8 July 2021 - Kalpa to Sangla and Chitkul – 160 km - Day 6 of Spiti Valley Exploration

This extra day in Kalpa was set aside to explore Chitkul and Sangla in the Baspa Valley. Google Maps indicated that Chitkul is about 75 km from The Monk and that it would take me about three hours to get there. The day’s drive would be entirely through the hills and I was warned of poor road conditions in some places. Factoring in all this, I decided to leave after breakfast at about 8.30 am. The chef, Sonu, served a large paneer paratha that I found difficult to finish. However, I vowed never to repeat the previous night’s experience. I laboured through the paratha with homemade pickles.

The road to Chitkul is challenging in many places. One must have sufficient patience and some skill to drive and appreciate some jaw dropping scenery along the way. The Charang Pass enroute is at 5,250 metres, while Chitkul is at 3,450 metres. The villages on the entire route up to Chitkul has been tuned to tourism. Homestays, home cooked food, etc are announced prominently at Rakcham, Batseri, Sangla and Chitkul.

During my visit to Chitkul and Sangla in April 2012 I had experienced mild snowfall and my stay had been cut short by a steady rain. Therefore, this day I decided to spend as much as I could there enjoying the Baspa Valley and the Baspa River. The village has been overgrown with facilities for tourists, including camping and tenting arrangements by the side of the river. Chitkul is an altitude of over 11,000 feet and is the last Indian village that abuts Tibet.

The air in Chitkul is rated to be the best in India. I certainly found it refreshing and took in lung-fulls hoping that it would reverse the ill effects of the old habit of smoking. During winter the village remains mostly covered in snow and the villagers migrate to lower regions of Himachal. The houses in the village have either slate or wooden plank roofs. However, with the increase in construction the use of tin roofs have gained currency.

It is said that what you see is more important than what you look at. Many of us merely look at things and do not see anything. Especially when you visit places of natural beauty you need a pair of eyes that see and not just look. The pristine, unspoilt Baspa Valley is a place that one has to appreciate and enjoy. The fast flowing Baspa Riverside is a good place to relax and soak in the natural beauty.

I found some visitors come there, take a few selfies and leave. They were there just to tick off from their bucket list. That may be their idea of a vacation. Everyone has his or hers and I certainly was there for my purpose. A group of bikers had rented a set of tents to camp by the riverside overnight. In retrospect, I feel I should have halted the night in Chitkul and left from there for Nako the next day. That could have lopped off about 100 km from the drive.

On the way back from Chitkul, after a Maggi noodle lunch by the riverside, I found that all shops were closed in Reckong Peo. I suspected that Veerbhadra Singh, the six time CM of Himachal Pradesh, who was on ventilator must have breathed his last. I was proved right. I went to the fueling station in Reckong Peo to tank up as it would be tight for the rest of the drive up to Manali, I guessed. The smiling fuel station attendant warned me that poor connectivity may affect the use of my credit card. However, after a short wait the connectivity issue was overcome and I returned to the hotel in Kalpa.

Since I still had some time on my hands I decide to drive to Roghi Village. The drive from Kalpa to Roghi is not for the faint of heart. Sheer drops on one side and jutting rock faces on the other has labelled this as one of the most dangerous roads in India to drive. Add to that eager selfie takers and reckless drivers, a recipe for instant disaster is on the cards. I narrowly missed a raging bus and a speeding car. I drove on to Roghi where the roads became narrower and narrower. At one point a couple of locals told me to make my way back as the road beyond was not motorable. Despite that it was baffling to notice the car population in that area. People come to Roghi to view the Kinner Kailash range. The village abounds in apple and apricot orchards and chilgoza trees.

Aryan brought me rotis, potato dry sabji and black dal curry for dinner. The food was very tasty. I jotted in my mind that I should meet the chef before I leave and thank him for the excellent fare. Besides, the food and even coffee were brought to the room exactly at the time I had asked for.