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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If you have been to Kinnaur Valley, kindly share your thoughts and other information you might feel will be worth sharing with other fellow travelers and help them travel better.
Finally, in case, If you know your friends or family are planning a road trip to Kinnaur, then do share this article with them to help them make a memorable trip as well.
966 Comments
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Hi Dheeraj,
First thing I always follow your articles whenever I travel to Himalaya’s, they are very useful and helping, thank you, really appreciate!…
We are planning to visit Kalpa on 27th Sep to 30th Sep 18 from Chandigarh. Based on the current weather conditions is it ok to travel during this period? Also we have 3years old kid with us. Please suggest.
Thanks!
Hi Dheeraj,
Any updates on Chandigarh Kalpa route?
Thanks
The road up to Kalpa is open from Shimla. Further to Spiti is closed
Hi Dheeraj,
That was a very informative article! 🙂
My friend and I are planning to go to Chitkul in December first week. Extreme cold is not an issue but I would like to know if Chitkul is accessible at that time (considering roads and public transport).
Chitkul might not be accessible during that time in general. However, past couple of years roads were open in December. I will recommend that you do not plan to stay in Chitkul during that time rather make a day trip from Sangla in case the road is open.
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 DwD 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 info@offbeatescapes.com
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
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning for a Kinnaur Valley trip in June 2017. Apart from Sarahan, Kalpa, Sangla, Chitkul we would like to cover Manali.
We want to start from Delhi to Manali and from thereon enter the Kinnaur Valley. Could you please suggest an itinerary for the same.
We will be reaching Delhi on a Saturday morning. The whole trip time is between 9th June 2017 to 18th June 2017.
Thanks
Arijit Chaudhury
Hello Arijit,
You can follow the below plan of 10 days for Manali and Kinnaur Valley
Day 1 | Reach Manali and rest for the day
Day 2 | Manali Local sightseeing including Manu Temple, Hadimba Temple, Local Monastery, Shopping at Mall road etc etc
Day 3 | Manali – Marhi Snow Points towards Rohtang Pass – Solang Valley – Manali
– You can enjoy the first half of the day at snow point of Manali and if interested may also visit Solang Valley for other adventure activities
Day 4 | Manali – Naggar Castle – Shoja / Jalori Pass
Day 5 | Shoja – Jalori Pass – Rampur – Sarahan
Day 6 | Sarahan – Sangla Valley – Rakcham
Day 7 | Rakcham – Chitkul/Rakcham
Day 8 | Chitkul/Rakcham – Kalpa
Day 9 | Kalpa – Narkanda
Day 10 | Narkanda – Delhi
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your detailed & minute guidance and helpful tips. Me & my husband are planning to visit Kinnaur valley & Manali in this January.Below is our plan. Please guide me if this plan is at all feasible during that time or not.
We will reach shimla on 25/1/16 hopefully by 11 am. Actually we have only 8 days leaves ,so we need to get return to Bangalore on 2nd Feb’17. But we want to cover Shimla, Narkanda, Sangla,Chitkul,Kamru ,Kalpa ,Sarahan then kulu & Manali. We are planning to book a taxi from Simla or to avail HPTDC bus services:
25/1/17: Shimla (stay)-local sight seeing
26/1/17 -Shimla- Manali(stay)
27/1/17-Manali-Naggar -& local sight seeing Manali(stay)
28/1/17-Manali-solang valley-Kulu(stay)
29/1/17-Kulu-Sarahan – Sangla Valley-kumru-chitkul(stay)
30/1/17-chitkul-kalpa-narkanda(stay)
31/1/17-narkanda-kufri-masobora-shimla
1/2/17-shimla -chandigarh
2/2 chandigarh-bangalore
If this is not feasible,please do give your suggestion
Madhu, I will suggest little tweaks to the plan and recommend the below itinerary:
25/1/17: Shimla (stay)-local sight seeing
26/1/17 – Shimla – Kalpa (check weather conditions before leaving)
27/1/17- Kalpa – Rest day at Kalpa
28/1/17- Kalpa – Sangla (if open), Chitkul will be closed anyhow
29/1/17- Sangla – Sarahan – Rampur
30/1/17- Rampur – Manali
31/1/17- Manali and around
1/2/17- Manali – chandigarh by night volvo
2/2 Reach early morning at Chandigarh and back home
Thanks a ton Dheeraj!.
But I want to go to Solang Valley and Rothang also. Will it be possible to cover those places also ? After reading to your other articles and comments I came to know that Spiti is beyond our plan,though we wanted to visit there,but probably it will be too risky for honeymooners like us,so we decided to avoid it .Moreover I want to go to Kulu also, so when should I plan for Kulu on 30th Jan or on 1st Feb?, Please help.
And one more thing. I am not booking any hotels right now.After reaching there,depending on the weather condition we will book there itself. What is your suggestion regarding that ?
And do we need to book the taxi by contacting them with the provided list of no.s prior few days or can we book taxi after reaching there also ?
Please provide your valuable suggestions.
Madhu, hotels shall be OK I will say because there wont be much tourist around and you will surely get the bookings. Good that you decided not to try out Spiti and Kinnaur shall be fine. Also, in the days you are in Manali, you can visit both Solang Valley and snow point up to which road is open towards Rohtang Pass. Solang Valley you can cover while coming down from the snow point. Kullu has nothing but a big town and in any case you will be passing through it while traveling from Rampur to Manali. You should do Solang snow point tour on 31st.
You can have both the options, having taxi on the spot or booking from here too.
Hello Dheeraj,
We are planning trip on 29th dec 2016 to 1 Jan 2017 from chandigarh to chitkul/Sangla/Kalpa on bikes. We are group of 6 people, 2 on each bike. Please suggest us itinerary and other precautions as well. If you have any contact for home stay’s then please provide.
Thanks a lot
Simar
Simar, for sure 3-4 days will be hectic and also in case of snow during those days roads might also be closed around Narkanda. 2 persons on bike with slippery road may not do good as well. You can plan to ride to Sarahan/Rampur/Jeori on the first day and then next day reach Sangla. Day 3 starts back and stay at Narkanda and finally return to Chandigarh. Plan for worse as well in cae you are unable to move ahead of Chandigarh.
