Trip Report- Sangla,kalpa,sarahan

After lots of help from India Mike experts we decided to make a short trip to Kinnaur Kailash in the first week of October. As we made Kedar Badri tour just 3 months ago, it was tough for us both financially & from office to make another trip. But after reading description of the trip by Nayan we decided to make it , but had to make it in a short way.
Our programme was from 01/10/2008 (leaving from Howrah) to 09/10/2008 (reaching Howrah). Those who want to make this trip but are unable to make it due unavailability of leave can follow this programme. As we had visited Shimla earlier so we didn’t stay there , only spent some time at the Mall. Our tour programme was like this—

DAY 1-( 01/10/2008)
Started from Howrah by Kalka mail ( dep. 19.40 hrs)

DAY 2-
On train

Day3
Reached Kalka early morning ( 4.30 hrs). The person car we hired for the tour was there at the station waiting for us. His name is Multan Singh,we hired his Tata Sumo for 5 days @ 1800/- per day ( from Kalka stn to Kalka stn). At Kalka station he took us to a local car & took us to Harayana- Himachal border , just 2 km from Kalka Station. His car was kept there (because HP CARS generally do not enter Harayana, so he took us to state border by Hariyana car from Kalka Station) We experienced same thing when last time we returned from Manali to Kalka. Tourists need not worry about it, it is the responsibility of the driver to reach you Kalka station if you have made the contact from Kalka station to Kalka station (as generally people do).

We, then started towards Simla at around 5.00 a.m.. We stopped at a road side dhaba for tea break , have a cup of tea & biscuit. We reached Shimla at around 8.30 A.M. We spent some time there at the Mall, had our breakfast at HPTDC Restaurant (name is Ashiana) located at the centre of the Mall. Our plan was to stay the day Narkanda, about 64 km from Shimla. We reached there at around 1.30 p.m. Those who are interested to have a horse ride a Kufri can do it, as it is on the way to Narkanda from Shimla. We entered the hotel just opposite to temple on the highway at Narkanda. Double beded room without T.V. cost Rs 550/- per day. We were very tired, so after having lunch we took a long sleep till evening. In the evening we just walked around the market area of Narkanda. We came to know that all apples of this area have been plucked.

Day4
Today we left early in the morning at 7.00 a.m. Today we will go to Sangla ( about 170 km from Narkanda). After covering some distance we got Sutlej flowing side by side of the road. We crossed Rampur & after some time stopped for breakfast in a road side dhaba. We took Alu Parantha, quiet delicious & GARMA GARAM CHAI.
Then we again started moving towards Sangla. The natural beauty is just I can not describe in words. I just put some photos which will tell better. The road condition near Karcham is very poor thanks to Hydroelectric Power Plant project of JP Group. For about 10 kms we had to completely close windows of our car for flowing dust from road. After crossing Karcham we found what is commonly known as road, before this it was PATH. Now we have entered Sangla valley. At Sangla we stayed at Debbhumi Regency about ½ km before Sangla market, in a lonely place. The rooms are facing Ice peaks & below is beautiful Sangla Valley.

After getting refreshed we had our lunch with rice, dal, alubhaja & aluposto ( perfect Bengali dish) we headed towards Chitkul, last village of India with a population of 610 & 22 kms from Sangla. On both sides of the road we saw apple trees , full with apple. The speciality of this region is green/yellow apple known as Golden Apple. Here are photos of Chitkul & Baspa river near Chitkul.

At chitkul we went to the Baspa River , the colour of the river is bluish . We saw local boys are planning cricket in the school ground there. After spending some time there we returned to Sangla by evening.

Day5-
Today we will go to Kalpa. After having our breakfast we left at 8.30 in the morning, it is just 50 km from Sangla, but it took more than three hours to reach there. Our car driver said that if it rains for 1hr then these roads will be blocked & we will have to wait for ……. The beauty of the road from Reckong Peo to Kalpa just unexplainable in words, one have to go there & see it. From Reckong Peo we could see Kinnaur Kailash range. We reached Kalpa at around 12 noon , put our luggages in hotel ( Shivalik, just below HPTDC TRH, room rent 500/- day, with window facing KK Range), ordered our lunch & left Rokhi village ( 4km). All along our road we could see only apple trees , here the frequency is more than Sangla & all full with apples. But our hotel manager told us that before entering a garden you should seek permission from the owner & should not pluck any apple from the tree. It is not needed to pluck apples as lots are falling under the tree. From Rokhi village Kinnaur Kailash range is very clearly visible.

In the afternoon we stood in the balcony of our hotel to view the sunset, the weather was little cloudy so we could not see the reddish ray falling on the peaks. Still I am putting some photos here.


Day6-
We got up early in the morning to see sunrise.

Today we will go to Sarahan. We left after our breakfast. On the road we got shower, luckily we had crossed the danger zone of landslide. We reached Sarahan at around 1.00 p.m. . All rooms of Bhimakali temple was booked, so we entered in a hotel named as Sagarika, just behind Bhima Kali Temple @ Rs 450/- day.
In the evening we went to the temple for Puja. The atmosphere of the temple is very cool & calm which we normally do not see in temples. The decoration of the Temple is nice. We watched Arati in the evening there. On that day we could not see Srikhand Peak due to cloudy weather.

