Explore the inviting tracts of Kinnaur
By A.S.Prashar

THIRTY million years ago, a huge piece of land, broken away from the southern continent of Gondwanaland, came crashing into Laurasia — the earth's only other continent at the time. With the force of the impact, the land rose in giant waves and folds to create the world's grandest mountain range — the Himalayas.

And like three circles bound together by high ranges, narrow passes, fast-flowing rivers and a rich cultural tradition, the tracts of Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti seem to hold the essence of the 2500-km-long Himalayas.

Here lie vistas whose beauty seems matchless. Snow-draped peaks lose their heights in the clouds, while below them lie meadows of soft grass, thick forests with a variety of flora and fauna, small jewel-like lakes, swiftly flowing streams, rushing rivers and deep valleys with small hamlets and fascinating architecture. This is home to a warm and hospitable set of people. And then, there are large stretches of arid — almost lunarlike — landscape, whose beauty is strangely haunting.

Traditionally, the region has had strong ties with the neighbouring Tibet and there are marked cultural and religious similarities. Tucked away in the mountain folds for centuries, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti offer a touch of the exotic and more than just a dash of adventure.

Kinnaur is a very scenic and sparsely populated region. The Spiti and Sutlej rivers flow through Kinnaur to meet at Khab and become one — the Sutlej. Scores of streams feed these rivers. The surrounding valleys too are strikingly beautiful; the slopes are covered with thick woods, orchards, fields and picturesque hamlets.

Kinnaur is also home to some of India's oldest legends, and the religion of its people is a remarkable mix of Hinduism and Buddhism. Ancient Hindu texts have gone to the extent of placing the people of Kinnaur — the Kinners — halfway between men and the gods.

A tourist from the plains could follow the 12-day itinerary given below:

Day one: Leave Shimla, Narkanda, Rampur for Sarahan, which is famous for the temple of Bhimakali and charming landscapes. It is called the Gateway to Kinnaur.

Day two: Leave for the Baspa valley, also called the Sangla Valley after its main village. This is Kinnaur’s most beautiful valley and from its start at Karcham to the Chung Sakhago pass, it is about 95 km long.

Day three: Leave for Rechong Peo (2290 m), 38 km from Sangla village after exploring the Baspa valley and fishing for trout. Reckong Peo is Kinnaur's district headquarters. A few hundred metres higher and 12 km by road is the picturesque Kalpa.

Day four: Explore the area and obtain permit to visit and stay at the Nako lake.

Day five: Leave early for Nako (3663 m), 107 km from Reckong Peo. En route visit picturesque Ribba, well known for its local brews. Along the highway you will pass Khab (2831 m), the confluence of the Sutlej and Spiti rivers. About 20 km from Nako, Spiti begins. Often called the middle country, Spiti is a cold desert.

Day six: Leave for Tabo (3050 m, 64 km from Nako). Founded in 996 AD, the Tabo Gompa has exquisite frescoes and stucco statues and is often called the "Ajanta of the Himalayas". In Trans-Himalayan Buddhism, Tabo's sanctity is next only to Tibet's Tholing Gompa. A mummified body of a monk was discovered a few years ago in Spiti. Now encased in glass, it is highly venerated.

Day seven: Leave for Kaza (3660m), 47 km from Tabo. Spiti has essential facilities and a market place.

Day eight: Visit Ki Monastery and Kibber village. Ki (4116 m) — 12 km from Kaza — is one of Spiti's important monasteries, while Kibber (4205 m) — 8 km ahead of Ki — has a population of about 400 and is the second highest permanently inhabited village of the world that is connected by motorable road.

Day nine: Leave early for Keylong (3350m and 188 km away). A rugged road over the Kunzum pass (4559m) leads to Keylong, the district headquarters of Lahaul-Spiti. A chunk of green in an arid area, Keylong has willow-lined water courses, fields, a marketplace and essential facilities. On the way you can view the Shigri peak from the Kunzum pass, while a trek route to Chandratal (4270 m) can be undertaken from Kunzum.

Day ten & eleven: With base at Keylong, visit Buddhist gompas and savour some of nature's spectacular sights. Guru Ghantalm, 8 km away, is regarded as the oldest gompa in Lahaul and is said to have been founded by great religious leader Padma Sambhava. Baralacha La (4890 m), 75 km away, is an 8-km-long pass where the borders of Zanskar, Ladakh, Spiti and Lahaul meet. Suraj Tal (4800 m), just below the summit of the pass, is the source of the Bhaga river. Sarchu, on the way to Leh, is the last point of Himachal.

Day twelve: Return to Manali (2050 m and 122 km away) and en route cross the Rohtang pass (3980 m), where a panorama of bare rocks, snow fields and glaciers unfolds.

Route options: Visit Lahaul from Manali. Drive or take a guided tour from Manali to Leh via Lahaul. From Keylong-Udaipur visit the Pangi valley and trek to Chamba. Return from Kaza to Shimla with an overnight stop.