Kinnaur in December (Is Lahaul/Spiti possible?)

abhi182

Thanks Vasuki..that really helped...
Another 1.5 weeks to go.. Can't wait

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Planning a trip to Spiti this December - Can you help shed some light

abhi182

Here is a rough itinerary
reach shimla on 26th

Part I: leave from Shimla on 27th December and make it to Kalpa by the evening (Innova)
a) Is it possible to make it to Kalpa in a single day
b) Would I find any accomodation in Kalpa this time of the year

Part II - use kalpa as a base to explore Kinnaur Valley - Head to Sangla - Chitkul
a) Should I earmark 2 days for Sangla/Chitkul or 1 day is adequate?

Part III - Head for Kaza via Sumdo
a) How'd be the road to Kaza from Kalpa
b) Possible to do it in a day?

Part IV - Explore areas around kaza
Part IV still remains to be chalked out though

Now what are your suggestions? Does this sound like reasonable itinerary
I'll be taking adequate precautions, and I wouldn't mind turning back if the road conditions look precarious
If I turn back, I always have the choice to head to narkanda and later manali to pursue a more sensible albeit less exciting itinerary (On a side note, howz the shimla- Manali route in winters?

PS: Need to be back in Delhi by the 6th of Jan

sandeep9868

My suggestion in red color:

Part I: leave from Shimla on 27th December and make it to Kalpa by the evening (Innova)
a) Is it possible to make it to Kalpa in a single day YES
b) Would I find any accomodation in Kalpa this time of the year YES

Part II - use kalpa as a base to explore Kinnaur Valley - Head to Sangla - Chitkul
a) Should I earmark 2 days for Sangla/Chitkul or 1 day is adequate? 1 day is sufficient for both the places.

Part III - Head for Kaza via Sumdo
a) How'd be the road to Kaza from Kalpa Very good except at Malling
b) Possible to do it in a day? Yes

Part IV - Explore areas around kaza
Part IV still remains to be chalked out though

Now what are your suggestions? Does this sound like reasonable itinerary Yeah
I'll be taking adequate precautions, and I wouldn't mind turning back if the road conditions look precarious A nice thinkingIf I turn back, I always have the choice to head to narkanda and later manali to pursue a more sensible albeit less exciting itinerary (On a side note, howz the shimla- Manali route in winters? Pretty fair except some bad roads.

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Thanks,
Sandeep
My Site

vasuki

The iternary sounds fine. All other queries have been answered above. Only problem I can forsee is the weather as this period is prone to snowfall. You will be lucky to move after Kalpa. As of today, water has started freezing in Kalpa and most of the hotels/guest houses have shut down. Same is the weather condition in Sangla. As I write this, temp at Narkanda inside the room is 4 degrees!

It normally snows in the night. You may reach Kalpa or Sangla during the day but may get stuck there if it snows in the night. Keep 2-3 days handy to get out of the place in such case. Also Innova is useless in snow. Same is with Scorpio. Do not hire any of these vehicles. Better have a 4x4 vehicle, either a Gypsy or a Mahindra Bollero, though they are little less comfortable. Make sure whatever the vehicle, the tyres are not worn out otherwise the vehicle becomes useless on snow. Carry enough cash, as you will find after the snowfall, prices suddenly rise even for a normal smoke at a place like Sangla or Kalpa. Last point where you will find ATMs is Rampur (State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank and HDFC Bank)

You will not be able to reach Manali through Jallori if it snows. The other route via Karsog also gets blocked at Kelodhar. Guess, you will have to drive back to Shimla and take the Bilaspur- Mandi route.

As I write this, I can see a few flakes coming down. Hoping to rise up to a white morning tomorrow!

__________________
Three goodies for Indian roads-
Good horn, Good brake, Good luck!

Himachal Travel Blog

puchu

Hi Avi,
Simla to Kalpa is about 260km,and the road condition is very bad now. You can hardly travel 15 to 20km in an hr.So it will take around 14hrs to reach Kalpa.I don’t think that this is a good decision ,specially that time. You can follow this itinerary—
27.12 --- stay at sarahan(you will be astonished to see the Vimkali temple).you can stay at the temple.
28.12 --- Chitkul
29.12---- Chitkul( this is the most beautiful place at Kinnaur dist)
30.12---- Kalpa
31.12---- Kalpa
01.1------ Kaza(via Nako,tabo) .Not sure whether maling nala will remain open that time?
02.1------ Kaza( visit Kye monastery,Kibber) again not sure about the weather.
03.1------If Kaza- Manali road is not open come back at Kalpa/Sangla.
04.1------ Rampur
05.1------Manali/Simla.
I am not sure but probably there is a route from Kalpa to Manali,you can check it out.

puchu

Hi Avi,
Simla to Kalpa is about 260km,and the road condition is very bad now. You can hardly travel 15 to 20km in an hr.So it will take around 14hrs to reach Kalpa.I don’t think that this is a good decision ,specially that time. You can follow this itinerary—
27.12 --- stay at sarahan(you will be astonished to see the Vimkali temple).you can stay at the temple.
28.12 --- Chitkul
29.12---- Chitkul( this is the most beautiful place at Kinnaur dist)
30.12---- Kalpa
31.12---- Kalpa
01.1------ Kaza(via Nako,tabo) .Not sure whether maling nala will remain open that time?
02.1------ Kaza( visit Kye monastery,Kibber) again not sure about the weather.
03.1------If Kaza- Manali road is not open come back at Kalpa/Sangla.
04.1------ Rampur
05.1------Manali/Simla.
I am not sure but probably there is a route from Kalpa to Manali,you can check it out.

