Beautiful Tourist place in District Kinnaur Sangla Valley

About the place Sangla

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.But the attraction of Sangla lies in the valley of Baspa River down below, not in the town itself. Sangla Valley is very beautiful, stretching many kilometers from east to west, and rimmed by snow-capped peaks out of your imagination and into the real world. The forested slopes below the snow are a mix between autumn-shaded leafy trees and big green pines.There are several hotels around the town to stay at Sangla Valley. But, if you really wish to enjoy the beauty and charm of Sangla Valley, its better to stay into the wild, as there are several tent accommodation offered by many agencies in the heart of the valley. But, these tented accommodation generally cost much more than the hotel.

Chitkul

After enjoying the sight of sangla valley one can go for further places which is about 36 km ahead from the sangla and named as chhitkul.It is considered as the last inhabited village at the Old Indian-Tibetan Trade Route . During winters, the place mostly remains covered with the snow and the inhabitants move to lower regions of Himachal. Potatoes grown at Chitkul are one of the best in the world and are very costly.Chitkul, on the banks of Baspa River, is the first village of the Baspa Valley and the last village on the old Hindustan-Tibet trade route. It is also the last point in India one can travel to without a permit.In chitkul the houses are made up of slate or wooden plank roofs.There is a Buddhist temple and a small tower. However, there has been an increased use of tin-roofs, especially the high school and the army/ITBP barracks.

The Kagyupa temple has a highly valued old image of the Shakyamuni Buddha, a Wheel of Life mandala and four Directional Kings on either side of the door. 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 powerful goddess of Chitkul is the only non-Buddhist deity to which respect must be paid by the Parikrama pilgrims. It is believed that the local Deity is related to the Deity of Gangotri and till recently the locals would carry the Deity to Gangotri on foot over high mountain passes.Chitkul is situated around 40 km from Karcham, the place where road bifurcates from Hindustan-Tibet Road (NH 22). The Sangla Valley is a delight for nature lovers; especially the stretch after Raksham and right up to Chitkul. The valley is extremely beautiful, on the left bank of the Baspa River are snow-clad mountains and on the right bank the whole terrain is full of apple orchids and wooden houses.

Kamru

Kamru Fort is one of the oldest Fort in Himachal. It is located in Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh. Distance of 2-km from Sangla, lies this wonderful place, the tower-like fort of Kamru. The Sangla valley is a breathtaking beauty in itself, with a blaze of saffron trees and cold snowmelt. Here, the river Bapsa flows to meet the churning torrent of the Sutlej River at Karcham. An exotic Image of Lord Buddha on the Fort's Main Gate and an Image of Kamkhya Devi are the unique features of this fort. The image of Kamkhya Devi, supposed to have been brought from Assam, is installed on the third floor. There is also a 15th century shrine of Lord Badrinath, which hosts a light every three years.
The Kamru fort is a quiet sentinel, located at a fearsome altitude of 2,600 m above the sea level. This place is at a distance of 57-km fom Kalpa and 229-km from Shimla, The capital of Himachal Pradesh. The nature shows off its existence and the splendor of this land. Along its sides rise snow clad mountains, thick forests of deodar trees, and lush green and richly fruited orchards.
The fort seems like being placed over packing of dressed stone that acts like a pedestal for an exalted piece of art. The tower possesses an elegant wooden balcony.

Standing at an altitude of 2600 m above sea level, Kamru fort is 229 km from Shimla and 2 km from the beautiful Sangla Valley. The fort is entered through a series of gates. At the main gate of the Kamru Fort, a stunning image of Lord Buddha greets you. The graceful wooden balcony, at the top of the fort, and the idol of Kamakhya Devi (Kamakshi Dev), installed on the third floor of the fort, are worth seeing.This idol is believed to have been brought from Guwahati. There is a Badrinath Temple in the Kamru fort, which dates back to the 15th century. This temple serves as the venue of a fair, held once in three years, in the honor of the deity. There is a procession in the fair where the idol of the deity is taken to Gangotri, the origin of River Ganges. There are a number of interesting legends attached to the fort.

How to reach

It take the road route from Shimla to reach Sangla. From Shimla, Sangla is an 8 hr drive (for first time drivers this time may be around 10 hrs).
From Chail/Shimla to Karcham (the turnoff point on NH 22) is 221/209kms. Please take a right turn at Karcham. And at around 18 kms down the road, you will hit Sangla. 6 kms ahead of Sangla