Are you first time traveler to Kinnaur, if so, you might be searching for that perfect Kinnaur trip itinerary to experience the surreal charm of this Himalayan wonderland.
Therefore, based on my extensive travels in Kinnaur, let me help you plan your trip by put forth an ultimate kinnaur trip Itinerary. So let’s get started.
Kinnaur Trip Itinerary
Kinnaur is one of the rare districts of Indian Himalayas, where you get to experience diverse Himalayan terrain. The rich tribal culture, the insanely scenic vistas, rustic locales, beautiful temples and monasteries is what entices me to Kinnaur.
Having two month long Kinnaur trips, I’ve had the fortune of visiting a lot of beautiful lesser-frequented places along with the more common conventional places.
Therefore, I’ve come up with two itineraries, one which is a common week-long itinerary for Kinnaur, while the kinnaur trip itinerary is full of lesser-frequented delights and all about having authentic experiences.
Must Read – Is Kinnaur Worth Visiting
Kinnaur Trip Itinerary – 7 Day Itinerary Perfect For First-time travelers
As I said, this kinnaur trip itnerary will be a common itinerary and perfect for someone who is traveling to kinnaur for the first time.
| Day 1
Leave from Delhi by overnight bus to Sangla |
| Day 2
Reach Sangla by evening. Check into Accommodation and rest for the day |
| Day 3
Explore Kamru village and Fort, Sangla village and Temple. Overnight in Sangla. |
| Day 4
Head to Chitkul. Relax and explore the village, temples etc. Overnight at Chitkul |
| Day 5
Head to Kalpa. Explore the temples, Monastery in Kalpa, Roghi. Overnight in Kalpa |
| Day 6
Today head to lesser-frequented village of Pangi. Explore the village. Stay at Reckong Peo Overnight. |
| Day 7
Head back to Delhi today from Reckong Peo. |
| Day 8
Reach Delhi. |
Day 1
I’m assuming that the journey will be started from Delhi. But If you are coming from the other parts of the country, then first you need to get to Delhi.
From Delhi, you can either opt to go to Shimla first and then opt for Kinnaur bound buses, else the better option is to board a direct bus to either Sangla or District headquarters of Reckong Peo. Note that the journey will be tiresome.
In that way, you can reach Kinnaur by evening or afternoon. For this itinerary I’ve considered, Sangla, but you can very well go to Reckong Peo first. The bus to sangla is at 19.00 from Delhi. For more details read the blog below.
Must Read – How To Reach Kinnaur from Delhi
Day 2
Today your most of the day will be taken in reaching Kinnaur, Sangla to be specific. And if all goes well, you should be able to reach Sangla by evening.
Once you reach Sangla, you can head to your accommodation. Coming to the stay options, from hotels, hostels to homestays, Sangla has every kind of accommodation to cater to the tourists.
For those looking for a well-know brand, even a Zostel has opened up in Sangla. So choose accommodation based on your comfort and budget. Relax for the day after checking into the accommodation as you’ll be tired from the long journey.
Day 3
Today head to the ancient village of Kamru, the seat of the erstwhile Bushahr Kingdom. Explore the Kamru fort and marvel at the grandeur of the fort. The workmanship and wood-carvings are top notch.
From the main Sangla village, Kamru is around 2 km and the fort will be further ahead. Once you are done exploring the fort, return back to Sangla.
Explore the Sangla village, the Bairing Nag Temple, The monastery (Lakhang) of Sangla and call it a day. Overnight at Sangla.
In case you have extra days in hand, extend your time in Sangla and head to Sangla Kanda or the lesser frequented villages of Baspa valley like Barua, Sapni, Chansu etc.
Day 4
Today you’ll be heading to the famous village of Chitkul which needs no introduction. Perched at an altitude of around 3400 m, Chitkul and surrounded by lofty peaks and beautiful baspa river snaking across the valley floor.
Chitkul is also the base or end point of several adventurous hiking like Borasu pass, Lamkhaga pass, Charang La, Khimloga pass to name a few.
