Nako: A Rustic Himalayan Gem

It is a gorgeous high altitude village located super close to the Indo-China border in the Trans-Himalayan region of Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh. It is famous for its apples, apricots, yaks, horses and a 11th century monastery. I am talking about the rustic Himalayan gem called Nako that is situated at the end of Kinnaur and at the start of Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh.

Located at an altitude of 11,893 feet and under the backdrop of the mighty Reo Purgyal mountain (22,362 feet), Nako is a small village of about a thousand people in the Hangrang valley. Farming, fruit orchards and cattle rearing are the main sources of livelihood here. Not many tourists stay here. Rather, they continue to Spiti valley for the more famous tourist attractions. But, there is more to Nako than what meets the eye.



For starters, there is the Nako lake whose periphery has willow and poplar trees. During the winter months, when it freezes completely, it becomes a skating rink. At other times, it offers some of the best views of the village and offers oodles of mountain peace and quiet. Then, there is the Nako monastery that was founded in the 11th century by a renowned ancient translator Lochen Rinchen Zangpo. Also known as Lotsava Jhakang or complex of the translator, the serene Nako monastery is built along the lines of the famous Tabo monastery in Spiti valley.

Nako is also the base camp for the trek to Pargial peak and is enroute to the Thashigang monastery. There are also many shepherd trails that connect Nako with the villages of Chango, Hango and Tashigang. In addition to these trails, there are many day walks behind the Nako lake that will take you to view points in the east and that looks into Tibet.

If you feel like relaxing, you can spend time walking around the small village absorbing its traditional atmosphere and architecture. My favorites are the gates in the village streets built from stone and wood and that are painted in the inside with colourful Buddhist religious paintings. Then, there are the walks around the farms and the orchards.



I see Nako as a fantastic rustic holiday destination in the Himalayas. It has oodles of quiet, stunning panoramas, a bit of culture and traditions, lots of avenues for walking and trekking, kind people and delicious locally sourced food. If such rustic places are your thing, then I would highly recommend Nako to you. It is definitely more than a pit stop on your trip to Kinnaur and/or Spiti valley in Himachal Pradesh. It’s beauty deserves at least a couple of days on its own. Do remember to visit this place on your next holiday to Himachal Pradesh. And don’t forget to taste their apples if you happen to visit during the late autumn season. They are truly special!



How to reach there:

The nearest airport would be Chandigarh, about 410 kms away.

The nearest railway station would be Shimla, about 311 kms away.

The nearest large bus station would be Shimla or Kaza.

The only way to reach Nako is by road. The route is a narrow mountain highway that is at the mercy of nature (landslides, snowfall, accidents, etc.) and hence one should budget in some buffer time to accommodate for delays.

It is best if you have your own mode of transportation. However, buses run by HPSRTC will also take you there, though the number of buses plying every day would be few.

Best season to visit:

Nako is open all year round. Winters can get really cold. Summers can get quite busy. Spring and Autumn would be the best seasons to visit if you wish to enjoy the landscape at peace. September and October would be perfect if you like to taste fresh apples from the local farms.



Other nearby tourist attractions:
1) Tabo: A village that is home to some of India’s best apples and a beautiful monastery

2) Kalpa: A hill station that offers spectacular views of Kinnaur Kailash

3) Chitkul: Himalayan village with cleanest air in India

4) Baspa River Trek: A scenic mountain trek in Himachal Pradesh

5) Sangla: Another village famous for its apples and views of Kinnaur Kailash

6) Sarahan: A village known for its apples and ski slopes

7) Dhankar: Prettiest village of Spiti valley

8) Pin Valley National Park: A remote Himalayan wilderness known for sightings of the elusive snow leopard

9) Langza: The Himalayan village that is known for fossils of marine animals

10) Ki Monastery: A stunning monastery surrounded by snow capped mountains near Kaza

11) Kibber: The village of the snow leopard

12) Komic: One of the world’s highest villages with road connectivity

13) Hikkim: The Himalayan village with the highest post office in the world

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Chitkul: Himalayan village with cleanest air in India

It goes by many titles. Some call it the ‘last inhabited village on the Hindustan-Tibet highway’. Some refer to it as the place with the cleanest air in India. Others call it the ‘gateway to Kailash’. Whatever its title may be, this tiny village in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh packs a serious punch when it comes to snow capped Himalayan mountain peaks, beautiful meadows, wooden houses, farm land, apple orchards and a pristine blue glacier fed river. I am talking about Chitkul, the first village in the Baspa valley and the last village on the Hindustan-Tibet highway.



