Page 124 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

122  DELHI & THE NOR TH

8 Sangla Valley Tour

The largest village in Kinnaur, Sangla, often 0 kilometres 5
lends its name to the whole Baspa Valley. A drive 0 miles 5
through this area over two to three days can
encapsulate a dramatic transition in landscape,
from the spectacular river gorge at the entrance
to Kinnaur to alpine valley pastures. It
takes in awesome mountain scenery Kut Khad
and mixed forests of oak and Satluj Wangar Gad
rhododendron, before reaching
charming slate-roofed villages Nichar Urni
that nestle amidst orchards
and fields. Sarahan
Melam Khad
Rampur
Kinnu
3 Maheshwar Temple
at Sungra
The temple’s pagoda­like roof
and the fine wooden carvings
on its doorways and walls make
this an interesting stopover.
1 Kafour 2 The Satluj Gorge at Tranda
Strung out along a little spur below From the road there are striking
the road, scenic Kafour is the first views of sheer rock walls falling
inhabited village in Kinnaur. The 500 m (1,640 ft) to the river. On the
Hirma Temple, dedicated to a local other side, cliffs of equal magnitude
mother goddess, stands out amid enclose the Satluj in a narrow
the slate rooftops. impenetrable gorge.

9 Kinnaur
Kinnaur district. 244 km (152 miles)
NE from Shimla to Rekong Peo.
* 19,250. @ ( daily. _ Sazi (Jan).
Travel permits: required for parts
of Kinnaur. Contact the Subdivisional
Magistrate’s office in Rekong Peo,
(01786) 222 253. For details, see p119.
Kinnaur, the remote north ­
eastern corner of Himachal
Pradesh fringing the Tibetan
Plateau, is a region of awesome
grandeur. In the past, difficult View of the Kinner Kailash on a clear winter day
terrain made Kinnaur inaccessible
to all but the most intrepid of hugs both banks of a gorge­ heights of the Kinner Kailash
travellers, while in the 1950s, its like Satluj river. The left bank’s Range, while to its south is the
proximity to the international forested mountain slopes, gentler valley of the Baspa, one
border with Tibet resulted in contour­hugging terraced fields of the Satluj’s largest tributaries.
restrictions on entry. However, and tightly packed rows of The arid sweep of the Zanskar
these restrictions have been houses clinging to the hillsides peaks makes Upper Kinnaur a
eased since 1992. are picturesque in contrast to cold desert country of stark,
The variations in terrain, the right bank, which is steeper, barren mountains interspersed
vegetation, climate and wildlife with higher peaks and a smaller with occasional villages and
have broadly divided this population. Middle Kinnaur is irrigated fields.
region into Lower, Middle and much more rugged. Dominating Rekong Peo, the new district
Upper Kinnaur. Lower Kinnaur its heart are the majestic headquarters, is a bustling
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p695 and p707

122-123_EW_India.indd 122 26/04/17 11:43 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm