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After a long delay, finally posting pics of our winter trip to Kalpa, Charang Village & the Charang Rangrik Monastery. Charang village is the last village on the Indo-China Border. The last ITBP post is located in this village.

Winter in Kinnaur

For the city folks, the village offers a complete escape from the busy city life. No network coverage — bosses can’t call you. For a comfort trip seeker, I will recommend Charang only during summers. In winters, with the temperature plunging to about -15 ºC & heavy snowfall blocking all the roadways for weeks — the place is either for the brave hearts or for ignorants like us.

Hikes around Chini village of Kalpa valley

We reached Reckong Peo early in the morning and headed for a beautiful Chini village in Kalpa. We strolled there for an hour or two and visited Kalpa Buddhist monastery and newly built Narayanas temple. We spent the rest of the day at a friend’s place in Reckong Peo and took rest after 12 hrs enduring journey in the Chandigarh-Reckong Peo HRTC bus.

View of Snow covered Pangi village from Kalpa village of Kinnaur — View of Snow covered Pangi village from Kalpa

Unnamed peak on Kinner - Kailash mountain range[Winter in Kinnaur] — Unnamed peak on Kinner – Kailash mountain range

View of the valley , Kalpa , Kinnaur — View of the Kalpa valley Kinnaur

Roof of the Kalpa temple & Kinnaur Kailash peak (6050 m) in background — Roof of the Kalpa temple & Kinner Kailash peak (6050 m) in background

Snow covered Chini village of Kalpa in Kinnaur — Chini village of Kalpa, Kinnaur

Chini temple of Kalpa in Kinnaur — Chini temple Of Kalpa, Kinnaur

Unnamed peak on Kinner Kailash mountain range

Snowy mountain tops above Barang village in Kinnaur — Snowy mountain tops above Barang village of Kinnaur

Jorkanden peak & adjoining peaks on Kinner Kailash Mountain range — Jorkanden peak and adjoining peaks on Kinner Kailash Mountain range

Hiking in deep snow near Kalpa football ground in Kinnaur — Hiking to Kalpa football ground, Kinnaur

Snowball fighting on Kalpa football ground in Kinnaur — Snowball fighting in Kalpa football ground of Kinnaur

Winter landscape of Chini village of Kalpa in Kinnaur — Magnificent Chini village of Kalpa, Kinnaur

Raldang peak overlooking Chini village of Kalpa. — Chini village Kalpa , Raldang peak (5425 m) visible in background

Snow covered fields of locals from Chini village of Kalpa

Hiking on snow near Kalpa football ground in Kinnaur — Snow hikes near Kalpa football ground of Kinnaur

Snowy Raldang peak of Kinner - Kailash mountain range in Kinnaur — Raldang peak (5425 m ) of Kinner – Kailash mountain range, Kinnaur

Icy road en route Kalpa village of Kinnaur — Road to Kalpa valley of Kinnaur

Strolling in snow in Kalpa football ground — Strolling around Kalpa

Snowballing in Kalpa football ground of Kinnaur — Snowballing and Killing time in Kalpa valley of Kinnaur

Reckong Peo to Akpa Check post bus ride & Long walks along the NH-05

Now coming to our next day’s experience I consider this as an achievement. Trekking on steep slopes for 20 km on snow for 8 hrs continuously. With no one to your rescue walking endlessly with those baby steps on snow…having no idea that we will be alive in the next 1 hr or not. We missed the early morning Reckong Peo – Thangi bus and had to take another bus which dropped us near Akpa check post around noon. We started walking along the highway, reached Moorang around 1 PM and took a taxi to Lambar ( the last motorable stop) in winters.

