Autumn in Himalayas
- Dhanya Damodaran
- Nov 23, 2024
- 7 min read
Visited in October 2024
When you inquire about a travel plan to Himachal Pradesh from a tour company in South India, they will most likely suggest Kullu, Manali, and Shimla. Although these destinations are undoubtedly charming, there are many lesser-known places in Himachal Pradesh that are true gems. Kinnaur is one such place, and the week we spent there gifted us some of the most memorable days of our lives!
So, I live in the southern part of India, right smack in the Equatorial Region. I've always wanted to see Autumn and Spring because down here, it's just Summer and Monsoon all year round. Guess what? This year, we made it happen to experience Autumn by heading to Kinnaur at the end of October.
Itinerary:
Day 1 - Fly from Kochi to Shimla (via Delhi)
Day 2 - Shimla acclimatising and sight seeing
Day 3 - Shimla to Sangla
Day 4 - Sangla, Rakchham, Chitkul
Day 5 - Kalpa
Day 6 - Kalpa to Nako and Gue
Day 7 - Nako back to Shimla
Day 8 - Fly from Shimla to Kochi
Shimla:
Situated charmingly in the foothills of the Himalayas, Shimla serves as the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. It is crucial to spend a day in Shimla and acclimatise before heading to higher altitudes in order to minimize the risk of altitude sickness.
When we got to Shimla in the morning, we dropped our bags at the hotel. After freshening up a bit, we went to check out Karli Bari temple, Sankat Mochan temple, and Mata Vaishno Devi temple. Later we visited the Rashtrapati Niwas, formerly known as the Viceregal House where the famous Shimla conference was held in 1945 to approve self governance of India. This is currently known as the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies.


Later, we grabbed some lunch and then made our way to Jakhu Hanuman temple. We hopped on a cable car to the top of the hill to see the awesome statue of Lord Hanuman.


By evening, we were just strolling around Shimla's famous Mall Road. It was so lively, with an amazing view of the sunset. After shopping on the Mall Road and Lakkar Bazar, we had a great meal and drinks at Sol. It was such a fun time, overall.




Shimla by night:

Shimla to Sangla:
Sangla is one of the major locations in Kinnaur district and is around 220 km away from Shimla which would take 6+ hours to reach.
Our day began with a visit to the Goddess Kali temple in the morning. We also visited a palace owned by royal family on our way to Sangla. Along the way, we were treated to breath taking views of the peaks, valleys, and rivers. The roads in this region were constructed by carving through rocks during the British era and, given the challenging terrain and landslide risks, they are well maintained.





Sangla, Rakccham, Chitkul:
Today we're checking out some awesome places in Kinnaur district. You'll see beautiful Autumn views, apple orchards, the Baspa river flowing alongside you, cute little villages, and cozy dhabas where you can enjoy some Rajma Chaval and a hot cup of chai...
So, we kicked off the day with a nice morning stroll around the village and its apple orchards. Across the way, we had a killer view of the mountains and the Baspa river. Those Kinnauri apples are seriously top-notch - so juicy, crunchy, and sweet. We even swung by an orchard where the folks were kind enough to let us try a couple of apples, they were delicious!



So, after breakfast, we headed out to check out the Kamru Fort and the Kamakhya Devi temple up on the hill. The Himalayan mountain views from there are just stunning. Along the way, we passed by some really cute villages, where the locals were welcoming and nice. The traditional Himachali houses are made of stone and wood, but nowadays people are building more concrete houses. Still, we got to see some of those gorgeous old wooden houses in the villages. The entrance to the temples have wooden doors which are extensively carved, giving it an elegant look and grandeur.



The villagers dry the apple to store them for approaching winter. Some of the remote places in Kinnaur area get isolated due to heavy snowfall.

Rakchham village is a picturesque settlement located in the Kinnaur district. Situated along the Baspa River, Rakchham is known for its stunning natural beauty, with snow-capped mountains and lush greenery surrounding the area. The village offers a peaceful retreat for visitors looking to experience the charm of rural life in the Himalayas. There are plenty of camping options here, as well as adventure hike, trek routes also.





Chitkul is this super cute village near the Indo Tibetan border. After that, it's mostly army camps and empty land before you hit the Tibet border. You can soak in the beautiful mountain views, chill by the Baspa river, and grab a cup of chai at the last dhaba in India :) Taking a stroll around this scenic village will make you feel totally relaxed, rejuvenated, and at peace, thanks to the good vibes of the mountains.









Kalpa:
Kicked off the day with a morning walk through the nearby pine valleys, catching the stunning sunrise over the majestic Himalayas. After breakfast, we drove to the calm and cosy Roghi village. On the way, we stopped for some pics at Kinnaur's famous suicide point.




