from Kalpa and is known for its traditional lifestyle of Himachal surrounded by apple orchards. Very nice place to have a short hike or walk across the village from Kalpa. You will almost feel you are in a time machine and somewhere in the past if you spend some time here in this village.
The villagers have a great knowledge of the place, its flora, and fauna and you can get quite a decent knowledge in the village from them in case you are interested to know about Kinnaur Valley and this region
Kothi Village
Just 3 km from Recong Peo, this village has a Chandika Devi temple which has an unusual architectural style and fine sculpture set amidst a picturesque mountains backdrop.
Medical Facilities
In case you need any medical assistance in Kinnaur, there is a one district hospital at Reckong Peo, being the headquarters of Kinnaur Valley. There is a local hospital at Sangla village, too, being the biggest village in Baspa Valley. The next help for anything major will be available in Shimla.
Phone Signals
Most of the mobile phone service connections work in Reckong Peo, Kalpa, as well as Sangla Valley, with best being Airtel. However, as you go ahead towards upper remote parts of Kinnaur like Nako, Puh, Chitkul, etc. then the best option will be to carry an MTNL/BSNL prepaid/postpaid connection. It has maximum coverage in Himachal Pradesh. Vodafone did have issues with some connectivity at times. Lower Kinnaur Valley does not have any major phone connectivity issues.
Petrol Pumps
About 10 km from Kalpa, you can find the nearest petrol pump at Reckong Peo. There was one more fuel pump at Powari, which is on Hindustan – Tibet Highway when you move from Reckong Peo back towards Shimla, which is about 30 km from Sangla Valley.
I am not sure if it is still functional though on my recent trip to Spiti Valley in the first week of May 2013, the Powari fuel pump was not functional. There has been one fuel pump which is fairly new that I saw at Tapri, and it is true as of 2020 as well.
The best thing is to top up your petrol or fuel tank at Narkanda which is fair in terms of quality as well OR the last petrol pump in Rampur that comes on the right side while going from the Shimla side.
ATMs near Kinnaur Valley
There is an ATM as far as I know in Sangla Valley. Otherwise, you will find one for sure at Reckong Peo about 8 km away from Kalpa and 38 km away from Sangla. However, whenever I travel to such remote villages of the Himalayas, you must carry enough cash with you for an emergency without relying on credit or debit cards.
Conclusion
Kinnaur Valley is one of such secluded and untouched places in Himachal Pradesh where people must go over and enjoy raw nature in its purest form. It is a perfect place for a family vacation with lovely views all around and yes, a part of the adventure too with rough roads. It is one of those places where the journey is itself a destination. You might opt for your honeymoon destination in Himachal as well.
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968 Comments
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Hey Dheeraj,
I am planning to visit Kalpa from Delhi on October 2nd week. Me and couple of my friends, we plan on covering Sangla Valley and Chitkul as well. We will most probably finalise the dates as 13-21 of October. Could you please assist us with the itinerary? And suggestions too if we could cover any other place
Gitanjalee, you can refer to the Kinnaur Valley – Most Common Itinerary
Thanks for sharing details. Planning to do it on scooty (delhi>shimla>rampur>sangal>chitul and back ) . 5 days
day 1: delhi to shimla
day2 : shimla to sangla
day3 : sangla/chitkul
day4: sangla to shimla
day5: shimla to delhi
second week of October
any suggestions.
The plan above looks good to me Deepak.
Thanks for ur reply ..
So there is a chance of road might be closed, and I do not need advance bookings in hotels, right ? I can book/get budget hotels on spot during that time ?
Yes, that time of the year, you can book on the spot. No need to book your trip in advance.
Hello sir,
I am from Kolkata, and I would like to get ur suggestion about my trip.
I am planning to visit kalpa-sangla in 1st week of december 2018 with my wife, we r 2 person . We reach to chandigaerd by kalka mail on 30/11/18 at around 4 am and my return will be 6/12/18 from chandigardh at early morning train. So I have 6 days in my hand.
Now I would like to ask, if we can visit kalpa-sangla during that time ?
What is the approx rate of cabs for 2 person ?
Also approx rate of hotels during that time ?
My plan is so far —
30/11/18 reach chandigargh by kalka train at morning and move to sarahan
1/12/18 sarahan to sangla and night stay 2/12/18 sangla to chitkul and night stay.
3/12/18 chitkul to kalpa and night stay.
4/12/18 kalpa to narkanda and night stay
5/12/18 move to chandigarh and night stay.
6/12/18 train(janasatabdi) at around 7.20 am from Chandigarh to delhi .
Plz suggest me if I need some change.Thanks in advance.
Hi Dibya,
You should travel to Kalpa first and then based on road conditions to Chitkul take a call to visit Chitkul or not. Best will be to do it like:
Day 1 | Chandigarh – Sarahan
Day 2 | Sarahan – Sangla Valley
Day 3 | Sangla – Chitkul / Sangla
Day 4 | Chitkul / Sangla – Kalpa
Day 5 | Kalpa – Kotgarh/Narkanda
Day 6 | Kotgarh/Narkanda – Chandigarh
If the road to Chitkul is open else come back to Sangla
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Himachal or Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of the pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3200-3500 per day depending on the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price. If you are 2-3 in the group, you can opt for sedan taxi cars as well which charges around Rs 2200 per day.
