Sangla Valley - a retreat in the midst of pine nut orchards and Himalayan Range

At first I wasn't sure about applying for inner line permits and travel towards Spiti, so I thought it might be good as well to spend couple of days in Kalpa and Sangla Valley. However, as the path was clear and everything was better than I have planned, I chose to head up north first and leave few days to relax in Sangla Valley.

Sangla town - good place to relax

Sangla Valley or known as Baspa Valley (Baspa River that runs through the middle of the valley) is a 2.30-3 hrs ride by local bus from Rekong Peo. The bus to Sangla leaves three times a day (better to acquire the confirmed schedule at the bus station again!). I took the one at 16.00. It was an ordinary bus of HRTC that runs along this Hindu-Tibetan Highway from Shimla up towards Kaza. Getting on the bus at Rekong Peo bus station quite guaranteed you that you will get a seat. People hopped on and off all the way to Sangla. By 18.30, I arrived in a funny (and quite dull) town of Sangla. I have to admit that when the bus reached its final stop in Sangla, I was disappointed by the town itself. It was dusty and there were many cars and taxis waiting for the customers there. It's just like a town that is under construction somehow. Despite being so exhausted, I kept walking along the road, just only to pass the town centre. Lonely Planet suggested a home-stay 2 minutes up the road, but I have been walking for almost 5 minutes already and there was none. Some places that look like hotels are closed, as it's perhaps off-season. I asked a local lady and she said that I should keep walking as there will be a lot of them ahead. I kept walking for around 500 metres and started to see some along the road. Eventually, I noticed the sign of Shruti Guesthouse on the far right, okay...no more walking, I am going to stay there.

Magnificent view of Sangla Valley with Baspa River running through it.

Orchard and Kinnauri house in Shruti Guesthouse in Sangla

The advantage point of having accommodation in Sangla is that you always have good view, no matter where you built your place. Sangla is surrounded by huge range of snowcapped mountains that are just so green and full of pine trees. I totally forgot my disappointment from the town centre and was mesmerized by beautiful Kinnauri farmhouse, orchards, and snow-peaked mountains! I decided to spend two nights there just for pure retreat. They gave me a very VIP room on the ground floor, as I cannot see other guest rooms in that building at all! The staff was very nice and attentive. Although the electricity cut off several times a day (which is very typical in India), I wasn't scared at all because the staff kept checking on the candles in my room! 

Chitkul, the last village and the end of the road

Next morning, I planned to visit Chitkul, the last inhabited village of this valley (further on this direction is Chinese/Tibetan border). Local bus leaves at 11.30 and it takes 2 hrs journey (24 kms), which means I would have only an hour to spend before the return bus leaves at 14.30. So, I managed to get a nice taxi (van type) instead for 1,000 Rupees. The good thing about getting private taxi is that you can see the view from both sides of the car conveniently and get the driver to stop along the route.  I think the scenery at my guesthouse in Sangla was nice enough, but it's nothing compare to the scenery along the road of Sangla to Chitkul. It looks exactly like a postcard-picture! It takes a little than an hour to Chitkul passing Rakcham village. Traditional farmhouses and orchards were seen along the way. Chitkul itself sets deep into the mountain but the taxi parked at the entrance of the village, which looked a bit depressing. So, I walked along a small path to beautiful temple and fort of Chitkul. Suddenly, it gave me totally different feelings. It was nice and so welcoming village with such magnificent view. I walked up towards the top of the village to find another abandoned temple with eye-catching painting of symbolic motifs outside. Interestingly, some of the motifs are similar to what found in the north of Thailand. I left Chitkul feeling so happy. I really hope that the village remains in its lovely way and tourism will not exploit the village's integrity. 

Traditional Kinnauri house in Sangla Valley.

Chitkul village and its temple in the centre of the village

Wooden temple of Chitkul

Old Fort of Chitkul rises in the middle of Krailash

Beautiful and colourful painting of symbolic motifs at another temple in Chitkul.

Farmhouse in Chitkul

If you considered staying overnight at Chitkul, there are not many choices of hotels at the moment. They are now constructing new hotels at the entrance of the village. I would suggest overnight stay in Sangla, especially if you visit this region in off-season like this. Not only that some hotels are closed during winter, you might be the only guests if there are any hotels to stay.

