'''Kinnaur''' [http://hpkinnaur.nic.in/tourism.htm] is a district in Himachal Pradesh, India. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, and borders Tibet on its eastern end. Most of the villages of Kinnaur lie at quite a high altitude, some close to 4000m. It's a dry and very cold area, and in the right season (July-August) its quietness, great visibility, wonderful views and somewhat mysterious atmosphere all make it a great area to explore.

Towns

  • Reckong Peo – the capital of the district
  • Villages

  • Sangla – the biggest village in the beautiful Sangla Valley.
  • Sarahan – home of the 800 year old Bhima Kali Temple.
  • Chhitkul – arguably the most beautiful spot in Kinnaur.
  • Kalpa – a lovely village with stunning views of the Himalayas.
  • Puh
  • Nako – a little off the beaten track, but worth the effort.
  • Regions

  • Sangla Valley
  • Other destinations

  • '''Shrikhand Mahadev Peak''' – Easy peak to climb (5048m) 4 day trek in can be done from Gushaini (Tirthan Valley), Shamatan (Kurpan Gad) or Jyura (Sutlej Valley). Mainly undertaken in summers and peak is sacred to Hindus.
  • Understand

    Talk

    Get in

    There are daily buses to Kinnaur from Shimla. It is also possible to enter Kinnaur from Lahaul and Spiti, but there is a major active landslide area at Malling Nullah near Nako on the road between Tabo and Rekong Peo. The road is frequently blocked by landslides. In such case the HRTC public buses operate by transshipment - a bus arrives to the landslide, and another one picks up passengers from the other side. The landslide area is crossed on foot - a walk of ca. 100 meters only but sometimes dangerous because of falling stones.

    Get around

  • The major villages are connected by buses and 4wd shared taxis. 4wd's are also available for private hire.
  • See

    Itineraries

    Do

    Eat

    Drink

    Stay safe

    Kinnaur is a very peaceful and hospitable place.

    Get out

    Lahaul and Spiti – if you're heading up into Lahaul and Spiti, make sure you pick up a mandatory ''Inner Line Permit'' in Reckong Peo (Rs 150, good for 14 days. Or can be obtained for free in Shimla) before setting out. From Reckong Peo, a bus should take around 4-5 hours to reach the landslide at Malling Nullah (the road was washed out several years back, and is still not crossable by vehicle). Once there you'll hand over your bags to be shuttled across on the wire by basket (Rs 5/ea), while you'll spend 45 min or so exerting yourself as you hike up and around the rockfall. It's not ''too'' strenuous, but expect to break a sweat, at least a little. Once on the other side, you'll hopefully find a bus waiting to take you towards Tabo (2 hours).