Glued in the ground and staring at the awe inspiring 180 degree panorama of the last inhabited village near the Indo-Tibet boarder, we were shivering for the chill wind around us. The awe inspiring snow covered peaks that covered the whole area made us dumbstruck for a while before we could move or comment.

Chitkul  is the last motorable village from the Indian side in the Indo-Tibet boarder. The village is covered from all the sides with Himalaya as shield and in the lap of it Chitkul lies tranquil, serene and picturesque. At the edge of the village, Baspa River meanders gently through the mysterious pine forests. The Himalaya of the Kinnaur range here as if presents a grand welcome for all the visitors.

Chitkul is practically the last point of the famous Kinner Kailash Parikrama as one can hitch a hike from here onwards. After one crosses over the 5,242 m high Charang Pass, it is a long and steep run down through slithery scree slopes to Chitkul(3,450m). The road doesnt take you till the actual border, it closes around 90 km before it and then rest of the area is under the control of Indian Paramilitary force also known as  Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

• How to Reach :

Chitkul is around 570 KMs from the New Delhi and about 25 KMs from Sangla, 60 KMs far from its regional headquarters Reckong Peo and 262 KMs far from Shimla. One can catch bus from Shimla for Reckong Peo and from there a connecting bus to Sangla and then to Chitkul.

Preferred vehicle in this route is always tourist cab with higher ground clearance as we did in the 3^rd week of October, 2015. We moved from Kalpa to reach Chitkul via Sangl after an early breakfast to reach around 11. Keep in mind one thing that no one can predict the road condition in this part of Himachal Pradesh as a landslide may stuck you for a couple of hours. Therefore, an early start for every location is preferable. You will have to pass through a check post to reach Chikul after a little formalities as it is a boarder area.

If you have your own vehicle and coming from Shimla side, then just  20 kms before Reckong Peo is Karcham, near JAYPEE Hydropower Dam site. A small paved road branched out from NH-22 and going towards Chhitkul. This narrow winding road is in relatively good condition, but you need a good driving skill. Sangla is about 16 kms from Karcham and Chhitkul is further 22 kms away from Sangla.

• Top Attractions :

The Chitkul village itself is a piece of tourist spot as it abounds in typical Himachali architectural cottages of slate or wooden roofs. You can get a glimpse of the local life style if you are cordial enough to mix with them. Just a loitering through the village even provides opportunity to learn their culture as the people are friendly and cordial.

Kagyupa temple has special significance because it houses a rare image of Shakyamuni Buddha with four directional kinds placed on every side. According to the local belief,  the presiding deity of the village, Mathi is very alive and must be paid homage to.

You can walk for an hour along with the Baspa River after Chitkul. The road goes downwards by the side of the Chitkul school and playing with the river with continuous conversation.

Raksham is located at a distance of 11 Kms from here. On way from Sangla to Chitkul tourists can stop by at Raksham which is absolutely beautiful yet not very well know location. This place is gorgeous any time of the year.

Sangla is a small town located between Karcham and Chitkul from about 20 kms from Karcham. The town itself is a concrete town with small shops, some hotels and restaurants though the main attraction of Sangla is in its valley where wind plays with the Baspa River.

Kamru Fort is one of the oldest Fort in Himachal. It is located in Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh at a distance of 2-km from Sangla.  It is a famous 1000 year old Fort considered to be one of the oldest forts in Himachal Pradesh.

• Accommodation Option :

Hotels and resorts are a bit costly at Chitkul and the numbers are not also plentiful. Most of the tourists prefer to stay at Sangla which full of various types of accommodation including budget hotels. It takes half day to cover Chitkul from Sangla. We also stayed at Sangla before proceeding towards Shoja.

You will get all kinds of food at Sangla to full your appetite though at Chitkul only simple meals of Tibetan and Chinese dishes will be available.

Feel Free to enquire for more details by leaving a comment after the page.