Otherwise, taxis, in general, are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands. These drivers can help you with finding local stay options too.
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley.
You can keep an average of 900-1200 per person per day for food and stay on the tour to Spiti Valley.
Hi Dheeraj! This article was pretty helpful! I’m planning to travel through kalpa to spiti and then Leh this Summer but I was to slow travel and also do it on a backpacker budget.. Are sangla valley and chitkul connected via public transportation? Also if I don’t book an accommodation and reach the villages will I be able to get a cheap homestay with the villagers there? Or set up my tent someplace? I don’t want to spend more than absolutely necessary.. Thanks in Advance..!
Hey Gargi,
That is wonderful idea, yes, that is absolutely possible. I will suggest that you read: How to make a budget trip to Spiti Valley by public transport?
How to make a budget trip to Kinnaur Valley by public transport?
How to make a budget Ladakh trip by public transport?
All these articles will give you entire picture about making a budget backpacking trip to Ladakh, Spiti and Kinnaur Valley
Sir will you please suggest me the best month to visit chitkul.
Himanshu, best month to visit Chitkul will be anywhere from April to October. April will have lots of snow if you love to see snow.
Sir,
We are planning a trip to kinnaur in the March first week, plan being shimla – saharan- sangla…. Wanted to know wether chitkul will be accessible /safe to travel at this of time of the year? Also wanted to know whether we can go to kalpa aswell?
March first week, it is 50:50 chances that road to Chitkul will open by that time of the year. Kalpa will be accessible.
Sir, Thank you so much for the reply. I only have 4 days in hand to travel the kinnaur the plan being: We are planning to hire a car for the entire trip….
Day 1 : Shimla – Sarahan (visit sarahan) – reach sangla and stay there for night.
Day 2: Visit sangla…. Then leave for kalpa, visit it and night stay.
Day 3 : See kalpa…. Then come back to sarahan and stay.
Day 4: Sarahan to shimla… Train at night.
Sir is this plan feasible? Also how much time is needed to travel from shimla to sangla with stop and visit at sarahan? Plz help sir.
I will suggest following:
Day 1 : Shimla – Kalpa
Day 2: Half day at Kalpa and move to Sangla for overnight stay
Day 3 : Half a day at Sangla and around and move to Sarahan for overnight stay
Day 4: Sarahan to shimla… Train at night.
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Himachal or Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of the pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3500 per day depending on the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price. If you are 2-3 in the group, you can opt for sedan taxi cars as well which charges around Rs 2200 per day.
Otherwise, taxis, in general, are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands. These drivers can help you with finding local stay options too.
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley.
You can keep an average of 900-1200 per person per day for food and stay on the tour to Spiti Valley.
Was visiting this stretch Shimla – Kalpa – Sangla – Chitkul, just 10 days ago. Some roads would have closed by now, specially the one to Chitkul from Sangla, due to snow.
Of what I could swallow during this whirlwind tour of mine:
1. Time on the road is just too much! Covering 250 kms on bad hill roads (on stretches) is virtually equal to doing 500 kms on plains. Time to reach Kalpa from Shimla was a cool upward of 11 hours. Too tiresome!
2. Important observation this – Kalpa has barely anything much of interest to offer. One can easily skip Kalpa. Better to spend a night or two at Sangla and a night at Chitkul.
Thank you for the tips and yeah, the journey is tiresome on those bad roads once you enter Kinnaur Valley
Sir,
We are 6 friends and we make a plan to shiml, sarahan,Kalpa,kaza and Manali..on may 1st week is it right or good time to visit Spiti valley….pls suggest me…
Sumit, you can go all the way up to Kaza but then you have to return via same route to Shimla. Manali – Kaza route will not be open by that time of the year.
May I get the mobile number of Mr jai bharadwaj. We are going to kinnaur lahul spiti at October end.
Moausami, what are you looking forward to? Driver or stay details?
Sorry…I have not mentioned the details. Actually We 7 people are going to Kinnaur, lahul and Spiti at October end. We need a 7 seater Innova with good driver. I got the name of Jai Bharadwaj from one of the comments below. Then I talked to Mr Khemraj Verma and he told that the said innova has bucket seats and only six people can sit.
I would request you if you can suggest a good driver with 7 seater innova.
One more question, Will it be a problem if we book hotel on spot?
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Himachal or Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of the pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3500 per day depending on the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price. If you are 2-3 in the group, you can opt for sedan taxi cars as well which charges around Rs 2200 per day.
Otherwise, taxis, in general, are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands. These drivers can help you with finding local stay options too.
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley.
You can keep an average of 900-1200 per person per day for food and stay on the tour to Spiti Valley.
Hello Dheeraj,
Me and my freinds are planning to travel and explore Kinnaur district on month of January to enjoy the snowfall and the view.