Therefore in case you are hiking enthusiast you can always embark on trails or hikes around Chitkul, but make sure you hire a local guide in case you are not an expert.
Else you can relax and soak in the surreal vistas which Chitkul proudly boasts. Apart from that like every other Kinnauri village, Chitkul too has a beautiful deity temple and a buddhist monastery (Lakhang).
Owing to surge in popularity over the years, accommodation is not a problem in Chiktul, from Budget homestays to a Zostel, Chitkul has it all. In fact, when I visited Chitkul in 2018, there were decent options even back then. Now there are too many.
Day 5
Today bid your goodbyes to charming valley of Baspa and head to land of Kinner Kailash. Board the morning bus and head to the district headquarters of Reckong Peo or Kalpa.
Now when I usually visit this part of Kinnaur, I stay at Ratuaa homestay run by a local lad Pankaj Charas from the village of Nesang. So you can either stay here or head straight to Kalpa.
From Reckong Peo & Kalpa, you get delightful views of the revered and otherworldly Kinner Kailash range of peaks. Once you freshen and are ready to go, head to monastery in Kalpa built by the great translator and head to deity temples.
After you are done exploring the picturesque village of Kalpa, head to Roghi Cliff which is better known as suicide point. Back in the day, there was no barricading and had a step drop which is it was infamously known as a suicide point.
But now it is “I Love Kinnaur” point and has been barricaded to avoid any mishaps. This cliff falls on the Roghi road from Kalpa/
And remember to soak in the surreal vistas of lofty Kinner Kailash group of peaks. Overnight stay at Reckong Peo/Kalpa.
Day 6
Today will be one of last adventures and you’ll be heading to the village lesser-frequented yet picturesque. The distance is not too much from either Kalpa or Reckong Peo.
Again like rustic villages, there is nothing much do to, other then observe the daily life of the locals, learn about the local culture etc. There is a temple dedicated to deities of Pangi village, Sheshering and Nagas.
Like all the new Kinnauri temples, this is one grand too. Also there is a buddhist monastery in the village of Pangi.
Apart from this, if you come to Pangi during Mid-July you will have the fortune of witnessing one of the unique tribal festivals of Kinnaur known as Dakhraine.
So if you are a cultural enthusiast who loves to witness local festivals, you surely need to visit Pangi in the month of July.
Day 7
Today is going to be your last day in Kinnaur, so enjoy your last moments and be ready to depart towards Delhi. Now you can opt to break your journey and first reach Shimla and then proceed to Delhi.
But you can also opt for a direct bus to Delhi which starts at 11.30 from Reckong Peo bus stand. You’ll reach Delhi the very next day early morning.
Itinerary For Kinnaur – 14 Days Itinerary To Lesser-Known Delights of Kinnaur
Now the above first Kinnaur trip itinerary is for those who just want to stick to the usual places and have a comfortable trip. But this itinerary for kinnaur is specially for those who love to take it slow and tread on off the beaten path.
This two week long itinerary is specially curated by me, with respect to places I’ve personally visited and spent considerable time at. Be rest assured that those who seek authentic experiences will benefit the most out of this Itinerary.
And just a note, do not expect luxury in this itinerary, this itinerary is all about living like a local. Of course, you’re stays would be comfortable, but in normal Kinnauri homes and not lavish hotels.
| Day 1
Leave In overnight bus to Recong Peo from Delhi. |
| Day 2
Reach Reckong Peo in the evening and rest for the day. Overnight at Reckong Peo |
| Day 3
Head to Nesang for the day. Overnight stay at Nesang |
| Day 4
Explore the village and hike to Pangrang Mata. Overnight stay at Nesang |
| Day 5
Leave early morning for Spillow. Explore the villages of Shumcho valley. Overnight stay at Karla or Spillow |
| Day 6
Leave from Spillow and today head to the village of Leo. Overnight at Leo. |
| Day 7
Explore the village of Hango. Overnight at Leo. |
| Day 8
Depart from Leo and head back to Reckong Peo. Overnight at Reckong Peo |
| Day 9
Today head to Charang and explore the village. Overnight at Charang. |
| Day 10
Depart from Charang and head to Reckong Peo. Overnight at Reckong Peo. |
| Day 11
Head to Baspa valley from Reckong Peo, stay at Batseri overnight. |
| Day 12
Head to Chiktul. Explore the village and the Overnight stay at Chiktul. |
| Day 13
Depart for Chandigarh Today from Chitkul. |
| Day 14
Reach Chandigarh early morning. And catch further bus to Delhi. Or depart from Chandigarh itself. |
Day 1
I’m assuming that the journey will be started from Delhi. But If you are coming from the other parts of the country, then first you need to get to Delhi.
