Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass

nvldvr · 4th October 2014, 10:04

So it was vacation time again. Ever since moving to Delhi last year, my endeavor has been to visit as much of Himachal as possible. With about10 days leave this time around, we had plenty of options at hand. Did some planning / research, and decided that the destinations will be Hatu, Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal pass.

I am going to restrict the writing part due to paucity of time. This will therefore be more of a photologue.

Having stopped over at Shimla on day one, the next day we moved to Narkanda and Hatu. Hatu is a beautiful temple at 11200 feet ASL surrounded by thick deodar forest. We had carried our camping equipment along and having found a good spot, we decided to camp here for the night. Didn’t take too many pics at Hatu. Just a few pics of the camp site and surrounding places.

nvldvr · 4th October 2014, 10:06

The next day we drove through Sangla Valley and reached Chitkul at night. Sangla is a breathtakingly beautiful valley in Kinnaur district. Had been to other parts of Kinnaur but never realized that such a beautiful valley could exist in an otherwise very rocky and hilly Kinnaur. The drive from Sangla to Chitkul through Raksham was the highlight of the journey.

The pics. Sangla Valley.

nvldvr · 4th October 2014, 10:13

Chitkul. This is the last village on the Indian side. Beautiful village which is best visited between May and Nov.

nvldvr · 4th October 2014, 10:15

On the way back to Shimla, took a small detour to Bhaba Valley. A right turn at Wangtoo takes you across the river to a place called Kafnu. Kafnu is the start point of treks into the beautiful Bhaba Valley. Must mention that the road to Kafnu must be among the most dangerous that I have driven. A narrow road virtually perched high upin the sky. Any mistakes and it will be a while before you hit the ground again.

Kafnu / Bhaba Valley.

nvldvr · 4th October 2014, 10:17

Next stop was the mighty Chanshal Pass. The pass connects the villages of Dodra and Kwar to Rohru, and remains motorable from May to end Nov. The altitude is 14800 feet ASL.

A beautiful temple in typical hill architecture enroute Rohru.

nvldvr · 4th October 2014, 10:21

We stayed at a forest rest house at Larot for the night, and decided to hit Chanshal Pass early next morning. The booking for the rest house is done from DFO office at Rohru. The rooms in the rest house are good. However, strangely, there was no water supply.

The rest house at Larot.

nvldvr · 4th October 2014, 10:24

The approach road to Chanshal.

nvldvr · 4th October 2014, 10:28

Nothing could have prepared us what we witnessed at Chanshal. It’s a majestically beautiful place. A mystic place where you feel dwarfed by the surreal beauty that nature has bestowed all around you. The pics will do no justice to the place. You just have to be there once to experience it for yourself.

GTO · 4th October 2014, 17:22

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thanks for sharing!

SHANKY11 · 5th October 2014, 13:30

Awesome pictures there. I too am planning a trip to Sangla and Chitkul this month. How are the road conditions? Is it easily doable in a Honda Civic with 2 people onboard?

nvldvr · 5th October 2014, 14:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by SHANKY11

Awesome pictures there. I too am planning a trip to Sangla and Chitkul this month. How are the road conditions? Is it easily doable in a Honda Civic with 2 people onboard?

Hi Shanky,

The road is good till Wangtoo (beyond Rampur). After that the conditions vary from bad to worse. Especially after Tapri, the main road has been closed for about quite some time now due to a massive landslide. You have to take a diversion that adds around 25 kms to the journey, and re joins the main road after a km or so from the landslide. Not having noticed this diversion, we drove right up to the landslide. It was an intimidating sight, the entire mountain seemingly having slid down.

Though there were plenty of maruti altos and 800s plying on these roads, with civic's long wheelbase and low GC, it may get slightly tough and you will have to be extra cautious.

Regards.

S2!!! · 6th October 2014, 17:12

A nice photologue you got out there. Several pictures remind me of the country roads of Scotland whose pictures I was seeing after one of my friend returned from a nice long road trip there. I just love the sight of deserted mountain roads with clear blue skies.

Wow. Camping, staying in tents seems like you had a lot of fun

. Do share more about your experience whenever you get the time.