Can you please help me in planning the trip like how many days and which places to visit at that time, how to travel(mainly by bus)* & which is best place to take the hotel.
*we will be starting our journey from Chandigarh
Pratyush, in January you can visit Sangla and Kalpa in case the snow has been cleared of snow. When it snows too much, then the road gets closed at times. Sometimes the road closes at Narkanda itself. Best will be to take a hotel at Kalpa and Sangla. You will need at least 5-6 days to easily explore Kinnaur Valley.
travelled to spiti Last month. and It was memorable trip. Iternary is : Simla-Sangla-Chitkul-Kalpa-Nako-Mudvalley- Dhankar Gompa-Kaza- hikkim-Ki kibber-Lossar-Kunzumpass- chandratal. Awesome Journey with Beautiful Views. Driver name is Jai Bharadwaj- Brotherinlaw of Khemraj {Top Drivers in DoW} . Vehile is Innova new Model- Cresta. Very Experienced Driver. Indeed careful. Overall Nice Trip !!!
Thank you Gouri for recommending the driver, glad you had a wonderful trip.
Hello Dear, We are 4 friends from Mumbai all CA in practice and around 62/63 yrs. We all have been trekking though mild, started with first visit in 1985 to Valley of flowers and shri Hemkund sab. Pllanning from 1st November to 6th November to Kalpa via Fagu, Sarhan etc.
Shall very much appreciate more information from all friends.
Please also suggest a good Driver with Innova from Chandigarh Airport to Airport.
Is it possible to reach Fagu in 5 Hrs. from Chandigarh airport?
How much time it would take to reach Sarhan from Fagu?
On return planning from Kalpa to Narkanda, How much time
it would take ?
All best to all of you.
I am so pleased, you all young guys really enjoy nature.
In my city, Mumbai very rare to find people like all of you.
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Himachal or Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of the pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3500 per day depending on the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price. If you are 2-3 in the group, you can opt for sedan taxi cars as well which charges around Rs 2200 per day.
Otherwise, taxis, in general, are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands. These drivers can help you with finding local stay options too.
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley.
You can keep an average of 900-1200 per person per day for food and stay on the tour to Spiti Valley.
5 Hrs should be fine for Fagu from Chandigarh. Sarahan will be another 3.5-4 Hrs from Fagu, Kalpa to NArkanda is about 6 hrs.
Hi dheeraj,
we are planning a road trip frm 29th sept-02 oct for four days to kinnaur valley.
wil it be good time to visit there?
will road condition s be okay?
Yes Hemant, October is a good time to travel to Kinnaur Valley. Carry light woolens. Roads are in good conditions in comparison to rest of the season.
can u suggest suitable itinerary for 3 days. even i am planning to visit from 29 dept-02 oct
Rajan, 3 days from where? It is too difficult to make it from Shimla as well being two days required to travel from Shimla to Kinnaur and back and then just one day at either of Kalpa or Sangla.
also can u suggets how to travel ahead of shimla till tapri. volvo from delhi is only till simla. how can i travel ahead till tapri as i have a trek starting from tapri
Rajan, you can travel from Shimla to Tapri in Reckong Peo bus from Shimla. Get down at Tapri and start the trek.
Hey Dheeraj planning a trip for Shimla Kalpa Sangla Chitkul in mid may is there any snow?? How’s the weather at that time and recommend clothes? . Should I stay in Chitkul for more than a day??
Please reply
Hey Vipin,
Well, by mid-May most of the snow in Kinnaur melts away. However, around Chitkul you may find some snow. Weather will be pleasant with light woolens or thermals may be able to do the job. Nights and morning will be cool and the day will be warm. I will recommend staying at least 2 nights in Sangla Valley / Chitkul region.
We 5 people are planning for chitlul, kalpa ans sangla valley. Can you suggest some homestay over there ?
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley.
Please suggest whether kinnaur /spiti valley can be visited during 1st week of november.if jouney is made throughcar for 10-12 days.if one plansvto start from shimla and plan to return through manali to delhi.
I will not advice Spiti Valley in the month of November unless you are used to such harsh conditions of weather. Please read: How to plan a trip to Spiti Valley in Winters and we can discuss again
can i visit delhi to chitkul in 3 days in aug
Well, it will be a very long and hectic journey. Also, Kinnaur is not a place where I would want to be in monsoons.
Is Dec last week a good time to travel to Kinnaur Dist. (Kalpa, Sangla & Citkul) with family. Generally Snow season is in Jan , keeping this into consideration would like to seek your advice.
Kaustav, it gets quite cold in Kinnaur Valley and if you are OK with cold conditions you can travel to Kalpa and Sangla. Chitkul more or less will be inaccessible due to snow unless it is a very dry year. You can make Kalpa as the base because most hotels are open in Kalpa while Sangla has less options of stay in winters. Please keep in mind that in case it snows, the road might get closed for a day or two, so keep that risk in mind and plan accordingly.
Hi Dheeraj!
