Amongst dizzy Himalayan heights, Kinnaur, once a forbidden land, is now a treasure’s trove for the daring and adventurers seekers. From the righteous greens of Sangla valley with well developed orchards of apricots and apples, to the magnificent panorama of Chitkul, India’s last village on Indo-Tibet border, and from the stunning sight of Mt. Kinner Kailash, abode of Lord Shiva from Kalpa, to the pristine lake at Nako village, mother nature’s portrait is an ever-changing one in Kinnaur.

Lying on the ancient trade route between India and Tibet, ringed by the majestic Himalayan, Zanskar, and Dhauladhar ranges, Kinnaur with its well conserved culture and timeless rituals is a land of plenty. The gushing rivers – Sutlej, Spiti, Baspa and their tributaries – have over the centuries chiselled beautiful valleys across this picturesque land and nurtured one of the most hardy of mountain societies in the world.

Kinnauris, as the natives are called, are proud yet friendly who can be easily spotted out by their striking cylindrical cap that features a half band of green, maroon or purple felt. Where lower Kinnaur has large influences of Hinduism with traces of Buddhism in their belief systems, in the higher reaches it is Buddhism that dominates. Kinnaur in a land where the two religions meet at the peaks and coexist in harmony.

Language

English and Hindi is understood and spoken by people associated with tourism. However, the locals communicate in Kinnauri, the local dialect, in their everyday dealings.

Clothing Essentials

Owing to their high elevation, most parts of Kinnaur usually have a chill in the air round the year. The natives are mostly dressed in woollen clothes. In summers light woollens would be sufficient to live the days but heavy woollens and jackets need to carried along as it can get cold and chilly as the evening draws in. For winters, heavy woollens are essential.