Our planned trip to Spiti Valley, Kaza and Chandratal had to be cancelled due to logistical issues. Topshe and I had been eagerly looking for this coveted trip after watching numerous reels on Instagram. We were sad for missing out.
Topshe and I kept in touch brooding about the missed trip. Deepika having overheard our conversation said “Last week of May, I am free, let’s go someplace if not Spiti.” That charged us up and Topshe with renewed vigour got on to the planning for the trip. After spending a day in researching the availability of the hotel(s), he came up with the destination – Kalpa in Himachal Pradesh. It was about 12-14 hours (realistic) journey with ample breaks on the way for refreshing ourselves. We decided to stopover at Sainj, ahead of Narkanda on our way to Kalpa and stay over at Narkanda on our way back. The hotels at both places were known to us to be clean with decent amenities. At Kalpa, we could get HPTDC Hotel for one night only and booked another private hotel for the second night.
Tapas, Sudipta, Shamik, Sumita, Deepika and I waited eagerly for the day of journey. We decided to take one car – Kia Carens, a 7-seater and only a year old, serviced recently, owned by Topshe.
DAY ONE
As agreed, Sumita stayed overnight at our place and we were ready by 5:30 am for Topshe to pick us up. I made cheese sandwiches and boiled eggs for the road, especially if we get stuck in traffic jams on the hills. Each of us carried enough snacks, food and beverages that could feed a football team.
On the way, we picked up Shamik from Delhi Cantt Metro Station and started our long journey at 6:00 am sharp. The first stop being Zhilmil Dhaba, Karnal. The Google map said 2 hours 20 minutes to the destination. Topshe drove steadily with me on the passenger seat, the middle row being dedicated to the ladies while Shamik squeezed into the third-row seat.
Shamik came with lots paraphernalia, a seat cushion, a stainless-steel retractable stick (as gift for Topshe) and a soundbar which blasted music from Spotify at its own will or when it could connect with the Bluetooth of Shamik’s mobile. And Shamik, he’s a non-stop conversationalist on versatile topics and kept us entertained all through the journey.
On the Karnal highway, there are now three Zhilmil dhabas and all of them claim to be the original. Last time, on our way to Chitkul, we stopped at Zhilmil dhaba for breakfast and had egg-paratha. Topshe admitted that he can’t recall which one was that as we stopped in front of the first one which looked clean and nice. Once we sat down to order, we realised the place was completely vegetarian. We settled for Aloo-paratha with Dahi followed by Masala Chai. The funny part is, all three Zhilmil dhaba looks identical in their façade, a conspiracy to confuse the customer, perhaps.
After a 40-minutes break, we started our journey. I decided to move to the back seat and asked Shamik to take the front seat which he refused saying he’s quite comfortable there and would come to the front only if Topshe allows him to drive. Now, Topshe loves driving and the highways are his favourite road, so we continued with previous arrangements. It was scorching hot outside but the AC of Kia worked nicely to keep us comfortable.
Our destination now was Sainj, about 3 hours from Shimla. We took the highway towards Ambala and continued towards Kiratpur but Google had other ideas and made us turn right from Bassi towards Panchkula, shortening the drive by about an hour. The road towards Panchkula was sparsely crowded and we covered the distance in good time. However, from Panchkula to Shimla, the road had patches with potholes and crowded as well.
Nearing Shimla, we were stopped by the police to check our destination. They put a yellow sticker on the windshield and advised us to take the ISBT road bypassing the Shimla towards Narkanda/ Sainj. As advised by Sudipta, after an hour we stopped in front of a small roadside restaurant with an amazing view of the valley thousands of feet below. The food was decent, light, good for the tummy, especially when one is driving up the serpentine hilly road. With another 40-45 minutes break, we were all set for our final leg of the day’s journey to Sainj. This time, before Shamik could say anything, I quickly slid into the third-row seat and made myself comfortable. Actually, after the lunch, I was feeling sleepy and it was just the time when I usually take my afternoon nap. Needless to say, as soon as Shamik got into the groove of driving through the serpentine road, I fell into a deep slumber and woke up only when we were almost at the Atul Residency, Sainj for our overnight halt. Even with two major stopovers and few more shorter breaks, we made the distance in less than 12 hours. The Sun was still up and glowing when we checked into our rooms which had an amazing view of the valley of apple orchards as far as eyes could follow. After settling down, we ordered tea and mix-pakoda (vegetable fritters) while chatting and sharing anecdotes. We also consumed most of the sandwiches and the eggs before they could go bad.