Roghi is a tiny village in Kalpa. It's cool how when you check out these small villages, you end up chatting with ward members, school teachers, kids, shopkeepers, apple orchard workers, and the elders. These conversations really add a unique twist to your trip. After all, traveling isn't just about seeing the sights—it's about those awesome moments you share with the locals, right?



We checked out the temple in Roghi and wandered around the village to get our first look at the sacred Kinnaur Kailash Shivling. Seeing one of the 'Panch Kailash' on this trip was absolutely amazing.

After Roghi, we headed over to visit the famous Kalpa village. It's a beautiful village tucked away in the Himalayan valley, offering postcard-perfect views of the massive mountains surrounding it.




Hubu lan kar monastery:

Kalpa village's alleys and paths were amazing, with lots of traditional Himachali homes built from wood and stone. It was a refreshing walk with mountain views, chats with locals, and traditional houses everywhere.


Later on, we checked out the village primary school, the gram panchayat office, and a cool spot to sit and take in the whole village view.


After grabbing some lunch, we made our way to Rekong Peo, the main hub of Kinnaur district. There's a market there where you can shop for local handicrafts and find a few small restaurants too.

Himalayan dry fruits

Wearing Himachali Topi

The golden hours of sunset

Gue via Nako:
We took a long road trip from Kalpa to Nako and then headed to Gue Monastery. We traveled through Kinnaur and into the Spiti valley, where Gue Monastery is located. The drive was amazing, with stunning views of rocky mountains. It felt like being on the Moon or Mars because of the unique terrain. We got pretty close to the China border on this trip. There was a spot where the Sutlej and Spiti rivers meet, and the views were absolutely breathtaking.

The roads are really well kept by BRO, and huge props to them and the Indian Army for doing such a great job, even with the tough terrain. These areas are strategic and need quick Army movement.


On our way to Gue monastery, we went through the well-known Ka Loops. The twisty roads look incredible from up high, and the views are just breath taking.


On our way, we grabbed some hot and spicy soup, samosas, and sweet jalebis from the BRO canteen, and they were absolutely delicious. Then we headed into Spiti Valley and made our way to the monastery.



The Gue monastery is totally stunning with its one-of-a-kind spot and awesome views of the Himalayas. Dedicated to Guru Padmasambhava, the prayer halls are quiet with Tibetan architecture. Also, you can check out the self-mummified monk, His Eminence Sangha Tenzin, here, who lived around 500 years ago.



Self-mummified monk, His Eminence Sangha Tenzin






Despite its remote location, Gue village has a good mobile network coverage. This is good with most of the remote places in Himachal Pradesh.



We returned to Nako village from Gue to relax at our homestay for a laid-back evening. We purchased woollen shawls from the village store and went to our homestay.



We set an alarm and woke up at 2 am to witness the Milky Way. We saw numerous shooting stars and constellations in the dark night sky. Those views were truly priceless.

Nako and back to Shimla:
Woke up early and hiked to the village viewpoint with a prayer wheel. After breakfast, we wandered around Nako village to explore its rustic charm, visited the Nako monastery, the revered site of Guru Padmasambhava's lotus feet, and Nako lake. We also had the opportunity to converse with some of the locals.








Nako village completely blew my mind with its rustic charm. It was as if I had travelled
back in time... the stone houses with hay roofs, the cattle sheds, wooden doors—it all appeared so distant from the modern world. The villagers were exceptionally kind and hospitable, and I believe that living in such a serene environment, inhaling the fresh air, and drinking the pristine glacial water keeps them perpetually happy and cheerful.




Our drive to Shimla was quite long, covering more than 300 km in approximately 12 hours, with food breaks in between. We reached our hotel in Shimla on the pre-Diwali night. The entire town was lit up so beautifully for Diwali.

Next morning, we bid farewell to this chapter of our Himalayan expedition, hoping to cover Spiti valley later sometime.
As I previously mentioned, during this trip, we had the opportunity to spend time and converse with the locals in Himachal Pradesh. They are incredibly warm and affectionate, particularly in the villages. Here’s a glimpse of some of our wonderful moments with the kind people we met.















We just have to give a shoutout to our awesome guide, Satish. He really made our trip amazing. He knows the area so well, which was super helpful for us. Satish is friendly, energetic, and fun to be around, and he was great company the whole time. Thanks a ton, Satish, for all the good times we had in this trip!

Among all the landscapes, I've discovered that the mountains are my favourite, particularly the young Himalayas. I experience these "Mountain Calls" that urge me to plan a visit there. Indeed, once you've witnessed its beauty, energy, and allure, you simply want to return repeatedly. That's why we've committed to visiting this incredible natural wonder at least once a year. It's our desire, and we hope to fulfil it :)