From Delhi, you can either opt to go to Shimla first and then opt for Kinnaur bound buses, else the better option is to board a direct bus to either Sangla or District headquarters of Reckong Peo. Note that the journey will be tiresome.
In that way, you can reach Kinnaur by evening or afternoon. For this itinerary, you have need to reach Reckong Peo. The bus to Sangla is at 19.00 from Delhi. For more details read the blog below.
Must Read – How To Reach Kinnaur from Delhi
Day 2
Today your most of the day will be taken in reaching Kinnaur, Reckong Peo to be specific. And if all goes well, you should be able to reach Reckong Peo by evening.
Once you reach Reckong Peo, you can head to your accommodation. There are a lot hotels and homestays in Reckong Peo But I usually stay at Ratuaa homestay which is just a 10-minute climb from the Reckong Peo market.
After a tiresome journey, rest is necessary. Therefore, rest for the remainder of the day.
Day 3
Today you’ll heading to the high-altitude village of Nesang. Perched at around 3000 m, the village of Nesang is surrounded by Barren mountains and lofty snowy peaks.
There is a bus at 1.30 PM from Reckong Peo. Now if you are staying at Ratuaa homestay, then you are in luck, because the hosts are actually from Nesang and upon request you can stay at native home in Nesang.
Else you need to contact Pankaj Charas who is the host of Ratuaa homestay and operates the homestay in both Peo and his native village of Nesang.
If you go by bus, it will take at least 4 hours to Nesang. But in case you reach early, you can explore the deity temple and the ancient monasteries of Nesang as well saunter across the village and indulge in conversations with locals.
The life at Nesang is pretty harsh during the winters and they earn their livelihood by growing peas and producing apples. Stay overnight at Pankaj’s house and experience the Kinnauri hospitality by him and his family.
Day 4
If you are a hiking enthusiast, today will be great day as you can hit the trail and visit the sacred Pangrang mata temple.
The hike is not a difficult one and is around 6 km from the village. The trail is super beautiful, with barren mountains, snow-capped peaks of Gang Chua and Gang Chya along with peaks of Shubrushang being your constant companion.
Again, Pankaj will be your guide on this one as he embarked on several trails around his village and is well-versed with them. Overnight stay at Nesang.
Day 5
Today is time to bid adieu to the charming locale of Nesang and head to another lesser-frequented gem of Kinnaur, Shumcho valley. Now there is an early morning bus at 6.30 AM from Nesang to Spillow which you need to take.
You’ll be reaching Spillow at around 8 AM. Once you reach Spillow, head to Kubber Guest house. They will be guides and host for exploration in Shumcho.
Run by Amir Lama Ji, their native village is actually Karla which is some km from Spillow. So you can talk to him and if you like you can stay at his home in Karla for the night.
The villages of Kanam, Labrang are not very far from Karla and you can explore them as per your choice and convenience. Kanam has a temple dedicated to Dabla Shu and some ancient monasteries to explore.
While Labrang has a fort, deity temple dedicated to Chakoling Shu and a monastery perched above the village to explore.
Day 6
Today you’ll be bidding your goodbyes to Karla and heading to the village of Leo in Upper Kinnaur. There is a morning bus which goes leaves from Karla at around 9.30 AM, so you can reach Spillow and then wait for the Hango bus to arrive.
So the Hango bus arrives at Spillow at around 12.30 PM. Board that bus and get down at Leo which will at least another 4 hours. You can contact Tanzin who runs a homestay in Leo village.