I am planning to visit Chitkul and Kalpa in second week of July i.e. 8th – 14th July. Is it right time to visit there ? Because weather forecasts are showing rainfall during this interval, I am worried about the road conditions and primarily landslides. Our driver is perfect and can drive in any kind of situation. Please give some suggestions. Thanks in advance. 🙂
Hi Harinder,
The second week of July is still fine to travel to Kinnaur Valley but monsoon is here. Just keep an eye on weather updates at Kalpa and Chitkul, it says heavy rain then avoid else you should be fine to travel to Kinnaur with dry weather.
hi everybody,
I completed the kinnaur kalpa tour few days back in the month of June. The road conditions are more or less good. in this trip you will enjoy the spectacular views of Himalayan Range throughout the journey. We didnot book any Hotel prior… but stayed wherever our heart felt like to stay.
Mr. Khem Raj Verma (09816374964/ 08219200108) and his Etios car was our companion. He was a good driver as well as a good travel guide also. He took us to some offbit place namely Bahadarpur. It is a place where one can have serenity of mind. It is also a heaven for the bird watchers. Different species of Himalayan birds are found there.
However, as a child of 09 months was accompanying us, we restrained ourselves to go to lahul spiti. Can anybody suggest whether we can take the child to Lahul Spiti in the age of 02 years??
Verma Ji’s brother Ram Krishna Verma (Mob No. 09736051710/ 09857003270) is also a very well-behaved good driver as well, for travelling around Himachal Pradesh. it is requested to Mr. Dheeraj, kindly add them to the driver’s list…
Thanks…
Just completed trip on Saturday, 10th June, awesome road till Kalpa except few patches. Covered Ludhiana-nalagarh- Rampur, sangla, Chitkul, peo, Pooh, Kalpa Shimla Chandigarh back to Ludhiana with kids. Awesome wather at that time….
Thank you so much Jaspreet for the updates on road conditions, it will be really helpful to many people.
Absolutely right Jaspreet..The road condition is really good except few places. we have completed our journey on 16.06.17 from Kalka to Kalka via Shimla , Sarhan, sangla, chitkul, kalpa, Bahadar Pur.Most probably we crossed each other at road.Got the weather almost clear. Thanks Dhiraj as we got a lot of information from your sight before the trip. We did not booked any hotel only booked one Etios car for four persons and our driver Mr Khemraj Verma was a nice person who easily manage the things in favour of us.He is really not only a good person cum driver but also a good guide and last place where we stayed one day i.e Bahadarpur, a uncommon tourist place fully covered with jungle and have one cottage as well as guest house of forest department and P.W.D. The said Bahadarpur is also the village of our driver cum guide Mr Khemraj Verma (at lower part of the Hill).if any one interested can contact Khemraj Verma ( M No. 9816374964 & his brother Ram Krishna Verma (M No. 9736051710)…
Thank you so much Swapan, I will post the details in the DoW Community thread.
Thanku dheeraj for all our information.i am planning a trip to kinnaur valley in last week of June.is it good time to visit the place?
Secondly I have Toyota Innova to the trip.is it an apt one?
Innova will do fine in Kinnaur Valley and well yeah, end June is good time to travel. Sometimes there are pre-monsoon showers in end June, just check the weather updates and avoid the trip in case it says/warns heavy rains.
Hi guys,
I am also planning in last week of June with my kids in EcoSport, but the weather seems to be no-good. From the 20th June onwards, weather.com is showing T-Storms and Scattered Thunderstorms. https://weather.com/en-IN/weather/tenday/l/INHP0259:1:IN
What do you suggest Dheeraj? Should I go there with kids from 22-29 June and should I book hotels (good resorts) in advance?
@BHUMESH, lets stay connected.
– Hemant
Hemant, June end is too far and weather sites are not that accurate in long-term forecasts. So, better check them near your dates and in case still heavy rains are predicted then avoid. You should check before 3-5 days for weather forecasts.
We are planning to go to kalpa from Chandigarh on 25th of September 2017. On our way we shall stop at sarahan and sangla , shall spend two nights at kalpa and sangla. We are persons of age around 75 years and shall travel by car. We would like to have your comments about any health problems at kalpa (9500 ft). Our health is average with normal blood with medication.
Sir please carry your medicines. I believe as you are doing it at ease, it should be OK. IN case you feel something in Sangla then skip stay at Kalpa though it should be fine because tree line is still there and you can very quickly descend as well to lower altitude. Consult the doctor as well about medication to carry with you too as in remote places, medical facilities are not that great in shape.
Hi dheeraj ,
We are planning for chitkul in mid of June .. we are starting from Karnal .. a little bit confuse about where to take break ..I was planning first stay at narkanda for one day .. then rackcham for 2 days .. then kalpa..Is it good ?? Or please give your suggestion .. and suggest a good taxi driver .. we are one couple .. and suggest good hotels too
Yes sachin, plan looks good to me. You can get connected directly to some drivers in Himachal or Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of the pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3200-3500 per day depending on the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price. If you are 2-3 in the group, you can opt for sedan taxi cars as well which charges around Rs 2200 per day.
Otherwise, taxis, in general, are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands. These drivers can help you with finding local stay options too.
