Kinnaur-Lahaul-Spiti Valley Road Trip in 12 Days – Day 4 – Sangla-Chitkul to Kalpa-Nako

Kinnaur-Lahaul-Spiti Valley in 12 Days – Day 4

Did you know Kinnaur Valley is not only popular for Sangla and Chitkul, but also for Kalpa and Reckong Peo? In fact, Kinnaur valley extends till Nako village, and beyond it, lies Spiti valley. However, many travelers who intend to visit Kinnaur valley, they limit their travel to lower Kinnaur, which includes Sangla, Chitkul, Kalpa, and Reckong Peo. The villages like Khab and Nako form the Upper Kinnaur, and are mostly visited as a part of the trip to Spiti valley. We intend to visit both the valleys. First, we started with Shoghi, then Jeori-Sarahan, and then half of the Lower Kinnaur. On the fourth day, we visited the other half of the Lower Kinnaur, and headed to the Upper Kinnaur. We spent the night in Nako village.

Highlights of the Day

  • Goodbye Sangla
  • Kalpa-Reckong Peo
  • Reckong Peo-Khab
  • Khab Sangam
  • Khab-Nako
  • Nako

Goodbye Sangla

You can choose to stay in any of the villages in the Lower Kinnaur valley – Sangla, Batseri, Rakchham or Chitkul. We chose Sangla because we wanted to stay close to NH-5. In this way, we could save some time on the way to Nako, and also manage to visit Kalpa and Reckong Peo on the way. We spent the night at Negi’s Cottage, Sangla.

Good morning from Sangla, Kinnaur Valley
Imagine waking up to the view of Kinnaur Kailash mountain range from Sangla!

Breakfast was complimentary. However, we had plans to leave early by 5 AM. So we thought we would be missing the breakfast. Hence, I quickly prepared Mango-Banana Smoothie for all of us using the smoothie blender I always carry along with me. Our host was aware of our check-out time as I had told him about it the previous night. To our surprise, while we were leaving, he was kind enough to pack hot Parathas along with chutney for all of us. We decided to have that later. We left Sangla at around 5.30 AM.

Kalpa and Reckong Peo

The famous Kailash mountain and the Shiva Lingam rock, both of these greatest marvels of the Himalayas can be spotted from Kalpa and Reckong Peo.

We drove through the same Sangla-Chitkul road up to Karcham bridge, and then crossed the bridge to get to NH-5, and took the right. Finally, we wished goodbye to Baspa river, and now Sutlej river was flowing by our side. Soon after Powari, Golu bhaiya took a sharp left to Khwangi road. He crossed Recong Peo and continued driving up to Kalpa. The distance from Sangla to Kalpa is around 46 km. It took us around 2 h to reach Kalpa.

Sunrise view at Kinnaur Kailash Mountain
The rising sun touching the snowy peaks of Kinnaur Kailash mountain with crimson and gold light is a spectacular sight during sunrise from Kalpa-Reckong Peo

Kalpa was the former headquarter of Kinnaur district. It is situated at an altitude of 2,960 m above the sea level. Kalpa is dramatically located close to the foot of the Kinnaur Kailash mountain, the legendary winter home of Lord Shiva.

Kinnaur Kailash Mountain Ranges from Kalpa
When in Kalpa, all you need to do is to sit back and savor sunset and sunrise views of Kinnaur Kailash from an apple orchard

Visiting the Narayan Nagini Temple Complex, an exemplary of local craftmanship, and a small Buddhist temple at top of the village also should be in your itinerary. There is also a beautiful hike of 5 km from Kalpa to the quaint Roghi Village; halfway, you pass the vertical fall of Suicide Point.

Buddhist Temple in Kalpa and Jorkanden Peak
The view of Jorkanden, the highest peak in the Kinnaur Kailash mountain ranges, behind the Buddhist temple in Kalpa is magnificent

If you are a foreigner and want to visit Spiti valley, you have to come to Reckong Peo to obtain an Inner Line Permit. It is the headquarter of Kinnaur district, located at 2,300 m above the sea level. Also, this is the only place in the whole of Kinnaur where you will find a proper market, ATMs, pharmacy shops, etc. Kinnaur Kalachakra Palace or Mahabodhi Gompa is a must see here. A huge statue of Sakyamuni (Buddha) is situated here.

