There are numerous places all over Himachal that are blessed with mesmerizing natural beauty. Some of these places are quite famous like Shimla and Manali; but then there are a few others that are not so well known , but no less in beauty still. In fact considering the kind of crowd that Shimla and Manali receive, visiting some of these unknown and offbeat destinations can prove to be a much better trip. One such place that I recently went on a trip to and would like to talk about in this article is Kalpa; a small town located in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.
The name Kalpa would probably be known only to people who have traveled around a lot in the hills; or who have been on the Spiti circuit at least once. Kalpa and the nearby town of Reckong Peo is mostly used as the center point of the journey from Shimla to Kaza. It is not completely an unknown destination because tourism is a major part of the livelihood of the people around here. You will definitely find tourists here during summer and the place is also very well connected. It however is still not known to many people and it never gets crowded around here. So if you were planning a trip in near future; wanted to travel to a less crowded place that offers peace and tranquility as well as stunning vistas all around; then Kalpa could prove to be an ideal destination.
There are two way that you can get to Kalpa. You can either reach here from Shimla or take the longer route via Manali. Which of these will be the best route; what to see in Kalpa; and how you can plan your journey is what I will be providing details on in this post; along with some other details like accommodation and mobile network etc. If, after reading the article, you have any other questions then you may ask those in comments towards the bottom of this page.
I have been to Kalpa more than once but it was always part of my Spiti trip really. The first time I reached here was several years ago and since then, I have always made sure that I stay at Kalpa for at least one day whenever I traveled towards Kinnaur valley. The best thing I like about this tiny hamlet its location. From the Shimla Kaza highway, you climb up approximately 16 kilometers on a steep and narrow road; getting a sharp incline in altitude. When you finally make it to Kalpa, you are greeted with a majestic view of imposing Kinner Kailash peaks; also known as Kinnaur Kailash peaks.
It is rare that you would have witnessed a sight like this unless you have been to a lot of hill stations. It is a view that makes the entire journey to Kalpa totally worth it and will remain with you for months to come. Sitting in the balcony of your hotel, doing nothing and sipping down some hot tea, while staring at the peaks in front, is a perfect example of some time away from our regular city lives. While planning a trip to Kalpa, you can either just visit Kalpa if you were short on time; or incorporate with a trip covering the entire Kinnaur valley; or keep Kalpa a part of your journey on Spiti circuit.
