The picturesque and heavenly Sangla valley - alternatively known as Baspa valley - of Kinnaur attracts backpackers and travelers from across the globe.
It is named after Sangla village - the largest village of the Sangla valley (also known as Tukpa valley and one of the largest in Kinnaur.
Entrance gate of Sangla or TukpaValley painted in Thangka style.
Entrance gate of Sangla (or Tukpa) Valley painted exquisitely in Thangka Buddhist Painting style.
Located in the middle of the valley, 18 km from the nearest highway NH5, it has become a must-see place for backpackers and travelers.
Sangla valley offers plenty of charming places like Kamru village and fort, Basteri, Rakcham, Chitkul , Chansu village, Ranikanda and Dumti meadows.
Sangla valley
The valley is acclaimed for spectacular scenery and indigenous architecture of Sangla Bering Nag Temple, Kamru village fort, Sangla Buddhist monastery.
Strolling along the beautiful Baspa riverside and riverbanks is my favourite thing to do in Sangla valley.
Temple courtyard of Bairing Nag deity in Sangla village
Temple courtyard of Bairing Nag deity in Sangla village
The standout of the valley is India’s last village from Tibet side - Chitkul.
Sangla valley is also the gateway to many high altitude and treacherous Himalayan trails such as Lamkhaga Pass, Rupin Pass and Borasu Pass Trek that either starts or end in Sangla valley.
Best time to visit Sangla valley in 2023?
The weather remains cold to bitterly cold from November to March. May to September are pleasant days, so it is better to visit Sangla during these months (i.e., the last week of April to October). If you want to experience the snow, then December to early March is the best time.
Sangla average rainfall | Sangla weather
Sangla average rainfall
Sangla average temperature | Sangla weather
Sangla average temperature
The weather of Sangla valley
Sangla valley is located in the temperate zone. The average yearly temperature of Sangla hovers around 17 °C. It peaks in the months of May and June when it reaches 30 °C, but the weather remains pleasant.
In July, August and September the average rainfall reach its apex point. It crosses the 300 mm mark in the month of July.
After July, it starts decreasing and the average rainfall plummets to less than 100 mm in September month. In October, it barely rains.
With dwindling rains, temperature graph also takes a nose dive, and it crosses below 5 °C mark in December month.
How to reach Sangla valley?
Rainbow over Baspa river of Sangla valley
Rainbow over Baspa river .
Shimla, the capital of Himachal Pradesh, is easily accessible from Sangla.
From the Shimla ISBT (Tutikandi bus stop), many HRTC buses run on Delhi-Chandigarh-Shimla route.
Mostly the buses leave from Chandigarh in the night, then reach Shimla in the morning.
An HRTC bus will leave for Sangla or Rakchham in the morning around 7:00 AM from the Shimla Bus stand.
The long 12-hour bus ride is an adventurous one!
There is a Bus with number HP 25 c 3045 which runs every alternate day from Shimla around 7:00 - 7:10 AM from Shimla ISBT, Tutikandi to Sangla.
Related: Kinnaur Bus Timetable (New Timings)
One can call Shimla Bus Depo Control Room for details on Bus timings, they will help you. For us, Shimla to Sangla HRTC Bus road journey cost just about Rs. 420.
Tip: Women travellers get 50% concession if they travel in HRTC buses.
Tribune, Himachal
The helpline number of Shimla Bus Depo Control Room is 01772656326 and Reckong Peo station in-charge number is 01786222444.
If you are visiting Sangla with friends or family, try to take or book Innova, XUV, Tata Sumo or Tempo Traveler from Shimla. This will help you to stop & spend enough time en-route Sangla.
The journey from Shimla to Sangla is Epic & Deadly dangerous one with Breathtaking views of Sutlej River, High Mountains, Mountain Villages, Lovely Bridges, Some Beautiful Towns of Kinnaur Valley.
Distance from different cities
If you are traveling from the different States of India, it is better to reach Delhi or Chandigarh by Flight, Train or other transport options then plan accordingly in advance. This will help to reach Sangla without any transport issues.
From Delhi: Around 590 Kms. via NH44 and NH5 (Delhi to Sangla)
From Chandigarh: Around 354 Kms. via NH5 (Chandigarh to Sangla)
From Shimla: 240 Kms. via NH5 (Shimla to Sangla)
How to reach Sangla from Shimla: From Shimla, Take following route to Sangla: Shimla - Kufri -Fagu -Rampur -Tapri -Karcham Sangla
Altitude: Sangla town is 2600 meters above mean sea level.
Bucketlist best places to explore in Sangla valley
Kamru village
From Sangla town, the village of Kamru is a 2-kilometer easy hike away. The Kamru fort & temple is lesser visited place by the tourists. Most skip this place and drive straight to Rakcham and Chitkul.
While in Sangla, don’t forget to check out these ancient Buddhist architectures. You must visit this place if you’re in Sangla, because it’s incredible!