Thank you so much Dheeraj. If chitkul and sangla is not accessible can you please suggest us some other place to visit(not crowded one) as per our vacation is for 4 days.
Thank you so much.
Well, you have Sarahan where you can spend and Sangla should be acccessible in case it has not snowed alot. 4 days, I will say two days will be done in traveling and then you will have one day to Sarahan. So, try to keep Sangla, Sarahan in mind.
MyComment
Hi Dheeraj,
Fist of I like to thank you for your effort and helping may tourist like me.
Now I like to place my query , we are group of 13 people including 2 kids of age 1 is 6 years and 1 is 14 years. 3 old persons in the age of 65 – 75. Plan already done. Hotels, ticket (up & down) everything is done. Our Tour starts from from Howrah on 09/12/2016. Attached is the tour itinerary.
11/12/2016 -DAY 1 :- KALKA – SHIMLA (STAY)
12/12/2016 – DAY 2 :- SHIMLA-KUFRI-FAGU-SARAHAN (STAY)
13/12/2016 – DAY 3 :- SARAHAN-BHIMAKALI TEMPLE-SANGLA (STAY)
14/12/2016 – DAY 4 :- SANGLA – CHITKUL – KALPA (STAY)
15/12/2016 – DAY 5 :- KALPA – LOCAL SS – KALPA (STAY)
16/12/2016 – DAY 6 :- KALPA -RAMPUR-SHOJA (STAY)
17/12/2016 – DAY 7 :- SHOJA – MANIKARAN – MANALI (STAY)
18/12/2016 – DAY 8:- MANALI – LOCAL SS – MANALI (STAY)
19/12/2016 – DAY 9 :- MANALI -SNOW POINT (UPTO POSSIBLE) (STAY)
20/12/2016 – DAY 10 :- MANALI – KALKA RLY STN – TOWARDS HOWRAH
Question :
Indeed we have taken a risk for selecting such a time. Taking everything in mind as mentioned above kindly advice what precautionary measures should we take for a safe and hassle free journey.
Swagatam
Swagatam, Chitkul will be out of reach in case it snows. Many hotels go nonoperational in Kinnaur in winters. Start each day early enough that sun is shining and you have enough daylight to make it to the day. Rest it looks fine and balanced to me.
Hi Dheraj,
Thanks a lot for your early response. Kindly advise us for the following since we have small kids as well as aged persons:-
1. Medications required for high altitude sickness
2. Medications required for motion sickness
3. What type of layering dress will you recommend for all of us since we will be there in Kinnaur mid December
4. As advised at what time in the morning should we start our journey to make it for the day.
Thanks
Swagatam.
1. There is not much of high altitude in Kinnaur. Apart from Chitkul you wont face any issues at all.
2. You can consult the doctor for it so that he can prescribe based upon medical history.
3. You should all have at least couple of pairs of inner thermals, then sweatshirt, then light jacket/fleece jacket, something to protect from wind or block wind else one heavy jacket over sweatshirt.
4. You should not get late more than 8.30 AM in case you are making a trip of more than 140+ KMs in a day.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are two people will reach at Delhi on 30th November. We are planning to go Shimla, Prashar lake, Kullu, Manali, Rohtang pass, Kalpa, Peo, Sangla & Chitkul. After this we are planning “Auli” also.
So can you please prepare an itinerary for us ?? We have around 15 days in our hand. And my friend is from German , so any special permission needed in any of these places ?
Thanks in advance .
Jubeesh, in 15 days you are already covering lot of things up there and I am sure you intend to plan to travel slow. These 15 days include trip to Auli as well? No permission needed to visit these places.
Hi Dheeraj,
Fist of I like to thank you for your effort and helping may tourist like me.
Now I like to place my query , we are group of 17 people including 2 kid of 3 years age planning to visit Kinnaur Valley from Delhi Month of April likely after 15th April for 6 days.
Don’t want to visit Shimla as I have visited earlier
Question :
1. Can you please tell me is that a good time to visit ?
2. Can you please suggest me an itinerary for the trip ?
3. Ca you please suggest some budget hotel with clean accommodation for such a big group we required 5 room?
4 . Is that fine to travel with kid 3 years old ?
5. For such a big group we required a TT (Tempo traveler ) is that fine to travel with TT ? or do you suggeat any alternative ?
6. If TT is fine from where we can book ?
Sorry for long question list , waiting for your reply eagerly….
Thanks
Samiran
Hi Dheeraj,
Planning to visit kinnaur ( sangla, chitkul, kalpa, sarahan) from 20th Oct to 25oct, max 6 days from delhi by self drive from alto car.
suggest
1. is it right time not crowded and doable by small car ALTO, road condition
2. how is nov 1st week for the same trip
thanks in adv.
Hi Gaurav,
1. Yes time is fine and there will not be much crowd. Alto should be OK for most of it, drive carefully at some sections which might be tricky.
2. Better plan 20-25 Oct as it will be less cold and far more chances of seeing Chitkul
Also tell me these things.
1. do we able to see snow/snow fall in this time 20-25oct in near by any place.
2. which places are better to stay night half, that are budget and easily avail, If u know any contact for home stay in these region do share.
2. do u help in getting a driver from narkanda/fagu on 2nd day, if u know number of any driver/travel agency do share.
thanks
1. No snow will be around during that time unless it snows that very days or day before
2. Good Hotels or Accommodation options in Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley
3. List of Taxi Drivers for Spiti Valley & Kinnaur Valley
We just came back from kinnaur trip. Enjoyed a lot there. We booked tavera car for the trip and innova for delhi pick up and drop. Our driver was very very good in driving tricky roads. We went through jalori pass to reach manali and he took us smoothly and in deadly roads of kinnaur he took us very smoothly. Name of the driver rajbir. Ph number 9816870767. Give my reference kolkata se madam Ji se mila number. Anyone want to go to kinnaur needs a really good driver
Thank you so much Soma, his name has been added in the drivers list: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/himalayan-travel-guides/taxi-drivers-spiti-valley-kinnaur-valley-t849.html#p6746
Hi Dheeraj,
Iam planning a trip to kinnaur vally from delhi by Bullets. In February 3rd week.