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley.
Can you please suggest itinerary if i club keylong, chandratal lake as well. Also ki.
And also, can i travel these places if I am completely dependent on local transportation. I am planning in july’s last weekend.
Hello Yukti,
I see you want to include Spiti Valley as well in the plan. I will recommend in that case that you read: How to make a budget trip to Spiti Valley by public transport
This will give you an idea about the plan similar to the one mentioned in: Spiti Valley | Most Common Itinerary
Hi Dheeraj,
Will the weather will be fine around 30th August. And the shared taxi which are mentioned in public transportation link, are they easily available?
Yukti
In general, the weather gets fine by end of August as rains reside from North India. Regarding shared taxis, local shared taxis are available on daily basis
Hello Dheeraj,
Thank you for the help.
Can you please suggest best time to visit here after July. I am planning for 29th July but weather seems rainy at this time.
Yes Yukti, 29th July will be peak monsoon for Kinnaur and North India. Best is to avoid that time. You can visit Kinnaur Valley in September and October too.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning for Chitkul from Gurgaon in July first week. trip will be for 5-6 day n I will be going in Swift dzire , self drive. is this vehicle good to go. I will be travelling with siblings . How are the roads these days, any idea ? It would be helpful if you can give information about weather and places to cover in planned duration too.
yes Manisha, the roads to Chitkul – Kinnaur though in the last part are a bit bad but manageable with careful and cautious driving with a sedan and hatches. You need to be careful and in case it rains and there is too much of slush, then better avoid going further if you are not so confident. Regarding places to cover I will recommend to read: Kinnaur Valley – Most Common Itinerary
Thank you so much !!!
Hi Dheeraj
I am planning for Chitkul from Chandigarh in June second week. Thanks that I got most of the information on DoW. I will be going in either Grand I10 or I20 , self drive. Are these vehicles good to go. I will be travelling with my wife and two young daughters (13 and 8). How are the roads these days, any idea ?
Regards
Amit
Amit with careful and cautious driving you will be able to make a trip to Chitkul by hatch or sedans. Roads are frankly bad once you enter Kinnaur but nothing not manageable. 1000s of people do it every year but be very careful and cautious. No need to attempt something outrageous seeing that locals are doing. Be in your limits and know the limits of your vehicle.
helo dheeraj can i rent a house in chitkul where they allow me to keep my dog its a saint bernard cant leav him alone at home and want to travel with him if theres any such option like that do let me know thanks in adavance
REgards
Saurabh
Hey Saurabh,
There will not be any home rental available in Chitkul, so you will have to take the dog with you but I am not sure if they will allow you to take him inside the room or not. You can check with by calling few hotels in case there is any issue or not.
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj
I must say that you have been doing an AMAZING job through these posts and to be honest with you, I have been reading it for a while now. My Laddakh road trip in 2014 was memorable and your blogs helped a lot in planning so a BIG THANK YOU! I always look up to your blog specially for off beat locations and I know that you arrange for a Bike tour etc for Laddakh.
I SO want to visit Chitkul however I have nobody to travel with. I have my own car ( Chevrolet Optra) and I have driven good distances including Delhi to Laddakh, Dras, kargil and back via Manali so I am pretty good with my driving skills.
Are you/your team planning any tour for Chitkul Or can you connect me with anyone who is in similar situation and looking for another soul? I will really appreciate your help!
Many Thanks and keep doing this amazing job. We all look up to you for these helpful details!
Regards
Anurag
9999359694
Hey Anurag,
All is good but I DO NOT arrange any bike tours brother or provide any tour / travel services. There are people who are using a same and similar name of our brand and eluding people for their commercial benefits. Anyways, that is another thorn of successful brand image – Copy cats 🙂
Thank you for your warm words anyhow.
Regards
Dheeraj
Oh! That’s insane! I will report them when I come across another such instance of them misusing your band!
Anyway, You know you have been doing wonderful so continue that way. The original one outshines those fakes 🙂
Let’s hope we can catch up sometime!
Cheers!
Anurag Sharma
Thank you Anurag !! Yeah, sure let’s hope to meet someday
Cheers !!
Regards
Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj Sharma,
Can I go Kinnaur Valley with My Mahindra XUV 500 safely?
Yes XUV is a capable enough vehicle to be taken to Kinnaur Valley
Good article..We,three women are planning to go in the last week of May.Is it a good time?Can you suggest the name of a good taxi driver who can understand English ?
Yes, end of May is a good time to travel to Kinnaur valley to enjoy some cool weather. You may need to get in touch with few drivers and then pick, not really know anyone specific with English speaking skills. You can get connected directly to some drivers in Himachal or Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of the pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3000-3500 per day depending on the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price. If you are 2-3 in the group, you can opt for sedan taxi cars as well which charges around Rs 2200 per day.
Otherwise, taxis, in general, are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands. These drivers can help you with finding local stay options too.
Hi Bindhu
I am looking for travel buddies for Chitkul. I can start on 4th June and have my own vehicle. I stay in New Delhi and can speak English 😛
Please let me know if we can club for this travel.
