[lordofgondor]

Hi fellow BHPians

I am planning a trip from Noida to Kinnaur in the second week of July. Wanted to post this thread to receive any updates on the road conditions for the routes to Kalpa and Chitkul. The routes I plan to follow are:

1. To reach Chitkul:
Delhi - Shimla - Khufri - Theog - Narkhanda - Rampur - Kharchaum - Sangla - Chitkul

2. From Chitkul:
Chitkul - Sangla - Kharchum - Powari - Rekong peo - Kalpa

Just wanted to check if any of the BHPians have been to these places recently and if so, how are the road conditions.

I would also appreciate any info on the time it takes to cover these stretches. I have driven for about 15 hours previously and consider myself capable for doing that again. So could I reach Chitkul in a single stretch without breaking the journey into multiple days? If not, what's the best place to stopover and continue again the next day?

Lotta questions there, but I guess I need the info as I am the lone driver!

Cheers and thanks in advance
Lordofgondor

[khaadu75]

hi , u have a good trip planned but asking for road conditions a month in advance could catch you on the wrong foot -- I say this as July is monsoon time in that part of the world and monsoons can spread havoc .

One day from Noida to there is asking for too much though obviously anything is possible but not recomended . Your first stop should be Narkanda or maybe even Rampur . Road conditions are ok as of now though you have to remember that the roads are really narrow with sheer drops and a mistake is 99% fatal .

All you have to pray for is that heavy monsoons don't cause road blocks due to land slides ( its very common ) as then you may have to change routes accordingly . The drive till Rampur is easy , nice wide roads but wide compared to what you will get ahead of that . But its worth the narrow roads , tense stretches , etc -- my recopmendation would be not to stay in Sangla but instead try staying in Rakcham as Sangla has lost the beauty it once had .

Cheers

PS - my trip in '06 http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...lley-06-a.html !!

[hvkumar]

My friend went yesterday on the Rampur-Sumdo road and reports that there are some very bad road sections around Recong Peo. Rains had not yet begun, butt once it does (any day now), expect major changes in condition.

I agree wih Khaadu75 that is is quite a long drive till Sangla to do the same day, and maybe Rampur would be a good stop.

[suman]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I agree wih Khaadu75 that is is quite a long drive till Sangla to do the same day, and maybe Rampur would be a good stop.

We'd stayed at Narkahanda for the night when we'd gone to Kalpa - definitely better staying options if one is travelling with family & I thought the adjoining scenery was gorgeous

Of course, the Rampur scenery has its charms as well, though of a different kind

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by suman

Of course, the Rampur scenery has its charms as well, though of a different kind

I wonder what kind ... Rampur only has one charm and thats ' NO CHARM ' !! The town is a disaster waiting to happen and I wouldn't recomend anyone to stay there specially in summers as temp there also go upto 35 deg + , thats due to the valley being very narrow + the population .

Narkanda definitely should be the first stop .. and book yourself a room in Hotel Haatu or then you can also book yourself in Hotel Mahamaya -- let me know incase you need any help !!

Cheers

[lordofgondor]

Hey fellas, appreciate the quick responses!

Khaadu75: When you say "you may have to change routes accordingly", what other route(s) do you have in mind. I would be glad if you could enlighten me on those. Yeah I guess you're right about stretching the whole way in a single day, so I guess I am gonna break the journey. The options for the stopover I am considering are Narkanda or preferably Jeori, as I wanna halt as close to Sangla as possible. If possible, can you provide me any info on lodging options in Jeori?

Suman: What's the travel time from Narkanda to Kalpa? A rough estimate would be great.

HvKumar: Thanks for the update man.

One more question, could anyone provide me with contact details of the HP Transport authorities which may provide an update on the road conditions over phone?

Cheers!

[hvkumar]

Better person to update you on road conditions - call up HP Tourism in Shimla (from their web-site, they have been very informative and helpful). Better still, call up any random hotel (such as HPTDC Rampur, or HPTDC Kalpa) and check up road conditions with them.

Incidentally, the road to Sumdo beyond Nako/Malling is closed due to landslides and there is no way you can go to Tabo/Kaza from Rampur.

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by lordofgondor

Hey fellas, appreciate the quick responses!

Khaadu75: When you say "you may have to change routes accordingly", what other route(s) do you have in mind. I would be glad if you could enlighten me on those. Yeah I guess you're right about stretching the whole way in a single day, so I guess I am gonna break the journey. The options for the stopover I am considering are Narkanda or preferably Jeori, as I wanna halt as close to Sangla as possible. If possible, can you provide me any info on lodging options in Jeori?



Cheers!

What it basically means is that you have various other routes that one might take incase u come to a road block ... these routes may not be common knowledge so the best thing is that when you are ready to head out , v could check and see if there are any road blacks -- if not u take my number and when you encounter a blaockage you can call me and Ill tell you if there is another route around .

