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Route · Himachal
Up the old Hindustan–Tibet road, now NH5: over Narkanda, down to the Sutlej at Rampur and along the gorge to Kinnaur, then the climb from Reckong Peo to Kalpa. About 225 km and 8–9 hours; HRTC buses run daily.
Photo: Carlos Adampol Galindo from DF, México · CC BY-SA 2.0 · CommonsEvery way to go
| How | Time | Cost, indicative 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| HRTC bus | 9–10 h to Peo | ₹400–650 |
| Bus to Rampur, then onward | 10–11 h | ₹450–700 |
| Private car | 8–9 h | ₹8,000–11,000 one way |
HRTC buses leave ISBT Tutikandi for Reckong Peo early in the morning and through the day, with stops at Narkanda, Rampur and Tapri. Change at Peo for a local bus or shared taxi up to Kalpa, 7 km. It is a long, bumpy day, but cheap and the way most Kinnauris travel.
If you miss a Peo bus, take any bus to Rampur Bushahr, a large stop with frequent departures up the valley. This splits the journey and lets you see Rampur's Padam Palace. Leave Rampur by early afternoon to reach Kalpa in daylight.
A taxi lets you stop at Narkanda, Rampur and the Nathpa area, and climb straight to your Kalpa stay. Many travellers keep the same car for the whole Kinnaur loop. Drive only in daylight; the gorge has rockfall zones and narrow single-lane stretches.
At each end
Photo: Navneet Sharma · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
The old summer capital, reached by a 1903 mountain railway
Photo: Carlos Adampol Galindo from DF, México · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Apple orchards facing the Kinnaur Kailash peak at dawn
Questions
About 225 km by road via Narkanda, Rampur and Reckong Peo, usually 8–9 hours by car and 9–10 hours by bus plus the short hop from Peo.
Most HRTC buses go to Reckong Peo, the district headquarters, 7 km below Kalpa. From Peo, local buses and shared taxis climb to Kalpa in 20–30 minutes.
It is a busy national highway driven daily by buses and trucks, but parts of the gorge have rockfall risk. Travel in daylight, avoid heavy-rain days and check current status before you travel.
It is not essential, but a night at Sarahan or Rampur makes the day easier, especially for older travellers or anyone prone to motion sickness.
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