Regards
Anurag
9999359694
You can also post a travel calendar entry.
Hey Anurag,
Me and my friend is also travelling to kalpa during this time. We will reach there on 10th June. I also wish to visit kinnaur valley. How is your plan on 10th June.
hi ..do we need to book hotels/house stays in advance if we plan to go to Kalpa on about 10 – 15 of june ?
ours is low budget trip, but we need to make sure that we dont run out of accommodation.
If you are running low on budget, it is better to book on the spot as per availability and searching few places in Kalpa.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for a very informative article ! We are planning to travel to Kinnaur in June 2nd week and will be following the itinerary provided by you.
Can you please advice if Volswagen Polo is ok for this trip ? We will be 5 adults. We will go upto Sangla and probably take public transportation to Chitkul because the roads are very scary. But can we make it from Delhi- Sangla safely ? 🙂
Thanks in advance !
Well, yes, with careful driving you can make it to Kinnaur Valley. However, the roads start to get bad from Bhawanagar after which you will need to drive with caution and care. People may need to get out to unload the car at some sections so that it gets a bit more clearance to travel through some sections. Having said that, 10000s of people take hatches/sedans every year to these places.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are a family , planning a 10 days trip to Kinnaur- Spiti valley towards mid June , i.e starting 16th June.Is it a good time for the trip?Are there chances of landslides during this time? Is there any possibility to find apples on trees in Kinnaur? Awaiting your reply.Thanks!
Yes, June is fine to travel to Kinnaur – Spiti Valley with all roads be open by 16th June even from Manali side. Apple trees will be there but not apples. You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.
Hi Mr. Dheeraj, thanks for your informative article. We are 2 adults and one 5yrs old girl. We r planning to visit kinnaur valley in last week of August. Is this a good time to visit the valley? Is there any risk of landslide at that time? Could u please let us know about the shortest route from Delhi to reach there by road?
Thanks in advance.
Hi Rupa,
It would be much better to check the weather during that time and plan the trip. Post monsoon is a good time to travel anyways. If the rains have resided the region, it should be OK to travel but if there are still rain predictions better plan the trip in September. You can refer the article above for routes and itinerary for Kinnaur valley.
Hi Dheeraj,
Planning to visit Kinnaur / Spiti in 3rd week of May 2017 from Chandigarh . Already booked hotels in Rampur , Chitkul & Kalpa till 20th May. My concern is, we are a couple travelling in self driven Hyundai i-20 OR Honda Amaze. Can we go upto Kaza in own car ( considering road condition ) or otherwise can I get a Taxi service from Kalpa / Reckong Peo for Kaza and back while leaving my car at Kalpa ? Any contact details and expected charges ?
Thanks and Regards.
Pradeep you can surely get the taxis but if you OK driving on such roads, the cars should do fine. I have made many trips in my dzire. However, please keep in mind that car does take a beating for sure.
Thanks Dheeraj for prompt response. I have fair amount of experience driving in hills ( being a Himachali ) though never been to Spiti side. Can we comfortably reach from Kalpa to Kaza within day light in our own car OR do you suggest a halt at Nako / Tabo ?
I will highly recommend to sleep at Tabo first before sleeping at Kaza as it will give you less 2 Hrs of drive and also much importantly provide you with acclimatization.
Last week we have been to Shimla and Kinnaur valley trip. For commute we called one of the drivers from DOW drivers list – Saleem. He was so nice that even if he was not able to make it up he told us and arranged another driver : “Khem Raj verma”
Khem Raj verma was very polite and punctual driver. he is very skilled driver based out of shimla. He was familiar with all the routes. He was a good guide and photographer too. he made our trip more memborable and wonderful.
He picked us from Chandigardh and dropped us to chandigardh and charged reasonably.
Could you please add him to the drivers lits of DOW site as well.
His Name: Khem raj Verma
His mobile number:09816374964/09857320041
Thank you so much for sharing the feedback. Added him to the list. What were the charges like for pickup from CHd and then per day for Etios?
Hi Dheeraj, Thanks a lot for Adding Khem Raj ji in drivers list. He charged 2200/- per day. He picked us from Chandigarh Airport and Dropped us as well.
Thank you for the details, I am sure this will be helpful to many others who cannot shell out money for SUVs.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning to visit Kinner camp as per the below schedule next weeks long weekend:
1. Leave delhi at 9pm in innova, overnight journey to shimla.
2. Try to reach shimla by 7 am in morning next day and then continue the journey and reach Kinner camps by 4PM
3. Is the above plan of reaching kinner camps in one go feasible(innova will be driven by taxi driver)
Hmm, it will take about 15-16 hrs to reach Sangla and for sure is going to be hectic plan.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning a trip (2 persons) shimla to Kalpa-Chitkul. Can you please suggest me detailed about bike trip and which places i take in rented .
Thank you.