Is it good time or can you recommend a seven days within February and march?.
And is spity possible on that time?
Hello Kiran,
Well, I have been to Spiti in March so saying possible or not, well yes possible. But, would you like to do it in such a harsh climate and time? Regarding Kinnaur, I will say it will be good time with tons of snow around where you can enjoy. 7 days is a good time and you can refer the itinerary mentioned in the article above for your kinnaur valley trip.
Hello Dheeraj,
Could you kindly tell me, if it is at all possible to visit Kinnaur with 4 Days in hand. I am in Noida. I would like to travel on Friday evening and be back here in Noida on Wednesday Morning.
Planning to travel on 7th October and return to Noida 12th. Is it the good Time ?
Will be travelling by Bus.
If its possible, what is the possible Route, Delhi-Shimla and ?
What Places can I visit ?
Thank you in Advance.
Rakesh Vadla
Possible, yes. But recommended, No. It will be very hectic trip in just 4 days. It will take two days to reach Kalpa and then same two days to come back.
Hello Dheeraj,
thank you very much for your Feedback.
Regards,
Rakesh Vadla
Best wishes for your trip 🙂
What will be the weather conditions in sangla and kalpa in mid November??will it be possible to do camping in CHITKUL during that time??
Camping will not be possible during that time of the year and Chitkul might not be accessible due to snow on road in case it snows heavy by that time. It will be too cold to camp out there. Even in Kalpa and Sangla conditions will be quite cold, almost sub zero at night.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning visit kinnaur and Spiti valley on first week of october 2016.
I am having lower back problem, will pain get retaliate after travelling with SUV (Innova) for all the places as mentioned below.
Could you please let me know the road condition as per the route mention.
Your valuable suggestion will advise me to go ahead with my tour plan, otherwise will cancel it.
Day 1: Shimla to Sarahan
Day 2: Sarahan to Sangla
Day 3: Sangla local sightseeing Rakchham,Chitkul,Kamru Ford
Day 4: Sangla to Kalpa.Kalpa local sightseeing
Day 5: Kalpa to Tabo
Day 6: Tabo to Kaza sightseeing
Day 7: Kaza local sightseeing or Losar
Day 8: Kaza to Chandratal – Rohtang pass
Day 9: Manali
Day 10: Kullu Manikaran Rewalsar
Day 11: Rewalsar to Chandigarh
Thanks,
Ayan B
Please refer: Updated – Delhi – Kinnaur – Spiti Valley | Road Conditions
Hi Dheeraj,
In coming mid of October I have booked my trip to Kalpa Kinnaur. I have few quaries.
1) how will be the temperature of Rakcham/Chitkul during this time?
2) whether there is any possible chance of snowing during this time Kalpa, Rakcham or in Chitkul?
3) will it be possible an one day trip from Kalpa to Nako & come back to Kalpa in same day as side seeing?
My itinerary is,
Day-1 Chandigarh to Chail
Day-2 Chail to Sarahan
Day-3 Sarahan to Rakcham
Day-4 Rakcham to Chitkul & O/N stay in Rakcham
Day-5 Rakcham to Kalpa
Day-6 Kalpa
Day-7 Kalpa to Narkanda
Day-8 Narkanda to Shimla
Day-9 Shimla to Kalka
Hi Jayanta,
1. Sangla/Chitkul at nights will be close to 0-5 deg C.
2. Yes, possible in Chitkul but could only be flurries.
3. Yeah, possible will take about 8 Hrs.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planing to visit Kinnaur valley in the month of March,2017 (20th to 30th). Is it good time to visit Kinnaur Valley and what should be the plan. please advice.
Regards
Dipankar Biswas
Yes Dipankar, it will be good time to visit Kinaaur Valley and there will be snow around as well Road to Chitkul may not be open though.
Contact rajbir. He is a driver from himachal. He is an expert about himachal tour. Contact number 9816870767. Tell him kolkata se madam Ji se mila number. We just came from kinnaur. It’s a superb place.he was our driver and guided and helped us a lot. Ask him about weather road condition and guide you where you should take night hault and how to plan the where to go.
Thank you so much Soma, his name has been added in the drivers list: https://discoverwithdheeraj.com/india/himalayan-travel-guides/taxi-drivers-spiti-valley-kinnaur-valley-t849.html#p6746
Hi Dheeraj,
Is it possible to reach nako from chitkul in one day by own vechile.
Thanks,
Vineet
Yes Vinnet, Chitkul to Nako is easily doable in one day.
Hi Dheeraj,
I am travelling with my cousins on a trip from New Delhi to Shimla>>Sarahan>>Kalpa.Its a 5 day trip.We would be travelling next week.
Is it a good time to visit Sarahan and kalpa.What are the road conditions taking monsoon into consideration. Also which mobile network coverage is better in Sarahan and Kalpa as most of us are having Vodafone operator.
Awaiting your response.
Thanks,
Akshi
Akshita, the roads conditions will eba bit bad especially if it rains in these days with slush around. If it is like a dry spell for few days, it should be OK. Kalpa and Sarahan both have network connectivity.
Hi
I am trying to get in touch (since yesterday) with a friend who was supposed to be in Sarahan today, but his mobile is coming as switched off (dont know if its network issue).
He is travelling alone and hence cant call anyone with him. Is there anyway to figure out how to reach him in Sarahan?
Arvind, you can try calling Bhimkali Temple or HPTDC Hotel in Sarahan if they can help.
Vishnu,
We are planning for the below. What would be your recommendation. Based on your notion, we could expand the plan.
Month: July 2017 (Dates, we will plan in short)
Destinations (to the possible amongst the list): Shimla, Kinnaur , Sangla, Kalpa, Kaza, Spiti
Duration of Travel: Minimum 4 Nights and 5 Days
Thanks
5 days are tight for Kinnaur Valley and extremely tight for Spit Valley unless you want to eat and sleep on road only.
I am planning to go to chitkul , will leave from shimla on 18th aug, want to get back to delhi by 22nd aug. My drive is a swift dezire. what are the current road conditions and if its feasible to travel now.