National Higway 5 en route Moorang village of Kinnaur — World’s most treacherous road, National Higway 05, en route Moorang, Kinnaur

Walking on NH 5 near Moorang village of Kinnaur — Walking the Himalayas , near Moorang bridge , Kinnaur

Moorang fort of Tidong valley in Kinnaur — Moorang fort of Tidong valley , Kinnaur

Moorang village of Kinnaur — Village with a buddhist monastery & many chorten – Moorang

Slippery road near Moorang village of Kinnaur on NH 05 — Slippery road near Moorang on National Highaway 05

A bridge on Satluj river connecting — Moorang bridge , Tidong valley , Kinnaur

Moorang bridge, Tidong valley, Kinnaur

Moorang to Thangi village taxi ride & the long hike to Charang village

We started the trek from Lambar at around 3 PM and reached Charang at about 11 pm. In the 20 km stretch, there were only three of us walking continuously. Because in that extreme weather a comma means full stop. If you stop you will freeze within minutes. At about 5 pm there was complete darkness…and even a slight sound nearby will flash images of a snow leopard or wild bears in your mind. Trekking in the night without a torch..the only thing to our rescue was the moonlight and the marks of the steps of the ITBP jawans on the snow…which kept us hopeful that we are heading in the right direction. Each one of us was having plenty of dry fruits but none of us was having the energy to stop & take those out of the bag. We were three friends Pawan Ranta, Amandeep Dhiman & myself. There is one ITBP post on the way to Charang which served as a base camp to the post at Charang. Thereafter traveling for about 14 km we got some warm water to drink. That warm water was like ‘amrit‘ and we thought that “ab hum bach jayyenge“. We stayed there for 15 to 20 minutes & then about 8 pm we started our trek to Charang with new hope & determination…but then again after traveling for about 1 km, we were regretting that why we didn’t stop there & request those ITBP jawans to allow us to stay there till morning. Now again, we were at the mercy of the mountains. We were not able to even speak….we were just moving & moving. During the complete trek, I was reciting God’s name and was hurling abuses & curses at Pawan who gave the idea of that trek. After traveling for another 6 km, there in the dark near the entrance of the Charang Village, were Sonu bhai, our savior standing there in the dark waiting for us. Sonu bhai took our backpacks and gave us new hope. And again we said ” Ab to lagata hai bach gaye“. Sonu bhai offered us shelter in their house offered food & saved our lives. Raante credit goes to you also. We sat near the bukhara and ate food thanking God for keeping us alive. I started chanting my daily mantras thanking God.

The trails to Charang , Kinnaur [Winter in Kinnaur 2015] — The trails to Charang, Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

In Charang , Kinnaur [Winter in Kinnaur 2015]

In Charang, Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

View of last ITBP check post and Rangrik Tungma monastery , Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

Halting place, en route Rangrik Tungma monastery, Charang Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

Waiting for the sunshine, Charang Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

The trail to Rangrik Tungma monastery, Charang, Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

Charang village , Tidong valley , Kinnaur

Hiking to Rangrik Tungma Monastery , Charang [Winter 2015]

Dogs in Charang , Kinnaur

Prayer flags in Rangrik Tungma monastery , Charang , Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

Chorten , a Buddhist stupa , Charang Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

Charang snowscape , Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

Prayer flags , Charang , Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

Searching for network in Charang , Kinnaur

The next dawn gave us a new hope & we visited the Rangrik Monastery and offered prayers and visited the last ITBP post on the Indo China border.

Walking with the wind , returning from Charang , Kinnaur [Winter in Kinnaur 2015] — Walking with the wind, returning from Charang, Kinnaur [Winter 2015]

Singing stream , Tidong [Winter in Kinnaur 2015]

Singing stream, Tidong [Winter Kinnaur 2015]

Walking along Tidong stream while returning from Charang, Kinnaur [winter 2015]

Oh! I have written such a long story…I know many of you won’t read but I know that many more will read. The story is to keep my memories on records.

Blog by: Saurabh Tiwari

Home » Kinnaur » Kalpa

Chaka meadows are mountain meadows high above Kalpa village of Kinnaur. It is a hike recommended for the ones in tireless twenties who have just started their trekking journey or for the people ones in late forties a time when knees begin to protest against the gradient and you start appreciating the least challenging of the mountain trails.

Wild himalayan flowers. Enroute Chaka meadows , Kalpa , Kinnaur — Hidden deep beneath the winter snow, mountain flowers begin to grow. Who will wake when lilies bloom? Who will appear when spring is finally here? Wild Himalayan flowers. Enroute Chaka meadows

Kalpa To Chaka Trek

The Chaka(also spelled as Chakka) is the quintessential Himalayan mountain meadow — some people call it Chaka peak but there is no peak as such — located at an altitude of around 3800m above sea level.