Jeori is just over 1.5 - 2 hrs from narkanda and my suggestion is to stay here instead of Jeori ... No need of being in a rush to get to Sangla -- as there is plenty to enjoy enrouet to Sangla as well . But if you still want to get to Jeori -- let me know and Ill dig up the accomo status .

Cheers

[tsk1979]

I concur with Khaadu.
Do Narkanda Delhi in single day. Its a good 10-12 hours drive, esp with monsoon hitting heavy expect jams near landslide prone locations.
After Narkanda, you can do Sangla on day two as the highway till Rampur flows alongside rampur, and last time I drove on it(40-50kms), it was brilliant.
If you want to travel further, I suggest you do Delhi-Sarhan atmost. It will be a 12-13 hour drive if you leave Delhi at 4am

[phamilyman]

I would say Delhi - Jeori in one day.

Logic:
a. Post Jeori, due to landslides, road disintegrates (so it did in '06). Till then brilliant.
b. Last 'proper' town.
c. You will reach by end of day (4pm) and pushing further can mean getting into uncertain roads (although enough traffic) with unknown probability of landslides.

ofc, if I were doing it on bike,I'd leave at midnight and reach chitkul by 5-6pm But thats because bikes never stop for small landslides unless blasting is happening. Why take a chance?

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

I would say Delhi - Jeori in one day.

Logic:
a. Post Jeori, due to landslides, road disintegrates (so it did in '06). Till then brilliant.
b. Last 'proper' town.
c. You will reach by end of day (4pm) and pushing further can mean getting into uncertain roads (although enough traffic) with unknown probability of landslides.

ofc, if I were doing it on bike,I'd leave at midnight and reach chitkul by 5-6pm But thats because bikes never stop for small landslides unless blasting is happening. Why take a chance?

Jeori is fine ..but definitely not for the reasons you mentioned above , and to just to correct yuo a bit on the above points ---

Wrong logic :
a. In '06 the road din't disintegrate due to landslides but due to cloud bursts and the Satluj overflowing . As for landslides there are 8-9 zones before Narkanda which become dicey when it starts to rain . So landslides can happen anywhere and more chance of them happening before Rampur than after Rampur . After Rampur the hill side is pretty solid rock so rains don't coz much havoc .

b. Depends on what ones definition of proper town is ..

c. I didnt understand your point but I dont think he ca get to Jeori by 4 if he starts early morning and that too in such weather -- though the only way he may make it is if he gets absolutely zero traffic Kalka upwards and he knows the roads well as well .. Go easy - enjoy the sights and get yourself till wherever you think you comfortable with . Just don't push fopr the sake of pusihing .

And on a bike in one day to Chitkul from Delhi ... possible but that again would mean you would be going flat out and without enjoying the scenery that u get enroute :-) !!

[lordofgondor]

Originally Posted by khaadu75

But if you still want to get to Jeori -- let me know and Ill dig up the accomo status .

Hi Khaadu75

Yeah it would be great if you could give me info on accommodation(s) in Jeori. BTW, I got a good input from a friend. He's asked me to check with Banjara camps at Sangla about the road conditions as those people keep traveling on them roads everyday.

Cheers!

[tsk1979]

Flash flood warning has been issued for Sutlej
The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition

[khaadu75]

Originally Posted by lordofgondor

Hi Khaadu75

Yeah it would be great if you could give me info on accommodation(s) in Jeori. BTW, I got a good input from a friend. He's asked me to check with Banjara camps at Sangla about the road conditions as those people keep traveling on them roads everyday.

Cheers!

Banjara camp guys would definitely know as they have guests coming in almost daily ... but then there are times when they say that everythin is open but ppl still get stuck for hours in a jam caused due to a landslide as Banjara guys forgot to tell them about that blockage -- just incase they cancel coming totally .

Also another place to get info is from the HRTC office at ISBT -- ask them if the bus to Reckong Peo is running or is the road blocked and they will tell you .

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Flash flood warning has been issued for Sutlej
The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh Edition

thats the media for you .. every year when the monsoons hit Himachal this warning is issued out just as there is snow predicted everyday by the Met deptt from Dec to March -- this is coz they don't know any better but being winters it obviously could snow anytime so the same ting as far as flash floods are concerned during monsoons . Flash floods aint half as scary as cloud bursts -- cloud burst can ha[[en anywhere and anytime and causes a lot of destruction and there is no warning that its coming your way .

A flash flood on the other hand causes destruction but not as much human destruction as it can only happen in areas where there is a river already running or a stream running . And people have time to move away when its tsrats to rain heavily -- life is lost of those souls who refuse to move away inspite of living close to the banks knowing that heavy rains might coz flash floods !!!