Later in the evening we played few rounds of Tambola before dinner. It was fun as everybody was involved with yours truly conducting the game. At the dinner, the steward taking the order goofed up horribly and served us all vegetarian dishes completely forgetting about the Butter Chicken that we were eagerly waiting and on top of it denied ever receiving the order for it. We found out he has some memory issues and refuses to acknowledge it. After dinner we picked up ice-creams from the freezer-box and went out to take stroll. A dog followed me with its eyes on my Kulfi. The kulfi itself was nothing great but I realised the beast will perhaps enjoy it more, so I gave it to him. The joy he felt on receiving the kulfi was out of this world.
DAY TWO
In the morning, we left immediately after breakfast for the Sarahan temple better known as Bhimakali Temple which we had missed during our last visit to Chitkul. The temple is dedicated to the mother goddess Bhimakali, an incarnation of Maa Durga. It is revered as one of the 51 Shaktipeeth and was the patron deity of the former Bushahr Royal Family. According to the legend, during the Daksha Yagna, the ear of Sati Devi fell here, making the place as a Shaktipeeth.The 800-year-old temple is famous for its unique architecture of Kath-Kuni style, a system where the wood and stone are interlocked to build the structure. It features a pagoda style roof and intricate wood carvings on the exterior. The external open areas are decorated with wooden chimes that still produces humming sounds while oscillating. Inside the temple, the floor and the staircases are all carpeted to provide warmth during the harsh winter months. The staircase going to the Sanctum Santorum of the silver moulded idol is narrow allowing only one person to go up or down. During certain auspicious occasion, the temple witness’s sea of humanity and the narrow staircase seems to be designed to control the influx. Interestingly, as per the Puranas, Sarahan was known as Shontipur, the capital of the demon king Banasur.
Sarahan, at an elevation of 2150 metres, acts as the gateway to the scenic Kinnaur district. Sarahan is surrounded by dense pine and deodar forests, apple orchards and offers spectacular unobstructed view of the Shrikhand range of the Himalayas. There’s bird sanctuary as well, famous for breeding of endangered exotic Himalayan Monal.
Kalpa is approximately 100 km from Sarahan and takes about 3hours+, we decided to skip lunch and proceed to Kalpa before the light fades, moreover, there were dark clouds forming in the distant horizon prompting us to hurry.
The serpentine hilly road to Kalpa is well-laid and dazzling scenic beauty welcomes you all the way to Kalpa. There is a point, Nigulsari, which remains a sore point with constant landslides making the stretch fit for off-roading. In earlier occasion, the stretch was narrow allowing single-file movement of traffic but now it has become wide enough to traverse both ways simultaneously. As we approached Kalpa, the majestic Kinnaur Kailash range stood up to welcome us. The beauty of it is beyond words, the top remained snowclad even in the month of May and it seemed to be so close to be within the grasp of the arm yet so far away.
We reached the hotel The Kinnaur Kailash around 5 pm. There were about 10-12 vehicles in the parking lot including ours. Two vehicles, a Toyota Fortuner and a Suzuki Ignis, both bearing registration number of West Bengal, parked side by side, they looked comical because of their size difference. We were allotted, perhaps the best rooms with clear view of the Kinnaur Kailash peak right from the bed through the clear glass French window. We ordered for tea and snacks in our room.