The last point on the Kinnaur Kailash parikrama circuit, Chitkul is a tiny Himalayan village that is situated at an elevation of 11,320 feet above MSL in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. Flanked by mighty snow capped mountains of the Himalayas, this village located in the Baspa river valley is full of potato fields (these potatoes are mighty famous and fetch a pretty price), buckwheat fields, apple orchards and pretty little wooden houses. There is also a 500 year old wooden temple that is located right in the middle of this village and that enjoys a very pretty setting.



Relaxation, pure air and detox are usually on the mind for most visitors and rightly so as this beautiful Himalayan village seems to have everything from a pretty riverside, lush fields and orchards and surreal panoramas. This place is ideal for anyone thinking of a digital detox. Organic food, pristine atmosphere and long walks offer a perfect avenue to rejuvenate yourself. But, there are a bunch of people who visit this village as part of a trekking expedition. Some of them are following a religious trail, but the others are simply on an adventurous trip.



The remote and tough Lamkhaga pass that connects the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh with the Gangotri side of Uttarakhand is one of the more popular trekking routes here. This ancient trekking route, located to the south-east of Chitkul was the way the locals carried their temple deity to Gangotri for religious events. The other popular trekking routes around Chitkul are the Chitkul-Charang pass trek that is part of the Kinnaur Kailash parikrama circuit, the Borasu pass trek (an ancient trade route between Har Ki Doon valley of Uttarakhand and the Kinnaur valley of Himachal Pradesh), the Ranikanda meadows trek and the Baspa river trek that connects Chitkul with Raksham, Sangla and Karcham.



You can also trek to the Rangrik Rang mountain peak, but since this peak is close to the Indo-China border, this would require special permissions. There are many other different mountain trails around Chitkul that you can also explore, but do remember to stay clear of the east of Chitkul as the Indian army camp, a few kilometers away is the last point that you can enter in this region unless you have special military permissions.



In late autumn, winter and early spring, Chitkul turns into a white fairy tale village. In August and September, the apple orchards come alive. And in October, the last potato and buckwheat harvest can be seen. In spring, wild flowers adorn the Baspa river valley and in summer, it turns into a mesmerizing hill station. Whatever be your interest and whichever time of the year you happen to visit Chitkul, this Himachali village on the extreme corner of Kinnaur district is bound to blow your mind with its pristine nature and simple, laidback life. The place is so beautiful that I would return here in a heartbeat!



How to reach here:

By road: From Shimla, head straight on the Shimla – Recong Peo highway till you arrive at Karcham, the confluence of the Sutlej and the Baspa rivers just before Recong Peo. At this junction turn right towards Sangla, Rakcham and Chitkul.

By rail: Shimla would be your nearest railway station. You can take the famous Kalka Shimla heritage train to reach here. From Shimla, you will have to go by road to Chitkul.

By air: The nearest airport would be Chandigarh. Kullu airport is also an option, though flight options would be lower. From Chandigarh, you can complete the remainder journey by road or take the train to Shimla and then drive to Chitkul.



Where to stay:

If you don’t mind simple homestays and hotels, you can stay at Chitkul itself. If you want slightly better facilities, head to Sangla, Recong Peo or Kalpa.



Best season to visit:

Except the peak of winter, when there is extremely heavy snowfall, Chitkul can be explored the rest of the year. Apple season (August and October), spring (late February to April) and summer (May to July) are perfect to experience this Himalayan village.



Nearby tourist attractions:

1) Rakcham village for its lovely riverside atmosphere

2) Kinner Kailash trek

3) Kalpa village for the Kailash view

4) Sangla village for apples during season and also for lovely views of the Kailash mountain

5) Nako village for its lake and monastery

6) Tabo village for its monastery

7) Baspa river trek, a riverine forest trek flanked by the Himalayas

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Baspa River Trek from Chitkul to Sangla

Himachal Pradesh is full of gorgeous mountain treks. While, most of them are alpine in nature, there are some hidden ones that are relatively easier and offer a total different experience. Take the Baspa river trek as an example. It is all about climbing rocks, walking through lush valleys and crossing small mountain streams. And all this while, you are not far away from the snow fed Baspa river. The highlight of this river trek is the view of the Kinnaur Kailash peak that stays for almost the entire duration of the trek.