4th October 2014, 10:04	#1
nvldvr BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 599 Thanked: 767 Times	Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass So it was vacation time again. Ever since moving to Delhi last year, my endeavor has been to visit as much of Himachal as possible. With about10 days leave this time around, we had plenty of options at hand. Did some planning / research, and decided that the destinations will be Hatu, Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal pass. I am going to restrict the writing part due to paucity of time. This will therefore be more of a photologue. Having stopped over at Shimla on day one, the next day we moved to Narkanda and Hatu. Hatu is a beautiful temple at 11200 feet ASL surrounded by thick deodar forest. We had carried our camping equipment along and having found a good spot, we decided to camp here for the night. Didn’t take too many pics at Hatu. Just a few pics of the camp site and surrounding places. Attached Thumbnails
	(3) Thanks

4th October 2014, 10:06	#2
nvldvr BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 599 Thanked: 767 Times	The next day we drove through Sangla Valley and reached Chitkul at night. Sangla is a breathtakingly beautiful valley in Kinnaur district. Had been to other parts of Kinnaur but never realized that such a beautiful valley could exist in an otherwise very rocky and hilly Kinnaur. The drive from Sangla to Chitkul through Raksham was the highlight of the journey. The pics. Sangla Valley. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by GTO : 4th October 2014 at 17:21. Reason: Merging back to back posts
	(5) Thanks

4th October 2014, 10:13	#3
nvldvr BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 599 Thanked: 767 Times	Re: Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass Chitkul. This is the last village on the Indian side. Beautiful village which is best visited between May and Nov. Attached Thumbnails
	(4) Thanks

4th October 2014, 10:15	#4
nvldvr BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 599 Thanked: 767 Times	Re: Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass On the way back to Shimla, took a small detour to Bhaba Valley. A right turn at Wangtoo takes you across the river to a place called Kafnu. Kafnu is the start point of treks into the beautiful Bhaba Valley. Must mention that the road to Kafnu must be among the most dangerous that I have driven. A narrow road virtually perched high upin the sky. Any mistakes and it will be a while before you hit the ground again. Kafnu / Bhaba Valley. Attached Thumbnails
	(3) Thanks

4th October 2014, 10:17	#5
nvldvr BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 599 Thanked: 767 Times	Re: Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass Next stop was the mighty Chanshal Pass. The pass connects the villages of Dodra and Kwar to Rohru, and remains motorable from May to end Nov. The altitude is 14800 feet ASL. A beautiful temple in typical hill architecture enroute Rohru. Attached Thumbnails
	(3) Thanks

4th October 2014, 10:21	#6
nvldvr BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 599 Thanked: 767 Times	Re: Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass We stayed at a forest rest house at Larot for the night, and decided to hit Chanshal Pass early next morning. The booking for the rest house is done from DFO office at Rohru. The rooms in the rest house are good. However, strangely, there was no water supply. The rest house at Larot. Attached Thumbnails
	(3) Thanks

4th October 2014, 10:24	#7
nvldvr BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 599 Thanked: 767 Times	Re: Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass The approach road to Chanshal. Attached Thumbnails
	(3) Thanks

4th October 2014, 10:28	#8
nvldvr BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 599 Thanked: 767 Times	Nothing could have prepared us what we witnessed at Chanshal. It’s a majestically beautiful place. A mystic place where you feel dwarfed by the surreal beauty that nature has bestowed all around you. The pics will do no justice to the place. You just have to be there once to experience it for yourself. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by GTO : 4th October 2014 at 17:22. Reason: Merging :)
	(6) Thanks

4th October 2014, 17:22	#9
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,516 Thanked: 300,580 Times View My Garage	Re: Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Travelogues Section. Thanks for sharing!
	() Thanks

5th October 2014, 13:30	#10
SHANKY11 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: New Delhi Posts: 94 Thanked: 389 Times	Re: Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass Awesome pictures there. I too am planning a trip to Sangla and Chitkul this month. How are the road conditions? Is it easily doable in a Honda Civic with 2 people onboard?
	() Thanks

6th October 2014, 17:12	#12
S2!!! Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,918 Thanked: 10,064 Times	Re: Beautiful Himachal – Sangla, Chitkul and Chanshal Pass A nice photologue you got out there. Several pictures remind me of the country roads of Scotland whose pictures I was seeing after one of my friend returned from a nice long road trip there. I just love the sight of deserted mountain roads with clear blue skies. Wow. Camping, staying in tents seems like you had a lot of fun . Do share more about your experience whenever you get the time. Last edited by S2!!! : 6th October 2014 at 17:13.
	() Thanks