Please guide!!!
Well, nothing major has reported but landslides are common in these days. So, drive with care and caution. 5 days from Shimla for Chitkul is a good time.
Hi Dheeraj,
Any idea how much the local drivers charge for Shimla to Kalka? I am leaving my cab(contacted Mr Dilip from Dow list) in Shimla on the day before our return jouney. I have to book a cab then for Shimla to Kalka.
How long dose it take normally? I have my return train at 11.45 night (Kalka mail), for that When should I start from Shimla.
Sorry Tanay, but why to leave the cab. He can drop you there next day else you will get plenty of taxis in Shimla for a drop to Kalka
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your reply. The reason I am leaving the cab is that we have already visited Shimla last time. This time I have kept one day in Shimla only for rest that is the reason I dont want to keep the cab. We wont be visiting any places, so if I keep the cab , I have to pay 3100 for that day unnecessarily.
If I get to know how much the local drivers charge for Shimla to Kalka and how long does it take, I can make the plan accordingly.
Aah, I see. In that case it will be good to drop the cab and you can book a cab for Kalka drop from Shimla. I am sorry about the drop charges to Kalka from Shimla but it should be around 2000-2500 types at max.
Dear,
Dheeraj Sharma
• I am planing for go to Kinnaur, kalpa, sangla chitkul Kaza ,chandertal by my own jeep , Mohindra Bolero. Can it be possible to travel by Mohindra Bolero. Planing to start the trip by 12 to17 SEP 2016 . Please advice & plan my trip
Yes Jaswinder, bolero will do great on these roads of Spiti Valley and Kinnaur valley. However, the number of days seems less to me and you should plan about 9 days of Spiti trip to make some sense of it else you will just be on road only.
Hi ,
Me Ahana from kolkata . We wants visit himachal Pradesh in the month of December. We are two family and I have a 8 yrs old child we will start from kolkata on 23rd December and reached simla.we will do a planning for 6 night and seven day trip .please guide us the route you suggest for us simla manali kinnor koilash or sangla kalpa chitkul simla manali.
Ahana, it will surely be quite cold in December in Kinnaur valley. So, please go prepared with heavy woolens. Regarding tour plan:
Day 0 | Reach Kalka and move to Shimla/Narkanda
Day 1 | Shimla/Narkanda – Sangla Valley
Day 2 | Sangla – Chitkul / Sangla
Day 3 | Chitkul / Sangla – Kalpa
Day 4 | Rest at Kalpa
Day 5 | Kalpa – Sarahan
Day 6 | Sarahan – Chail/Shimla
Day 7 | Chail/Shimla – Delhi
Chitkul, will be closed so keep it limited to Sangla Valley
Hi dheeraj do organise the trip shimla to kinnaur or spiti.on any 4*4 . How many days we need and accommodation and what the cost of trip and shuld my bagback need.pls whtsapp me first and call me 9996399964 or give me ur no:..or send it on my Facebook the same email add.
Jitin, we do not organize any tour and travel programs. The above article will help you in detail on how to go about planning a trip to Kinnaur Valley
What season were these pics taken? Will there be glaciers in the month of August in Chitkul? Thanks
No Puneet in August there is either no or very less remains of snow present, these pics are mostly from March – April
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to do Spiti Kalpa Kinnaur during 14 to 24-SEP-2016. Could you please let me know if Myles self driven cars are allowed on this route, is there any special permit that might help. Also need your suggestion on the route…we r to start form Delhi at around 12 noon on 14-SEP-2016….
Regards,
Dr. Bardhan
Yes Dr. Bardan, self driven cars are allowed in Spiti Valley or other parts of Himachal. 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 Dheeraj, Im planning to visit Chitkul in September covering the entire stretch starting from Shimla. As of now i would be solo travelling. Could you please help me with an itinerary for the same? I want to start on a Friday night from Delhi and come back the next saturday. Havent decided on the dates yet. But i want to see Chitkul at its best. Please suggest on the local travel options too. Look forward to hearing from you on the same.
Thanks.
Tripti
Hi Tripti, you have enough days at hand. You can follow the plan like below:
Day 1 | Reach Shimla and rest for the day.
Day 2 | Next morning take the bus from Shimla to Sangla and stay there
Day 3 | Take shared cab to Chitkul village and spend time there, you can come back the next day and reach Kalpa
Day 4 | From kalpa, move to Tabo covering Nako
Day 5 | Tabo to Kaza
Day 6 | Around Kaza
Day 7 | Kaza – Chandratal
Day 8 | Chandratal – Manali, take the evening volvo to Delhi
Thank you for putting up this information. Its really helpful and that’s where my question comes from. Planning to visit Sangla Valley during the week of 15th August. WIll leave from Gurgaon by about 12am on 13th August and would want to be back by night of 19th August. Vehicle is a Diesel Fiat Punto with claimed 185mm GC. Please help me create a plan and also if the said week will be fine for this trip.
Hi Kumar, you can follow below plan:
13: Reach Narkanda and sleep over there
14: Narkanda – Sangla
15: Sangla – Chitkul/Sangla
16: Chitkul/Sangla – Kalpa
17: Kalpa – Sarahan
18: Sarahan – Delhi, a bit long drive but doable.
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your quick response. One main question is can all these places be covered in a Fiat Punto and is Mid- August a good time to go to these places ?
Now to the itinerary, Have made a few changes and basis that have 1 more day in hand on 18th Aug. Where do you suggest I should go or should i just keep an extra day of stay at Sangla or Kalpa to stay and relax. Will be with my 5 year son so long treks are out of question, shorter ones can be done
13-Aug Reach Narkanda by afternoon
14-Aug Narkanda to Sangla
15-Aug Sangla – Chitkul – Sangla
16-Aug Sangla – Kalpa
17-Aug Kalpa
18-Aug
19-Aug Kalpa to Narkanda
20-Aug Narkanda to Gurgaon
21-Aug Sunday – rest at home sweet home
Yes Kumar, these places can be done in Punto but of course due to low GC you will face challenges at places. The itinerary is very relaxed, do Kalpa to Sarahan then Sarahan to Narkanda and spend one more day in Sangla/Chitkul instead of Kalpa.