Starting at Chitkul, considered the last village on the Indo-Tibet border, this trek goes all the way to Sangla, one of the famous apple orchards of Himachal Pradesh. One can trek beyond Sangla upto Karcham, but there is too much dam construction downstream and hence the beauty of the river trek is lost beyond Sangla. This river trek from Chitkul to Sangla is about 16 kms long, whereas the distance by road is about 22 kms.



If you wish, you can trek by road too, but you will have to bear with the dusty conditions as army trucks and other vehicles keep plying regularly. The walk by road is much easier though. If you trek by the river, you will have to ascend and descend many times as the river meanders through gorges and wide open spaces. Even if you do get tired, which you will at many junctures, you can find a rock by the river and enjoy the spectacular views.



Once you start at Chitkul village, take the bridge below the village and cross on to the other bank of the river. From here, take a goat trail (I call it so as it has goat droppings all the way) and make your way through a dense pine forest. Once you cross this forest, you will start walking by the river, but at a slight altitude. Then, comes the most entertaining part of this river trek, the makeshift wooden log bridges.



Now, imagine this, you are surrounded by the mighty Himalayas on all sides and just below you (by about 50 feet) is the Baspa river. As you are standing in a valley, it is safe to assume that there would be many small streams and tributaries that will join the main Baspa river. You are walking on the left bank of the river and headed West-North West and you have to cross these many mountain streams. You cannot get yourself wet as the waters are extremely cold and sometimes turbulent. The only option left for you is jumping over rocks or crossing narrow wooden log bridges. Set at a decent height above the river, these bridges test your sense of balance and more so if you are carrying your backpack.



Once you cross the first main log bridge, you come to a rocky zone and then a small village and then begins a steep hike through the forests again. Then, you cross 2 more log bridges and then you drop down to the river and cross the narrow gorge. Then, in a short while, you will reach an iron bridge on the river. Cross onto the right bank and continue towards Rakcham. You can either camp overnight at Rakcham and enjoy the rural atmosphere here or continue downstream to Batseri. This stretch between Rakcham and Batseri has more villages and hence more agricultural land. If you are in season, you will see this entire land covered in shining red buck wheat.



At Batseri, camp overnight and explore the famous Devta temple here.  The next morning, you can continue the trek to Sangla through apple orchards. As you approach Sangla, the river widens, there are larger meadows, more apple orchards, more farming and more cattle. Hence, this part of the trek will mean more interactions with the locals and more getting to see the local cultures. While, the previous stretch between Rakcham and Chitkul being more raw nature and forests.



This trek is fairly easy, but it is not accessible all through the year. In fact, it is only accessible during the time from September through February when there is no rain and the river and its tributaries shrink. Unlike other Himalayan treks, this river trek will become impossible when the snow melts and all small tributaries become swollen with water. In order to prepare for this trek, carry a headlamp or flashlight, some high energy bars, 2 liters of water per person unless you are fine to drink the river water, a pair of sunglasses and a good pair of boots (don’t bother with running or tennis shoes as the combinations of rock and water will wear them out pretty quickly). A warm layer will help as the early mornings and late evenings get nippy. There is no phone coverage for most of the duration of this trek and hence download your maps so that you can access it in offline mode.



If you are carrying your tent, don’t keep your surroundings clean without any food scraps as this is bear country. If you intend to stay in a hotel room, Batseri, Rakcham and Sangla have lots of hotels, camps and guest houses to choose from.

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Spiti Valley Trekking and Backpacking: My Upcoming Trip

I am headed to the Western Himalayas after a gap of 6 years! The last time I was in this part of the country, I was on my India motorcycle trip and I was traveling solo. This time, the agenda is more #backpacking and #trekking and giving me company is a good friend of mine and a great travel buddy. Today, we are flying to Chandigarh from Bangalore and Hyderabad respectively, where we plan to indulge in a traditional Punjabi lunch, before we make our way to Shimla. The original plan was to take the toy train from Kalka to Shimla, but as the train tickets are not available, we are taking the bus from Chandigarh to Shimla.