Day7—
Today we will go to Kalka to catch train in the right. In the morning we saw Srikhand Peak. The location of HPTDC TRH is the best for the view at Sarahan. We left Sarahan at around 8.30 a.m. & are heading towards Kalka. Today we will go via Chail. After crossing Rampur we stopped at a roadside dhaba for our lunch. We came to the place where road is going towards Kufri. We crossed Kufri & headed towards Chail. The entire route is through jungles with lots of green all side. Here is a photo of a Himachal village taken from top. We reached Kalka in the evening comfortable to catch our Kalka- Howrah mail.



Day8---
On train
DAY9-
Reached home with sweet memories of Kinnaur Kailash.

koushik
nice to read your writeup. Its good to know you had such a great time.

have you uploaded photos anywhere?
If so please provide the link.

Kousik, nice short trip log, and thanx for sharing beutiful pics.

I have taken the photos with my Codac camera & scanned some & have posted those here. Though I put a name for all the photos while posting in the group but it is not appearing here. So, I have posted 8-9 photos in the PHOTO SECTION of this group yesterday evening. You can get a better view with all labelling there.

Ur quite fortunate that u didn,t stay in Rolling rang resort in Kalpa.Plz. tell all the members not to stay in there as they don,t care for travellers convenience.Also let the people know that they should not trust Mr. monoj Negi, who works as a tout.Due to him.we faced a lot of trouble in there.

Dear Sujoy,
In my opinion the plan has some drawbacks as follows:-

23rd--- REACHING Simla by overnight bus journey & then proceeding towards Sarahan, Very very tough. Better to stay that day at Simla. Then followmy plan as given below:-

24th--- Simla to Sarahan & night stay at Sarahan.There is not that much things at SARAHAN to stay for 2nights.
25th to 28th same as you have planned.
29th-- start from Kalpa very early by 7.00hrs to reach Simla that day,otherwise you will have to stay night at any intermediate place.

You better talk to the following person regarding your car requirement & hotel booking if you need ( MAY TAKE MY REFERNCE)-
Mr. Saveen Kumar --09816311768.VERY RELIABLE MAN & VERY GOOD SERVICE PROVIDER.

where did you stay in narkanda ,and sarahan,i am trying the bhimkali temple's contact number without any result.

regards

arnab

Nice trip report with pics

Tethy's is the best option to stay in Narkanda.. There is HP Govt rest house at Hatu if you want budget accomodation.

Thanks a lot Kaushik. I agree reaching Simla by overnite bus and then proceed for Sarahan will be stretchy. So will spend 23rd in Shimla & also planned to stay at Narkanda on 28th - way back from Kalpa to Shimla.

Any suggestion for budget accommodations in Narkanda (contact number for Tethy's).

Also any chance of snowfall during that time?

regards
Sujoy

I stayed in a hotel at the market junction at Narkanda, but can't remember the name. The person whose number I have mentioned arranges hotels also as per your budget.
I only remember the name of the hotel at Sangla.It is Debbhumi. Very nice hotel ( during my journey it was arranhed by Mr. Saveen Kumar). Try to get that hotel.
Hotel arranged by him at Kalpa was also good ( sorry I don't remember the name but it is just infront of HPTDC HOTEL KINNAUR KAILASH with 180 degree magnificient view of KINNAUR KAILASH RANGE)
Most probably you will not get snowfall. If you get remember that will be prceeded by heavy rainfall & probably bad road condition.
But hopefully you will get apples there.

the name of the hotel is Mayadeep which is in the market junction at narkanda, just besides the temple (the temple is at the center of the road). We paid Rs.400 for a double room in january this year. Hptdc hotels are expensive and overpriced even in the off season. See the photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/mosederbaer

Hi All,

I have a plan, please check if its okay

17th Morning - Reach Manali and stay there
18th - Side seen of Manali and Rohtang Pass and other (please let me know which are the places I can cover that day.)
19th Morning will leave for Kinnour
20th Stay in Kinnour
21st Stay in Kinnour
22nd Morning - Kinnour to Shimla via Kulu (Is Kulu on the way to Shimla?)
23 - 24 Stay in Shimla
25- Kalka

Please suggest

-Himadri

Doing all the places you mentioned in given 8 days will be quite hectic in my opinion. If you are talking about January here, Jalori would be most probably closed because of snow. It would make your journey from Manali to Kinnaur a very lengthy one, impossible in a day. Also Kullu is not on the way from Kinnaur to shimla but from Manali to Shimla/Kinnaur.

So, My suggestion to you is to go with one,
--either Kullu and Manali with a day or two at Shimla,
--or, Kinnaur and shimla. Again Kinnaur is a risky one. Side valleys would be almost impossible. This, again, strongly opposes Kinnaur.

Keep a check on weather before going..

thanks Deepak