The serenity of this sleepy hamlet, Kalpa, is infectious. During the colonial rule, it was known as a Chini village and was a Tehsil Headquarter during that time. Post independence, it became district headquarter of Kinnaur before the DHQ was shifted to Reckong Peo. The Sutlej River runs through deep gorges below and the winding mountain road is bordered by chilgoza forests. The sacred Shivling rock on Kailash Mountain, rising to an altitude of 6000 metres, changes colour at different times of the day and is visible from most of the points in Kalpa as if the Lord is blessing the people at all times. Interestingly, the country’s first voter, Shyam Saran Negi, belonged to Kalpa. Because of the difficult terrains, his voting was recorded about 2-weeks before the general public exercised their franchise in the first ever voting of the republic.
We thought of going to see the Suicide Point Roghi, about 2 km from the hotel but it was impossible to take out our car from the parking as close to 30-40 vehicles arrived during the time we were enjoying the hot pakoras and chilly-chicken with our tea, blocking not just the exit of the parking but the entire driveway. And majority (almost 80%) of the visitors were Bongs, some having travelled in their own vehicle from their hometown and some preferring to take the train to Kalka and hiring cabs from there to tour the places like, Shimla, Narkanda, Sarahan, Chitkul, Kalpa etc. There was huge confusion in room allocation, and some families had 4 members staying in one room, a few who came without reservation, had look at other hotels/ homestay. We had the reservation for one night and wanted to extend our stay but the receptionist was helpless because all the bookings were online and fully booked till mid-June. Topshe knew and therefore had booked another hotel for the following night. We walked out of the hotel to take a stroll. The breeze that was feeling nice had become chilly prompting us to zip up our jackets. We could see some tourists with monkey-cap and they all turned out to be Bongs. They all love the mountains but at the same time can’t adjust to the cold climate of the hills.
Walking down the track, we came to a point from where the road was going downhill towards the Reckong Peo. We stopped contemplating whether to go down further or return. Topshe and Sudipta were behind us talking animatedly on the phone, we guessed they may be talking to the children back in Delhi. We waited for them to catch-up with us. To our surprise, they seemed to be in a hurry as they went past by us without acknowledging our presence. We followed them at a distance but soon got stuck in the traffic jam. Yes, the road, at some part is so narrow that a Tempo Traveller and a normal car can barely pass each other, one of them will have to squeeze to the edge of the road to allow the other to pass. In such a situation, even the pedestrians have to stop. When the traffic got cleared, Deepika and Sumita decided to return to the hotel. Shamik and I went ahead looking for Topshe and Sudipta but they were nowhere to be seen. Shamik called him and was told that they were at the hotel where we were booked for the following night. He further said that there’s some confusion which he’s trying to sort out. He also gave him a reference of a person to contact immediately.
Shamik knew where to go, so I followed him. He went inside a café and spoke to a person sitting next to the cash counter. The conversation followed like this…
Shamik: Mama ji, Tapas spoke to you earlier, there’s some problem with the hotel reservations and we desperately need to book another hotel for tomorrow.
Mama ji: There are no rooms available in the entire town of Kalpa.
He then asked the guy sitting at the till to show the register which had bookings of every room for the next 10 days. Mama ji thought for a while and then asked us to follow him. He took us to the next-door hotel which while crossing it earlier, I thought it was just a café and had joked that we could have ended up there for our dinner!!
Mama ji spoke to the manager urging him to check if rooms are available for the next day. We were in luck; he had three rooms available and we immediately booked them even though The Grandeur Hotel & Restaurant seemed a huge climb down from the HPTDC The Kinnaur Kailash hotel where we were staying for the night. In fact, it seemed to be a non-descriptive small eatery only. However, hidden in the rear side and a flight of stairs below were the rooms with running balcony that overlooked the Kinnaur Kailash range without any hindrance. The clear view was even more stunning than the view from HPTDC hotel. Below the balcony, lay the valley and the Chini Village with the monastery we would be visiting next day.
Coming back to the hotel, we played the Tambola till the call came for dinner. It was buffet system with all-veg dishes, the non-veg option was on ala-carte basis. We ordered for egg-curry as a safer option; rest of the items were from the buffet counter. The dining hall seemed mini-Kolkata with full of Bong tourists covered head to toe in warm clothing and high-pitched chatting in native tongue creating a cacophony of noise. Our table was distinctly different in comparison.