puchu

Hi Avi,
Simla to Kalpa is about 260km,and the road condition is very bad now. You can hardly travel 15 to 20km in an hr.So it will take around 14hrs to reach Kalpa.I don’t think that this is a good decision ,specially that time. You can follow this itinerary—
27.12 --- stay at sarahan(you will be astonished to see the Vimkali temple).you can stay at the temple.
28.12 --- Chitkul
29.12---- Chitkul( this is the most beautiful place at Kinnaur dist)
30.12---- Kalpa
31.12---- Kalpa
01.1------ Kaza(via Nako,tabo) .Not sure whether maling nala will remain open that time?
02.1------ Kaza( visit Kye monastery,Kibber) again not sure about the weather.
03.1------If Kaza- Manali road is not open come back at Kalpa/Sangla.
04.1------ Rampur
05.1------Manali/Simla.
I am not sure but probably there is a route from Kalpa to Manali,you can check it out.

abhi182

Thanks Puchu..
Been hearing lots of conflicting info on the state of the roads and accessibility

Anyway, I have already bit the proverbial bullet (chennai- Delhi tickets done for 26th morning)

Thanks to Voyager61, I also hooked up with a gentleman in Kaza so I can get the latest update from him before starting off from Kalpa (or Sarahan, wherever the last stop for the night would be)

Lucid

Hello abhi, incase your plan to spiti is still on !! take care and bring back the pictures of that blue sky !!

cheers

abhi182

Sorry guys, just back from the trip

Day 1 - Chennai - Delhi
Day 2 - Fagu
Day 3 Kalpa - (The HPTDC hotel in Kalpa is brilliant BTW)
Day 4 Sangla - Chitkul
(We actually had to leave the car a couple of kms before Chitkul as couldn't get enough traction on a bend due to the hardened snow...Could have negotiated the bend by putting some clay under the wheels but all of us wanted to walk till Chitkul so that's what we did)

Stayed for the night in a guesthouse in Raksham (Between Sangla and Chitkul).
Unfortunately, one of my travel partners was a guy from Chennai who had never experienced winters in his entire 27 years of existence and he started feeling unwell in Raksham...

We had to cut short our Kaza plans due to this and we proceeded towards Manali via Jalori pass.. Spent the rest of our vacation in Manali doing day hikes beyond the tourist points and another day riding a rented bike around Naggar ..Now Manali wasn't all that bad but was not a shade on what Spiti would have been

Will post the pics in the travelogues section soon

puchu

Hi Avi,
Hope u have a brilliant journey. Don’t get upset, plan for next time. The best time for Spiti is September to 1st week of October.Jalori pass is excellent.Is it?Waiting for your pictures.U can see my kinnaur pics on my account.
HAPPY NEW YEAR.

voyager61

Hi! I would say best time for Spiti are July and August.

rishabh6296

Good decision Abhi as the climate would have been a little too harsh in Spiti.

zanyguy

Hi Friends,

I am planning to visit Kinnaur between 6th to 13th Dec. My itinerary is here Trip to Kinnaur

Everyone here has been extremely helpful.
However, I am getting conflicting views on whether its the best season or not for visiting Kinnaur.

My uncle has been to this side in the end of Dec as also a few members here like Rachit, Sanjeev, etc. Therefore, I am keen to visit this place. Also, I talked with Ramchandra who also mentioned that I should be able to make the trip. Though he has also warned of the unexpected change in weather.

But, some members have warned me against visiting. Also, Banjara and Baikunth camps have warned of me the risks of visiting this area in dec., like landslides, getting stuck for days, slippery roads, no car repairs, etc.

Can I have a considered view from someone staying there, or someone who has been there in Dec. on what are the risks in visiting kinnaur in mid-dec? For example, what was the weather like in the past few years in this period?

I am not traveling in a group, but as per Ramchandra's advice, will be going in a proper vehicle suited for this terrain.

Thx for all the help and eagerly awaiting your replies.

Zany.

achem

hello
we, four friends(all male) are planning to visit kinnaur on december 25th....on 24th night we will start for shimla from delhi by bus and will reach there by morning. we will not stay there and want to start for chitkul.....we want to book car from shimla. Now my questions are:
1) i dont have any specific trip plan...we just want to move on as far as possible....for 4-5 days. we are interested in kinnaur and spiti region.So which places we can cover at that time? will it be too rush there near 25th december?
2) I know weather may become a headache...at that point of time...but as i said we are flexible to move as per condition.we dont want to book any hotel on advance...as i said our plan is not rigid....the question is can we get accomodation there without advance booking?moreover are the hotels open there at that time?
3)It will be great if anyone suggest me a good trip plan for 4 days in those region.
thanks in advance....waiting for reply