Please be sure it will be monsoons and Kinnaur mountains are fragile, so expect slush, landslides at places.
Hi. Me n my wife are planning to travel to sangla, sarahan, chitkul & reckong next wk on honda CBR 250R. We’ll reach shimla on 28th july. Would u pls guide me if its doable during these days & the road conditions in these areas. We r planning to return to delhi by 31st night. Pls chalk out an itinerary for us & give ur valuable advice for the trip.
Thanks
Dr. Syed
Roads are in general OK, there was a flash flood in Batseri village in Sangla valley which has damaged the roads up there but rest most of the roads are fine. Of course that narrow diversion of Tapri to Cholling – Urni is a bit mess when it rains with slush.
Sir,
We are planning to visit kinnaur valley,Spitti Valey and Chandartala from this sunday(24-07-2016) from chandigarh and we having 7 days of time Please suggest how to plan the trip and we are using our own vehicle I20 Diesel is it ok????We are 4 boys. ….
Ankur, i20 will badly struggle with low ground clearance on this route. Expect some damage in the under belley of the car especially on Gramphu – Battal route. You have less days in hand and doing the entire circuit does not make any sense but sitll if you want to do below is the plan
Day 1 | Delhi – Narkanda
Day 2 | Narkanda – Kalpa
Day 3 | Kalpa – Nako – Tabo
Day 4 | Tabo – Dangkar – Pin Valley – Kaza
Day 5 | Kaza and around (Ki, kibber, gette, hikkim, komik, langza – Choose whatever you possibly can)
Day 6 | Kaza- Kunzum Pass – Chandratal – Manali
Day 7 | Manali – Delhi
Sir den please plan our tour accordingly as we having i20 and having 7 days…
This is what I can suggest in 7 days
Day 1 | Delhi – Narkanda
Day 2 | Narkanda – Kalpa
Day 3 | Kalpa – Nako – Tabo
Day 4 | Tabo – Dangkar – Pin Valley – Kaza
Day 5 | Kaza and around (Ki, kibber, gette, hikkim, komik, langza – Choose whatever you possibly can)
Day 6 | Kaza- Kunzum Pass – Manali
Day 7 | Manali – Delhi
Sir and i20 will be ok on dis route ???and sir we wre travelling from chandigarh…
Ankur, bhai, surely i20 will suffer on this route especially from Kaza to Manali. Do expect some bruises under belly and if not driven with care can also leak / damage the engine sump
Thanks sir…. Nd if we do one thing that go via shimla to kaza and if we having tym den chandartala also and back from the same route den it will be ok??? Or still any problem and car can be damage???
Ankur, that part of the road is less troublesome but the moment you cross Losar and start for Kunzum Pass and then to Chandratal, you will indeed face challenges. Once safe thing is to do Chandratal trip in a taxi and then return from Kinnaur side only.
Thanks a lot sir….. We will start our journey tomm… Nd later will comment here… Sir can we expect some snow after losar???or there will be no snow now days…
No bhai there will not be any snow now. This year has been exceptional anyways due to scanty snowfall in Himalayas.
Lol no snow… Hum to dekhne hi vahi ja re the… To bro koi aisi jgah hi btado jaha ja sake nd snow bhi dekhne ko mil jaye…
Bhai ab next season mein hi snow milegi kahin bhi. October end k baad at some places and then December end k baad at many places.
Sir We completed the circuit on I20 in 6 days from jalandhar to Jalandhar We started our journey from Jalandhar on Monday 25-07-2016 and we were back on saturday 30-07-2016. It was awesome but on I20 it was dangerous….. I will write in detail when I will get time.
Thanks a lot sir
Awesome Ankur, that is great to know. Yes, please do share the experience with some photos with us in DwD Community. I am sure this will be helpful to many.
hello Dheeraj
we r planning to visit shimla -kinnure-manali at the time of this year x-mass…so can we able to visit that palaces at that time…
Dheeraj Sharma,
Excellent article on the tribal sector. I propose to visit during November 2016. Some basic preferences given for your kind advice.
Reaching Chandigarh on 25th of Nov.2016 (Early Morning by Kalka Mail)
Would like to have a soft start after two days on the train. Narkanda, or similar, which can be accessed by a maximum of 4hrs. journey.
The next day onwards you may advise for stay at Saharan, Sangla & Kalpa and back. The stay at these places can be of 2 days each.
Also require a dedicated transport throughout the tour.
We are 2 persons around 67 years of age.
Also required suggestions regarding hotels at that time of the year and approximate cost thereon.
Please advise on the estimated cost and you are free to suggest a reliable tour package operator if you feel so.
Sir, your plan seems fine to me. I hope you are just visiting Kinnaur only.
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.
Dheeraj Sharma,
A few more questions before finalising my tour. First, Many thanks for the prompt and encouraging reply, it feels like November is too far away.
We are an elderly couple aged around 67 years. Whether the climate at that time of the year would be suitable? Does it snow at that time? An approx. idea of the day and night temperatures.
I was actually looking for a ready made package, since I felt that it may rob us of the enjoyment if we get involved in day to day hotel checking and finding simple food, arranging for transport, etc.
Please feel free to advise us and we would proceed accordingly.
With regards
Anup Mitra
Sir, yes it snows at that time, especially in Chitkul. The nights will be quite cold but bearable, days will be cold too but in sun it will be OK. You can go ahead and talk to info@offbeatescapes.com for ready made packages if required. they should be able to arrange hotel as well as taxi for you. From Shimla, you can book a volvo from HPTDC yourself online.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning to visit sangla valley in the coming days. We are leaving from Chandigarh at 4 p.m. On Thursday and wish to come back on Monday evening . We wish to visit Sarahan also. We are looking for a personal camping space in our tent in sangla. Please suggest how to plan the trip and where to find a personal camping ground for one day???