Leo village has a stark semblance to a cold-desert like Spiti or Ladakh.
Since you’ll be reaching in the evening, you can spend some time walking across the village and marveling at the otherworldly mars-like landscapes. Overnight at Tanzin’s homestay in Leo.
Day 7
You’ll be heading to village of Hango today. Perched at around 3400m, is true gems of Upper Kinnaur. Apart from of course being a typical cold-desert locale, this village has clearest views that you can get of Himachal’s highest peak Reo Purgyil.
Apart from this you can visit the Buddhist nunnery, deity temple and take a stroll across the village of Hango. Try to visit Hango on a late autumn or early winter day, for some insanely crisp views like I managed to get. Summers can get hazy sometimes.
Now the only real problem is that bus for Hango doesn’t arrive until 4.30 PM at leo. So you would have to request Tanzin to show take you to Hango.
Day 8
Today you’ll be heading back to Reckong Peo. Bus to Reckong Peo departs at around 8.30 AM from Leo, So just board that bus to Reckong Peo and relax for the day.
Day 9
Today you’ll be heading to another high-altitude village of Charang in the pristine Tidong valley. The route to Charang is pretty adventurous with narrow roads and steep rugged mountains rising.
The lone bus to Charang leaves at around 8.15 AM from Reckong Peo bus stand, so ensure that you board. For staying in Charang you can contact Sonu Negi who runs a trekking company called Rachotrekkers and also has a homestay in his native village of Charang.
You can explore the village today, as you’ll reach only in the afternoon and if time permits and you are not tired from the journey, you might also want to pay a visit to the ancient Rangrik tungma monastery which is around 2 km from Charang village.
Day 10
Today you’ll be heading back to Reckong Peo from Charang. But the bus to Reckong Peo leaves sometime post none. So you have a lot of time at hand.
In case you missed out on visiting the ancient Rangrik Tungma monastery, the day before, you can do it today before the bus arrives. The hike is not long and just takes around 30-45 minutes to reach there.
Once you are back, just board the bus back to Reckong Peo. Overnight stay at Reckong Peo.
Day 11
Before bidding your goodbyes to the delightful experiences in Kinnaur, you’ll be heading for one last adventure in Baspa valley. And you’ll heading today to the lesser known delight of Batseri today.
Unlike the more famous of locales of Sangla or Chitkul, Batseri is perfect for those looking to escape the crowd and have authentic experiences.
There are a few homestays at Batseri, so you can definitely opt for those as per your budget and comfort.
Again, there is nothing touristy to do here in Batseri, just walk across the village, interact with hosts and villages and take it slow while marveling at the surreal vistas.
Day 12
After spending a night in Batseri and experiencing the charm of lesser-frequented village, you’ll head to touristy Chitkul today.
Thanks to excessive social media publicity and its super-picturesque setting, Chitkul is the most-sought after destination in Kinnaur. And most of the people who visit Chitkul actually are on a trip to Spiti.
Lofty peaks, picturesque setting, meandering river baspa, beautiful temples, pristine hiking trails are some of the reasons why Chitkul hits the spot for every kind of traveler.
There are a couple of buses to Chitkul in the day, so make use of them to reach Chitkul. Accommodation is not a problem in Chiktul, with varied options Hotels, guesthouses, hostel etc.
Day 13
Today will be your last day for this Kinnaur trip itinerary. Cherish back at all the memories and experiences you’ve had over the past few days and prepare for departing.
There is direct bus to Chandigarh from Chitkul which is at 3.40 PM. You can opt for it or break your journey and reach Rampur/Narkanda and then continue further.
But for the ease of it, I’ve considered that you’ll be opting for Chandigarh bound bus.
Day 14
You’ll reach Chandigarh early in the morning, from there you can opt for Delhi-bound buses and should be able to reach Delhi in the next 5-6 hours.
Else you can opt for trains or flights to the other parts of country if you do not want to go Delhi.
To conclude, I hope this Kinnaur trip itinerary will be able to help have ultimate trip and beautiful experiences in Kinnaur. In case you have any further query related to Kinnaur trip itinerary, do reach out to me in the comments below.