Avinash, there is no restriction to take bike in Kinnaur Valley. So, you can visit Kinnaur on rented bike without any issues. Below is a plan for Kinnaur Valley
Day 1 | Chandigarh – Sarahan
Day 2 | Sarahan – Sangla Valley
Day 3 | Sangla – Chitkul / Sangla
Day 4 | Chitkul / Sangla – Kalpa
Day 5 | Kalpa – Kotgarh/Narkanda
Day 6 | Kotgarh/Narkanda – Chandigarh
i have an ertiga petrol 2015 can i travel this rout ?
Yes Soma, you can travel to Kinnaur Valley in Ertiga.
I am planning to go 1st sep kalpa sangla chitkul , is it right time to visit ? Can I see apple ? Will you tell me about monsoon ? I want to avoid monsoon .
Prosenjit, it is a good time to visit Kinnaur Valley. If you want to completely avoid it, better plan in mid of September.
Wow.. For such an informative article. Thank you so much. Can you help me with below questions.
1. Is it safe and practical to take 4 year old kid to Kinnaur considering the high altitude.
2. Although quite clear from your post that minimum 6 days itinerary is required from Delhi but is there a possibility to enjoy part of this place with 4 days itinerary from Delhi.
3. What is the best alternate for us in Himachal or Uttarakhand for 4 days in April. I don’t want to go to popular spots like Shimla Manali etc. If you can suggest some offbeat unexplored place that would make my holiday.
Many thanks
Abhi
Hey Abhi,
1. Kinnaur is pretty much fine unless you sleep in Chitkul which can be avoided easily by staying in Sangla. You can do night halts at Narkanda, Sarahan, Sangla, Kalpa
2. In just 4 days it will be very hectic I will say and with kid for sure. You may try Delhi – Sarahan, Sarahan – Sangla, Sangla – Narkanda, Narkanda – Delhi but will be hectic.
3. Go for Chopta/Deoriatal – Tunganath. Or go with Jalori / Tirthan valley
Hellow Mr. Dheeraj Sharmaji,
I and my wife are planning to visit spiti and kinnaur valley in 2nd fortnight of June, 2017 – for 15 days from 17/06/17 to 2/7/17.
I am 59 yrs old and my wife is 56.
I would like to visit pin valley national park and other sights if any as I love animals and birding.
I have some queries.
1. Is June ok to visit. I can change the dates and have no problem. So advise me if to visit in June or should I change the month considering I wish to be there at the most appropriate period.
2. Is it possible to visit great himalayan park and stay at gushaini.
3. Please suggest places I must visit and activities I must do.
4. Kindly suggest me the itinerary with night halt and duration.
5. Also guide me the transportation I should use.
Thanking you in anticipation.
With regards,
Nikhil Wadhavkar
Hello Sir,
1. Yes, second half of June should be good time to visit Spiti valley.
2. On the way back you can stay at Tirthan valley for few days if you want after night at Manali.
3. Refer below
4. Refer below
5. Refer below
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley. You can add more days in between as rest as you have more days at hand, flow will help you.
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3000-3500 per day depending upon the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price.
Otherwise, taxis in general are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley.
You can keep an average of 900-1200 per person per day for food and stay on the tour to Spiti Valley.
I will request that you please refer the following articles for planning a trip to Spiti Valley: Spiti Valley via Manali | How to Plan Your Journey AND Spiti Valley via Kinnaur | How to Plan Your Journey
They have all the details. Feel free to let me know in case of any doubts
We are 6 adults and 5 kids all under 8 years we would like to visit, kalpa and sangla for 6 Nights, kindly send me your mobile number and mail me the travelling distance with how much hours does it take, we will be comming gujarat so kindly guide us how to reach there, from Gujarat we can come to either shimla, Delhi, chandigarh
Bhavik, please read: Kinnaur Valley – Most Common Itinerary, in case you are looking to arrange tour and travel package for us for Kinnaur Valley, kindly get in touch with [email protected]
Hi I am planning to visit sangla valley for 7 nights 8 days, we r 3 adults 1 kid, we want to start journey from chandigarh. Kindly suggest some travel & tour partner. We r planning for the month of may.
You can pretty much follow the plan mentioned under the article: Kinnaur Valley – Most Common Itinerary
Hi Dheeraj, I have already planned trip from march 12 to 17 to Sarahan, sangla, chitkul, kalpa. Let us how would be the weather, can we visit chitkul, suggest any tips. Pls advise any good scenic points
Hi Mukesh,
Weather will be fine in March, a bit cool with cold nights. Chitkul on the other hand may either have just opened or still would not open. In general the road to Chitkul opens by 10th of MArch but all depends upon year to year with snow and all. You should refer: Kinnaur Valley – Most Common Itinerary
Thanks Dheeraj for your inputs. My iternary is as below:
Mar 11 – Chandigarh to Shimla
Mar 12 – Shimla to Sarahan
Mar 13 – Sarahan to Sangla
Mar 14 – Sangla to Chitkul & back to Sangla
Mar 15 – Sangla to Kalpa
Mar 16 – Visit Roghi village
Mar 17 – Kalpa to Chandigarh
During the 2 days spent in Sangla & Kalpa can you suggest some good 1 day trekking options which we can start in the morning and come back in evening
hi Mukesh,
Your itinerary looks fine to me. Well, in kalpa you can walk to the Roghi village while in Sangla there are many walk in the woods available. Even in Chitkul, go for a hike to anywhere.