God bless you , with regards
R.k. Garg
Hello Rakesh,
Thursday: Reach Shimla/Fagu and rest for the night
Friday: Reach Sangla Valley and take rest
Saturday: Sangla Valley – Chitkul
Sunday: Sangla/Chitkul – Sarahan
Monday: Sarahan – Chandigarh
Hi Dheeraj,
First of all thanks for this great write up with lots of information. I need your help to design a tour to cover Kalpa, Sangla, Sarahan, Chitkul in October last week. We are 9 people in group and planning for a 10 days trip from Kolkata. Unfortunately 10 days including journey therefore we just have 6 nights-7 days to start from Shimla and get back to Kalka. (we will start from Shimla on 24th October and need to reach Kalka by 29th October night to catch Kalka Mail).
We have design a tour plan and here it is:
23rd : Staying in Shimla(or after reaching Shimla via Shibalik, going to Sangla if possible, I am not sure about that)
24th: Shimla to Sangla
25th Sangla to Rakcham/Chitkul
26th Rakcham/Chitkul to Kalpa
27th Kalpa to Sarahan
28th Kalpa to (not decided, looking for some offbeat place in downwards from where reaching Kalka is easy/ or Kalpa if Kalpa to Kalka is doable in one day by car)
29th : Either Kalpa to Kalka or reaching Kalka from the last suggested spot by you.
29th Night: Kalka Mail
Kindly provide me inputs about this tour plan or suggest a better one. We wont like to miss the opportunity of travelling through Shivalik.
Ksuhik
Kolkata
I will suggest following:
23rd : Staying in Shimla(or after reaching Shimla via Shibalik, going to Sangla if possible, I am not sure about that)
24th: Shimla to Sarahan
25th Sarahan to Sangla Valley
26th Sangla Valley – Chitkul
27th Chitkul to Kalpa
28th Kalpa to Narkanda
29th : Narkanda – Chail
29th Night: Chail – Kalka Mail
Hi Dheeraj,
Thanks for your response. I would like to inform you we like to avoid Rampur and Narkanda and Chail as our night stay spot for 28th. We are looking for some offbeat destination on our way down which is less crowded. Kindly suggest some place for the same where we can stay on 28th.
I would also like to know do you suggest booking home-stay in those areas or booking hotel is better option? and if you have the updated car rates in those area kindly provide me the same or provide some driver’s contact number who can give Tempo-traveller.
Waiting for your response
Kushik
You can do Daranghati in that case. Both have pros and cons, in the end it is matter of personal preference. 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.
Thank you for your reply. We got a package quotation of Rs. 8500/- (Shimla to Kalka; without lunch, Shimla sight seen and Shimla Hotel). The tour operator suggest us to stay one night at Fagu while coming down from Kalpa. He also design the plan as 2 night stay in Rakcham. What is your suggestion? is it better to do 1 night in Rakcham and one night in Sangla or 1 night each in Rakcham and Chitkul and just cover Sangla valley as sight seen spot? Is the cost justified(accommodation in deluxe room, MAPI plan, sight seen, tempo traveller included in package)
Please suggest some home stay option in Kalpa, Sangla, Sarahan and Chitkul. I have find out lots of name in the link but looking for some feedback’s or direct suggestion to shortlist a few so that we can communicate directly before taking any decision regarding whether to go with travel agent or book on our own.
Yea Rackcham is good, it is very ner to Sangla. Sangla is a valley where Rakcham and Chitkul falls in it. Not sure what package details are. 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.
helo Dheeraj,
Can you suggest any home stay near Narkanda or Kotgarh. We are looking for budget accommodation with dinner and breakfast. If you can suggest any home stay. We don’t mind if it is out curse of the places or even some KM ahead of Narkanda towards Sangla also.
Kushik, I have no contact of home stay at Narkanda. You can actually go in and try to stay at PWD Rest Houses nearby Narkanda, that’s what I do in general and pay around 600-700 bucks for 2-3 people per night. Of course, for food do not expect much.
Hello Dheeraj ji,
First of all, thank you for this site and all informative write ups.
Request you to please check this travel plan and suggest any changes if required. There are a few halts ansd smaller travel spans as I have sr. citizens travelling with me.
day 1: To Chnadigarh – Shimla -halt
day 2: Shimla
day 3: Shimla to Narkanda
day 4: Narkanda to Sarahan
day 5: Sarahan to Kinnaur (valley) – Base for stay (Hotel Kinnar Kailash)
day 6: Kinnaur- Rakcham- Chitkul – Back to Kinnaur
Day 7: Kinnaur – Rekong Peo -Sangla – Back to Kinnaur
Day 8: To Kalpa
Day 9: @Kalpa
Day 10: Kalpa to Sarahan
Day 11: Sarahan to Shimla- Chandigarh
Day 12: Travel back home.
I am not sure if I have stretched my plan and have included more days than required.. but I dont want to rush the days also.
Please advice.
thanks!
Hello Sahilja,
I think there are some confusions, the Kinnaur Valley comprise Sarahan, Sangla, Chitkul and Kalpa as the base if I look above in the tour. I will not recommend to make one of the places as base and considering the senior citizen, I will suggest following plan
day 1: To Chnadigarh – Shimla
day 2: Shimla rest day, enjoy walks a mall road, visit Jakhoo
day 3: Shimla to Sarahan
day 4: Sarahan to Sangla Valley / Rakcham
day 5: Sangla Valley / Rakcham rest day
day 6: Sangla Valley / Rakcham – Chitkul – Sangla Valley / Rakcham
Day 7: Sangla Valley / Rakcham – Kalpa
Day 8: Kalpa rest day
Day 9: Kalpa – Rampur
Day 10: Rampur to Chail
Day 11: Chail to Chandigarh
Day 12: Travel back home.
thank you very much for your reply. Appreciate the suggestions.
regards
Shailaja
Best wishes for you trip.
Hi, Just one more question, I see that you have omitted, Narkanda altogether and have suggested Shimla – Saharan. Please could you let me know the reason for this.
thanks so much,
Regards,
Shailaja
There is just a difference of 1.5 Hrs between them, you can choose to stay at Narkanda as well if you like.
Hi,
I am planning to visit Kalpa, Sarhan, Chitkul, Spiti on September 2016. Can you please suggest whether this is a good time to visit there? Is it monsoon over there at that point of time? Please provide me your valuable information as my entire planning is depending on that.