One of the hotel I saw in Chitkul and yes, it looks vacant!

Back to Sangla earlier than expected, I took a walk around Sangla but sand/dust storm was too harsh to enjoy my walk. I ended up in Cafe'42, a very nice cafe' in Sangla serving the best Hummus dip ever! And had a nice long chat with the owner, who was in advertising industry. He came to 

 

Sangla town and traditional farmhouse.

Sangla - Delhi, is it the best way?

I decided to get a taxi back to Rekong Peo in the late morning next day. Since local bus from Sangla to Rekong Peo leaves very early like 07.00, it means I would arrive in Rekong Peo around 9 or 10, which is too early to catch a 13.30 bus to Chandigarh. I believed that I should take the same route and transportation mode back to Delhi, as it might be the best choice of all. However, when I asked people at the hotel, they suggested me another new option (which is also new information for me too!). I could get the taxi from Sangla directly to Rampur, which is a town 2 hrs south of Rekong Peo. From there, there is even a "VOLVO bus" direct to New Delhi. This sounded like a really good news, so I took this option immediately. 

Same taxi picked me up at 10.00 in the morning and it took him (speedy drive) only 2.30 hrs to reach Rampur new bus station (from normal 4 hrs or more!!!!). I hurriedly walked to the ticket booth hoping to get a good seat in VOLVO bus to Delhi and didn't care how long it will take as I will be relaxing in the VOLVO bus at least! BUT he said "no VOLVO bus coming today, only ordinary bus, no deluxe bus too". What does it mean? Only not coming "today"? Ordinary bus only? I was so angry that I came this far to get a seat on the ordinary bus, why not relying on my original plan to board deluxe bus in Rekong Peo to Chandigarh. After getting calmer, my thought was clearer and I realised that it would be only a single long journey direct to Delhi and I wouldn't have to change the bus again. I decided to buy a ticket for a 15-hour journey to New Delhi (450 Rupees) on ordinary bus. The ticket seller kindly assigned me the seat behind the driver, which gave me large space for stretching my legs and holding the backpack. Bus left at 13.30 with a stop in almost every towns to pick up more passengers and of course, you can take a short ride between each stops too. 

Inside ordinary bus of HRTC - Himachal Road Transport Cooperation (but this is not the same one I took back to Delhi)

Outside the ordinary-typed bus

However, I was wrong. This was probably the worst seat ever for a long journey in Himachal highway. The speed of the bus gave me goosebumps for the whole 15 hours! I could hardly take it easy and sleep because I was so scared that big bus or truck on the opposite lane will come straight towards me. It was a nightmare journey and I just wished that the bus would pass this busy road of Shimla soon. Since Shimla is perhaps the easiest and most popular holiday destination of Indians, there were so many cars and buses around and made it even worse sitting in this speedy bus. And I was wrong once again, the ride got worse in flat land once it got into Punjab, especially with madly horn blowing and crazily lanes changing! My head alerted but my eyes so weary. I closed them from time to time trying to get some sleep but could hardly. When the bus got close to New Delhi, it even took like forever on the busy highway with smoke from cars, horn blows, changing of temperature, and mad driving. Tired and wrecked, finally the bus arrived at Kashmere gate around 04.30, thank you... now I can be in peace. (not really though!)

Transportation details:

Bus Rekong Peo to Sangla - 6.30, 13.00, 16.00 (better get updated schedule when you're there) - 50 Rupees/ depart from Rekong Peo bus station
Bus Sangla to Rekong Peo - 6.30/ depart from the town centre
Bus Sangla to Chitkul - 11.30 and 14.30 (return) (but the road condition is very bad and that might delay the journey).
Deluxe bus Rekong Peo to Chandigarh - 13.30 (normally not full on this leg, but it will arrive in Chandigarh around 4.00 in the morning! and just catch morning VOLVO bus OR Kalka Shatabhadi train back to Delhi)
Bus Rampur to Delhi - 13.30 and mostly several hours a day (but there's supposed to be a good VOLVO bus, try not to be there on Sunday then!)
Taxi rent - full day trip Sangla to Chitkul (1,000 Rupees)/ Rekong Peo to Sangla, both direction (1,500 Rupees)/ Sangla to Rampur, both direction (2,000 Rupees)

Elevation:
Chitkul - 11,318ft