Reckong Peo in Kinnaur
The view of Kinnaur Kailash mountain ranges from the main market of Reckong Peo is incredible

On our way down from Kalpa, we stopped by at Reckong Peo. It is just 8 km away, and takes around 30 min. We parked our vehicle near the main market, also had our packed breakfast before strolling in the market for a while. We left Reckong Peo at around 10 AM.

Road from Reckong Peo to Khab

This road from Reckong Peo up to Pooh is not in a great condition, especially from Reckong Peo to Spello. The formation of mountains here is such that there is always maintenance work going on. It does not matter whichever time of year you visit, you will always find some restoration work is going on here. The road is known to be the most dangerous one in the world, as you have to be very careful here while driving. There is always chance of road getting blocked by landslides.

Kharo Bridge in Kinnaur
NH-5 crisscrosses the Sutlej river at few instances, and this one is the Kharo Bridge, an hour after leaving Reckong Peo
Road from Reckong Peo to Khab in Kinnaur
The road from Reckong Peo to Spello town is the most troublesome one which gets blocked frequently by landslides; however, Border Road Organization does a good job in keeping the road open for traffic
Road from Reckong Peo to Khab in Kinnaur
I did not really find the road to be scenic, there is no greenery, it looks really dry with soiled Sutlej river flowing by and multiple restoration work going on different parts of the road
Road from Reckong Peo to Khab in Kinnaur
The road here is built every year and breaks again soon, hence restoration work goes on here almost throughout the year

Khab Sangam

It was 1 PM when we reached the Khab Bridge, which is located at Khab Sangam – the confluence of Spiti river and Sutlej river. Here, the Spiti river flowing through the Spiti valley meets the Sutlej, which originates from Lake Mansarovar in Tibet. There is a small hotel called next to the Khab Sangam where we took a brief stop for lunch.

Reo Purgyil from Khab Bridge, Kinnaur
From Khab bridge, you can view the ranges of Reo Purgyil, the highest mountain peak in Himachal Pradesh, located at 6.816 m above the sea level
Confluence of Sutlej and Spiti at Khab Sangam in Kinnaur
Take some time to soak in the views of the confluence of two mighty rivers – Sutlej and Spiti – of Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts at Khab Sangam
Khab Sangam Hotel in Khab Sangam, Kinnaur
Khab Sangam hotel serves Rajma-Chawal, instant noodles, and more
Host of Khab Sangam Hotel in Khab Sangam, Kinnaur
The host of the small hotel is warm and charming
Pakoras of Khab Sangam Hotel
These fresh hot pakoras were lit!
Lunch in Khab Sangam Hotel, Kinnaur
Daal-Chawal-Pakora-Chutney was our comforting lunch for the day
Khab Sangam in Kinnaur
We spent at least an hour chilling at the beautiful spot

Khab to Nako

After crossing Khab Sangam, we started driving on NH-505. Soon, we arrived at Ka village where the roads started getting loopy. As we ascended through the Ka loops, the chill in the air started to penetrate the bones. Many of us could feel the altitude difference. Soon, we could get a glimpse of Nako from far. Even though Nako is technically a part of Upper Kinnaur, it is topographically very different from other places of Kinnaur district. Our driver, Golu bhaiya, told us it is more similar to places in Spiti valley, both topographically and culturally. We took at least 1.5 h from Khab to reach Nako Village.

Views of Upper Kinnaur Valley
As we moved up and far from Spiti river, the huge surrounding mountains begun to appear in front of us and the vistas were simply magical to sweep you off the feet
View of Nako from Ka Loops, Upper Kinnaur
The village you see over there is Nako!

Nako Village

It was around 3.30 PM when we arrived Nako village, located high above the Hangrang Valley at 3,662 m above the sea level. The peaceful and attractive tiny village of Nako is located on the banks of Nako lake, illuminated in sparkling blues and greens by the sun bouncing off the surrounding snowy mountain peaks.