After dinner, we went for stroll but the surroundings were pitch-dark the clear sky shone with millions of stars that we never get to see in the skies of Delhi.
DAY THREE
After a nice breakfast of puri-sabji, butter-toast and eggs we checked out from the hotel as did most of the guests. Most (Bongs) were going further ahead to the Spiti Valley. We dropped our luggage at the Hotel Grandeur and went to the Suicide Point Roghi.
Suicide Point, located just 2 kilometres from Kalpa near Roghi village in Kinnaur district, (HP) is one of the most dramatic and breathtaking locations in the region. Perched at an altitude of over 2,700 meters, this viewpoint offers a sheer vertical cliff that drops hundreds of feet into the Sutlej Valley below. Surrounded by deodar forests, apple orchards, and jagged mountain slopes, it is both a scenic marvel and a spine-chilling experience for those who dare to walk close. Despite the grim name, the spot is a natural marvel attracting tourists and photographers for its raw Himalayan beauty, winding roads, and heart-pounding elevation. It’s not a place for adventure but for appreciating nature’s grandeur—a must-stop for those traveling to Kalpa.
There were many tourists from different parts of the country at the Suicide Point, taking pictures of the scenic beauty as well as selfies, it seemed like a carnival happening at the spot. We got down while Topshe went further ahead to take U-turn from a wider section of the road. We took several pictures of the valley and the snow-peaked mountains as the backdrop.
After spending about 30 minutes there, we proceeded for the Chini (Kalpa) Village to see the temple/ monastery. We got down at the mouth of the narrow lane that goes to the monastery while Topshe drove back to park the car nearby. The lane or track was concretized and clean despite sizeable footfall throughout the day. The lane is lined with shops selling artefacts and garments and eateries serving delectable local cuisine.
Kalpa Monastery, located in the scenic town of Kalpa in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, is a tranquil Buddhist monastery known for its meditation halls, colorful murals, and serene ambiance. The monastery provides visitors with a peaceful environment to experience Buddhist rituals and cultural practices. Surrounded by snow-capped peaks and apple orchards, it offers both spiritual solace and breathtaking Himalayan vistas, making it a must-visit for travellers seeking calm and cultural insight. The on-ground atmosphere is calm and contemplative, with the sound of prayer bells, chanting, and occasional visits from local devotees. What makes Kalpa Monastery distinct is its hilltop location overlooking the Sutlej Valley, combining active worship with panoramic Himalayan views that few other local monasteries offer.
We offered prayers and took few pictures of the scenic views. The courtyard of the temple was breezy and the sun shone bright. We were enjoying the atmosphere when there was a sudden rush of tourists which prompted us to leave for our next destination, KHAAB, famous for the confluence of SPITI & SUTLEJ Rivers. And if time and weather permit, visit Shipki-La, a mountain pass and border post with a dozen buildings of significant size on the India-Tibet border. The river Sutlej, which is called Langqên Zangbo in Tibet, enters India near this pass. Interestingly, from the high point of this pass, one can observe a village across the border on the Tibetan side.
It took us about 2 hours to reach Khaab, on the way stopping at roadside café managed by a young girl in her twenties where we had tea and biscuits and got refreshed. There was a sizeable crowd at the Khaab sangam, again lots of Bongs thronging the place. Practically, all of them were headed to Kaza.
Khab Sangam is a dramatic, high-altitude confluence in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, where the turquoise Spiti River meets the muddy-brown Sutlej River. Serving as the gateway to the Spiti Valley, it sits at an elevation of roughly 2,600 meters (8,530 ft) and offers a striking visual contrast of the waters. Situated near the India-Tibet border along the Hindustan-Tibet Highway (NH-5), it is approximately 70 km from Reckong Peo. The clear, emerald-green Spiti River merges into the massive, fast-flowing Sutlej River, which originates near Mansarovar Lake in Tibet. The best vantage point to see this natural phenomenon is the iconic suspension bridge. On a clear day, the striking peak of Reo Purgyil—the highest mountain in Himachal Pradesh at 6,816 meters (22,400 feet)—towers above the confluence.