Tanay, it is a very good time to travel to Kinnaur Valley during this time of the year.
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.
PS: Do pay a visit to our DoW Spiti Library in Kaza. Who knows you short walk there may help it remain active for the kids up there for much longer time 🙂 :)…
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.
Thank you for the information Sheets. I am afraid that I won’t be able to cover Spiti Vally due to shortage of time and I may have to cover only kunnur. In that case what would be the best places for overnight staying (including hotels if possible?).
I have approximately 7 days to visit the places apart from the time I require to travel from Kolkata. I am planning to start on 3/05/2016 from Kolkata.
Can you please suggest me an itinerary for the trip.
Thanks & regards
Tanay Saha
You can follow this in that case:
Day 0 | Reach Kalka and move to Shimla/Narkanda
Day 1 | Shimla/Narkanda – Sangla Valley
Day 2 | Sangla – Chitkul / Sangla
Day 3 | Chitkul / Sangla – Kalpa
Day 4 | Rest at Kalpa
Day 5 | Kalpa – Sarahan
Day 6 | Sarahan – Chail/Shimla
Day 7 | Chail/Shimla – Delhi
Thanks Dheeraj,
Can you please suggest what would be the better place to stay between the below mentioned places so that I can enjoy nature at its best and synic beauty.
1. Between Shimla and Narkanda.
2. Between Sangla, Rakcham and Chitkiul. (will stay in any on of the places and will visit the other two places from there. Is it possible?)
3. We are staying 2 nights at chitkiul, is it possible to visit Nako from there and come back to kalpa again?
The plan will look like this then.
12/9— Reaching Shimla then move to Narkanda and overnight stay.
13/9— Narkanda to Sngla/Rakcham/chitkul?? And overnight stay.
14/9— visit these places and move to Kalpa and overnight stay there.
15/9— rest at Kalpa (Nako??).
16/9— Kalpa to Sarahan and overnight stay.
17/9— visit Sarahan and move to Shimla and overnight stay.
18/9— Move to kalka or Delhi (Depends on the availability).
Please advice. I am free to any suggestions if you know any other offbeat places in this region to stay where scenic beauty is awesome.
Hi Dheeraj,
Can you please put some light on the queries asked by me on June 25th.
Hi Tanay,
Below are the responses:
1. Narkanda.
2. Rakcham, Sangla comes on the way to Rakcham and Chitkul. Yes, you can visit Chitkul from Rakcham then. One night you can then stay at Chitkul. You just to be acclimatized for first day and next day stay at Chitkul.
3. Well, Nako journey will add about 8-9 hrs of journey.
12/9— Reaching Shimla then move to Narkanda and overnight stay.
13/9— Narkanda to Rakcham
14/9— Rakcham – Chitkul
15/9— Chitkul to Kalpa
16/9— Kalpa to Sarahan and overnight stay.
17/9— visit Sarahan and move to Shimla and overnight stay.
18/9— Move to kalka or Delhi (Depends on the availability).
Rest made changes above.
Hi,
I am planning to visit kalpa, sarhan, chitkiul, spiti in the month of September this year. Is this a good time to visit there. Am I going to face monsoon at that point of time?
Please suggest. My plans depends on this information.
Thanks
Tanay Saha
Guess, I replied to your other comment today.
Hi,
First of all, congratulation on this great article. It lists all the relevant requirements of any traveler. Great Work.This is my inquiry-
We are Planning a trip to kalpa and chitkul in August around 13th for 7 days for around 6-8 people . Is the time apt for the trip. Please share if any trekking options are available from kalpa .
Thanks.
Thank you Aviral. August is monsoon time and it is not wise to travel during that month in Kinnaur region as landslides will be common during rains. There are plenty of treks available in Kinnaur, you can hike around Sangla/Rakcham or Chitkul too.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planing to do the Spiti circuit this year and were wondering if we could spend the night in Chitkul on the way. Our plan is as follows
Day 1 Chandigarh – Kasol
Day 2 Kasol – Sarahan
Day 3 Sarahan – Chitkul
Will this be ok or will there be a risk of AMS?
Well, you are traveling in opposite directions just to visit Kasol or rather just to spend an evening in Kasol. I am not sure if it is that much worth the pain. Better focus just on Sarahan, Chitkul.
We are actually picking up a friend from there, but i get what you are saying about us travelling in the wrong direction. Maybe i can ask him to meet us in Sarahan instead. Another reason was that we wanted to go through Jalori pass also.
My question is mainly about AMS, is it ok for us to stay at that altitude in Chitkul on the 3rd day itself?
Hmm, I will suggest that you stay on day at Sarahan, then go over and stay at Rakcham and then at Chitkul
Hi Dheeraj,
First of all thanks a lot for such a great article. One of the best I have read on net.
Based on your experience, would you suggest going in the last week (22-25) of July to Kalpa, Sangla and Chitkul ? Or would you suggest any other place in Himachal ?
Forgot to mention that starting point on 22nd is Shimla. TIA
Hmm., please check the weather before going in to Kinnaur in monsoons. It is not wise to be in there with rains as the whole mountains in Kinnaur are very fragile that lies on roads and landslides are common in rains.
Hi Dheeraj,
We are planning for 10-13 May.
We are coming full family.
9 adults 5 kids
We are coming by 14+1 seat tempo traveller.
Please suggest some hotel where we all can stay and enjoy scenic beauty as well.
We are coming to kinnaur.
Sorry its 10-13 June
Just 4 days from where? It takes 2 days just to reach it.
Hi Dheeraj,
Firstly, this site is great !! All info here is very helpful.
We 2 guys will be travelling from June 11-19, below is the possible plan but we planned to visit kasol first from Chandigarh for a night and then head directly to either Shimla or narkanda the next day. The plan is to cover kalpa, Sangla chitkul.
Day 1 | Chandigarh– kasol
Day 2 | Whole day in kasol
Day 3 – Kasol – Shimla / Narkanda
Day 4 | Sangla – Chitkul / Sangla
Day 5| Chitkul / Sangla – Kalpa
Day 6 | Kalpa – Sarahan
Day 7 | Sarahan – Chail/Shimla
Day 8 | Chail/Shimla – Chandigarh
Few questions: is it possible to stay at chitkul ? Or could you suggest a better plan with best places for overnight stay? Since we are only 2 guys, I’m hoping there will be sharing cabs or else public transport if available.