The route

The trails start from a point on Kalpa Roghi road near charming Kalpa (Chini village) which is around 10 km from district headquarter, Reckong Peo. One doesn’t need any prior trekking experience but a sound pair of lungs. I would say it’s a modest trek with great returns. The hike is steep though. We started hiking from a trail near the hotel Rakpa Regency which leads to Chaka Meadows. Early morning start is advised because it gets quite arduous when the sun starts hitting on the face and suddenly you start feeling the backpack load.

Wild flower enroute Chaka meadows , Kalpa , Kinnaur — Wildflower en route Chaka meadows

A good trek is not measured just by the physical coordinates of cool heights attained and scenic ridges traversed. Perhaps more crucial is the inner satisfaction that derives from walking with companions who stay agreeable under testing conditions and whose sympathies remain as a warm afterglow. The marvelous sunrise from the Kinner Kailash mountain, breathtaking views of the mountain range and beautiful views of Kalpa village are major highlights of the hike.

Sitting by the stream , en route Chaka meadows , Kalpa , Kinnaur — Sitting by the stream, en route Chaka meadows

Chaka meadows , Kalpa , Kinnaur — Chaka meadows, Kalpa

Traditional house , enroute Chaka meadows , Kalpa , kinnaur — The vintage home. It is a storehouse used in summers only during the sowing season. In winter people descend to their homes in Chini village.

Distance from Kalpa

The trail is around 3 kilometers long and it runs along a stream. It passes through fields of Chini villagers and Cedar forest below the meadows. It’s a day hike and one can comfortably descend back to the Kalpa – Roghi road in the evening.

Small foot bridge , En route Chaka meadows , Kalpa , Kinnaur — A small footbridge , En route Chaka meadows

Chaka-Kalpa Trek During Winter

Winter offers some of the prettiest, most serene trail adventures you can ever hope to have. Cleary sky, little or no crowd and snow-laden peaks are some of the perks that come with a winter hike. Unlike in summers when you need to start early in the morning, one can start to hike in late morning in winters. Hiking in winters has its inherent dangers. So one is advised to carry good gear and dress in layers.

Views from Chaka meadwos , Kalpa , Kinnaur — Views from Chaka meadows

Raldang peak framed! Enroute Chaka meadows trek , Kalpa , Kinnaur — Framing Raldang peak

Hiking along the stream, Chaka meadows trek, Kalpa , Kinnaur — Hiking along the stream

Frozen stream , en route Chaka meadows trek — Frozen in time and space

Chaka meadows Kalpa | Kinnaur in winters — Snow covered fields of Chaka meadows. These fields remain under the snow for 4-5 months. In summers people of Chini and surrounding villages of Kalpa climb up to their fields in Chaka Kanda and live here for 2-3 months. Imagine working in these fields in such beautiful surroundings.

Ice covered stream | Chaka meadows Kalpa | Winter in Kinnaur — Ice-covered stream

Walking besides the singing stream | Chaka meadows Kalpa | Winter in Kinnaur — Walking beside the singing stream

Winter snowscape , en route Chaka medows Kalpa | Winter in Kinnaur — Winter snowscape, en route Chaka meadows Kalpa

Chaka meadows trail , Kalpa | Winter in Kinnaur — There is no other trail that has such amazing views of the Kinnaur Kailash mountain range.
Chaka meadows trail, Kalpa

Chaka meadows hike, Kalpa | Winter in Kinnaur — Lost in thought and lost in time
While the seeds of life and the seeds of change were planted
Outside the rain fell dark and slow
While I pondered on this dangerous but irresistible pastime
I took a heavenly ride through our silence
I knew the moment had arrived
For killing the past and coming back to life

Her majesty , Mt Raldang (5499m) | Chaka meadows hike Kalpa | Winter in Kinnaur — Her majesty , Mt Raldang (5499m)

Singing stream. Chaka meadows hike Kalpa. | Winter in Kinnaur — “Sometimes you have to turn back and follow your own footprints to find the right path!”

Blog by Pawan Ranta