Everything you need to plan a confident, safe, and deeply rewarding Kinnaur journey — permits, routes, itineraries, seasons, and practical wisdom from experienced travellers.
Kinnaur's seasons are dramatic and each one offers a different face of the district. Understanding them is the key to planning the perfect trip.
| Season / Month | Weather | Road Access | Highlights | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March – April Early Spring |
0–15°C. Snow receding. Occasional cold winds. | Roads progressively opening. Some high sections still closed. | Apple & cherry blossoms. Snow-covered peaks with flowering trees. Very few tourists. | Good |
| May – June Late Spring |
10–22°C. Comfortable and bright. | Fully open. Best pre-monsoon driving. | Wildflowers in high meadows. Green valleys. Ideal for trekking. Pre-peak crowds. | Excellent |
| July – August Monsoon |
12–22°C. Moderate rain in lower Kinnaur. Upper Kinnaur (rain shadow) stays dry. | Landslide risk in gorge sections. Check NH-5 conditions daily. | Lush, dramatically green. Few tourists. Upper Kinnaur (Nako, Hangrang) unaffected by monsoon. | Caution |
| September – October Post-Monsoon — PEAK |
5–22°C days, 0–10°C nights. | All roads generally open. Best driving conditions of the year. | Apple harvest. Crystal-clear skies. Fulaich festival. Golden orchards. Maximum visibility. | ⭐ Best Season |
| November Late Autumn |
Sub-zero nights at altitude. Cold days. | Open but snowfall can close passes without warning. | Golden autumn colours. Very few tourists. Serene and atmospheric. Challenging. | For Experienced Travellers |
| December – February Winter |
Heavy snow. Sub-zero temperatures across the district. | Sangla, Chitkul closed. Upper Kinnaur snowbound. Reckong Peo accessible with care. | Losar festival in upper villages (Feb–Mar). Pristine snowscapes. Extremely challenging. | Closed / Difficult |
Option 1 — Bus: Overnight Volvo from ISBT Kashmiri Gate to Shimla (₹600–1,200), then HRTC bus to Reckong Peo. Total: 17–19 hours.
Option 2 — Self Drive: Delhi → Chandigarh → Shimla → Narkanda → Rampur → Reckong Peo. Total: 11–13 hours. Break overnight at Shimla or Narkanda.
Via Shimla: NH-5 through Shimla, Narkanda, Rampur. 8–9 hours total.
Via Bilaspur: Faster alternate route avoiding Shimla traffic. Chandigarh → Bilaspur → Rampur → Reckong Peo. 7–8 hours. HRTC buses operate twice daily (10–11 hours).
Distance: 246 km to Reckong Peo.
Route: NH-5 → Narkanda (65 km) → Rampur (130 km) → Wangtu (205 km) → Reckong Peo. Drive: 7–8 hours. HRTC buses depart 5:30 AM and 8:00 AM from Shimla bus stand (9–10 hours, ₹350–500).
The Hindustan-Tibet Highway through the Satluj gorge is subject to landslides, especially during monsoon. Always check road conditions at Wangtu or Karcham before proceeding. HRTC buses do not run on days when the road is blocked. For the latest updates, contact the Reckong Peo district office or follow BSNL-connected local networks.
An Inner Line Permit (ILP) is mandatory for travel to certain areas of Kinnaur near the Indo-China border. Here is everything you need to know.
All Indian nationals and foreign nationals travelling to the following areas require an ILP: the Hangrang Valley (Nako, Chango, Leo, Pooh, and beyond), and the Baspa Valley beyond Sangla (including Chitkul). The permit is checked at the Khab bridge checkpoint for the Hangrang Valley direction and at the approach to Chitkul in the Baspa Valley.
The primary permit office is the District Collectorate (DC Office), Reckong Peo, open Monday–Saturday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (closed Sundays and government holidays). Arrive early — queues form from 9:30 AM onwards in peak season. Allow 1–2 hours for processing.
Approximately ₹100–200 per person per day (rates subject to change — verify locally). Issued for specific villages and a specified number of days. List all villages you plan to visit on the application form — you cannot add destinations after the permit is issued.
Foreign nationals require a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) from the Ministry of Home Affairs, processed through the Foreigner Registration Office. Allow 2–4 weeks of advance processing time. Some areas near the border may require additional clearance. Contact the DC Office in Reckong Peo well in advance of your visit.
Arrive in Reckong Peo the evening before you need your permit. Spend the night in Kalpa (9 km below), get your permit in the morning, then proceed to Chitkul or Nako. This is the most efficient routing.
Three expertly curated circuits for three different travel windows. All start from Shimla.