Most travellers cross this point on their drive from Kalpa/Reckong Peo toward Nako or Kaza. It serves as a great quick photo stop. The road to Spiti Valley features a dizzying series of hairpin bends known as the Ka Loops. The village of Khab sits on the hillside, a dhaba serves multi cuisine near the bridge.
We parked the car on the roadside behind the line of cars already parked. Many of them were on their way to Kaza further away on Spiti Valley. We took photo and videos of the confluence, don’t know if the pictures will be able to depict the true beauty of the clear turquoise water of Spiti River meeting the muddy water of Sutlej River. The chilly breeze carried the sand from the bank as well as sprinkle of water as we went close to the Sangam for that one award winning picture.
There used to two eateries at the spot (according to Topshe) but now there was only one with serving street style Indian and Chinese dishes. The women in the group opted for the Indian while the men went for different varieties of noodles but when the dishes arrived, neither the look nor the taste had any significant difference.
After lunch, we deliberated on going to Shipki-la, a clear 4-5 hours of round journey plus the return to our hotel in Kalpa. Neither the time nor the weather with black rain bearing clouds forming over the mountains were conducive to explore the distant high-altitude point. We abandoned the idea and instead drove towards the Kaza through the serpentine smooth road, just to enjoy the ride. The road to Kaza is quite similar to the one in Patratu Valley in Ranchi with the latter at much lower altitude.
On our return, we stopped over at the Reckong Peo market to buy knick-knacks. We bought local cow ghee, dry-fruits, ceramic cups with lid and strawberry candies. Shamik bought around 15+ woollen mufflers and stoles for gifting purposes but did not reveal the identity of recipients. While we were shopping, the rain came down heavily but did not last for long. I believe that’s a typical characteristic of the hills, sporadic rains. Only in few instances there have been persistent heavy downpour and, in such situation, it becomes risky to drive on the hilly roads because of sudden landslides.
In the morning, we had requested the manager at the hotel to prepare the mutton with local Kinnaur flavour and the moment we entered, the awesome fragrance hit our nostrils sending waves of hunger through the body. But dinner was still 2-3 hours away, so we had pakoda with chai while playing Tambola where Shamik monopolized the prize money.
The mutton curry tasted delicious as was the dal tadka. I felt the mutton should have been on the stove for at least another 20-25 minutes to make it melt-in-the-mouth kind but who knows the Kalpa people may prefer the bit chewy type of mutton pieces. Anyways, there was my fur-friend roaming outside the dining hall; I picked up the unchewable pieces from all the plates and offered him which was readily accepted. I watched him devour the entire plate including the bones and a feeling of satisfaction enveloped my whole body. Petting and feeding the fur babies give me immense satisfaction.
We were very tired but to help digest the dinner, took a stroll of the near empty street for some time. To our surprise, there were 3-4 vehicles which arrived at that late hour seeking non-existent accommodation in Kalpa. Topshe advised one of them to go down to Reckong Peo to check out the hotels there.
Since, we had only three rooms, some sleeping adjustments were made, Shamik and I shared a room while Deepika and Sumita shared another. I thought, for a change, I will sleep early but Shamik had other ideas. He kept talking divulging lot of secrets but I was in a kind of slumber, so I heard some of it and some just skipped my attention and after some time I simply did not care. When I got up for using the toilet, found Shamik sleeping peacefully snoring lightly. I tip-toed to the bathroom without disturbing him.
DAY FOUR
We checked out after breakfast setting our luggage in optimal space living enough space for the sixth person to sit comfortably. We stopped briefly at Topshe’s friend’s house where we were offered salted tea, I took a sip and discarded it immediately. I don’t take sugar in my tea, why should I take salt? While coming out, I managed to bang my head at the door frame which looked more like an entrance to a cave, the opening not more than 4.5 feet high. Our destination was Narkanda for overnight halt, approx. 175 km translating into 5-6 hours driving time. I slipped into the third-row seat making myself comfortable for a nap. On the way, Deepika, Sumita and Sudipta bought apricot and plum at almost half the price they sell in NCR.
