Kinnaur

Kinnaur district came in existence in the year 1960. Earlier it was a part of District Mahasu. The hill district, basically a mountainous region with a temperate climate, is the south eastern district of Himachal Pradesh at an altitude ranging between 2320 - 6816 m. It is situated in the north eastern part of Himachal Pradesh and runs along the river Satluj on the National Highway No - 22 which is also known as the Hindustan Tibet Road. It is also surrounded by the three majestic mountain ranges of Zanskar, Greater Himalayas and Dhauladhar and has got a tremendous appeal to the tourists from all over India. The people of Kinnaur earn their livelihood mainly from farming and handicrafts, apple being the main fruit.

Tourists coming to Kinnaur have a lot to see and do. There are beautiful natural surroundings to relax and refresh. Nearly every village of the district has a gompa or a temple. Moreover, since Kinnaur is located on the Indo - Tibet border, their culture and lifestyle is a considerable mix of both.

Some parts of Kinnaur is not accessible in the winter season due to heavy snowfall.

  Approach

The best approach to Kinnaur is via shimla but one can also come via manali.

                                                             Lahaul and Spiti

Lahaul and Spiti are two remote Himalayan Valleys of H.P. lying on the Indo-Tibet border. Lahaul is marked by a central mass of uniformly high mountains and massive glaciers. The two rivers, Chandra and Bhaga which rise on either side of the Baralacha La, flow through the narrow Chandra and Bhaga valleys. Lahaul is a land of fascinating Buddhist art and culture. The monasteries of Lahaul-Spiti are rich repositories of ancient murals, thankas, wood carving and golden images of Padmasambhava. The valley lies at a height of 2745 metres above sea level. Summer in this valley is cool and pleasant with green grass and alpine flowers. There are little monsoon in both these valleys and this enables climbers & trekkers to enjoy a long and unbroken season in perpetual sunshine to explore the wilderness and grandeur of the inner Himalaya. This unique feature makes Lahul-Spiti as an ideal destination for tourists and trekkers in the month of July, August and September.

Lahaul is connected with road from all parts of the country. Manali is the point where buses from various stations come. From here, one can take bus/taxi to any destination in Lahaul-Spiti, Pangi & Leh during the months between June to November depending upon opening and closing of Rohtang pass (3979 m), the gateway to this valley. National highway 21 is passes through this valley enroute to Leh.

Spiti is the sub division of Lahaul & Spiti district with its hqrs. at Kaza. It is called "Little Tibet" because it has almost the same terrain, vegetation & climate. Spiti also means "Middle Country". It lies between Tibet, Ladakh, Kinnaur, Lahaul & Kulu. From Shimla via Kinnaur there is a motorable road which remains open upto Kaza for 8 to 9 months

  Approach

There are two routes to enter Lahaul and Spiti. One from Manali via Rohtang Pass and the other one from Shimla via Kinnaur.