From Shimla we make our way to Sangla and Chitkul in the Baspa valley for our first pit stop enroute to Spiti valley. If required, we might go to Recong Peo, though I don’t intend to go to this busy town in the Kinnaur region. The plan is to spend more time at Chitkul (considered the closest Indian village to the Tibetan border) and enjoy the Kinner Kailash view, the apple orchards and the Baspa valley.

From here, for the next 3 weeks, we intend to spend in the Spiti Valley, where we will explore the following places:

1) Nako

2) Tabo and Tabo Monastery

3) Dhankar, Dhankar Lake and possibly some volunteering at the monastery

4) Sherkhang Gompa

5) Trekking in Pin Valley

5) The villages of Mulche, Demul, Komic, Hikkim, Langza and Tashigong

6) Kaza, Ki and Ki Monastery, Kibber and Chicham

7) Batal, Kunzum Pass and Chandra Taal Lake

8) Gramphoo and finally Manali

Weather and road conditions permitting…The idea is to walk most of this loop from Shimla to Manali, especially in the core of Spiti valley, between the high villages, the Pin Valley and Chandra Taal Lake. In between, we will be taking public transport to commute between the long distances. 3 weeks won’t do enough justice to all these places. Hence, depending on weather conditions, we will choose between the high villages and the Pin valley trek.

Stay in touch with me through my social channels and join me virtually as I trek and backpack through the scenic high Himalayas of Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh.

Like always, I have made no plans, which means no hotel bookings, no trekking bookings and no fixed itinerary. If any of you have any suggestions: hotels, homestays, places, attractions, conservation efforts, volunteering, etc., please be kind enough and share it with me through your comments below.

P.S. If any of you happen to be in the vicinity, do give me a shout. I would love a meet up! You can find my email and phone coordinates on my 'about me’ page.

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Kinnaur Kailash – Heaven on Earth!!

Of days gone by...this February during my solo all India motorcycle journey…

 
After trekking in the Great Himalayan National Park, I made my way to the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. As I was unable to take the shorter route through the snow filled Jalori Pass, I had to take a huge roundabout route through Mandi and Karsog to reach NH 22, the Hindustan-Tibet highway. The entire route from Great Himalayan National Park till NH 22 is a treat for the eye with dense forest cover, sightings of rare orchids, green fields and views of snow clad peaks. On reaching NH 22, the highway keeps following the Sutlej river, which flows into India from Tibet.


After a night’s halt at Rampur, I proceeded on the NH22 and a slight detour to reach Recong Peo, the district headquarters of Kinnaur. The road till Rampur was good, but it deteriorated rapidly as I got deeper into Kinnaur. I guess the wrong (winter) season was reason for the bad state of roads. A lot of hydroelectric projects dotted the route. Now, hydroelectric projects are good for the people downstream, but I guess they cause a lot of damage to the ecology around it. A lot of disturbance can be noticed around these hydroelectric plants. The view of the Satluj watershed, the deep gorges and the snow capped mountains are pure ecstasy. The entire area is dotted with establishments of the Indian army border security force as the Tibet border is pretty close by.

 
As I left NH 22 to climb towards Recong Peo and Kalpa, the temperature started plummeting and the visibility started getting worse, but the already stunning views started getting better. I crossed the city of Recong Peo and made the climb to Kalpa. Kalpa is one of the biggest and most beautiful villages of Kinnaur and is situated at a height of 2758m above sea level. Since I was at Kalpa during non-tourist season, I found the village completely deserted. Hence I had to change my plan of staying at Kalpa and had to trace my way back to Recong Peo and checked into a hotel that had a great view of the the snow clad mountains.


I stayed at Recong Peo for 3 days and 2 nights. During my stay here, I went to Kalpa to soak in the sights of the heavenly Kinnaur Kailash that stands regal against all other Himalayan ranges. These majestic mountains of the Kinnaur Kailash range offer spectacular sights in the morning as the rising sun touches the snowy peaks with crimson and golden light. Next, I went to the temple town of Kothi, which has a temple dedicated to the goddess Chanadika devi. Set against a background of mountains and graves of the deodar, the temple has an unusual architectural style and fine sculpture.

I also visited the Sangla valley which offers a magical landscape. The Kamru fort, situated about 2 kms from Sangla has an architecture that resembles that of the Bhima Kali complex and this was the origin of rulers of Bushehar.

To see India through the eyes of a motorcyclist’s lens, visit the album below.

my solo all-india motorcycle journey

 

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