Nako Village in Upper Kinnaur
The boundless ultramarine skies above and the empty expanse around along with the lake makes Nako a traveler’s delight
Nako Village in Upper Kinnaur
Nako is surely one of the prettiest villages of the Kinnaur Valley with all the houses structured surrounding the lake at the center

Tashi Homestay in Nako

Nako has plenty of homestays with comfortable beds to offer along with home-cooked meal. We chose to stay in Tashi Homestay that we had already booked earlier. The homestay is located in front of the famous Nako Lake. It was originally built by Chhering Dandup in 2007 to accomodate H.H. Dalai Lama’s guest when he performed Chakra Sambhava at Nako. Chhering lives with family on the ground floor, and built 3 guest rooms on the first floor. Tashi, son of Chhering, and his wife Panma, a very soft-spoken lady who is also in charge of the kitchen take care of the guesthouse now.

Tashi Home Stay in Nako
Welcome to Tashi Homestay that is located right in front of the Nako Lake and just 200 m away from Nako Monastery
Room in Tashi Home Stay in Nako
All guest rooms come with a comfortable bed and an attached bathroom
View of Nako Lake from Tashi Homestay in Nako
The terrace of the homestay opens out to the lake and if the water is still and the day is clear, then you can get a beautiful reflection of the surroundings on the water
Women of Nako in Upper Kinnaur
I learned from Panma that in Nako, women mostly run the village, starting with managing homestays, selling food, other items and souvenirs, also doing the field work and cleaning up

Things To Do in Nako

Luckily, the sun sets pretty late in Nako, at around 7 PM. Hence, we had couple of hours to explore Nako on our own. We walked through the village, visited Nako Monastery, talked to few locals, and then headed to Nako Lake, and then finally enjoyed sunset views.

1. Walking Through Nako Village: Each lane of Nako has a story of its own. I had a great time exploring them. Getting lost in Nako is a must thing to do.

Walking through Nako village in Upper Kinnaur
The village is a tiny cluster of houses made of stone and wood which is why a simple walk in the village made me feel like I was having a fun maze activity
Prayer flags in Nako in Upper Kinnaur
I found score of prayer flags placed strategically to spread prayers across the Nako village
Prayer flags in Nako in Upper Kinnaur
Those colorful prayer flags seem to be tailor-made to hover in the icy cold Himalayan wind
Mani Stones in Nako, Upper Kinnaur
I also came across many Mani stones across the village, which are just stone plates or rocks that are carved with the Tibetan Buddhism six-word mantra “Om Mani Padme Hum”
Prayer wheels in Nako in Upper Kinnaur
You will also find plenty of prayer wheels installed across Nako village, spreading celestial glee all over the place

2. Visit the Nako Monastery: Many pilgrims and spiritual visitors consider visiting Nako mainly for its 11th-century old Buddhist Monastery. Now, there is a new one though at the same site. You cannot miss visiting the Tibetan monastery with the huge colorful gate standing with pride.

Nako Monastery in Upper Kinnaur
Taking photographs inside the monastery is not allowed

Talking to the Locals: The locals from Nako village are actually very friendly. You just need to say “Julley” to start a conversation. It means “hello” in their language.

Meeting locals in Nako Village, Upper Kinnaur
The kids are usually shy but do not take much time opening up to have a quick chat
Women of Nako in Upper Kinnaur
The elders in the village are best to talk and get your questions answered
Animals in Nako Village in Upper Kinnaur
In Nako, not only local humans, but also you will find many friendly local donkeys, goats, and cows

3. Nako Lake: The lake is considered pious by villagers as it is believed that Guru Padmasambhava meditated near the lake. He was a legendary Indian Buddhist mystic who introduced Tantric Buddhism to Tibet and established the first Buddhist monastery there. His footprints are also marked on a rock near the lake.

Nako Lake in Upper Kinnaur
Nako lake is fed by the melting glacier and is usually dark green in color
Spending time at Nako Lake in Upper Kinnaur
We spent almost an hour by the lake soaking ourselves in the surrounding views

4. Sunset Views: While lingering around the lake, I started getting a bit of headache due to the high altitude of the village. So I decided to get back to the homestay along with Richie. That is when I witnessed how magical the village gets during sunset.