The essential Kinnaur — Baspa Valley and Kalpa. Best for first-timers with a long weekend.
Shimla → Sangla → Chitkul → Kalpa → Shimla
The complete circuit — Baspa Valley + Kalpa + Nako. The ideal first Kinnaur trip.
Shimla → Sangla → Chitkul → Kalpa → Nako → Shimla
The full Kinnaur experience — enough time to breathe, explore, and truly arrive.
Shimla → Rampur → Sangla → Chitkul → Kalpa → Nako → Pooh → Shimla
Our most recommended itinerary — comprehensive, achievable, and deeply satisfying.
Depart Shimla by 6:00 AM to avoid traffic. Drive via Narkanda (65 km — breakfast stop, excellent views). Continue through Rampur and Wangtu to Karchham, then turn up the Baspa Valley to Sangla. Arrive 1:00–2:00 PM. Afternoon walk to Kamru Fort and Bering Nag temple. Baspa River walk at dusk. Overnight Sangla.
Early start. Drive to Rakchham (17 km, 30-min stop — ancient temple and village walk). Continue to Chitkul — India's last village. Arrive by 10:30 AM. Walk to the last point and boundary pillar. Visit Mathi Devi temple. Lunch in Chitkul (carry packed lunch or eat at the small dhabas). Afternoon by the Baspa River in its upper reaches. Overnight Chitkul — the night sky at 3,450m with zero light pollution is extraordinary.
Pre-dawn wake-up for Chitkul sunrise (5:30 AM). Breakfast. Depart by 9:00 AM. Return down the Baspa Valley to Karchham, then drive to Reckong Peo. Obtain Inner Line Permit if you plan to visit Nako (DC Office, allow 1–2 hours). Proceed 9 km down to Kalpa. Afternoon at Hu-Budhni temple complex and village walk. Sunset views of Kinner Kailash. Overnight Kalpa — confirm a Kinner Kailash-facing room.
5:30 AM: Sunrise at the viewpoint above Kalpa — Kinner Kailash peak in alpenglow. This is the defining image of Kinnaur; do not miss it. Breakfast. Check out by 9:30 AM. Drive east from Reckong Peo on NH-5 to Nako (2.5–3 hours, ILP checked at Khab bridge). Arrive Nako afternoon. Check in. Walk the kora (circuit) around Nako Lake. Visit the ancient monastery at prayer time (dusk). Overnight Nako.
Dawn at Nako Lake (misty and extraordinary in early morning). Visit the monastery at morning prayers. Breakfast. Depart by 10:00 AM. Long return drive to Shimla via Reckong Peo, Wangtu, Rampur, and Narkanda. Stop at Rampur for lunch. Arrive Shimla 6:30–7:30 PM. Overnight in Shimla or continue to Chandigarh if time allows.
The Kinnaur apple season runs from approximately mid-August (early varieties) through October (late varieties). The peak of harvest for most orchards falls in September and early October — the same window that brings the clearest skies and the Fulaich festival, making this the most concentrated period of beauty and activity in the district's annual calendar.
The Kinnaur apple has a cultural significance far beyond fruit. The apple economy transformed Kinnaur in the 1970s–80s, bringing prosperity and road connectivity to communities that had been largely subsistence-farming. Today, apple export is the primary income source for most Kinnauri families, and the relationship between community and orchard is intimate, proud, and daily.
Carry sufficient cash from Shimla or Chandigarh. ATMs exist in Reckong Peo and Pooh but are unreliable. Beyond Reckong Peo, assume no ATM access. No card payments in villages.
BSNL SIM has the best coverage in remote Kinnaur. Jio works in Reckong Peo and Sangla. Upper Kinnaur and Chitkul have poor to no signal. Download offline maps (Maps.me or Google) before leaving Shimla.
Nako (3,662m) and Chitkul (3,450m) are high enough for AMS. Acclimatise for one night in Sangla or Reckong Peo before ascending. Symptoms: headache, nausea, breathlessness. Descend immediately if severe.
Warm layers (even in September, nights are cold). Rain jacket (for monsoon months). Sunscreen and UV-blocking sunglasses (high-altitude UV is intense). Torch/headlamp. Power bank. First aid kit with altitude medication.
Government hospital in Reckong Peo. Basic health centres in larger villages. Carry personal medications in sufficient supply. Nearest private hospital with full facilities: Rampur (130 km from Reckong Peo) or Shimla.
Carry out all waste. Do not enter private orchards without asking. Ask permission before photographing people and religious ceremonies. Bargain respectfully. Kinnaur is not a museum — it is a living community.