Lahul & Spiti Valley

01-July-07 to 12-July-07

[Introduction] [When to go] [Planning] [Dehra Dun - Narkanda] [Narkanda - Kalpa] [Kalpa - Tabo]
[Tabo - Kaza] [Kaza - Manali] [Manali - Dehra Dun] [Map]

Narkanda to Kalpa

Total Distance: 213kms; Driving Time: 8hrs.

The road from Narkanda to Kalpa is broad and metalled but with extremely rough patches in between where the JP Group of Companies is digging tunnels into the mountains. You meet the Sutlej River for the first time after descending from Narkanda. 2hrs ahead from a place called Jeori, an 18km narrow but beautiful road takes you through Apple orchards to the temple village of Sarhan. The 12th Century Bhimkali temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is renowned for the immediate fulfillment of wishes.

Sarhan	Bhimkali Temple, Sarhan

87kms from Sarhan is Phuwari from where one turns left and ascends the mountain to reach Recong Peo (5kms) and then to Kalpa (13kms).

Hotel Kinnar Kailash in Kalpa is a fairly comfortable hotel on a mountain top facing the magnificent Kinnar Kailash range of mountains. There are a number of fairly decent hotels nearby. The Kinnar Kailash Mountains are in their full glory during sun set when the glaciers on them appear orange. Kalpa is flooded with tourists from Israel, staying in cheap lodges.

View Kinner Kailash Hotel in Google Earth. (Better, but you need to have Google Earth Installed.)
View Kinner Kailash in Google Maps

Kalpa village is traditionally called “Chini village”, the name being a reference to the old Indo – China trade route. It is a rather unimpressive village with narrow lanes, but with beautiful people.

Kinner Kailash, Kalpa	Shivling Peak, Kalpa

Download View of Kinnar Kailash 25 MB AVI FILE.

4kms from Kalpa is the “Roghi village”, a small place with an ancient temple and old style village houses. The road to it is rather narrow.

If you have time you could do a 4km trek to Chaka hilltop, with a local guide.

Recong Peo is a small but clean town with a quaint marketplace. Green Kinnauri Caps and dresses are a thing to see and maybe buy.

We stayed for 3 nights in Kalpa, though 2 nights would have been enough.

Recong Peo	Kinnauri Women with green caps

View Recong Peo in Google Earth. (Better, but you need to have Google Earth Installed.)
View Recong Peo in Google Maps

[Introduction] [When to go] [Planning] [Dehra Dun - Narkanda] [Narkanda - Kalpa] [Kalpa - Tabo]
[Tabo - Kaza] [Kaza - Manali] [Manali - Dehra Dun] [Map]