Exploring Nako during sunset, Upper Kinnaur
It was pleasant walking under the sun while the moon was visible on the other side of the clean, unpolluted, azure sky
View of Reo Purgyil from Nako, Upper Kinnaur
The 6,816-m high peak of Reo Puryil lords over the Nako village and offers an exhilarating sight throughout the day, even during the sunset
Sunset from the terrace of the homestay in Nako
The sun setting over the snow-covered Himalayan peaks looked simply amazing

5. Dinner with Hosts: We enjoyed having dinner together with the family members of the host while exchanging stories with them.

Dinner in Tashi Homestay in Nako
All of us had dinner in the traditional family dining room, sitting on the floor
Dinner in Tashi Homestay in Nako
Delicious local food – all vegan – was served for dinner

7. Stargazing: This one activity is an absolute thing to do – stargazing! For that, make sure you book a guesthouse that has a terrace in it.

Starry night in Nako, Upper Kinnaur
The starry night sky outlining the natural starkness of the landscape made it a stunning display that almost made me want to grab a star and put it in my pocket

Total Distance Traveled: 155 km

NET EXPENSE FOR 1 PERSON (IN INR)

Let us have a look at the expenses of Day 4 in India – Sangla-Chitkul to Kalpa-Nako.

  • Stay at Tashi Homestay (1 night): 950
  • Food and miscellaneous: 100

Total expense (roughly): 1,050 INR

For a more customized itinerary, whether for solo or couple or group of any number of people, feel free to contact me on Contact Us page.

If you are planning for a much-organized, tastefully-curated, stress-free yet exciting vacation, consider booking your holidays at Travel Love Repeat. It is going to be a treat for sure!

44 thoughts on “Kinnaur-Lahaul-Spiti Valley Road Trip in 12 Days – Day 4 – Sangla-Chitkul to Kalpa-Nako”

  1. Your every Post of Spiti valley gives me travel goals. The Nako Lake and Nako monastery looks beautiful. I know travel in this region is very tough and road conditions are not good even though road built every year. The town of Kalpa looks magical and so beautiful. I loved your all photographs ,specially star gazing Pic.

  2. Those mountain tops create some dramatic views and scenery don’t they. And what’s better is that throughout the day the light hits them differently, and the same ranges can look completely different and have a different feel to them. Love the one with the sunrise lighting a fire at the top of that range. Also love the photo of your host at the hotel… in his hat and apron. I saved the image and am going to try to sketch him!

  3. Subhashish Roy

    Kinnaur Kailash mountain range is just fabulous. I have been following your journey from the first day and am not only envious but motivated to copy the same schedule sometime soon.Kalpa-Reckong Peo-Khab Sangam and then on to Nako is so beautiful. Nako Lake is so serene and the sunset view there fabulous.Await to read about what next.

  4. Such an informative write up. Thanks for including that bit of information of foreign nationals needing an Inner Line Permit, I wasn’t aware of that and it is a very crucial piece of information to know.
    Loved Nako village for it’s contrasting colors and being completely surrounded by nothing but nature. Also how i wish every market had stunning views like the beauty of the Kinnaur Kailash

  5. I love reading your road trip because it really feels like going for virtual road trip. After good bye to Sangla, getting the view of Kinnaur Kailash mountain range from Sangla is too tempting to catch for next stop over. Even the village style main market of Reckong Peo looks very interesting with a beautiful backdrop of mountains. I loved the Nako village and their locals too.

  6. These are some mesmerizing places. I am yet to see some of them. Road tripping is so much fun. I really like the cute little markets that we get to see while traveling from one place to another. I knew about Sangla and Chitkul but Nako village has really got my eyes. It is so heartwarming and the Reo Puryil in the background makes it all the more picturesque.

  7. Your road trip is such a beautiful adventure and what caught my eye was the picture of the rising sun touching the peaks of Kinnaur Kailash mountain. It is also great to know that this mountain was the winter home of Lord Shiva.
    Following your road trip is very educational for me as I am learning about your awesome experiences and new places.

