To Kalpa

The next stage of the ride could very well be termed as "The Transit Stage". It usually is a 6-7 hrs ride that takes you from the "oh so green" pine covered jungles to huge rocky cliffs of Kinnaur. Riding along the River Sutlej, Baspa & their tributaries in the strikingly beautiful Kinnaur valley which has its slopes covered with thick wood, orchards, fields and picturesque hamlets.


Few pictures:


Making your way through the mountains



C-section scrapped through the mountains




Well obviously it is not all that rosy to make it through such a terrain,
what comes as a part and parcel of the package is:




which in turn leads to a lot of waiting... we had to stop 3 times, each ranging between 10-20mins
look at the body language of the people waiting



Please don't get disheartened, it is all worth it as after the tedious ride you are welcomed by a mesmerizing valley covered with rich flora & fauna and a small town famous for it's Apple orchids, chilgoza forests ~ Kalpa. Situated at an altitude of about 10000fts, it is the base of Kinnaur-Kailash snow ranges. DCS took us straight to Ashok Guest House situated slightly ahead of the main village, providing a breath taking view of the ancient looking village and the majestic mount Kailash covered with perennial snow.


The village Kalpa



click to proceed >>

very beautiful set of pics. both photography and scenic views sync together very well.
i think this is one of the best times to travel by bikes on hills 'with spouse' as very low chances of rainfall + greenery still exists, but road conditions would be bad.
waiting for rest of the log...

Thank you so much for the kind words Rachit, I hope this thread lives upto your expectations.

I am glad you liked them Sirish, it is a beautiful place, I have been there 5 times and I just cant get enough of it.
This time of the year, if not best, is surely the easiest. Rains, landslides and water crossings can very well make it too challenging for most of us. Also the tourists recede by this time of the year, considering that there aren't really many options for stay and food, a trip can be better managed at this time. With appropriate clothing and preparations, cold is one thing that can be dealt with.

Awesome

Khab Bridge & Nako Lake

The urban traveler inside us is expected to have a larger than life perception. Lustrous places like Haveli, Savoy Greens that started-off as mid-way conveniences have out-grown the purpose and are not less than a destination themselves.
Looking at the milestone reading Khab-40kms in an otherwise lifeless valley makes the urban-stuck mind dreams (well the name is Khab, what else do you expect) if not a town, then at-least couple of houses around a rickety shack serving a much needed cup of hot tea and may be a parantha to go along with.
80ish kms ride from Kalpa through decent roads, the Khab zero point is actually a bridge and ... well that's about it, only a bridge and absolutely nothing else. Existing in a very narrow & windy valley, the bridge is right over the confluence of Spiti river and Sutlej river, so pretty much this is where the cold dessert ~ Spiti Valley starts. There is a small village known as Khab that exists on the road that leads to Shipki-la. This road originates about a km before the bridge.
Shipki La is a high pass (5669 meter) that connects India to Tibet and also the place from where river Sutlej enters India. Shipki La is also considered as the end of Hindustan-Tibet (NH-22) road. An ITBP permit is required to reach Shipki-la. It was never on our plan, so Khab was the closest we got to Tibet.


Few pics:
Khab Bridge


* always wear helmet while riding, the above pic was just a pose. This was done by trained professionals, PLEASE DO NOT TRY AT HOME





About 30 kms of ascend from Khab bridge, winding your way through beautiful hairpin bends on "oh-so-great" tarmac, is a small village called Nako (12000+fts). A very simple and yet so beautiful village is surrounded by snowclad mountains and looks like cautiously preserving life in itself. A quite lake sits along the village and one can easily get lost in the serenity created by the clear reflections of willow & poplar trees with the snowclad background.


Few Pics:
The Nako Village



The Nako Lake




Kids shying at Nako Lake



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nice info about khab bridge.. the info, neatness and crisp of the log itself indicating that its a travelogue from a very senior member..

Nice pics. Loved the disclaimer below the helmet less pic- please do not try this at home, bwhahaha. Keep posting and Ride safe

Thanks sri.rtr160

Thank you but Sirish your "very senior" makes me feel so very old.... :P

Thanks IronHide Shetty, I am glad you liked it.

i intended to mention your "touring experience years" & "seniority in xbhp" ... please come up with rest of the log soon ...

nice trip all in all!!

Dhankar Monastery

Acrophobia is fear of height, so obviously people suffering with it wouldn't find a roof top all that comfortable. On the other hand, there are some non-acrophobic ones who are continuously looking out for eagle-eye views. So what if I was already at 12000+ft and gaining, height always entices me and I wouldn't have missed the view from the top of Dhankar Monastery for a million dollars.
Dhang means cliff, and kar means fort, hence "fort on a cliff". Built on a 1000-foot (300-metre) high spur overlooking the confluence of the Spiti and Pin Rivers - Dhankar Monastery has one of the world's most spectacular settings for a temple. Situated at an altitude of 12700+fts, at a distance of about 90kms from Nako, this monument is one amongst the 100 most endangered monuments in this world and restoration work is underway.


Few pics:


Somewhere near Tabo




on the way to Dhankar Monastery



Monastery looks like an organic structure grown out of the mountains



Up & close with the Dhankar Monastery



Below the Gompa lies the small village of Shichilling which has a population of 87 souls (as read on the sign board).


The village as seen from the top of the Monastery




The organic structure houses hundreds of Yellow Beak Ravens



Wide valley as seen from Dhankar



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Good narration and great work with those pictures there ! Keep up the good work

This image reminds me of my first almost "deadly encounter".

@Imran Bhai : Its an "attraction" towards Spiti that we all just wish to visit that place every now and then. I still remember last year you did chandrataal just when we were doing the spiti circuit. Nako looks beautiful as always. Looking into these pics, I feel like taking my bike there again.... Thanks for sharing the amazing clicks

Thank You So Much, B2L, for reviving the memories for Spiti, Nevertheless Beautifully penned down, Also the The Line above in red was The BEST , plus the place where bhabhi sitting, is the exact place where I slipped onto the lake, ThankFully it was frozen at that time!

Waiting for something beyond this point now!!!!

Now it is getting colder there too
this would have been the best time to be there, where snowing! ;-)

I am also a guy like you, who enjoys riding motorcycles. I will try to speed-up my posts here

yes Somen1984

Thanks Varun

Thanks a ton Prateek, what deadly encounter are you referring to?

lol thanks, next time you should ride down there to revive the memories