I woke up as the car came to a halt. As I crawled out from my den-in-the-car, Topshe pointed out to the restaurant we were taking the break, RAABCHIC. It was at a height from the road with staircase going up along the hill wall. The restaurant or the dhaba was decorated in Gen-Z theme with hundreds of beer bottles, some empty and some filled with liquid which we came to know is either some local fruit juice or matcha made in-house by the young couple running the show. We had veg and non-veg momos recommended by the enthusiastic manager with tea. After a 30 minutes break, we left for Narkanda as the clouds chased us.
At the Piyush Residency, Narkanda, we were allotted 4 rooms on the 5th floor. The hotel has been renovated since our last visit in 2023. We were in for a surprise when we entered our rooms. The rooms were huge in size, could easily be termed as “suites” if they had divided the room into separate sitting and bedroom. The amenities available were 5-star quality and above all very clean.
Sudipta wanted to visit the skiing range, about 500-750 metres from the hotel, so we all got ready to go but the clouds found us and started pouring with vengeance. The plan had to be abandoned, instead we decided to play Tambola.
Post dinner, we went for stroll. Deepika and Shamik were engrossed in discussing matters related to human resources, more particularly about coaching and training of employees, both being from similar profession. I was following them about 10-15 metres behind when I saw a really huge dog appear from behind the parked vehicles. I stopped to see what it does but to my surprise and delight, the moment he saw me, his tail started wagging fast as he approached me with complete submission. I petted him as Deepika and Shamik still engrossed in discussion, went past, the dog did not acknowledge their presence even for a moment as I petted him at places that I know gives them the best satisfaction.
DAY FIVE
In the morning, Sumita declared she had had a terrible night, her stomach being upset and she was feeling nauseating. At the breakfast, she tried having some porridge but felt unwell. She just had a glass of fresh lime soda which gave her temporary relief. Topshe paid up the hotel bills while we packed our luggage in the car optimally for the long uninterrupted journey back home. Once, Sumita felt good-to-go, we started for Delhi. Topshe drove sedately, much below his normal driving speed, perhaps keeping in mind that Sumita might feel uncomfortable. We had to stop 3-4 times for Sumita to relieve herself. Then she fell asleep and Topshe drove a bit faster. We had covered around 30-40 km when Sumita woke up and started searching for her phone. It was nowhere to be found in the car, obviously she had left it at the hotel or in worst case dropped it somewhere on the road while getting out of the car. We stopped and Topshe called up the hotel reception giving the details of Sumita’s room number and requesting a search for her phone. We waited for the response and then 15 minutes later, the hotel called up to confirm that the phone is in their possession and if we haven’t gone too far, we can return to pick it up. We took the U-turn for the hotel.
While Sumita and Deepika went to collect the phone, we had roasted corn-on-the-cob from a roadside vendor while a light drizzle alerted us to leave urgently. We lost about 2-hours and ended up losing more as sporadic rains slowed us down on the hilly terrains.
Our dinner was planned at Puran Singh ka Dhaba (original), where we reached around 9:30 pm and immediately ordered mutton rara, dal makhni and tandoori roti. Deepika decided not to have anything and Sumita, because of her stomach issue declined to eat anything. However, once we were served, the aroma of the mutton dish compelled Sumita to taste it. There are about 5 or 6 Puran Singh ka Dhaba, all adjacent to each other, all claiming to be the original and it is difficult to distinguish as there’s hardly any differentiation in ambiance or food. We went to the one that Google recognised as original.
After the break, there was some urgency to reach home. The first stop was Dwarka to drop Shamik followed by us at Navjeevan Vihar and finally New Ashok Nagar. Shamik was dropped at his Society gate around 1:30 am and we reached home at 2:15 am and Topshe-Sudipta entered their home close to 3:00 am marking an end to a very enjoyable and memorable trip to Kalpa.