  8. Although i am a “beach person” your road trip looks so fun! The views from the mountains are so beautiful. I am also amazed how beautiful the skies in Nako at night, i have never tried stargazing before! Hope to visit it one day

  9. Hi
    The pic of the sunrise on the Kinnaur range of mountains bowled me over. I need to revisit this place. Smoothie blender can be a great travel utility, thanks for this idea. The peaceful and attractive tiny village of Nako located on the banks of Nako lake is indeed a preferred option to stay when compared to Tabo. Waiting to see the pics of Tabo monastery. The pic of the milky way was indeed mesmerising . What is the cost of the vehicle that you would have hired for this trip . The market at Reckong Peo is indeed a must stop for every traveller who comes this way ,god to see that you guys also explored it

  10. Those stars at night are just amazing. It’s just fabulous to see the when where there’s minimal light pollution. That’s such a treat and a great way to end your day. Looks like an amazing road trip.

  11. The Jorkanden mountain looks absolutely stunning. The best thing about these places are meeting and spending time with the locals. I love the way the home stay guys connect and serve their local food. I have never been to Spiti or any of these places. But I have been to Ladakh and have experienced similar experiences.

  12. What a beautiful road trip, the views are breathtaking. The rising sun touching the snowy peaks of Kinnaur Kailash mountain moved me. I would love to take such kind of road trip. I would love to see Kailash mountain ranges from the market of Reckong Peo because I love local markets. Nako Village looks so photogenic too. Visit the Nako Monastery must be a fantastic experience.

  13. blair villanueva

    I can’t find the exact words to describe how incredibly gorgeous this place is! The Kinnaur Kailash mountain ranges from the main market of Reckong Peo is stunning and looks like the snowy mountain of Switzerland. And your photography truly speaks the stories, I love it!

  14. I can actually feel the adventure on road while reading the blog. The sunrise view is simply magnificent. I can only imagine how this would look just in front of my eyes! These are really some of the most treacherous roads. I was remembering our trip in this region and it brought back such fond memories. I am so glad that you spent time with the locals at Nako village. Arent they so darling? Love the picture of the peak of Reo Puryil. This entire Kinnar Kailash, Spiti and Lahaul Valley is simply breathtaking!

  15. Parnashree Devi

    Spiti is high on my list. I am just wondering why I haven’t made my plans yet. Nako, Sangla and Chitkul village…I find it so picturesque. Loved reading your post. I can’t wait to explore this part. Thank you for allowing virtual travel through your post.

  16. It is incredible seeing how the landscape changes from the dead boring rocky roads to the green pastures of Nako ! Thanks for sharing about Nako, since you mentioned most people will miss out this village when planning a Kinnaur valley trip ! Nako lake is gorgeous, I love to see it in person ! Deep fried pakora is my favourite !! =p

  17. It is good and enthusiastic about the places where you travel. You inspired us to know the importance of nature, especially the mountain range of Sangla. Your road trip adventures are very interesting, you show us a lot of photos of the mountain ranges of Kinnaur Kailash especially, the mesmerizing sunrise shot. I’m curious about the taste of this ‘parokas’. I love your stargazing activities, mind sharing how you shot that milky way?

  18. Wow your images are outstanding on this website and on this blog post too. Also great job on this is detailed post! Felt like i was there already, thanks for putting this together. I hope to do this roadtrip once this coronavirus season is over and we are back to normal life once again.

  19. Somebody please take me to Spiti Valley is the first thing that comes to my mind after reading your post. The Khab Sangam is really amazing. We always stop at that point and some how we love the barren mountains too. Def. Nako is one of the prettiest village and love the people there.

  20. The initial part of this journey looked quite rugged and interesting. Great that you found such a friendly home stay on your trip. Your road trip has given you such amazing scenery. What a way to start a day with such a great sunrise!

  21. I love how well prepared you are for such a journey, with your own smoothie maker, this is something I would do. The photos of the sunrise are stunning and one of my favourite experiences when I travel, there’s nothing quite like it. I absolutely loved the views of the Kinnaur Kailash mountain ranges from within the villages and with them as part of the background, it’s such a stunning framing of what look to be exceptionally gorgeous mountains. All the local cuisine looks exceptional!

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