Kinnaur Guide: Kalpa, Sangla, Chitkul and Nako on the Road to Spiti

At Karcham, a road leaves the Sutlej and climbs into the Baspa valley, one of Himachal's most beautiful: forests, meadows, the river, and villages of stone and timber houses. Sangla, the main town, has the old Kamru fort and temple above it. At the head of the road, Chitkul, at about 3,450 m, is the last inhabited village before the Tibet border, with wooden houses, a temple to its local goddess and fields of potatoes and buckwheat along the river.

Reckong Peo is Kinnaur's district headquarters and the place to get supplies, fuel and, for foreign nationals, the permit needed for upper Kinnaur and Spiti. Just above it, Kalpa sits on a slope facing the Kinner Kailash range, sacred to Shiva, with sunrise views over the peaks, apple orchards and old temples. Nearby Roghi village and its cliff-edge road give dramatic views down the valley.

Beyond Reckong Peo, the road follows the Sutlej through steep cliffs to Pooh and Khab, where the Spiti river meets the Sutlej, then climbs in tight hairpins to Nako, a village by a small lake at about 3,600 m. From there it continues past Sumdo and Gue, known for its naturally mummified monk, to Tabo and Kaza. This stretch is close to the border, and checkposts check IDs and permits.

Indian citizens don't need a permit for Kinnaur or Spiti. Foreign nationals need a protected area permit for upper Kinnaur and Spiti, usually arranged in Reckong Peo or Shimla. Our permits guide explains the process.

April to June and September to October are best: blossom in spring, apples in autumn. The monsoon brings landslides on the Sutlej road, and winters are cold, though Kinnaur stays reachable and is the only route to winter Spiti. Kinnauri shawls and caps, apples and dried fruit make good buys. Carry ID, as checkposts are common, and keep spare time for road delays.