Surrounded by Tibet to the east, Kinnaur is an extremely beautiful district of Himachal Pradesh. Kinnaur has three high mountains ranges, Zanskar, Greater Himalayas and Dhauladhar. It was a forbidden land until 1889 for outsiders.  This region is blessed with mighty rivers Satluj and Baspa, valleys, high mountain lakes, hamlets and pine forests and invites thousands of travelers every year. Great natural scenery here is truly a photographers’ wonderland.
The administrative headquarters is at Reckong Peo. The first and oldest voter of Independent India Shyam Saran Negi is also from Kinnaur.
Plunging gorges on one side of the roads is scary and will keep you terrified until you reach the destination.
The Kinnauris are friendly in nature and their main occupation is farming, apple growing and handlooms. You can recognize Kinnauri people by their green felt basheri. Apples from Kinnaur are world famous for its natural sweetness and prolonged shelf life. Kinnauris have strong cultural beliefs and follow Hinduism & Buddhism.
The high altitude terrain here attracts hikers, trekkers and adventure lovers from all over the globe. Kinnaur witnesses temperate climate; summers are short and winters are long. Lower regions of Kinnaur receive monsoon rains and as you head towards upper areas monsoon showers progressively decreases. It snows heavily in regions like Chhitkul and Kalpa in the month of January. Checkout the pictures below.
Light woolen clothes will be required in summers and very heavy woolen clothes in winters.
One of the popular treks in Kinnaur is Kinner Kailash Trek. Difficulty level of this trek is medium to high. Giri Camps organizes trek to Kinner Kailash every year. Here’s the list of essentials to carry on Kinner Kailash trek. The best time to visit Kinnaur is from June to Oct as during this time the climate is pleasant and orchards are filled with fruits.
Temples at Kothi, Chhitkul, Sungra, Chango, Ropa, Charang and monasteries at Rarang, Brelengi is a must visit. As per ancient Hindu mythology people of Kinnaur are known as Kinners, the halfway between men and gods.
Foreign Nationals are required to get Inner Line Permits for visiting some places in Kinnaur. For more information on tourism here you can contact Tourist Information Center located at Deputy Commissioner Office, Reckong Peo.
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