Hi Dheeraj, I am planning to visit on 9-10-11-12-13 March.
I’ll be coming to Sangla,Chitkul and Kalpa.
Will Chitkul be accessible in march?
Thanks in advance.
In general the road to Chitkul opens by 10th of MArch but all depends upon year to year with snow and all.
Hi Dheeraj, I am planning to visit on 9-10-11-12-13 March.
I’ll be coming to Sangla,Chitkul and Kalpa.
Will Chitkul be accessible in march?
Thanks in advance. 🙂
In general the road to Chitkul opens by 10th of MArch but all depends upon year to year with snow and all.
Hi guys,
I am i barot right now planning to go kinnaur…i would love to visit kalpa and chitkul..
Is it a good time to be there…hv no idea about the road conditions…if any road blocks
Please provide your insights
Thanks
Chitkul is closed and you can only visit Kalpa and Sangla. The road is open right now, please check weather updates before venturing out so that you do not get stuck in case of heavy snowfall.
Hi
We are planning to visit kinnaur from panchkula in March during holi we are 10 people with 2 kids of 1 + and 3+ age and 2 old one of 65 and 60.
How can we plan it with them in 6 days.
By tourist car we want our total journey from panchkula to panchkula.
Details of accommodation too required
Approx budget for our tour require to know.
Please help us.it very urgent to our plan successfull
Priyanka, best will be try to fit in this plan: Kinnaur Valley – Most Common Itinerary but since you starting from Panchkula, I will suggest following for 6-7 days:
Day 1 | Reach Narkanda
Day 2 | Reach Sarahan
Day 3,4 | Reach Sangla and rest there for a day or two
Day 5 | Go over to Kalpa
Day 6 | Start back and stay at Rampur
Day 7 | Reach home
It will be less hectic and in case you want to do in 6 days then it is better to skip Kalpa and focus on Sangla only.
Hi
We are planning for Sangla valley , chitkul after 18 May for 6 nights 7 days .Is this the right period to travel from mumbai.
What should be the itinery ?
Are the PWD resthouses and forest rest houses are safe cause are only one couple and our kid ?
Yes May is a good time to travel to Kinnaur Valley. You can follow: Kinnaur Valley Sample Itinerary | Kalpa – Sangla – Sarahan
Hi, Dheeraj,
Kudos for the article! I’ve been longing to visit this place and this feb, im planning to make a trip. There are few questions-
1. Road conditions in Feb. How much is the possibility of us facing a landslide? What about snow?
2. How much is the average cab fare from Shimla to Sarahan & Kinnaur?
3. Will there be too much snow at this time so we carry clothes accordingly?
Also comment on my rough itinerary –
Shimla to Sarahan – halt.
Next day, move to Sangla and stay there. visit Chitkul and return same day to Sangla.
Next day Sangla to Kalpa and other areas close by.
Next day return to Shimla
Hi Vishal,
1. Roads are blocked especially for Chitkul and in case of heavy snowfall during those days of travel, even Sangla may be closed. However, you can make the trip if you are OK with such surprises.
2. Taxis charge around 3400-3500 per day
3. Yes, there will be plenty of snow in Feb in Kinnaur Valley and Narkanda too
Chitkul will be closed and as said Sangla could be closed too. So, keep plan felxible and with readiness to surprises.
Can we go here with our i10 grand car safely
Yes Yudhvir, you can drive i10 on the roads of Kinnaur Valley but in slush stretched it will need some skill and caution to maneuver . So drive with care in such roads. Also, roads are bad so car will surely take some beating.
Hi Dheeraj!
I am planning a family trip (4 persons) to Kinnaur Valley. I would like to cover Shimla-Saharan-Sangla-Kalpa-Spiti Valley in about 10 days. Can you please suggest me a detailed itinerary for the entire trip? Thank you in advance.
You can check a very balanced and most common itinerary for Spiti Valley followed by many travellers including me at the link here for 10-11 days: Most Common Itinerary for Spiti Valley.
You can get connected directly to some drivers in Spiti Valley or Kinnaur Valley at the link: List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley. These drivers can come and pick you up from Manali / Shimla / Delhi / Chandigarh too, of course with a price of pickup as well.
The rates of the taxis are about Rs 3000-3500 per day depending upon the number of days you plan to travel, more the days, less the price.
Otherwise, taxis in general are also available on the spot from Shimla or Manali from respective taxi stands
For stay options in Kinnaur and Spiti, check the link: Some Good Options of Stays in Spiti Valley / Kinnaur Valley.
You can keep an average of 900-1200 per person per day for food and stay on the tour to Spiti Valley.
I will request that you please refer the following articles for planning a trip to Spiti Valley: Spiti Valley via Manali | How to Plan Your Journey AND Spiti Valley via Kinnaur | How to Plan Your Journey
They have all the details. Feel free to let me know in case of any doubts