Thanks 🙂
Hello Warren,
The plan looks OK to me. I will suggest to better avoid staying at Chitkul and stay may be at Rakcham. Also, I will suggest better skip Kasol for some other time and stick to kinnaur only to give some breathing space especially when you are traveling on public transport.
Thanks for the suggestion 🙂 A few more questions – Is it possible to cover the Kinnaur region only through public transport? I will be needing cabs here n there but mostly through public transport only. I’ve friends staying at kasol and could possibly leave on day 2 itself because instead of 19th, we are leaving on 18th. So 11th-18th.
Yes, completely well connected with HRTC buses.
hi Dheeraj ,
Need a small info about my journey.
Here is my plan which wil be started on 24th from Delhi:
25th – Shimla
26th – Kullu
27th & 28th- manali
29th-kaza (spiti valley)
My question is about the return trip to Chandigarh. Can you please suggest if there is any way to return from Kaza through local HRTC bus?And the timings of the buses so that it will help to do pre-booking.
Regards ,
Sharmi
Hi Dheeraj
My self Sonu Sharna from Rohtak
I want to visit kalpa and near places
I am going there first time so I have some queries
First about rout
Second about visited places
Third about accommodation
Old guide me
I want to go 10th June
Hi,
We are two friends going. Want to cover kinnaur chitkul sangla and all from delhi. For two taxi will be expensive. If we cover whole trip by local bus. Any idea what will be the total expense?
Thanx,
Gagan
Hello Dheeraj,
We are planning to go to Kalpa via Shimla from Delhi in the last week of July. Many friends are concerned about monsoon rainfall/landslide during that time . Whats your take on this. Is the route ok, still manageable to go there by tempo traveller
Hello dheeraj ,
Buddy m going to complete tibbet circuit this june. Need some help.
17 – will leave from delhi by evening
18-will reach shimla thn first bus to narkanda nd make halt. Will go to hattu peak. Can i take my personal tent thr nd camp?? Is it safe any restrictions?
19 morning- will go to peo nd would look for a homestay nd rest
20-will go to chitkul by bus. Should i camp thr or rather i should return to peo by night??
21-will go to nako nd explore thr.. camping??
22-will go to kaza while making a little halt at tabo
23-will go to chandrtaal lake nd camp thr?? Again will it be safe?
24- will go to manali nd local sightseeing.. will stay in budgeted hotel
25- will go to kasol nd trek to kheerganga nd camp thr??
26- will return to delhi
Is it good? What would u recomend? Any idea how much it gonna cost?? I have 9 days to travel. Will it be ok??
Hi Gautam,
1. Yes you can camp at Hatu
2. Best is to camp at Rakcham and visit Chitkul before going to Peo. Then move ahead to Peo, then to Nako
3. Do Kalpa/Peo to Tabo and skip Nako. Just visit as lunch stop of bus
4. Yuou can camp at camping sites of chandratal
Thanks buddy
One more qus. What things should we take with us except our tent nd sleeping bag. Because i am gonna do this kind of solo trekking first time in my life.??
Please check: List of things to carry when you go on trip
How much will be the total cost for this itinerary? Any idea as we want to cover whole by local buses.
We are planning to visit sangla by our own quarto car.. What is the best route as we have already travelled till Srahan.and even badhiya at.. Getting bit fussy can we drive on that route fl. Pls tell me the route n road condition we will be going on 5th June 2016. Having kid 3yr asthmatic.. And old people..pls advice if I start from kufri
Nidhi, at Jeori you take the turn to Sarahan instead go towards Bhawanagar – Tapri. Then at Karcham take the right to enter Baspa Valley / Sangla Valley from there you can further go to Chitkul. Road conditions starts to go bad and avergae once you cross Bhawanagar.
I have visited sarhan last year that was a awesome place for piece n beauty Valley full or roses… Lovely stay at homestay n bhima kali temple.. Now wish to go till wangtu not upto kancham.. Is there any accommodation available there.. As how’s the road from jeori to wangtu.. Wangtu am unable to find any hotel online all are at kancham or kalpa
Nidhi, there is nothing there at Wangtu except a labour settlement. Why do you want to go there?
DO NOT stay overnight at Chitkul only make a day trip.
Hi Dheeraj
I want to go to chitkul by my own car , Toyota Etios , this is sedan. Can it be possible to travel to chitkul by Etios. Planing to start the trip by 1st week of july. Please advice
Hi Dheeraj,
My husband and I are planning to go to Chitkul by road in the 1st week of July. H/ever we are slightly apprehensive considering the onset of monsoons by then.
So thought of checking with you if we should change our place of visit because this is the only time we can take holidays… Tentative dates of travel- 2nd July to 9th July.
Would appreciate your feedback.
Thanks,
Kulsum
Kulsum, first week of July is in general fine to visit Kinnaur Valley and now a days monsoons in general start around late July in fully fury. so, I personally feel it should be OK. You can always check weather sites to get a feel of how much rain it might occur
Hi Dheeraj g,
I am planing for go to Kinnaur, kalpa, sangla and sumdo also but i have Honda City-I-VTEC, so kindly tell me this car perfect for thsese places or not. Should i go by this car or not??
Gagan, bhai, the car will take some beating. If you do not love your car then only take it else better take a taxi.
Ohhhh really… Thank you Dheeraj
Hi Dheeraj
we are planning to take our i10 car for Kinnaur, kalpa, sangla. Please advice on the road condition and whether this car is suitable. We are travelling on 2nd week of June.
Mahua, apart from that narrow stretch of 25 KMs between Tapri – Urni – Karcham, it all is OK to travel. Drive with care and caution
Hi Dheeraj,
I am planning to visit on 1st June with my family ( wife and 4.5 yr kid ). What will be the package cost for 7 days. I’m coming from Kolkata. Please guide where to start my trip . Any extra days required for this trip? Please guide in detail.
Thanks & regards
Koushik
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
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